"Buy It Now" question

Taximom

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Sorry, another stupid question, but I wondered if you can email an ebay member and ask if they'll take a lower price for their Buy It Now listing? I don't want to break any rules! Or would that just be rude?! (It's not an auction item.) This is not the one I asked about last week, but it's the same type of item.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250163085011&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNASIF:US:1123

You want to make an offer on something at a price lower than the offer listed???? Is that it? If so, won't hurt to ask - the worse thing they can do is so NO!!! I've had people ask me before - sometimes I say yes and sometimes no, depending on the item. Go for it!!!
 
Thanks, poco. :blowkiss: I'm looking at the feedback etc and thinking about it.

I'm kind of concerned the person doesn't take paypal and/or credit/debit card. Who doesn't take paypal nowadays?! Therefore no paypal protection, right? I also note there's no insurance offered on the shipment. I don't buy many things but I would think that would be an option on something like this.

Geez, all I want is one of these machines for my daughter but so far both listings have been iffy....
 
Yes, we did it on a car actually.

Rino, thanks for letting me know that!

What do you think about this person not using paypal and not offering any buyer protection or shipment insurance?
 
Rino, thanks for letting me know that!

What do you think about this person not using paypal and not offering any buyer protection or shipment insurance?

See, now, I won't buy from someone unless I can use the protection of Paypal, or my credit card company. There's not a good enough deal in the world that I'm willing to get ripped off over. It may not be fair, but that's how I buy or don't buy on E-bay.

As far as insurance goes, the last time I looked (I'll admit, it has been awhile), it is the seller's responsibility to get the item to you, and in good condition. I always took that to mean that they should pay the insurance. It may have changed, it'd be worth looking into. If they ship through the post office, insurance is pretty cheap.
 
See, now, I won't buy from someone unless I can use the protection of Paypal, or my credit card company. There's not a good enough deal in the world that I'm willing to get ripped off over. It may not be fair, but that's how I buy or don't buy on E-bay.

As far as insurance goes, the last time I looked (I'll admit, it has been awhile), it is the seller's responsibility to get the item to you, and in good condition. I always took that to mean that they should pay the insurance. It may have changed, it'd be worth looking into. If they ship through the post office, insurance is pretty cheap.

I'm glad you wrote this. Sometimes I think I'm too careful about things, but you've reiterated my thoughts exactly.
 
ebay has actually cracked down on this, you are now NOT allowed to make an offer if the "best offer" option is not present. They consider it to be the same as an offer to sell off of ebay.

ebay is slipping, IMO.
 
ebay has actually cracked down on this, you are now NOT allowed to make an offer if the "best offer" option is not present. They consider it to be the same as an offer to sell off of ebay.

ebay is slipping, IMO.

Hi BirdieBoo! I just saw your comment. I didn't do so and now I'm glad I didn't!

I agree that ebay is slipping. :(
 
Rino, thanks for letting me know that!

What do you think about this person not using paypal and not offering any buyer protection or shipment insurance?
The other side of the coin is Paypal charges you, the seller, to use them. I have seen where some sellers will take a credit card but not through Paypal. Also, I have always had to pay for my own insurance, tacked on by the seller, if the USPS is used. I believe that UPS and FedEx give automatic insurance at no extra charge for the first $100, don't they?
 
I didn't know Paypal charged the seller. Interesting.

I just thought it was interesting given all the negative comments this guy had. Seems like he got his money whether or not the customer was satisfied.
 
The other side of the coin is Paypal charges you, the seller, to use them. I have seen where some sellers will take a credit card but not through Paypal. Also, I have always had to pay for my own insurance, tacked on by the seller, if the USPS is used. I believe that UPS and FedEx give automatic insurance at no extra charge for the first $100, don't they?

UPS does, USPS only provides the $100 if it is express.

FYI insurance protects the seller. It's the sellers responsibility to get the item to the buyer intact. If they don't, they are obligated to reimburse. if you pay by paypal, paypal will MAKE them reimburse for a damaged item, but may require return of the item. When I sell, I just add the insurance cost into the shipping cost if its a high priced item, or pay it myself. If its a $5 item, though, I am not going to spend extra to insure, I would just rather pack well & reimburse in case something happened.

Sellers CAN require the buyer to pay for insurance, but, it really protects the seller, not the buyer, so you might want to find a different seller if they are adding extra costs on.
 
I didn't know Paypal charged the seller. Interesting.

I just thought it was interesting given all the negative comments this guy had. Seems like he got his money whether or not the customer was satisfied.


Paypal does charge the seller. Paypal is actually not ideal for sellers, because they get double dipped with the ebay fees AND the paypal fees (when it is the same company), as well as the fact that paypal will remove money from or freeze a sellers account based on an insubstantiated complaint from a buyer.
 
I have done 99.97 of my holiday shopping on Ebay the last 3 yrs and have been VERY pleased.

I am very picky about who I buy from. I have never bought from anyone with negative unless they have a gazillion positive and 1 negative.

This year I bought more than any year, a multitude of items from a Wii to 24 movies for $52, including shipping (yup!).

My first experience w/Ebay was a few years ago my older sister broke an item she had from childhood, a snoopy lamp, made the year she was born, 1966. She was devasted. I was able to find the exact lamp on Ebay and was able to replace it for her. I think it cost me $14.00 + shipping. Since then, I've been hooked.

Out of the items I have purchased only once was I burned. Rec'd a broken CD. No biggie.
 
I broke a little Bluebird bank that my sister had when I was little. I found one on ebay 20 years later and she cried when I gave it to her for her birthday! It's so cute. I wish I had found two!

Christine, how much was the WII???"
 
UPS does, USPS only provides the $100 if it is express.

FYI insurance protects the seller. It's the sellers responsibility to get the item to the buyer intact. If they don't, they are obligated to reimburse. if you pay by paypal, paypal will MAKE them reimburse for a damaged item, but may require return of the item. When I sell, I just add the insurance cost into the shipping cost if its a high priced item, or pay it myself. If its a $5 item, though, I am not going to spend extra to insure, I would just rather pack well & reimburse in case something happened.

Sellers CAN require the buyer to pay for insurance, but, it really protects the seller, not the buyer, so you might want to find a different seller if they are adding extra costs on.

Is there anything in the eBay rules about that, that you know of? Also, I was wondering if Paypal will make them reimburse if the item never arrives? I've bought something where I would have liked insurance on it, would have gladly paid for it myself, but the seller refused... so I was a nervous wreck until it got here. I tried finding info about it but it's such a jumble of rules and regulations I wasn't able to find anything. This was btw my worst experience on eBay, so I still think it's a great place to buy!
 
I'm a longterm seller on eBay.

The seller has 1 week to ship your item. They track this with delivery confirmation. If you do not receive an item, if the item is not as described, or if the seller mails the item late, you can file a complaint.

The only way that paypal will NOT issue you a refund is if you file no receipt and there is d/c that shows delivered or if you wait over a month to file your claim.

Paypal will make you return the item if u say it isn't right or was damaged at your expense. MOst stores will work that way though.

Really the deck is stacked against the seller, in my opinion. Very much so. I was the victim of a scam once involving a buyer using a diferent zip code. It was confirmed, and in the same town. I am sure the USPS was the key to noting the zip & getting the mail where it was going. BUT, after rec't, the buyer filed a claim and since the d/c was delivered to like 30162 instead of 30161 - same everything else - they took the money out of my account, and I was left with no item, and no money, and shipping it to the crook on top of it. THis person got several people like that.

I know of other scams against sellers but don't want to post them to a searchable forum. Believe me, paypal is stacked against the seller, not the buyer.
 
I'm a longterm seller on eBay.

The seller has 1 week to ship your item. They track this with delivery confirmation. If you do not receive an item, if the item is not as described, or if the seller mails the item late, you can file a complaint.

The only way that paypal will NOT issue you a refund is if you file no receipt and there is d/c that shows delivered or if you wait over a month to file your claim.

Paypal will make you return the item if u say it isn't right or was damaged at your expense. MOst stores will work that way though.

Really the deck is stacked against the seller, in my opinion. Very much so. I was the victim of a scam once involving a buyer using a diferent zip code. It was confirmed, and in the same town. I am sure the USPS was the key to noting the zip & getting the mail where it was going. BUT, after rec't, the buyer filed a claim and since the d/c was delivered to like 30162 instead of 30161 - same everything else - they took the money out of my account, and I was left with no item, and no money, and shipping it to the crook on top of it. THis person got several people like that.

I know of other scams against sellers but don't want to post them to a searchable forum. Believe me, paypal is stacked against the seller, not the buyer.
I only wish that I would have filed a complaint against the seller who sold me golf clubs on Ebay. I sent her several emails complaining about the clubs and her inaccurate description. She as much as admitted it on her "reply" to my feedback. From a buyer's POV, I don't think that the deck is stacked against the seller. Of course, I am not talking from a scammer's POV. ;)

I also will not bid on items where the seller has a ridiculous amount for the shipping cost. What's up with that??
 

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