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PROBATION DISCUSSIONS
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Started by alwaysbronze,

36,203 posts in this topic

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Posted
Posted

Ok. So I have a buyer that is trying to insist I send a book overseas marked $50 ($800 book) to avoid duties. This was a SS presale with agreed price but no talk of shipping. After the buyer said he expected to pay $40 and learning the actual price $80 I offered to split the difference. He responds saying that if I do not claim $50 and he gets charged duty then he will refuse the package and demand a refund. I will not bow to these demands but I'm concerned now with even proceeding.

 

My questions

 

1) if I decide based on this conversation it is not worth proceeding could I be nominated for the probation list?

 

2) is the buyer eligible for the probation list if he refuses to accept the possibility of duty?

 

It's been way to quiet here. Discuss. :popcorn:

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seanfingh

seanfingh

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Posted
Ok. So I have a buyer that is trying to insist I send a book overseas marked $50 ($800 book) to avoid duties. This was a SS presale with agreed price but no talk of shipping. After the buyer said he expected to pay $40 and learning the actual price $80 I offered to split the difference. He responds saying that if I do not claim $50 and he gets charged duty then he will refuse the package and demand a refund. I will not bow to these demands but I'm concerned now with even proceeding.

 

My questions

 

1) if I decide based on this conversation it is not worth proceeding could I be nominated for the probation list?

 

2) is the buyer eligible for the probation list if he refuses to accept the possibility of duty?

 

It's been way to quiet here. Discuss. :popcorn:

 

The way that the Canadians got fired up when this got discussed last time, this should be interesting. :popcorn:

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Loki

Loki

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Tell him that by declaring the value at $50, you can't insure it for it's actual value and that there will be no returns in the event of damage. Then ship it in an unpadded envelope... :insane:

 

Seriously, though, if the buyer expected you to lie on customs documents (and underinsure his book), that should have been brought up before he agreed to buy the book. This screams of a rookie error on the buyer's part. As someone who buys 90% of his books from a foreign country, I always go over shipping details before I commit to a deal.

 

Bottom line, I don't think you should be eligible for probation when special conditions are applied by the buyer after the deal is basically complete.

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Snake Eyes

Snake Eyes

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:popcorn:

 

Agreed...if the case is entirely as described above, I would think you are safe from being listed on the PL. (S)he added conditions after the sale (as I believe it would be reasonable to assume you did not offer to commit fraud in your introduction to the thread). Through insistance ona service you never offered to render, I think (s)he nullifies your obligation.

 

In fact, depending on your opening conditions to the thread (did you mention overseas shipping at cost) I think a case could be made for placing the buyer on the PL if they refuse to cover postal costs (your offer to split the difference was already quite generous). I suspect that would get quite messy, but I would think that option may be open to you. :shrug:

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Shaven Kev-migration

Shaven Kev-migration

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Sounds like a recipe for you to be left holding the bag in the case of a problem with the package. Mail fraud is mail fraud if they don't want to pay the associated fees when buying from out of country they should probably stop doing so. They are already taking advantage of the weak dollar, not wanting to cover postage and duties seems weak sauce.

 

huh huh I said dooties!

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Dick Pontoon

Dick Pontoon

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Posted
Ok. So I have a buyer that is trying to insist I send a book overseas marked $50 ($800 book) to avoid duties. This was a SS presale with agreed price but no talk of shipping. After the buyer said he expected to pay $40 and learning the actual price $80 I offered to split the difference. He responds saying that if I do not claim $50 and he gets charged duty then he will refuse the package and demand a refund. I will not bow to these demands but I'm concerned now with even proceeding.

 

My questions

 

1) if I decide based on this conversation it is not worth proceeding could I be nominated for the probation list?

 

2) is the buyer eligible for the probation list if he refuses to accept the possibility of duty?

 

It's been way to quiet here. Discuss. :popcorn:

 

My brain is fuddled after reading the pc1009 thread. So...it was an $80 book for which buyer paid $60 because you split the difference of the misunderstanding. So, he paid $60 for an $800 book? I don't follow. Is $800 a typo? Or did you mean the shipping cost is $80? He's not in the UK is he? There's no duty on comics there.

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Lebowski

Lebowski

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Posted
Ok. So I have a buyer that is trying to insist I send a book overseas marked $50 ($800 book) to avoid duties. This was a SS presale with agreed price but no talk of shipping. After the buyer said he expected to pay $40 and learning the actual price $80 I offered to split the difference. He responds saying that if I do not claim $50 and he gets charged duty then he will refuse the package and demand a refund. I will not bow to these demands but I'm concerned now with even proceeding.

 

My questions

 

1) if I decide based on this conversation it is not worth proceeding could I be nominated for the probation list?

 

2) is the buyer eligible for the probation list if he refuses to accept the possibility of duty?

 

It's been way to quiet here. Discuss. :popcorn:

 

Wait, is it an $80 book or an $800 book?

 

Surely the difference in $50 and $80 in customs dues can only be a couple of dollars at most.

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lol

 

It's an $800 book that the buyer would like me to declare as a $50 book.

 

The actual shipping cost is $85 and the buyer thought it would be $40. Since I failed to discuss the shipping charge I offered to ship it for $60.

 

 

Yes he is in the UK.

 

Are we clear now? ;)

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Loki

Loki

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Posted
In fact, depending on your opening conditions to the thread (did you mention overseas shipping at cost) I think a case could be made for placing the buyer on the PL if they refuse to cover postal costs (your offer to split the difference was already quite generous). I suspect that would get quite messy, but I would think that option may be open to you. :shrug:

 

It would definitely get messy.

 

Snake Eyes raises a good point - what information was stated up front about international shipping? If neither of you discussed it, then I think this situation would probably fall into a gray area. If you did state that shipping would be at cost, the buyer is probably eligible for the PL.

 

Without knowing the particulars of the book, can you find another buyer without taking a loss? If I was in your spot AND could sell the book elsewhere, I'd tell the buyer that you're uncomfortable committing mail fraud and cancel the deal. As for putting the buyer on the PL, I'd be hesitant to do it. However, I'd probably never do business with them again either.

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It appears I have an out. Agreed?

 

ok insure it for the value BUT when it gets to uk and im asked to pay charges i won't collect and it will be sent back to sender,and you can refund the funds,i was gonna send the funds as i normally do on the boards so you would't get hit by paypal frikking fee's,cos im gonna lose out alot,im not rich work 2 jobs,but fingers crossed expresspost will get through customs without any hiccups,up2 you are my terms fine with you?

if not then end just have to leave it al together

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Loki

Loki

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Posted
It appears I have an out. Agreed?

 

ok insure it for the value BUT when it gets to uk and im asked to pay charges i won't collect and it will be sent back to sender,and you can refund the funds,i was gonna send the funds as i normally do on the boards so you would't get hit by paypal frikking fee's,cos im gonna lose out alot,im not rich work 2 jobs,but fingers crossed expresspost will get through customs without any hiccups,up2 you are my terms fine with you?

if not then end just have to leave it al together

 

Based on the above, I take it that you reached an arrangement on shipping fees. Pontoon stated that there's no import duty on comics in the UK, so your buyer shouldn't have any charges when the book arrives. It looks like everything *should* work out... :wishluck:

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comix4fun

comix4fun

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Posted
It appears I have an out. Agreed?

 

ok insure it for the value BUT when it gets to uk and im asked to pay charges i won't collect and it will be sent back to sender,and you can refund the funds,i was gonna send the funds as i normally do on the boards so you would't get hit by paypal frikking fee's,cos im gonna lose out alot,im not rich work 2 jobs,but fingers crossed expresspost will get through customs without any hiccups,up2 you are my terms fine with you?

if not then end just have to leave it al together

 

 

 

A buyer can't assume that a seller is offering to falsify customs forms in the ordinary course of business. If he had discussed this with you ahead of time and you agreed and then later reneged it would be one thing, but to never discuss it and then demand it as a condition of sale after the fact is out of bounds.

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Lebowski

Lebowski

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Posted
It appears I have an out. Agreed?

 

ok insure it for the value BUT when it gets to uk and im asked to pay charges i won't collect and it will be sent back to sender,and you can refund the funds,i was gonna send the funds as i normally do on the boards so you would't get hit by paypal frikking fee's,cos im gonna lose out alot,im not rich work 2 jobs,but fingers crossed expresspost will get through customs without any hiccups,up2 you are my terms fine with you?

if not then end just have to leave it al together

 

What does that diarrhea mess of a run-on sentence even mean? You haven't sent the book yet, have you? If you haven't, don't. Walk away from what will surely grow into a larger headache of a deal.

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Lebowski

Lebowski

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Which is my intention. I just wanted to get opinions on whether I would end up on the PL.

 

My vote would be a pretty emphatic no. Also, how does one purchase an $800 book and then cry poverty afterward?

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