If you sell online you have heard a sob story at one point or another.  Sometimes the stories are basic, such as "My dog died, so I won't be able to pay until next week" and other times the stories are super elaborate and over-the-top obnoxious.  Here's our top picks from eBay forums, Reddit and more.  Enjoy ~ 

1.)  "Would you like a side of GUILT with that?"  (provided by the*green*room)

I got the famous "sister with cancer story". The buyer contacted me with an unsolicited ridiculous low ball offer on a gorgeous red St John cardigan. She then went into a lengthy melodramatic story about her sister's chemo, her love of luxury clothing, her hospital bills etc, etc. Buyer then closed with "I just know this will look beautiful on her despite her bald head"

2.) "A Day Late, Dollar Short" (Forum Boards - Anonymous)  

A woman asked for a discount pre-purchase. Even though I said no she still bought it. Many days pass without payment and she keeps making excuses. Eventually she says if I can knock $10 off she will pay otherwise cancel the purchase. I said I can’t and let her know I will have to open an Unpaid Item Dispute. She begged for 2 more days extension so I waited. When I contacted her on the final day before the Unpaid Item would be opened, I got a reply. But the reply said the person contacting me was her husband because she committed suicide that morning and that I should just cancel the transaction

3.)  "Tombstones are EXPENSIVE!" (66victorias)

Her "good reason" was that her best friend had died, her other best friend's son had been shot to death and she was on morphine to deal with the anxiety and depression!

4.)  "I'm just helping the SICK!" (shirley-goodness-and-mercy)

"Can you please cancel the purchase of the dress. My cousin 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"

- I then Checked her purchases and turns out she had bought the same dress from another seller for about $10 less.

5.) "Barely hanging on!"  (a_c_green)

A guy wrote to me from his hospital bed, supposedly at some hospital in Milwaukee, which I thought was a nice touch. He explained that he was in the Intensive Care Unit and really needed my item badly, but didn't have his wallet handy because he was, you know, in Intensive Care, so could I please send my item to him and he'd pay me later...?

6. "If only this happened a day earlier..."   (thrifty*dog)

I remember someone wrote about a buyer who supposedly bought a dress for her mother and later wrote to seller tat her/his mother died yesterday and that's why they won't be paying for it.

7. ....*blank stare*....  (mcdougle4248)

"Would you sell me this set for 25% off so that I can give to my best friend for Christmas. She helps me do just about everything and never asks for anything in return."

8.  "There's a LOT of reasons why I need this..."  (sherlocksgallery)

A buyer offered $35.00 on a $120 fancy detailed black suit with short skirt... said that was all she had because she was out of a job... and needed the suit for job interviews... and she would pay me back at a later date... and she felt this suit would get her the job. (This was a party suit and not office wear.) I said I was firm at $120 and that was it. Around 3 months later I listed a couple more suits and took different photos of this black unsold party suit... and raised the price from $120 to $145. The same buyer offered a BO...said she was a senior and needed the suit (black suit in a youthful PARTY style) to go to her husband's funeral. She was on social security... and did not know what to do as she was disabled... and she was getting dementia too but she would pay for this right away if I accepted $40 with free shipping. Said she was sure I would do the same for my own mother to go to my father's funeral.

9. "You accidentally priced it wrong!"  (nychos)

I have heard a few sob stories like a woman who saw an item similar to mine many years ago but it wasn't as nice or the same quality and she thought the price was about $30 so I should really only charge $30 for mine instead of $119. I told her to go look for the other one basically.

10.  "Double Whammy"  (city*satins)

My cat needs dental work and My grandmother was mugged

11.  "I'm RISKING MY LIFE for your item!" dinpavent0

They needed it because of some **bleep** going on with people in Canada with prejudice against Jewish people and she needed this brooch to wear to throw it in their face. Then says "i will probably have acid thrown in my face for wearing it but i don't care".

12. "My life has drastically changed in the past 24 hours" (mysweetjoey)

She claimed she just had a baby.

13. "This is the most important gift I've ever given!"  (crestwoodian)

She had a long, involved story about how her abusive boyfriend got her involved in some criminal activity and she'd just been released from 6 months in jail.

Her 14-year-old daughter had stayed with the woman's parents and they never bought her anything nice so she needed to buy this cashmere hoodie for her daughter, but she had no money. She had applied for welfare and if I had a heart I would help her.

14. "Time is of the essence!"  (dhugel2012)

She wanted me to ship her a pair of sandals without paying for them. She promised that she could pay for them in three days once she got her paycheck, but if she waited, she would not be able to receive them in time to wear to her best friend's wedding. She didn't have time to buy the shoes ahead of time because she had been in and out of the hospital with an ectopic pregnancy. 

Entertained Yet?  Next Read:  

25 eBay Sellers Share the MOST HILARIOUS & ANNOYING Questions Buyers Ask