Welcome to our third edition of Battle of Buyer Sob Stories, where we rank Sob Stories sent to online Sellers in hopes of getting a discount.

If you're not familiar with "Sob Stories" it's when a buyer reaches out to a seller to try to get a discount beyond what the listing is priced at and provides the seller with a story about how difficult their life is... because, apparently (they believe), the more difficult their life is, the lesser of a price they should pay for someone else's hard-earned inventory.   

THE POINT SYSTEM

We judge each Sob Story based on only two criteria: Creativity and Believability. The buyer will earn a score of 1 through 5 points, based on how creative and unique their Sob Story is meaning, if the buyer uses the standard “I’m in the hospital” excuse they’re not going to get a high score for creativity.

Believability score is awarded as an additional 1 - 5 points based on how likely it is that the seller will believe their story AND give them a discount (or freebie of some kind) after hearing the story.

The maximum amount of points a buyer Sob Story can get is 10, meaning it’s super believable and creative and the seller likely met the buyers request for a lesser price, based on their story of a difficult life. The least amount of points a Sob Story can earn is 2, although on occasion we give some Sob Stories 0 points because … well, this is our blog and our opinion, so we do it because we can.

The majority of these sob stories were received by eBay sellers and posted on Reddit and in the eBay forums.

Enjoy ~

SOB STORY #1: Items Price Unknown

Highlights of Story:

• Abusive boyfriend
• Criminal Activity
• Jail
• Daughter

If you can’t read the image above it says that a buyer asked for a layaway of an eBay item. She claimed her boyfriend got her involved in criminal activity which resulted in serving a half year in jail. But the reason she needs the items put on hold is because her 14 year old daughter lives with her parents (meaning the grandparents) and she has never bought anything nice for the daughter, therefore she wants the seller to put this cashmere garment on hold, so the jailbird can pay for it at a later date… because she has no money now and is waiting for welfare to approve her.

POINT TOTAL:

6/10. Wow. There’s a lot to unpack here. In terms of creativity, this has to score high because I have never heard a story this detailed. Is it true? Eh, maybe. My guess would be there is some truth mixed with a bunch of crap = sob story. For example, why has the mother never bought her daughter anything? The kid is 14 and the mom only spent 6 months in jail which leaves 13.½ years of the daughters life that the mom could have bought her something, right?

Additionally, how does the mom have no money when the daughter has lived with the grandparents? In my opinion this is sounding like a deadbeat parent who has made terrible decisions and put her boyfriend over her daughter. Regardless, it’s not the eBay sellers responsibility to remove the cashmere garment from her listings and wait on a supposed welfare approval. Needless to say, the seller declined the buyers request.

SOB STORY #2: Items Price Unknown

Highlights:

• Never met grandchild
• Kid was kidnapped
• Court
• Judge
• Health Problems
• Covid

POINT TOTAL: 

4/10 I know what you’re thinking, “Why does this sob story score two full points less than the jailed woman who never bought her daughter a gift?!” and the answer is because the more you read it the less sense it makes, specifically, the buyer claims she has never seen or spoke to the granddaughter and she might not live much longer, yet she needs this eBay item to be put on hold for payment at a later date? Let's say you think you are going to die within a month; wouldn’t you literally “Buy It Now” and, if possible, pay for the fastest shipping method available? I’m not buying this story and neither did the seller.

SOB STORY #3: Items Price $49.99

Highlights:

• Family Member
• Hospital
• Surgery
• Sickness

“This one as a couple of years ago. Sold a dress for $49.99 and buyer never paid. Filed the UID and a couple of days later got this email.

“Can you please cancel the purchase of the dress. My coz bought it and she had to go to the hospital for brain tumor surgery. We don't know when she will be coming home because she is very sick. She told me how to get on her computer so I could let you know. Would you please, please cancel the sale. Thank You.” “

POINTS TOTAL:

2/10. I often wonder if people realize how much online sellers hear “hospital” and “a family member bought it”? Are we truly supposed to believe that someone with a brain tumor is concerned about a $49 eBay purchase?

SOB STORY #4: Items Price $150

Highlights:

• Pregnancy
• Sickness
• Issues with Payment from Work
• Almost Died

“

If you can’t read the screenshot about, in a nutshell, this buyer feels she is entitled to a massive discount because she had her baby early due to catching pneumonia (and almost dying). Meanwhile, her work has not yet paid her for maternity leave so she is broke.

POINTS TOTAL:

4/10    I like how she added the creative touch that she almost died. She also took the time to mention that she hasn’t gotten paid and has a new baby that arrived unexpectedly early. Although creative, and possibly containing some truth, The plea is not strong enough to get a giant discount, at the sellers expense.

AND THE WINNER IS:

Sob Story #1!   Congrats to the woman who just got out of jail and is choosing to purchase a nice item for her 14 year old daughter “for the first time in her life”. This sob story, although possibly true, has more drama than an episode of Jerry Springer!