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webb3201 · May 3, 2004, 08:49 AM

Sorry for this rant, but after years of use, I am totally frustrated by eBay. It is impossible to sell technology on using the service due to the influx of fraudulant bidders screwing up every auction. I typically sell some type of PDA, or computer each month. Over the last 6 months, I have had the majority of my auctions ended by bidders with no feedback . Additionally, I used to like using the "Buy It Now" option. This is no longer viable as these same fraud buyers will simply shut your auction down. Arrgh. Sell here and in similar communities. That is all.

gorickey · May 3, 2004, 09:26 AM

1.) Cancel all "0" feedback users on your auction if you so choose.

2.) eBay now has the option to require "Immediate Payment", which should help with your other issue...

webb3201 · May 3, 2004, 10:47 AM

its funny, I have an auction I started last night, and I reviewed the bids to kill "O" feedback bidders. As of this morning, I have 4 fraud folks to kill. I wonder how eBay could let new users participate, but keep these fools out?

TerryJ · May 3, 2004, 11:10 AM

I have to agree with you webb. I have been selling high end cars and Harley davidsons on Ebay Motors for right about 5 years and have earned PowerSeller status and all, but the bidding quality has drastically dropped. I experience the same bogus bidding and closing of auctions, then I have to go wrestle with Ebay to get my listing fees back. I am trying to sell my own PowerBook on here because I don't want to go through the Ebay thing as so many of their technology sales just look, well, fake. Generic pictures, low feedback sellers, low-ball pricing....and these kinds of listings just take away from the real legitimate sellers. Ebay really needs to get a handle on user control otherwise the entire site will just keep sinking into being a suspicious place to do business. Already people are nervous enough about spending money online, so there doesn't need to be anything more to cheapen the quality of the experience.

Good luck with your sales and I am just going to sit tight with my listing here until I get a real, sincere bidder on my PB! I still get my share of unrealistic offers and things like that, but I figure there will be a serious buyer looking for a nice machine at a fair price and they'll have the experience and foresight to look at a reputable place like this forum.

michad · May 3, 2004, 03:43 PM

Wished I'd read this post two weeks ago.

I sold my Nikon 4500 digicam and neglected to put "no refunds" in the payment terms. The buyer wanted to return it because it was 'defective'. I did the refund knowing the camera was fine. Then came the ebay hassle. Second auction ended buy it now, bogus user.

Ebay is the hardest company I've ever had to deal with. They claim to have no other method for handling problems like these. Blah.

Anyone want a Coolpix 4500 in perfect condition?

wildcard · May 3, 2004, 05:14 PM

I can relate....

I got burned on a laptop auction where the bidder dawdled for 2 weeks only to email me that he couldn't pay.

OptimusG4 · May 3, 2004, 07:28 PM

Thats what private auctions are for. The seller approves the list of buyers that are allowed to bid.

PowerBub · May 3, 2004, 09:50 PM

weird, i've sold over 170 things on eBay with no problems whatsoever. guess i'm just lucky

gorickey · May 3, 2004, 09:54 PM

Originally posted by webb3201:
I wonder how eBay could let new users participate, but keep these fools out?

Make it a seller preference during an auction listing maybe? For example, an option of "Minimum feedback needed in order to bid in auction: 10/50/100" or something like that...