Buyer bought item just to leave bad feedback!!

[needleandthreadlastchance]

I'm a reseller and I won a beautiful dress in an auction that I planned to resell. It was a bargain and I know how much they go for when listed well.

After I listed it I had a message from the bidder who lost out to me in the auction pressuring me to sell it to her cheaply. I politely declined and pointed out that her offer to me £150) was less than my maximum bid had been on the original listing (£175 bid, but I won it for £125). She kept coming back with lowball offers so I politely asked her to please stop and gave her a tip about sniping websites for future auctions to help her.  I went out of my way to be kind, but am not going to be manipulated into a sale.

She didn't reply to that message, but it turns out that 90mins after I sent it, she bought the cheapest item I was selling.

I shipped it not putting 2 and 2 together as I hadn't paid too much attention to the username.

Then today I get a bad feedback on that item. My first bad feedback in maybe 5 years.

I spoke to ebay before I had realised it was the same girl, but they declined my removal request.

An hour later I just had a thought to check the username on that dress.....and realised it was her.

She literally bought an item to harm my account!!!

What would your next move be?

I'm thinking call ebay first thing tomorrow (fraud team?)

and then snail mail her a notification of intention to prosecute to put the wind up her at the very least, but possibly to see it through.

(Both she and myself are in the UK)

I'm shocked. How low can people get? Buying an item just to leave bad feedback is evil. 

This is nuts!!!

[*vyolla*]

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@needleandthreadlastchance wrote:

After I listed it I had a message from the bidder who lost out to me in the auction pressuring me to sell it to her cheaply

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As buyers eBay IDs are encrypted, how did the underbidder get your eBay ID?

[tobiasd4]

You have bigger issues than feedback.

You are trading illegally as unregistered business, you admit to being a reseller.

Upgrade now, ebay have to report accounts to HMRC.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/selling-policies/business-seller-policy?id=4710

[needleandthreadlastchance]

Often you can see the first and last letter of the username and the associated feedback score. I relisted the item 3 days after the original auction ended, so I guess it wasn't rocket science for her to put 2 and 2 together.  It is quite a rare dress.

[needleandthreadlastchance]

All my business income is reported to HMRC. Thank you for your concern. Legislation is by consent, but I don't have the time to go into that here. For the masses it is easier to obey legislation than to educate themselves, but for those who know there is no fear. I obey the law and am not confused as to what law is. I fully comprehend it without understanding. Those who know the black law dictionary as well as the Oxford English Dictionary will read this with a knowing smile and those who don't will think I'm a raving nutter 😂 

[needleandthreadlastchance]

Also thanks for the link, I will check this out.

[jckl1957]

It is not simply about trading on Ebay from a private rather than a business account and you may also find this link useful.  https://www.gov.uk/online-and-distance-selling-for-businesses

As a confirmed business seller 'All my business income is reported to HMRC' , UK law states that you need to provide certain information before a sale, for example, your name and address, and that your buyers are entitled to return any item they purchase from you within 14 days.

[papso22]

'Legislation is by consent'

what planet are you on?????

[john1297576]

You might find it useful for the future to add any trouble makers to your blocked bidders list, before this sort of situation happens.

Obviously a determined person could open another account to get round your block, but probably would be too much bother.

[*vyolla* · Accepted solution]

@needleandthreadlastchance

Even if you've decided that current consumer regs don't apply to you, if you sell on eBay you must follow their policy.

See eBay's guidance page here, where they state

An eBay seller must register as a business if, for example, they sell items they have bought to resell, they make items in order to sell them, or if they buy items for their business.

What is the policy?

Business sellers can't represent themselves as private individuals

Taken from:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/selling-policies/selling-practices-policy/business-seller-polic...

[needleandthreadlastchance]

God's. Thanks for asking.