New Etsy store, First customer has messaged saying payment keeps reversing.

[LayeredShape]

Just opened my Etsy store and a customer has messaged me saying they want to buy however the payment (via apple pay) keeps reversing. 

My store was officially opened a few hours ago. Setup all the banking elements and doesnt look to be anything outstanding. 

They have shared a screenshot showing as such. Anyone experienced this? 

[TinLizziAntiques]

OP, your message is likely from a scammer. They target new shops and inexperienced Etsy sellers. An actual order will show on your dashboard under orders. I would suggest you use a browser and put that message in spam. Never, never open any links.

[Hertfordweaver]

You may respond by asking them to try a different payment method, that apparently there is a problem with that one either with their bank or Etsy payments. Be careful as there are a lot of scammers after new sellers.

[GroundZeroCreations]

I would say it is 99.9% sure that this is a scammer laying the ground work for fleecing you! I wouldn't waste much time with them. Just tell them you don't have any control over their payment methods and if they are having an issue they will need to reach out to Etsy for help. Bet you won't hear another word from them.

[BagmakerSupply]

@LayeredShape: Even if this a legitimate inquiry from a buyer (and as mentioned this is most likely a scam attempt) there is nothing a shop can do - the payment part of the transaction is exclusively between the buyer and Etsy (or their payment processor) and the buyer will have to take it up with Etsy directly.

New shops, particularly incomplete ones like yours (no about, missing legally required policies for the United Kingdom, etc) are prime targets for scammers.

[VintageRescueSquad]

I agree that it's probably a scam. Have them deal with etsy directly about problems paying. There's nothing you can "fix" on your end if it is a legit buyer

[vintageNCtreasures]

Tell them you can't do anything and for them to contact Etsy through the help pages.

Links below on how to avoid scams and what to look out for.
99.9% sure this is more than likely a scam.

It would be highly unusual to get a sale within hours of opening a shop. 
When you get a sale it will be on your ORDER page. if it's not there, then you have no order.
Scammers target mostly new sellers because they figure they don't know how Etsy works.

Next they'll want you to send you off Etsy to "verify" your cc and bank account and will also ask you how much money you have available.
Then they'll talk you into transferring $100's of dollars to get verified with the promise of returning that money.
They won't and you'll be out of all that money.

https://www.etsy.com/seller-handbook/article/1087958808206

https://community.etsy.com/t5/Announcements/New-From-Etsy-section-in-Messages/m-p/143722497

https://community.etsy.com/t5/Announcements/Protect-Your-Account-From-Scammers/m-p/143158945#M1882

[bradgoodell]

"My store was officially opened a few hours ago."

Your store likely isn't even indexed yet, and you only have 2 listings.  The chance that a buyer found you this quickly in an organic search is pretty much non-existent.  

Scammers prey on new sellers who are anxious for their first sale and excited enough to ignore Etsy's numerous warnings about scams.  

[mommawhazelsquilts]

This shop has 2 sales - quite sure it didn't open a few hours ago...LOL

[PrairiePrimitives]

@LayeredShape Welcome to Etsy! Unfortunately new sellers are often the victim of scammers and this sounds like a common scam. 

Chances are, if you keep interacting with this person, they'll ask you to click a link. DO NOT DO THAT! Just mark their 1st message as spam. Real Etsy shoppers know (or can easily figure out) how Etsy works. There is no reason EVER for an Etsy shopper to deal directly with a seller regarding payment or failure of their payment to go thru. 

REAL orders will appear on your Etsy dashboard and, if you have the Etsy Seller app, you should hear a CHA CHING sound! If you don't see an order in your Orders section, you don't have an order, regardless of how hard someone tries to convince you otherwise. 

[mommawhazelsquilts]

OP, are you talking about another shop?  One that you are not disclosing in this shop?  (Against policy)?

The shop you are posting from has 2 sales - don't think you just opened a few hours ago.

[LayeredShape]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm no stranger to selling on platforms such as this so i'm aware of the scams out there. However appreciate the info!

The item for sale is a specific niche car part. The listing link was shared on a closed facebook group for owners of this car and the user messaged me on there. I'm fairly confident he is legitimate, As he has since managed to pay using an alternative method. Seems it was isolated to the buyer.

[PrairiePrimitives]

@LayeredShape Glad that worked out! It would have been beneficial to say that the message was not on Etsy. 

If you do have multiple Etsy shops, be sure you're following Etsy rules for disclosing all of your Etsy shops/accounts.