Paula, this issue is a trademe searching issue, not a bidbud issue. IE; your auctions appearing on bidbud has no effect on the search not appearing on traeme. A lot of people only use bidbud to buy items on trademe as it has better bidding and searching tools. If you are wanting to sell stuff, why would you not want your items appearing there for those buyers, your just taking away some potential buyers. Doing this, its not going to help the searching issue on trademe for your auctions. 

Many, many years

I wouldnt refund. I'd also be tempted to ask them to lodge a claim with NZ post for compensation for the lost item. Knowing full well that nz post wont (as they dont with anything sent with stamps), but it sends a very strong message where the liability sits now, and that it is not with you

There are definitely ways traders could abuse this, however I have at times asked a question and then on second thought didnt need to or had a change of mind  - so for this purpose it saves the seller time needing to reply. In terms of the proof argument, you can still receive emails with the question being asked, or the answer to the question so as long you keep these then you have the proof if needed. I think like most things, there are some genuine benefits for those honest ones, but also open to abuse for others 

Hi team, thanks everyone for your input and suggestions. I have sent these through to the buyer and hopefully they are willing to try them. I appreciate the advice given

I guess no one has provided a step by step how to because very few people would want to do this. Most people will list an auction to sell something, and aim for the highest price possible. Surely you would want the widest audience of buyers to do this. Blocking a site like bidbud just reduces your buyer audience which may result in either a loss of sale, its takes longer to sell or a lower price. It makes no sense to me why you would want to do this. I didnt really get this whole thread.  

Yes it is

I think for privacy reasons they bank cannot confirm the details of the bank account. Did you get a partial match with the surname?

Not exactly right S, Trademe can revert it back it. What is correct is a trader cannot do it

I dont disagree with you Callum, and have seen similar suspicious feedback. However I have had people think Ive "obviously brought" feedback because they are all worded the same from similar people. I say yeh, I sold 10 things to the same person and they just copy and paste feedback - I do the same if I bulk buy. But people think its suspicious. Id like to know in the original poster's case, what the feedback was that made them think it was shill bidding to see if there is some good logic, or just some skepticism.