Should I be concerned?

[Claudio]

Someone just bought a piece of comic art from me on ebay for a little under 800 bucks. The buyer lives in Canada and has 2 feedback. Any advice on how I can protect myself? I have never had an issue on ebay but some of the tales I heard on the boards have me worried.

[The Silver-Age]

Priority shipping to Canada now comes with tracking. Not sure if you can add signature confirmation to Int'l shipping, but if you can, it's worth it.

[Claudio]

Thanks. I was looking at the USPS website but I couldn't find anything that says "delivery confirmation". I might have to stop by and ask them. If not, I will go to UPS or something.

 

I guess I am worried because I can prove they received it but can't they still file a complaint that it "wasn't as described"?

 

Am I being too paranoid?

[CKB]

There's no way I would accept anything but a bank check or international money order for that large a payment from someone without a history or any references.

 

YMMV

 

[whisp]

There's no way I would accept anything but a bank check or international money order for that large a payment from someone without a history or any references.

 

YMMV

 

He sold on eBay. He has to accept Paypal, ProPay, Moneybookers, Paymate, or Credit card or debit card processed through the seller's Internet merchant account as a electronic payment method.

[Claudio]

Unless I can find a way to protect myself from a scam, I will consider cancelling the transaction and refunding the buyer. I am going to investigate a way to keep low feedback bidders from bidding on my stuff. I know it is possible (at least it WAS possible).

[ComicConnoisseur]

There's no way I would accept anything but a bank check or international money order for that large a payment from someone without a history or any references.

 

YMMV

 

He sold on eBay. He has to accept Paypal, ProPay, Moneybookers, Paymate, or Credit card or debit card processed through the seller's Internet merchant account as a electronic payment method.

Can he do bank wire transfer?

[1koko]

There's no way I would accept anything but a bank check or international money order for that large a payment from someone without a history or any references.

 

YMMV

 

He sold on eBay. He has to accept Paypal, ProPay, Moneybookers, Paymate, or Credit card or debit card processed through the seller's Internet merchant account as a electronic payment method.

Can he do bank wire transfer?

 

If I was a buyer and the seller (no disrespect to Claudio but the buyer will not know him) started asking after the sale for a cash payment method where I lost any payment protection I would seriously be concerned.

 

As Claudio has noted he either in future disallows low rated bidders (presumably low feedback and those with bad feedback as a buyer) from bidding or notes that if they do bid they need to pay by certain payment methods.

 

 

[dnuggett]

The only way I know to stop low feedback bidders is if they have less than zero. Think about it, if you were eBay would you kill the user experience of every new user? There are policies in place to protect the seller as well as the buyer, check and see if they apply to you.

 

You can block any bidder but it's on a one by one basis.

 

[InvstmntComcSuply]

1. Insure the package.

2. Insure the package.

 

You can also get delivery confirmation with signature but the only reasonable shipping method that allows for that is global express guaranteed and it is usually about double the cost of Priority.

 

You can still get screwed, but it requires a more adept thief.

 

[Dick Pontoon]

The only way I know to stop low feedback bidders is if they have less than zero. Think about it, if you were eBay would you kill the user experience of every new user? There are policies in place to protect the seller as well as the buyer, check and see if they apply to you.

 

You can block any bidder but it's on a one by one basis.

 

As per ebay, by setting the following Buyer Requirements under your Preferences you can also block potential bidders who:

 

Don't have a PayPal account

 

Have unpaid items recorded on their account

 

Have a primary shipping address in countries you don’t ship to

 

Have reportedly violated eBay policies

 

Have a Feedback score lower than the number you specify

 

Are currently winning or have bought 1-100 of your items in the last 10 days (you can specify the number)

[ComicConnoisseur]

There's no way I would accept anything but a bank check or international money order for that large a payment from someone without a history or any references.

 

YMMV

 

He sold on eBay. He has to accept Paypal, ProPay, Moneybookers, Paymate, or Credit card or debit card processed through the seller's Internet merchant account as a electronic payment method.

Can he do bank wire transfer?

 

If I was a buyer and the seller (no disrespect to Claudio but the buyer will not know him) started asking after the sale for a cash payment method where I lost any payment protection I would seriously be concerned.

 

As Claudio has noted he either in future disallows low rated bidders (presumably low feedback and those with bad feedback as a buyer) from bidding or notes that if they do bid they need to pay by certain payment methods.

 

You got a good point there.

(thumbs u

[NewWorldOrder]

Priority shipping to Canada now comes with tracking. Not sure if you can add signature confirmation to Int'l shipping, but if you can, it's worth it.

 

Only Priority Mail Express comes with tracking, however you can always use the customs form number can be entered to show when the package was delivered.

[InvstmntComcSuply]

Priority shipping to Canada now comes with tracking. Not sure if you can add signature confirmation to Int'l shipping, but if you can, it's worth it.

 

Only Priority Mail Express comes with tracking, however you can always use the customs form number can be entered to show when the package was delivered.

 

It is either Priority or Express, not both. Tracking is not enough for "Paypal seller protection" in this case, as the sale is over $250, thus, you would need signature confirmation if you want to conform to their guidelines. The PP seller protection is pretty laughable anyway, thus the reason I recommend Insurance.

 

The customs form # does not count as tracking (even in cases under $250)

 

Most international Priority packages will have tracking on the USPS website showing "delivered in Canada or so and so country", however this is NOT acceptable proof of delivery for Paypal as they want it down to the local post office. The one caveat is that you can track USPS packages on Canada Post and I believe it shows a more detailed delivery track. Whether this is acceptable to Paypal I don't know. But again it still would not be acceptable for transactions over $250 without a signature.

[NewWorldOrder]

Priority shipping to Canada now comes with tracking. Not sure if you can add signature confirmation to Int'l shipping, but if you can, it's worth it.

 

Only Priority Mail Express comes with tracking, however you can always use the customs form number can be entered to show when the package was delivered.

 

It is either Priority or Express, not both. Tracking is not enough for "Paypal seller protection" in this case, as the sale is over $250, thus, you would need signature confirmation if you want to conform to their guidelines. The PP seller protection is pretty laughable anyway, thus the reason I recommend Insurance.

 

The customs form # does not count as tracking (even in cases under $250)

 

Most international Priority packages will have tracking on the USPS website showing "delivered in Canada or so and so country", however this is NOT acceptable proof of delivery for Paypal as they want it down to the local post office. The one caveat is that you can track USPS packages on Canada Post and I believe it shows a more detailed delivery track. Whether this is acceptable to Paypal I don't know. But again it still would not be acceptable for transactions over $250 without a signature.

 

Correct so you must either: (when it is over $250.00)

 

1. Send the item International PM USPS Express so you get the tracking/signature

2. Just make sure you package is insured just like any item so just in case if eBay or the customer screws you a claim can be made on the Post office end to at least get your money back.

[InvstmntComcSuply]

 

Correct so you must either: (when it is over $250.00)

 

1. Send the item International PM USPS Express so you get the tracking/signature

2. Just make sure you package is insured just like any item so just in case if eBay or the customer screws you a claim can be made on the Post office end to at least get your money back.

 

PM (Priority Mail International) is a different service than Express Mail International.

 

1. is no good with (PM) Priority Mail because they do not require a signature (or any other service that does not require a signature)

1. is no good with Express Mail International IF paypal does not accept Canada Post's form of "detailed tracking" or doesn't require a signature

1. is good with Global Express Guaranteed (yet a different service level, contracted out through Fedex) with signature

 

[nocutename]

Someone just bought a piece of comic art from me on ebay for a little under 800 bucks. The buyer lives in Canada and has 2 feedback. Any advice on how I can protect myself? I have never had an issue on ebay but some of the tales I heard on the boards have me worried.

 

There is a way to set up your ebay account to only ship within the USA. I tried poking around ebay but I cannot remember where exactly it is but I think it is under the Account tab. I had to call ebay about shipping an auction item to Canada as well. Customer Service showed me how to set it up.

 

They also told me that for seller protection I needed to have signature confirmation. I believe the post office offers it with Express Mail In't but it is expensive. The other alternative is to use FedEx as all their packages require signature confirmation.

 

Good luck.

[Claudio]

This is why I asked the board. I needed some help translating ebay's user policy. I contacted ebay and paypal. I was told that I needed to get a signature confirmation but they didn't know how I could get it. "grinin" seems to know more about how to ship it correctly than they do!

 

So, what if the buyer just says "Item Not as Described"? I asked the customer service people about that and they said that I would need to work it out with the buyer to come to a satisfactory conclusion. They couldn't give me an answer about how I was supposed to come to a mutual agreement with the buyer if he is a crook and just wants to steal my piece.

 

Now I see why people hate ebay...

[CKB]

There's no way I would accept anything but a bank check or international money order for that large a payment from someone without a history or any references.

 

YMMV

 

He sold on eBay. He has to accept Paypal, ProPay, Moneybookers, Paymate, or Credit card or debit card processed through the seller's Internet merchant account as a electronic payment method.

 

Someone with that attidude will lose thousands. He has to do no such thing. What would you rather have, a non-performing seller strike or to not be out $800?

 

Work with the buyer. If they insist on paypal, take the non-performing seller mark on the chin. If the buyer really wants the item and spend the money, he will get you solid payment.

[tth2]

Someone just bought a piece of comic art from me on ebay for a little under 800 bucks. The buyer lives in Canada and has 2 feedback. Any advice on how I can protect myself? I have never had an issue on ebay but some of the tales I heard on the boards have me worried.

Your reaction is well advised. All foreigners are to be feared and mistrusted.