PDA

View Full Version : An Ebay question...



Shibblet
October 14th, 2009, 12:01 AM
You list an item on Ebay.
Bidder "A" is the high bidder.
Your item is not listed to ship internationally. You are only sending it domestically in the United States.

"A" sends you an email after the bidding has ended, asking you to ship it to somewhere in Europe.
Then you send him an email saying that you won't ship it internationally, and never intended to.
He is upset that you won't, and then sends you an unconfirmed address in Pittsburgh.
He then pays for the item, and asks for it to be shipped.


Would you ship the item to Pittsburgh?
Or does this sound like some kind of scheme?

OpenGuard
October 14th, 2009, 12:09 AM
If he covers the shipping costs, yes, why not.

amingv
October 14th, 2009, 12:27 AM
If you mentioned in the bid that you would not ship to an unconfirmed address, then you are not obligated to.
If it was not specified, it's a risk you must measure against the risk of getting negative feedback (as people who don't read the auctions are prone to do, even if you return the money).

Price dependent, I would ship the item, and have it's reception confirmed or at least follow up the tracking number, assuming the buyer is willing to pay.

Warpnow
October 14th, 2009, 12:56 AM
If you're positive you have the money...I'd send the item.

Who cares where it goes once you have the money? Not your problem.

hoppipolla
October 14th, 2009, 01:01 AM
If you're positive you have the money...I'd send the item.

Who cares where it goes once you have the money? Not your problem.

ditto :)

I've had this happen to me too, but as long as you're sure you have the cash and it's enough to cover the item and shipping, if it were me I'd just do it :)

Bachstelze
October 14th, 2009, 01:17 AM
If you're positive you have the money...I'd send the item.

Who cares where it goes once you have the money? Not your problem.

The problem is that the guy could say "I never got the item" and pollute your feedback page. Personally, I would refuse the payment and not ship the item. If he gives you negative feedback, complain to ebay.

Warpnow
October 14th, 2009, 01:19 AM
The problem is that the guy could say "I never got the item" and pollute your feedback page. Personally, I would refuse the payment and not ship the item. If he gives you negative feedback, complain to ebay.

He can do that whether you ship it or not can't he?

You have a valid excuse in either situation.

Bachstelze
October 14th, 2009, 01:25 AM
He can do that whether you ship it or not can't he?

Yes, but in any case, since the transaction was concluded outside of ebay you run a big risk of getting your account closed if ebay hears about it. The buyer doesn't care, he can just create a new one, but as a seller, you will lose all your positive feedback. That's why the last thing you want is having a negative feedback, or a complaint filed, because of that transaction.

If you just refuse the money, the blame will be on the buyer: he sent that money, you didn't ask for it.

PurposeOfReason
October 14th, 2009, 01:36 AM
Yes, but in any case, since the transaction was concluded outside of ebay you run a big risk of getting your account closed if ebay hears about it. The buyer doesn't care, he can just create a new one, but as a seller, you will lose all your positive feedback. That's why the last thing you want is having a negative feedback, or a complaint filed, because of that transaction.

If you just refuse the money, the blame will be on the buyer: he sent that money, you didn't ask for it.
I'm pretty sure the transaction was still done inside of ebay. If so, you can send it to his address he gave. If you can confirm that where you sent it is where he told you, it's not your problem whether or not he gets it. I've done this many times, usually works out fine. Probably just has a buddy in the US to ship to, then forward it to him.

Shibblet
October 14th, 2009, 01:49 AM
I'm pretty sure the transaction was still done inside of ebay. If so, you can send it to his address he gave. If you can confirm that where you sent it is where he told you, it's not your problem whether or not he gets it. I've done this many times, usually works out fine. Probably just has a buddy in the US to ship to, then forward it to him.

The transaction was done in Ebay, and the customer actually sent me the money once with the intention of international shipping. I refunded the money, and sent a notice to the customer that I do not (and posted) ship international.

After the item is out of the U.S. Postal services hands, it goes to the country in question. If they lose it, or take it, or whatever... The U.S. Postal Service is not liable for the loss, even if the item is insured against. This happened to me once before, and I will not ship international since. That was my learning experience.

Second time, he sent me the money and an unconfirmed address in Pittsburgh. If you ship to an unconfirmed address, Pay-Pal will not protect you. If he claims he never got the package, because I shipped it to a non-confirmed address, he can get a full refund, at my expense. So, I refunded his money a second time, and explained why.

suitedaces
October 14th, 2009, 02:27 AM
I've been reading up on this kind of thing as I try to to step up my ebay activity. What you are leaving yourself open to here is the possibility that once posted, the buyer could claim he did not recieve it. As a seller, the onus is on you to provide proof of reciept (note, proof of reciept, not proof of postage) at a registered paypal address. If you cannot provide this, they will almost automatically rule in the buyer's favour and take the refund out of your account.

Shibblet
October 14th, 2009, 02:48 AM
I've been reading up on this kind of thing as I try to to step up my ebay activity. What you are leaving yourself open to here is the possibility that once posted, the buyer could claim he did not recieve it. As a seller, the onus is on you to provide proof of reciept (note, proof of reciept, not proof of postage) at a registered paypal address. If you cannot provide this, they will almost automatically rule in the buyer's favour and take the refund out of your account.

Right.

There are forms of seller protection, but a lot more forms of buyer protection.

They have removed the ability for a seller to give negative feedback to the buyer. But they haven't removed the ability for a buyer to give negative feedback to the seller. Which is where this situation will lie. If the buyer decides to give me negative feedback, the only thing I can do is put a little tagline under it saying what happened in 80 characters or less. Then I have to "hope" that future buyers take the time to read it, and understand.

I have worked really hard to keep my 100% rating, and it seems unfair to get unnecessary negative feedback.

Bachstelze
October 14th, 2009, 03:00 AM
I have worked really hard to keep my 100% rating, and it seems unfair to get unnecessary negative feedback.

Hence why you don't want to ship to an unconfirmed address. ;) If the user gives you negative feedback saying you refused to send the item, you can just tell ebay he gave you an unconfirmed address and get it removed.

hockeytux
October 14th, 2009, 03:11 AM
Hence why you don't want to ship to an unconfirmed address. If the user gives you negative feedback saying you refused to send the item, you can just tell ebay he gave you an unconfirmed address and get it removed.

+1 Do NOT ship to an unconfirmed address.

Shibblet
October 14th, 2009, 06:02 AM
No, I completely agree. It's not getting sent. I did a second chance offer for the second runner up, and he took the offer. So I will send it to his confirmed Pay-Pal address.

If the first buyer gives me negative feedback, I will refute it with Ebay directly. Apparently there is a seller protection for that.