How to Deal with Problem Bidders on Ebay

Ebay is an innovative way for online buyers and sellers to come together and make transactions. A seller's feedback score serves as a way for buyers to know who they're buying from. If the seller has a positive feedback rating, the buyer can feel comfortable bidding on their items. But if a seller's feedback score is negative, buyers take it as a warning sign to stay away. Is the same true for sellers? Do they have a way to keep problem bidders at bay?

Yes, sellers do have ways to protect themselves. Say for instance that you've had dealings with a bidder who took a long time to pay you. Perhaps they even have a history of being a deadbeat. In order to protect themselves from this bidder, Ebay merchants can add the bidder to their "Blocked Bidders" list. This will prevent the problem bidder from placing bids on any of the seller's auctions until their name is removed from the list.

To add a problem bidder to your Blocked Bidder list, simply go to your My Ebay Seller's page. Go to the bottom of the page and click the link for your Blocked Bidders list. Once there, you can add and remove as many names as you like. You can even block multiple usernames by placing a comma between them. If the user redeems himself someday, you can remove his name from your blocked list by returning to this page.

In the meantime, how does an Ebay seller handle a non-paying customer? Sellers can file a Non Paying Bidder report seven days after the auction ends. Seven days is the minimum amount of time sellers must wait before filing this report; they can file it up to forty-five days later.

Upon receiving your report, Ebay will send out a letter to the auction winner. Sometimes this is sufficient to make a buyer pay up. If a buyer pays you after you’ve filed a report but before the warning letter is sent, you can cancel the warning by sending in a Non Paying Bidder Warning Removal. This will prevent the warning letter from going out to the buyer. If a buyer receives three or more warning letters from Ebay, their account will be suspended.

What if a buyer fails to pay you, but you have no way to contact them to request payment? If you are involved in a transaction with the user, you can use Ebay’s “Search -> Find a Member” feature. You will need the buyer’s user name as well as the transaction number. The search will return their name, city, state, and phone number. This gives sellers an opportunity to send out letters or even call the buyer to discuss payment.

Finally, feedback is also a possible recourse for sellers, but it should be applied sparingly. A seller should leave negative feedback on a buyer only when they really feel that the buyer is detrimental to other sellers. Anytime you leave negative feedback, you run the risk of retaliatory feedback from the offending party, even if it’s undeserved. Negative feedback can be costly and time-consuming to remove from your record. Most sellers simply use warning letters and their Blocked Bidder list to distance themselves from deadbeats.

Ebay, like any marketplace, has its share of good customers and bad customers. Luckily, sellers have several ways to separate the good from the bad, and to pursue the money they are rightfully owed.

Dealing With Negative Feedback on Ebay

Ebay’s feedback system is the backbone of sellers’ success. All the top sellers have large quantities of positive feedback. On the flipside, negative feedback can hurt sales and prevent businesses from taking off. The feedback system was intended to be a collection of impartial reviews of the performance of buyers and sellers. If a buyer pays quickly, their seller will leave positive feedback. If a seller ships quickly, their buyer will leave positive feedback. This way, future buyers and sellers can get the scoop on who to buy from and who to avoid, from people who have been there.

Negative feedback has an enormous impact on sellers in particular. If your feedback score falls below the nineties, or even into the lower ninetieth percentile, buyers might take their business elsewhere. But what if you feel like the negative feedback was unjustified? Maybe the buyer was just unpleasant to work with, or had unrealistic demands. As a seller, do you have any recourse?

You do, but it’s not easy. The best strategy is to avoid negative feedback in the first place. But if that’s not possible, turn to a mediation service like Square Trade. With a mediation service, you’re able to file a case regarding your negative feedback. Explain why you think the charge is unjustified. The other party will have two weeks to respond. Square Trade says that most cases are resolved for free without having to turn to a mediator. But if a mediator’s services are used, case resolution will cost between twenty and thirty dollars. There are certainly times when amicable resolution is worth the price. As a seller, it’s up to you to decide when to pay up, and when to leave things as they are.

Never make the mistake of arguing with or harassing customers who leave you negative feedback, deserved or not. Nothing looks more unprofessional than a seller and buyer fighting back and forth over feedback comments. It’s understandable that you might be angry or emotional when hit with negative feedback, especially if you don’t feel that you did anything wrong. But for the sake of your professional reputation, learn to overcome those emotions before responding. Employ the 24 Hour Rule; that is, don’t make a reply until you’ve had a day to cool down.

When you do respond to unfair negative feedback, stick to the facts. If the buyer claims that the item was not as described, point out that every defect was carefully documented in the item’s description. (It was, wasn’t it?) If they complain about slow shipping, post the shipping dates as well as the shipping policy that they agreed to when they purchased the item. Never use personal attacks, only facts.

If you did make a mistake that earned you negative feedback, respond with courtesy. Apologize for the honest mistake you made, and mention that you were not given a chance to rectify the situation before feedback was left. This type of follow-up can make buyers more sympathetic to your situation.

There are right ways and wrong ways to deal with negative feedback on Ebay. As long as you respond with class and professionalism, you can minimize the damage to your reputation.