Buyer scamming me on eBay

[Dr. Balls]

Someone posted they had to go to their bank and close the account, so no money was taken out.

 

I predict many annoying phone calls, lower credit rating, and still having to pay the money in your future. Paypal sucks.

 

Paypal doesn't suck. They protect the buyer's interest - and I'm thankful for that. Don't blame Paypal because there are dishonest buyers out there, and sellers who don't protect themselves for a few bucks on their shipments. It's not Paypal's fault.

 

I have sent packages hither and yon without insurance or DC before, too. So I can sympathize with the OP. I have a package going to Hungary right now that was such a clusterf*ck to deal with that I just sent it out First Class and screwed the notion of Registered or Priority Mail because my post office makes things a complete hassle. I am hopeful that the buyer is an honest Joe, and things will be fine.

 

But if they aren't - I only have myself to blame.

[Heronext]

Is there any foolproof way to prevent this? What if package was really lost, isn't that the courier's responsibility?

 

Only if you bought insurance. Furthermore, for an item sold on eBay, the seller is responsible for its safe delivery. As such, even if a seller can prove an item was shipped, if it gets lost or damaged in transit, it becomes the seller's problem.

 

Let me say that 99% of the time I am a buyer, so I am the little guy too. But I get what you are saying.

 

You know, when I'm driving in Manhattan I'm annoyed at the pedestrians, when I'm walking I'm annoyed at the cars.

 

The buyer always has the option to pay for insurance - if they don't, THEY ARE TAKING THE CHANCE that the shipment may be lost or damaged. I am talking about what I think is "right", not what official eBay/PayPal policy may be, which probably is the opposite. And maybe that is what you mean.

 

So, it sounds like a seller should always make the buyer pay for tracking and insurance. And if that is smart policy, then why doesn't eBay mandate this to avoid these disputes. Or the post office should just track everything.

 

If I buy something on eBay for $3, I don't mind if it comes in an envelope. I want the shipping to be as cheap as possible. I guess as a seller, I should mandate they pay tracking and insurance if it's over a certain amount. It's just a matter of, what is that amount.

[nocutename]

Is there any foolproof way to prevent this? What if package was really lost, isn't that the courier's responsibility?

 

Only if you bought insurance. Furthermore, for an item sold on eBay, the seller is responsible for its safe delivery. As such, even if a seller can prove an item was shipped, if it gets lost or damaged in transit, it becomes the seller's problem.

 

Let me say that 99% of the time I am a buyer, so I am the little guy too. But I get what you are saying.

 

You know, when I'm driving in Manhattan I'm annoyed at the pedestrians, when I'm walking I'm annoyed at the cars.

 

The buyer always has the option to pay for insurance - if they don't, THEY ARE TAKING THE CHANCE that the shipment may be lost or damaged. I am talking about what I think is "right", not what official eBay/PayPal policy may be, which probably is the opposite. And maybe that is what you mean.

 

So, it sounds like a seller should always make the buyer pay for tracking and insurance. And if that is smart policy, then why doesn't eBay mandate this to avoid these disputes. Or the post office should just track everything.

 

If I buy something on eBay for $3, I don't mind if it comes in an envelope. I want the shipping to be as cheap as possible. I guess as a seller, I should mandate they pay tracking and insurance if it's over a certain amount. It's just a matter of, what is that amount.

 

You still haven't answered the question on how this was shipped or paid for. If you printed it out via paypal, First Class and Priority Mail no longer charge for delivery confirmation.

[somewhereintexas]

The buyer always has the option to pay for insurance - if they don't, THEY ARE TAKING THE CHANCE that the shipment may be lost or damaged. I am talking about what I think is "right", not what official eBay/PayPal policy may be, which probably is the opposite. And maybe that is what you mean.

 

So, it sounds like a seller should always make the buyer pay for tracking and insurance. And if that is smart policy, then why doesn't eBay mandate this to avoid these disputes. Or the post office should just track everything.

 

If I buy something on eBay for $3, I don't mind if it comes in an envelope. I want the shipping to be as cheap as possible. I guess as a seller, I should mandate they pay tracking and insurance if it's over a certain amount. It's just a matter of, what is that amount.

 

eBay is trying more and more to make buying on eBay just like buying from any of the big retailers. Have you ever seen Wal-Mart offer insurance for an extra cost on items purchased online? Of course not. If the item gets lost or damaged in transit, they'll take care of it. Have you ever bought anything and then changed your mind? As long as you don't take too long, they'll take it back, no questions asked. That's why eBay recently instituted a requirement for sellers to offer a 14-day return policy in order to qualify for the 20% discount off final value fees.

 

eBay is no longer the online garage sale that it started out as.

[Heronext]

You still haven't answered the question on how this was shipped or paid for. If you printed it out via paypal, First Class and Priority Mail no longer charge for delivery confirmation.

 

My deepest apologies.

 

I wrote the address on the envelope with a black marker, took to the post office and mailed it. They gave me some options and I picked the one with the cost closest to what I advertised. First class maybe? I don't know what they call their services. It was no tracking and no insurance, just regular mail. It wasn't media mail either.

 

I even refunded the buyer like 95 cents because the shipping was cheaper than what he paid.

[Heronext]

That's why eBay recently instituted a requirement for sellers to offer a 14-day return policy in order to qualify for the 20% discount off final value fees.

 

I didn't know that. Thanks for sharing.

[Heronext]

I have sent packages hither and yon without insurance or DC before, too. So I can sympathize with the OP. I have a package going to Hungary right now that was such a clusterf*ck to deal with that I just sent it out First Class and screwed the notion of Registered or Priority Mail because my post office makes things a complete hassle. I am hopeful that the buyer is an honest Joe, and things will be fine.

 

But if they aren't - I only have myself to blame.

 

Lesson learned. Thanks for sharing.

[nocutename]

You still haven't answered the question on how this was shipped or paid for. If you printed it out via paypal, First Class and Priority Mail no longer charge for delivery confirmation.

 

My deepest apologies.

 

I wrote the address on the envelope with a black marker, took to the post office and mailed it. They gave me some options and I picked the one with the cost closest to what I advertised. First class maybe? I don't know what they call their services. It was no tracking and no insurance, just regular mail. It wasn't media mail either.

 

I even refunded the buyer like 95 cents because the shipping was cheaper than what he paid.

 

So if you went to the post office, they give you a receipt. You can at the very least you can show that to paypal / ebay as proof. The receipt may also state the shipping method which you can then estimate a day of arrival. I am not sure if the post office can track anything internal from the receipt but you could try calling the receiving post office and see if the mailman recalls delivering a package to that address. You will be surprised how much the mailman will recall.

 

Hope this helps.

[Ryan.]

The receipt is useless. Ebay will not accept that as proof of shipment. They require actual tracking/delivery confirmation.

[whomerjay]

Out the buyer, please, so we can block him.

[monsterbento]

I think its nice that you refunded the buyer 95 cents. I haven't came across too many sellers these days willing to do that. However, that 95 cents could have went to tracking. I believe tracking is 75 cents at the post office.

[Heronext]

Out the buyer, please, so we can block him.

 

Payment From: (Jane Doe) (The sender of this payment is Unverified)

Buyer's ID: d o t t y g l i t z

[monsterbento]

The unverified payment would raise all kinds of flags with me.

[Buzzetta]

I do not utilize the paypal services for printing shipping labels. I do not link my ebay account with my paypal account either. I find that it gives you the seller a little bit more leverage when dealing with paypal or eBay because they do not have automatic access to your money.

 

Besides, there is nothing more fun than letting paypal know that if they hold money on your credit card that you will file a chargeback against them.

 

They usually listen to what you have to say.

 

Like I said... I do not get many problem buyers, but when I do... I no longer lose. Just make sure you know what you bring to the fight when you make your argument.

 

 

[Heronext]

The unverified payment would raise all kinds of flags with me.

 

Believe me, there were red flags from the beginning - like no word and no payment from the buyer for 2 weeks. I was suspicious. Then they paid. Now this.

[Heronext]

Out the buyer, please, so we can block him.

 

Didn't know you could block buyers

[Heronext]

I do not utilize the paypal services for printing shipping labels. I do not link my ebay account with my paypal account either. I find that it gives you the seller a little bit more leverage when dealing with paypal or eBay because they do not have automatic access to your money.

 

Besides, there is nothing more fun than letting paypal know that if they hold money on your credit card that you will file a chargeback against them.

 

They usually listen to what you have to say.

 

Like I said... I do not get many problem buyers, but when I do... I no longer lose. Just make sure you know what you bring to the fight when you make your argument.

 

 

So you can send and receive money via PayPal for eBay transactions without having them linked? I guess that makes sense. I guess you just have to do it from PayPal. Sending invoices and the like. I'll have to try it for a while and see how less seamless it is.

 

Maybe you don't have to have a funding account for seller fees either... just pay them manually when they are due.

[Buzzetta]

I do not utilize the paypal services for printing shipping labels. I do not link my ebay account with my paypal account either. I find that it gives you the seller a little bit more leverage when dealing with paypal or eBay because they do not have automatic access to your money.

 

Besides, there is nothing more fun than letting paypal know that if they hold money on your credit card that you will file a chargeback against them.

 

They usually listen to what you have to say.

 

Like I said... I do not get many problem buyers, but when I do... I no longer lose. Just make sure you know what you bring to the fight when you make your argument.

 

 

So you can send and receive money via PayPal for eBay transactions without having them linked? I guess that makes sense. I guess you just have to do it from PayPal. Sending invoices and the like. I'll have to try it for a while and see how less seamless it is.

 

Maybe you don't have to have a funding account for seller fees either... just pay them manually when they are due.

 

I would not be as nice as you are in this case.

[brendanb438]

Thanks for all the advice. I opened a new checking account & new PayPal account with a new email address. I linked that to my eBay account in place of the old PayPal account so at least I will receive money for auction closing Sunday.

 

Changed eBay seller fee funding account to my credit card. Tried removing email address, credit card and checking account linked to old PayPal account, but it does not let you if you have a negative balance. I do not think they can dig into those accounts, but I could always close the funding accounts.

 

As for eBay coming to me for the money through seller fee funding account, that is a loophole I hadn't considered. I can always delete that link too after Sunday.

 

This is total BS for $50. It's the principle though. We'll see what happens.

 

Is there any foolproof way to prevent this? What if package was really lost, isn't that the courier's responsibility?

 

They gonna link the two accts when their audit teams go over new accounts setup for the month. Ask me how I know.

[Buzzetta]

Thanks for all the advice. I opened a new checking account & new PayPal account with a new email address. I linked that to my eBay account in place of the old PayPal account so at least I will receive money for auction closing Sunday.

 

Changed eBay seller fee funding account to my credit card. Tried removing email address, credit card and checking account linked to old PayPal account, but it does not let you if you have a negative balance. I do not think they can dig into those accounts, but I could always close the funding accounts.

 

As for eBay coming to me for the money through seller fee funding account, that is a loophole I hadn't considered. I can always delete that link too after Sunday.

 

This is total BS for $50. It's the principle though. We'll see what happens.

 

Is there any foolproof way to prevent this? What if package was really lost, isn't that the courier's responsibility?

 

They gonna link the two accts when their audit teams go over new accounts setup for the month. Ask me how I know.

 

I have been in this eBay game since 1998 and even though they encourage me up until today actually, I still do not link my accounts. This precludes me from bidding on a few things online (some auctions have a stipulation that only linked accounts or something like that can bid) but I have assembled quite the nice collection despite them.