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BearBottoms 'Bear' Bottoms Originals
Ft. Bragg, NC
Posts: 2,465

Hey all, typically I don't get bidders with 0 feedback, but they do happen from time to time.  Every time I get one, I get all paranoid!  What do you all do about 0 feedback bidders??  The one I have right now on Sassafras' auction isn't winning, but it still makes me nervous about it!  They had bid, like 15 times!! Help! Please!

Shelli SHELLI MAKES
Chico, California
Posts: 9,939
Website

Shelli Retired Help Advisor, Banner Sponsor

Personally, I always tried to give 0 feedback bidders the benefit of the doubt.  As eBay buyers, everyone has to start somewhere!

The only problem auctions I ever had were with people with much more than 0 feedback.  Rarely, a person with 50, 100 feedback would bid and then back out on the auction, sometimes without even communicating.  They just kinda... disappeared.  This only happened to me once or twice in my eBay selling career, but it did happen, and again, these folks had positive feedback.

I totally empathize, and understand your nervousness.  But my personal approach would be to assume the best and prepare for the worst.  In either outcome, though, you're bound by eBay rules and guidelines, and just have to watch it play out.

If it makes you REALLY nervous, I think there's a way to block bidder with negative or 0 feedback.  Can't remember how to do it, but I think it's do-able, as is blocking particular bidder names.  Or, at least, it used to be that way.

Good luck with your auction, hon!

chris009av Real Deal Bears
Posts: 2,234

Hi Kim. I Have not had a bear on Ebay for awhile, but when I did get one with 0 feedback, I would email them welcoming them to the Ebay experience and state that if they need any help or advice they could email me.
I just felt that I had to give them the benifit. especially since I had 0 feedback once and won a very expensive Collectable ( the Guy must have been having kittens   bear_original ).
I must admit that I would be abit nervous as you hear about such silly people out there, but I never had any trouble.  Some people put a block on people with no feedback, but I have had collectors join to especually bid on one of my bears, maybe that is what this bidder is, as I wouldn't blame them with your sweet little darlings  bear_original
So in the end you must do what suits you, to either block or not.
Hope your auction goes well.

TamiL Dolls N Dreams
Aurora, Colorado
Posts: 6,454

I get them too, you can't always jump the gun, some have just now discovered Ebay....I did get taken about 2 months ago, they won one of my auctions and I had to go through all the crap with ebay to get my fees back. It is a pain  bear_angry

Sometimes I state in my auctions if you have no feedback please contact me before bidding, and sometimes when I noticed No feedback I contact them. Usually if it is a scam, they won't email ya back, then you can always cancel the bid.

bearhug07 Strange Bears
Sydney
Posts: 444

I agree everyone has to start somewhere and there are still quite a lot doing so. E-bay has a reputation of not looking after buyers or sellers and so many people are and have been hesitant. I really don't think blocking zero feedback buyers is the answer as you could be blocking out a potential buyer/collector. I admit I would never think to email a buyer before they have won but it sounds lime a good idea. If they respond they are probably honest if not ....well.

I've actually had more problem with new sellers who don't understand the rules and then refuse to honour the transaction when the item sells for less than they expect!! They put on a low beginning price and high Buy it Now and think the Buy it Now is a Reserve! So when it goes for less they tell me it didn't reach the reserve and if I pay that I can have the item!!  This has happened twice now!!

bearhugs

BearBottoms 'Bear' Bottoms Originals
Ft. Bragg, NC
Posts: 2,465

Hi all, thank you SOOO much fr our input.  You all said pretty much what I was thinking myself!  I want to give them the benefit of the doubt, and I know I had 0 feedback once as well! lol  Also, that's what I was telling my friend, that I don't know... I mean, what if they saw Sassafras from a friend and just fell in love, but didn't have an account?  So I hate to block new eBayers, but I just feel so darned nervous!  I think I will give this person the benefit of the doubt, and if it ends up being bad then I will have learned my lesson!  Thanks again!!!

jenny Three O'clock Bears
warwickshire uk
Posts: 4,413
Website

I think on the whole those serious new ebayers are quite keen to get a good reputation....but my nagging doubt..which I suspect is what we all think deep down is, ' are they for real' is this just someone playing games?. Trouble is unless you go along with it you never know. My latest bad experience is with a girl who bought an airbrush...it's over a month now and still she hasn't paid me...her two e-cheques bounced and now I am still waiting..she was '0' feedback when she bid on my airbrush...now she has a few feedbacks...seems really nice person but has no funds to pay for my item it seems. I am the fool though..I left feedback before the cheque bounced. There's a first and last time for everything...never again!!!
Just check them out before hand by sending them a friendly message..and make your payments policy water-tight. NO e-CHEQUES...or at least no feedback till they've cleared!!!!!

wazzabears Wazza Bears Australia
Bulli
Posts: 623

I have had 2 now and both times no payment and no emails. I have now put in my description They must email me first or I will reverse the bid. Sorry but I have had nothing but a bad experience with them. I know they have to start somewhere.

BearBottoms 'Bear' Bottoms Originals
Ft. Bragg, NC
Posts: 2,465

Jenny, that is EXACTLY what I think... I think 'What if it's just someone screwing with my auction??'  I do remember back when I just first started eBaying, I did the same thing.  I'd bid, then bid $5 more, then $5 more, trying to beat the other person out.  Now as an experienced eBayer I will just bid my highest, or close to, and only bid maybe a couple of times before giving up.  I just can't help but to think that when this happens, that it's someone trying to sabatage my auction.  Is that silly for me to think??  Like I said, it only happens once every maybe 5 or more auctions, but it still makes me paranoid!  But I DON'T want to reverse a truly legitimate bid!

I did contact them, haven't gotten a response, but then I think "Being new to eBay, do they know they have a message or know how to reply?" I mean, it's pretty darn simple, but ya never know!

Cat Gabriel Cat Gabriel Crafts
Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 923

I've had one 0 feedback bidder before, I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt but it ended up a lot of trouble.  She won the auction but wanted to pay in two installments and with a money order.  After 2 months waiting I got half the amount and then she never contacted me again.  I'll definitely be more wary next time.

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