Understanding the UPI (Unpaid Item) process - 14 June (12 - 1 PM)

[sapana@ebay.com]

Hello Sellers,

As you must be aware, you need to follow the UPI process in eBay in order to get fee credits for unpaid items. However, the UPI process has some significant differences as compared to the SNC process on the old Baazee site.

To know the UPI process in details and to ensure that you successfully receive all the fee credits, please join us in this workshop on Tuesday, 14th June, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM IST

Regards,
Sapana
Community development Team

[nvid@ebay.com]

I received a suspicious “Ask Seller a Question” or a “Contact eBay Member” from the buyer. The buyer requests immediate acceptance of payment with a cashiers check or Western Union. [Sometimes this email mentions that the buyer needs immediate delivery for a special client or the buyer wishes to pay significantly more than the current or final value of the auction or BIN price in the listing.] What do I do when receive an e-mail like this and what if this person ends up the high bidder on my auction or Buy It Now listing?

First, you should always be cautious in a transaction where you have any suspicions. Remember that an offer that seems too good to be true might actually be too good to be true! Significant overpayments for items through cashiers checks or Western Union are very likely fraudulent. In the case where the potential buyer is asking you to refund a portion of the overpayment to them, these funds are often fraudulent, even if they look legitimate. Additionally, eBay can’t help protect you if a transaction started on the site but completed outside eBay (without the buyer clicking the bid or BIN button). If you’ve simply received an offer through “Ask Seller a Question” or “Contact eBay Member”, you should use the “report this message” link in the e-mail to alert eBay. It is advised that you simply ignore the sender. If the sender has won your auction or Buy It Now or they indicate their intentions after winning your item, you should report the buyer immediately through the Report Problem link on the Security and Resolution Center. If the buyer is suspended, you may file for your Unpaid Item credit immediately.
Regards,
nvid

[nvid@ebay.com]

Why does eBay allow buyers who haven’t paid for items to still leave negative feedback?

Getting negative feedback is always frustrating, especially when the buyer hasn’t paid. That said, there are some valid reasons for a buyer not to pay even if they commit to the purchase (for example, if the seller changes shipping terms or the listing description after the transaction has closed). It makes sense for buyers to have the ability to leave feedback in these situations so that they can inform the marketplace about their experience. The feedback system is also intentionally independent of the Unpaid Item Process system. eBay has to rely on the word of the seller to tell us that the buyer has not paid. If we blocked the feedback of the buyer in all Unpaid Item situations some (bad) sellers would misreport Unpaid Items.

Please note that if your transaction partner does leave negative feedback, you may leave a reply and explain what happened or engage the buyer in Mutual Feedback Withdrawal.
Regards,
nvid

[nvid@ebay.com]

Why doesn’t eBay verify all of their new buyers?

Although half of all unpaid items come from buyers with under 5 feedback, we were all new buyers at one point in time. We strive hard to keep our marketplace a lively, energetic and growing community. We all have an interest in encouraging new users to try eBay. Many sellers have never had a negative experience with a 0 FB buyer and would prefer that eBay keep the marketplace as open as possible. An Unpaid Item from a newbie buyer who does not understand the eBay marketplace can be frustrating. Nevertheless, many newbies that start off on the wrong foot simply need a little bit of education before they become responsible and valuable members of our community.
Regards,
nvid

[rohit@ebay.com]

Hello shree_krishna_gems,

Thanks you for joining our workshop on UPI.

Yash and nvid will answer your specific UPI queries. As regards the issue of negative ratings, this is an issue raised by many sellers, not just in India, but across other countries. We are looking at how best we can tackle this issue, but I am sorry I do not have any specific answers just yet. As soon as we do have some specific answers, we shall address the community and inform them of the same.

Regards, Rohit
Community Development Team

[nvid@ebay.com]

Should you assume that all buyers who don’t pay are bad, add them to your Buyer Block List, and never transact with them in the future?

Not necessarily. Sometimes Unpaid Items occur because the buyer has malicious intent. Other times buyers who experience an Unpaid Item may simply not have understood the eBay marketplace and the obligation to pay when a bid is made or an item is BINed. Educating these buyers after a failed transaction can turn them into valuable customers.
Regards,
nvid

[nvid@ebay.com]

I want to file a Mutual Agreement to not complete the transaction, but the buyer will not confirm it. How can I close this dispute to receive a Final Value Fee credit without filing an Unpaid Item strike against the buyer?

If the buyer will not confirm the Mutual Agreement, you will still receive your Final Value Fees and the buyer will not receive an Unpaid Item strike. When the Unpaid Item Process first launched in 2004 buyers could receive a strike if they did not respond to a mutual agreement offer, but now that has been changed. Today there is no way for a buyer to receive an Unpaid Item strike if the seller offers Mutual Agreement instead of an Unpaid Item reminder, even if the buyer does not respond.
Regards,
nvid

[nvid@ebay.com]

Why does eBay allow the buyer to disagree to a Mutual Agree request?

The Unpaid Item system favors the seller and gives them the control throughout the process. To prevent abuse or buyer intimidation, we require the buyer to affirm or reject a seller’s claim of Mutual Agreement. If the seller has any doubt about the buyer’s willingness to affirm the Mutual Agreement, eBay strongly encourages the seller to use an Unpaid Item reminder instead. This will ensure the seller can receive a Final Value Fee credit.
Regards,
nvid

[nvid@ebay.com]

I filed an Unpaid Item strike on a buyer, but I have now received payment. How can I remove the strike?

You may remove an Unpaid Item strike for a buyer by following the steps below:

1. Click on the "My eBay" link located at the top of any eBay page. You may be asked to sign in.

2. Under the "Related Links" section on the left side of the page, click on the "Dispute Console" link.

3. On your dispute console, click on the "View" link next to the item you wish to remove the strike.

4. Click the link "Reverse the Unpaid Item strike for this dispute" on this page.

5. You will then be asked to confirm that you want to remove the Unpaid Item strike.

The buyer will receive an email confirming that the strike has been removed. The FVF credit will also be reversed when a strike is reversed.
Regards,
nvid

[nvid@ebay.com]

The status in my Dispute Console used to say "Closed: FVF Granted", now is just says "Closed". Did eBay take back my Final Value Fee credit?

No, eBay did not reverse your Final Value Fee credit. If your Final Value Fee credit was reversed, the dispute status will say "Closed: FVF Reversed". Please note that eBay will not reverse your FVF credit without informing you. If you removed the Unpaid Item strike from the buyer's account, then your credit was reversed as well. In the case above, most likely the Unpaid Item strike filed on the buyer's account has been removed by eBay, without reversing your FVF credit. In rare instances where there is FVF abuse, eBay may reverse the strike and the FVF credit.
Regards,
nvid

[nvid@ebay.com]

eBay removed the Unpaid Item strike I filed from my buyer's account. Why?

There are certain circumstances when eBay will remove an Unpaid Item strike. Buyers can appeal their Unpaid Item strikes directly to eBay’s customer service team. If the buyer can provide proof of payment then the strike may be reversed upon eBay’s discretion.
Regards,
nvid