would you sell £500 item to someone with zero feedback who joined ebay today

[simplystars]

would you sell £500 item to someone with zero feedback who joined ebay today?

Ebay always favours the buyer, so I'm very concerned to send the item?

What are your thoughts please and thank you.

[papso22]

You are as likely to be scammed by a high feedback buyer as you are by the one you have.  It's a risk you take for any sale on ebay. 

[technthread]

The buyer may have bought as a guest after finding you through a google search. 

If it was a mobile phone or something I'd be more concerned but an advent calendar of that value I guess it would be attractive to go for as a scammer. It isn't ideal that you showed 1 photo of the item as the listing could be more detailed. If the buyer finds damage on a side not pictured you have no proof that wasn't the case.

[*vyolla*]

It's impossible to tell who genuinely wants an item and who is going to set out to part you from your item and your money.

The only time I got scammed was by an eBayer with over 600 great feedback who was both a buyer and a seller.  That was a surprise, to be honest.

There's been a big craze this year for buying these advent calendars and then relisting them for more when they've sold out (I was reading about this just yesterday). That was £260, so somebody is willing to pay twice as much. There may be people happy to do that, but there are also some out there who are cross that they didn't get one at retail price becuase they've sold out who may be bitter about it and empty out half the products and then open a not as described return. 

It's a chance you take selling online, on any marketplace.

[simplystars]

Thank you, I appreciate your comments 😊

[simplystars]

Thank you.

[steveatekco]

I would be careful sending something of that value. I sent a £75 clock sold on Ebay by Evri to the buyer. I paid extra for insurance. Evri have lost the parcel and I've been told that antiques are excluded from compensatable items so Evri have lost the clock I have to repay the buyer. Ebay are denying all responsibility. Even though I booked the courier through Ebay they are saying I should have checked the Evri website.

The agent at Ebay even said I should have sold "collection only". Great advert for a global selling platform.

[a45heaven]

Why is it that ebay dont vet new members, rather than leaving it to Sellers to feel the pain, identify, then wait for a looong time for ebay to act (If they even do act)? 

[robbtyke132010]

Tricky one. On the balance of probabities I would cancel the sale. And I am not a cautious person.

[johnwash1]

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@a45heaven wrote:

Why is it that ebay dont vet new members, rather than leaving it to Sellers to feel the pain, identify, then wait for a looong time for ebay to act (If they even do act)? 

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How would they 'vet' new members?

Best way forward for @simplystars in this case is to send a nice message to the buyer, e.g. saying when they hope to pack and post it and asking if anyone will be in to receive it.  Then make a judgement call on the response.

[Edit to add]  Who the heck pays hundreds of quid for an Advent calendar?  I'm in shock.  I thought the economy was screwed, NI hikes will mean thousands more out of work, and general belt tightening.  Not to mention a global catastrophe presided over by an orange clown.

[simplystars]

Thank you.  On balance, I've cancelled the sale, it's just too risky but thank you for your reply.

[simplystars]

THank you, I've cancelled it, it just too risky :'(

[simplystars]

I agree, they just don't protect sellers, it's all about the buyer :'(

[simplystars]

I'm sorry to hear of your problem.  It's all about protecting the buyer, not the seller :'(

[simplystars · Accepted solution]

Thank you everyone, I've cancelled the sale.  

[signs_and_vintage]

As a general rule the more 'miffed' a buyer is about being ''forced'' to pay over-the-odds for an overheated in-vogue item, the more likely you'll be the victim of shennanigans.

Otherwise I agree that feedback isn't always a marker. My recent run-in guy had about 400 feedbacks, though has left nearly 100 negs / neutrals (which I wish I'd spotted before I sold to him).

The most hysterical buyer I ever had, hopping up and down and literally shouting 'scammer, scammer, police, help he's got my baby!*' had about 600 and was also a seller. They just would not believe that the version of the spare part they bought, being manufactured 5-10 years earlier than the one it replaced (pointed out and pictured in the listing most prominently - 'this is an early 1980s spare but is unused and will still fit models until 1995' etc...) wasn't a 'dodgy forgery'.

*Not what she actually said but gives you a flavour of what I was dealing with

[daro2096]

We all had to start somewhere on eBay. I understand your reservations though.

Feedback back in the day was more important than it is now. As a buyer if I was happy with the item I would leave good feedback and hopefully the seller did likewise in return. If I wasn't happy for some reason I wouldn't leave any feedback at all for fear of receiving bad feedback in return. As a seller I wait until the buyer has left good feedback first. That sometimes means no feedback at all but these days I feel it just doesn't matter anymore.

I am wary of selling to a newbe too. I have declined offers from brand new eBay users even if it was a good offer.

[crg_music]

Depends on the item but at the same time there is probably items id never sell online ie smartphones as I feel they are prone to scammers + are extremely easy to sell without posting anywhere. I guess if you are selling such items professionally its a different game. 

Ive sold numerous £500 records and even a £1300 lp to Italy before with zero issues, actually any issues with these items tends to be less collectable markets, £2 pop cds etc but they are usually just impatient or expecting the world so not even scammers just bad buyers.

[signs_and_vintage]

I'm all for people asking more about an item but a real red flag for me is asking lots of questions, especially if they are already answered and/or they keep repeating themselves ('does this definitely work?') and in addition chip, chip, chip away at price. These buyers always tend to be trouble, they are over extending themselves and looking for any excuse to cancel once they get the item and feel bad for spending too much money on it.

iPhones just seem to be the worst thing to sell ever, but as you say there are a few shops and specialists selling only those on here. It must work for them.

I agree there is a sweet spot of items that aren't too cheap but aren't so expensive you have a nervy B every time you send them either.