There are the inevitable disputes that happen. Your deal goes sour but there isn’t any fraud. Just two (or more) people who are both convinced that they are right. It’s the other guy who is wrong, wrong, wrong!
Picture the possibilities in your mind...1) Your buyer doesn’t respond -- What if your auction is over but the buyer doesn’t respond? First of all, don’t panic! There might be valid reasons why they have ignored you. Don’t rush out and give negative feedback about this buyer right away. Give the guy a little breathing space before jumping to conclusions.
Send your buyer a gentle reminder, something like…
… “Just what is the matter with you, Dork??” (Kidding, of course.)
Mention your last message and remind them that the auction site considers a bid a valid contract. Remind him that you have held up your part of the bargain and you expect him to do the same. Specify a date by which you expect payment.
If after a couple of weeks, you still haven’t heard from the buyer, the only recourse you have is to leave bad feedback on the buyer. Refuse to ever allow him to bid on your merchandise again.
Unfortunately, you will have to relist your item and start again. That is just part of the risk of the game. Or you can check the bids on your item and contact the second-highest bidder and ask if he is still interested in your merchandise.
When you post your feedback, be professional about it. Calling someone horrible names and being really ugly does not serve your seller image at all. In short, Mr. Bogus Buyer isn’t worth it!
2) A bad check -- Earlier, we discussed the importance of deciding on the method of payment in advance of your first auction. As you recall, you either hold the check, or only accept money orders, or use a third party like PayPal. Veteran sellers say that most often a bouncing check is just a mistake that the embarrassed buyer will correct when it is pointed out. If you are uncomfortable with the risk, don’t assume it. And, of course, I would never ship a really expensive item until I was certain I had my money.
3) Damage -- What if you send an item and when the buyer receives it, it’s damaged? I urge you to take responsibility for this problem, rather than ignore it.
Unless you are selling a zillion dollar item, your reputation as a professional and honest seller is much more important than a single item. It is best to either replace the item, if you have one, or refund the buyer’s money. You can then take your claim to your carrier. With the Post Office, if it is under $50, they will give you a money order at your local office.
What I do know, however, is to stay tuned for some hassle. As mentioned earlier, all of the carriers will insist that if it wasn’t properly packed, that they don’t owe you. (Of course, they don’t mind accepting “improperly packed” items but that’s a different story apparently.)
4) Merchandise not as advertised -- If you are the seller, and you made a mistake, rectify the situation. Perhaps you misunderstood something about your merchandise. Perhaps you thought it was an original, and it wasn’t. Perhaps the buyer still wants the item but at a lower price -- so refund some of their money. Or take back the item and refund all of the money.
The kind of seller who deliberately misleads customers won’t last in the auction business.5) Buyer’s remorse -- What if your buyer changes her mind? For some odd reason, there are people who just like to bid, and who never plan on buying anything. Their participation is short-lived as their reputation gets around. These buyers receive all kinds of negative feedback and comments in the discussion rooms and on message boards.
On eBay, after two non-payment claims, the buyer receives a warning. The next time, it’s a 30-day suspension. After that, they are permanently suspended.
