Spotting Competition

[Laritha]

Some of us are very familiar with "competitors" who buy your items, JUST so they can post negative feedback on your account.

Ive noticed often times they have very little feedback. What other ways do you guys spot them?

[AmazonStealth]

Search ebay for all your items, and restrict them from buying.

[Laritha]

The question wasn't "how to stop competitors once you spot them", it was how to spot them PERIOD. Not every low feedback bidder is a competitor, but sometimes they are.

[LoopHole]

Originally Posted by Laritha

The question wasn't "how to stop competitors once you spot them", it was how to spot them PERIOD. Not every low feedback bidder is a competitor, but sometimes they are.

There really is no exact formula. You have to keep your eyes open all the time. Study ALL of your buyers. Study ALL the sellers. Notice PATTERNS. Most likely your competition will mess with you more than once. In the end you have to make an educated guess who it is. Not always you will know exactly who it is. Not sure how to explain it. But after a couple of these guys messing with you, you will get the hang of how to spot them out.

[arshavin]

I feel like i am the victim to some of this at the moment. All new too me.

[unkown5454]

Originally Posted by AmazonStealth

Search ebay for all your items, and restrict them from buying.

Tedious, but most often to be a flawless combatant technique.

[jamblix]

If it's auction format you can take a look at their feedback and see if they keep buying the same item and the feedback they have left to previous sellers. I've stopped about 5 of them so far, but you have to be vigilant at the end of your auctions and keep look out.

Most likely your competitors will not have the time to snipe the end of the auction they will put up really high automatic bids and you can just cancel them. For buy it now, not much you can do but stop it from happening again from the same competitor, unless someone knows a way...

Posted from Vegas waiting for a poker table at the Bellagio, wish me luck!!!

[GreenBean]

It's a cr*p shoot to catch them on Buy Now.
(beautiful hotel... tables are dangerous)


Apply Post 2 advice.

Know your enemy

[slim jim]

some have separate buying accounts which they use for this purpose, they got me once!!! the feedback system will be changed...one day

[elitepowersales]

They have started to put a new "Problem with Buyer" button in the feedback section. So it looks like they know they created a problem of scamming buyers once they eliminated sellers being able to leave negatives.

[Gamefreak]

Demanding buyers.. IE ship ASAP, I need tomorrow and they are across the country....

its the little things that new sellers wouldnt pick up on that old timers know about...

[cortex]

Its a shame ebay doesnt have a feature to block buyers with zero feedback

[Laritha]

Originally Posted by cortex

Its a shame ebay doesnt have a feature to block buyers with zero feedback

My thoughts exactly!!

[cortex]

I spoke with the assistant on live help about it and its something they will consider if enough people make a fuss about it. Thats what I was told.
I got fed up of the zero-feedback-timewasters who bid and don't pay when the auction finishes.

Your situation is slightly different. Did you know you can get negative feedback removed if they haven't paid you. Im not sure if your competitors are paying THEN leaving negative feedback after. I had some who won the auction, didn't pay, then left negs a few days later. I had them removed. I would report it to eBay to begin with then take it from there. They are often more helpful that you'd anticipate especially if you have an account in good standing. Theyre not all a$$holes.

[Laritha]

Originally Posted by cortex

Your situation is slightly different. Did you know you can get negative feedback removed if they haven't paid you.

Yes, but most competitors will pay for your merchandise, post negative feedback, and then requesting for a refund. Does eBay allow negative feedback to be removed once money is returned?

[cortex]

It will be under exceptional circumstances ebay remove feedback once item is paid for.