Bizarre eBay Offer. Any Thoughts?

I have some comics listed as "buy it now". Asking price is £675.

I received this message...


"Not sure what offers you've received recently or if anyone has shown an interest, but I'll shoot my shot. If you can't find a buyer in an amount of time of your choosing, and if you're happy to do it this way, I'll send you anything from £200-350 a month over the following three months as that's all my budget will allow, in order to pay for this item and buy it off you, I understand if that's not cool with you, just shooting my shot, obviously no postage until the full amount is paid off"

I'm tempted, but also not sure what I'll be getting myself into. What happens if he pays me £200 the first month and nothing after? I'd happily give the money back, etc... If he couldn't then afford it. However, what if he puts a claim in? I guess I'm out of pocket.

Is this a scam that's been seen before? Maybe it's genuine, and it's a fella trying to buy something rare which doesn't come up often?

Any views welcome.

Sounds so unusual could well be genuine.

I agree that you may well be in sticky territory with regards to having received payment (albeit not the full amount) and not given the 'buyer' an item in return.

I'd avoid this. You're not a retail outlet accepting Klarna or the like.

Could you do 3 separate private listings for £300 each?

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Originally Posted by r.dawson

Could you do 3 separate private listings for £300 each?

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That is certainly one way. Of course you'd have kept the whole correspondence so you'd be covered there with eBay. You can even leave the money in your Paypal account (and only this money) until you deliver everything.
If it is genuine you'll have the satisfaction to sell to an enthusiast, and while you may not be Klarna you'll improve your Karma.

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Originally Posted by r.dawson

Could you do 3 separate private listings for £300 each?

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The buyer upon receiving the item, could then put a claim in against the other two listings paid for, no?

Also presumably a bigger costs drain for the three listings in terms of fees maybe?

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Originally Posted by r.dawson

Could you do 3 separate private listings for £300 each?

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Why private?

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Originally Posted by hughtrimble

The buyer upon receiving the item, could then put a claim in against the other two listings paid for, no?

Also presumably a bigger costs drain for the three listings in terms of fees maybe?

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Sorry, I meant 3 totally separate transactions. Split them into 3, 3 deliveries, 3 payments.

Fixed price to make sure your time and postage is covered.

Over 3 months. If you get close to what you were after with the first 2 sales it's got to be worth it.

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Originally Posted by Kingstepper

Why private?

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So no one else buy say the second lot and then a guaranteed buyer drops out the 3rd listing.

You could suggest he tries this?

https://www.paypal.com/uk/webapps/mp...tual-credit-v2

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Originally Posted by r.dawson

So no one else buy say the second lot and then a guaranteed buyer drops out the 3rd listing.

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Thought a private listing just hid buyers names. Anyone can still bid.

ignore them. i was offered £20 for an item i listed £150 ONO, total jokers

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Originally Posted by xellos99

ignore them. i was offered £20 for an item i listed £150 ONO, total jokers

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Hardly the same.

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Originally Posted by Kingstepper

Hardly the same.

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Not you again

Quote:

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Originally Posted by xellos99

Not you again

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Not just him. You probably read the OP a bit too fast. Give it another look and you'll see your post was not in context.

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Originally Posted by Captain Morgan

You could suggest he tries this?

https://www.paypal.com/uk/webapps/mp...tual-credit-v2

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This - Anything else has to be a scam...

M

It probably isn't a scam, if it is, I'm happy to be educated as to how it works. But I'd say no sorry to him, there's enough that can go wrong with a straight sale, this raises the risks exponentially.

Sent from my SM-A105FN using Tapatalk

Cheers all.

I don't think it's a scam, but then again, they're probably the best scams.

I think I'm going to offer him 3 separate transactions, all buy it now. The first I'll list now for issues 37-54, the second 19-36 and the last for 1-18. The value ultimately being in the lower numbers, well, actually number 1.

What’s to stop someone else beating him to the gun for the (most valuable) last lot 1-18?

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Originally Posted by catch21

What’s to stop someone else beating him to the gun for the (most valuable) last lot 1-18?

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I'm thinking a very silly opening buy it now price, 10, 20 times what it's worth, but with the option to accept offers. He makes the offer at the previously agreed price, and I accept.

The main risk I see here, is him putting in a claim he hasn't received the items. But that's no different to any sale.

Was about to suggest similar, but was too slow

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Originally Posted by Saint-Just

Not just him. You probably read the OP a bit too fast. Give it another look and you'll see your post was not in context.

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He's a slow reader.

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Originally Posted by SeanST150

Cheers all.

I don't think it's a scam, but then again, they're probably the best scams.

I think I'm going to offer him 3 separate transactions, all buy it now. The first I'll list now for issues 37-54, the second 19-36 and the last for 1-18. The value ultimately being in the lower numbers, well, actually number 1.

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I think this makes perfect sense and its something I'd probably do if you've not had much luck in selling together.

I think this makes sense. Put the BIN price at say £1m and tell him you're about to list it so he goes straight in and makes the offer at the agreed amount. We did this a few years ago with an expensive item and it all went smoothly.

Good luck.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SeanST150

Cheers all.

I don't think it's a scam, but then again, they're probably the best scams.

I think I'm going to offer him 3 separate transactions, all buy it now. The first I'll list now for issues 37-54, the second 19-36 and the last for 1-18. The value ultimately being in the lower numbers, well, actually number 1.

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Won't a £1m BIN price incur a massive fee? Maybe it's a fixed fee.

The idea of 3 separate listings sound good, just put a high starting bid but accept offers (I did this with someone when I put the wrong paypal address into a listing, I relisted the item with a high start price and accepted offers, but only the one from the original buyer - It all happened quickly, so I didn't get any others).

You still have the risk, though, of him bailing after one or two purchases, leaving you with a partial set to sell (not sure how that might affect the overall value).

My concern with part payments on a total amount (unless using Paypal's scheme) is that he'd say he paid and you didn't ship.

Logic and eBay don't always go together...

M

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SeanST150

I have some comics listed as "buy it now". Asking price is £675.

I received this message...


"Not sure what offers you've received recently or if anyone has shown an interest, but I'll shoot my shot. If you can't find a buyer in an amount of time of your choosing, and if you're happy to do it this way, I'll send you anything from £200-350 a month over the following three months as that's all my budget will allow, in order to pay for this item and buy it off you, I understand if that's not cool with you, just shooting my shot, obviously no postage until the full amount is paid off"

I'm tempted, but also not sure what I'll be getting myself into. What happens if he pays me £200 the first month and nothing after? I'd happily give the money back, etc... If he couldn't then afford it. However, what if he puts a claim in? I guess I'm out of pocket.

Is this a scam that's been seen before? Maybe it's genuine, and it's a fella trying to buy something rare which doesn't come up often?

Any views welcome.

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How about telling him to use his monthly budget to save it up and come back when he has the money?

Too simple?

Tell him bank transfer only. No issues.

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Originally Posted by Raffe

How about telling him to use his monthly budget to save it up and come back when he has the money?

Too simple?

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Indeed, but I guess he's worried it may have sold by then.

We've now agreed to split the sale into 3 transactions, but he knows my listing will remain active until he can complete part 1.

I get the impression he's an enthusiast, but just doesn't have the cash to drop. With rare items, timing is not always ideal. As long as I get what I want for the comics, and both sides are happy/protected, I'm more than willing to accommodate.

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Originally Posted by demonloop

Tell him bank transfer only. No issues.

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After we complete transaction one, I will include a note offering a bank transfer for transaction 2 and 3.

eBay do ultimately deserve a share, hate them all you want. But they are the ones who've introduced a willing buyer/seller.

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Originally Posted by snowman

You still have the risk, though, of him bailing after one or two purchases, leaving you with a partial set to sell (not sure how that might affect the overall value).

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The bulk of the value is in issue 1. These sell for between £200 and £500 depending on condition and if it's been officially graded by a third party.

This is really part of space making exercise, hence I want rid of the whole run, and it's issue 1 that's the main attraction.

Send him a link to PAYPAL'S CREDIT CARD whereby he can spread the cost at his own risk and probably get a discount !!

If he can afford £9k of comics hes surely able to get credit !!

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Originally Posted by steviefleming

Send him a link to PAYPAL'S CREDIT CARD whereby he can spread the cost at his own risk and probably get a discount !!

If he can afford £9k of comics hes surely able to get credit !!

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£9k?

Pull them from eBay and sell them privately on his payment terms. No full pay, no mags his way ?

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Originally Posted by reggie747

Pull them from eBay and sell them privately on his payment terms. No full pay, no mags his way ?

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The problem is sharing contact details? Well, at least from what I remember. Last time I tried to send a message via eBay with my email address it was intercepted. Even when doing name AT email DoT cOm sort of thing.

You could check his eBay profile, there may be a phone number.

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Originally Posted by SeanST150

The problem is sharing contact details? Well, at least from what I remember. Last time I tried to send a message via eBay with my email address it was intercepted. Even when doing name AT email DoT cOm sort of thing.

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Yes, sharing contact details is a nightmare. Ebay intercept most ways of sending contact details...probaby because they don't want you doing any business off their platform. This is really frustrating when I've wanted to get hi-res original photos of a watch from a seller to judge condition.

It's a bit cryptic, but the only way I've managed to bypass the eBay system is to tell sellers my email address reversed and substitute the relevant words for symbols...eg:

moc dot liamtoh ta

Hi

Who knows....Money laundering/Money mule scam ?

I'd avoid....

Best Neil

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Originally Posted by flame

Hi

Who knows....Money laundering/Money mule scam ?

I'd avoid....

Best Neil

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I'd never heard about mule scams until a few weeks ago. Found it shocking that there are so many, mainly teenagers/uni students, who can't open bank accounts because of cifas category 6 markers against their name.

Limited sympathy, but must be pretty difficult to live for 6 years without a bank account!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SeanST150

The problem is sharing contact details? Well, at least from what I remember. Last time I tried to send a message via eBay with my email address it was intercepted. Even when doing name AT email DoT cOm sort of thing.

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Send several messages..

seanst150

at

gmail

dot

com

Sell him one copy for £5 inc postage anc communicate with him that way?

Thanks again all for your input.

We've agreed to split the transaction, albeit he needs a week or so to get the first payment together. For now the listing is still live and if another buyer chooses to buy, he knows he'll lose out. I'm comfortable with the risk, and in keeping everything within eBay does give me some comfort. I'm fully aware eBay tends to side with buyers, but they'll be able to see the communication trail, etc.. and I'll only be sending the comics with insured/tracked delivery.

Again, I stand by my previous comment, eBay is a commercial enterprise and they've provided the platform for me to sell these comics. Why should they not get their share of the sale.

An update and these resurrection.

The buyer has been slowly paying me for the comics he wanted. Last week he made the final payment and today he received the comics.

The fella was delighted with his purchase and I feel good for helping him out. I know they comics have gone to a true collector who will cherish them.

Happy ending all round, and pleased this want a scam.

Glad it worked out!

Quality and a nice happy ending.

Quality…. Never be a chump, but, don’t forget the vast major people are decent

Excellent outcome. Thankfully the majority of people are decent and honest.
I once tried to buy a 1968 Transitional Moonwatch from an Australian seller on Chronotrader, which has more than its fair share of scammers. His pictures were rubbish and communications were a bit hit and miss. I ended up providing both my landline and mobile number and invited him to contact me, but at that point had concluded it was a scam. A few days later, while I was out, my wife took a call from Australia and as i wasn't there he asked for our address. About 10 days later the watch arrived with a note saying that I was welcome to try it for a few days and to return it if I wasn't happy. It was a cracker and I felt really guilty for doubting his veracity.