Expert: Marvinator - 11/16/2006

Question
Thank you soooooooooooooooo much.  I have contacted ebay and reported the abuse several times as the abuse escalated - they haven't responded about the  abuse and it's now 6 days.  Got an email today from them suggesting I end the dispute and get a credit for the fees - nothing about the abuse.  They're just not interested in doing anything about this woman.  When I listed the item (a very distinctive pair of cowboy boots not seen here) I specified only paypal and she sent an email wanting my bank details over the internet which I declined to do and that's when she started sending the abuse.  Stupidly because I wanted to sell the item I sent a sms to her on 6th Nov. with details.  She states to ebay she paid on the 2nd Nov. Ebay are not interested in that!  Of course when I list the boots again even under a different id etc. she will know it's me.  Is there anything I can do about the "alert" on my account - I guess not because ebay are just not interested.  You say "don't leave feedback" - that's hard because I just want to say she's a non-payer to warn other sellers.  
Val
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The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
Sold first item thru ebay - got a non-payer - right from her first email she has been abusive and offensive and the abuse has escalated.  Her last email refers to me as "pervert".  She has definintely not paid and has now submitted an item not received against me.  Have asked ebay for help - no response after 5 days waiting.  So one sale one item not received.  How on earth do I sell anything now.  Can I close ebay account and open another using different user id so this woman cannot trace me on ebay.  Was selling distinctive item and when I relist it she can continue her abuse.  Help.
-----Answer-----
First and foremost, don't repond to any abuse.  Report it to Ebay. There is a special page to report harrassing or offensive emails.  You can find it here:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/confidence/rfe-unwelcome-email-reducing.html

Keep any and all emails from "Non-Payers" and be sure to follow up diligently - expecially on getting your Final Value Fee Credit.

My question about the "Item Not Received" is how on earth did she prove payment?  You don't go into it, so I can only assume that she was a jerk, and there was no problem with the shipping, pricing, or handling charges which caused her to balk.  I only mention this as a way of making you take the time to examine the real story behind this apparent problem.  

Your final question was about a new ID. Yes, you can do that, with a new Email address.  (You may want to keep the old email and old ID should there be any problems with duplications as you set up the New ID.)  

YOu don't say what this 'distictive item' is, so I'll simply ask you to consider if this item may in it's own way be drawing in people who will fall into the 'problem bidder' category.  Adult items, as an example, always have this problem as there are many jokers who will bid and win and then not pay for Adult Items as a kind of joke or game.  Consider your audience and re-examine how you advertise your item.  

Lastly, I know you're hurting from the non payer, but beleive me there are a lot more "payers" out there than non.  A few things to help you along after:

* Don't leave any feedback for this woman until you see whether she leaves any for you.  Continually check the old ID even up to the 90 day mark.  (Many with a vindictive streak will wait until midnight of the 90 day mark to leave a Neg, thinking that YOU won't be able to leave THEM a neg in response.  In reality, you have 90-120 days, depending on the speed of the server's archival bots.)

* Leave the old ID active. For both the reason above about feedback and for any future problems.  

* Block this bidder on your old ID's Blocked Buyer/Bidder List AND on the New ID Blocked Bidder/Buyer list.  Should this lady find you, she will have difficulty bidding.

* Choose a new name which is NOTHING Like your old name.  Choosing "BudsStuff" to replace "Budsthings" will allow anyone to find you with some of the tools available to bidders and seller's alike.

* Be prepared for problems if you place the same credit card on file for your NEW ID which you used on your OLD ID - even if the old ID is closed.  Another reason to keep the old ID active, as a message will go to the OLD ID email asking if it's ok for the NEW ID to use the card on file.

* Remember to either change your paypal account OR add your new email address to the old Paypal account. (Adding an Email is easier than going through the entire setup process again.)

Answer
I can't speak for Ebay on the abuse as I just learned today that Ebay's standards in that area have changed.  Unless they make threats, Ebay will only record the abuse.  

As for the Feedback, again I suggest you NOT leave feedback FIRST. It will work like this: You leave a Neg, She will leave YOU a Neg.  You leave a Neutral, she will most likely respond with a NEG.  You leave a positive, she can STILL leave you a NEG.  

As a long time seller (and for the record, my wife's feeback is above 10,000) it is my (our) policy that the buyer leaves feedback first.  We don't make a big deal on it, but we won't leave feedback for anyone unless they leave it first.  I won't go into the long discussion of why and who and blah blah blah, but to me, the buyer should be the one to signal the end by leaving feedback first.  If they choose NOT to leave feedback, then that's ok by me, it only means they won't get a feedback from me at all.  Let me also take amoment to say that there is no email discussion of feedbacks or who leaves it first.  I don't explain this to anyone most assuredly not my buyers.  If they CHOOSE to leave feedback, I will leave feedback for them but I'm not about to tell them that.  Why?  Because this only opens up a can of worms of the entire discussion and can only get bad.  Sit back, set a calendar for the 90 day mark and wait.  Regardless of what you want to do in the way of "warning other sellers" it can only come to no good.