New Seller on EBay (me!) - How not to get scammed

ncp · 17 November 2013, 05:23

You guys seem to be the fleabay experts on here I've never sold anything on ebay but I posted something last week and it "sold".

-I knowingly included "free shipping"
-I specifically limited where I would ship to - "United States"

Some guy from Russia won the auction. How do I deal with this? (I don't want my first seller feedback to be negative) How do I get out of this by abiding by eBay rules?

spartacus · 17 November 2013, 07:48

Contact the buyer and refer them back to the original ad, regards free shipping to US only. You could get a price to post overseas and add that to the purchase price and see if they are prepared to pay.

I wouldn't worry about negative feedback. Main thing is communication to try and resolve it, with the emphasis on the purchaser to do the right thing and pay postage. If they won't pay then re-list it. Good luck!

ShinyShoe · 17 November 2013, 08:05

For future you may find this link helpful:

Selecting buyer requirements

For this occasion, I'd get a cost to ship it, and then invoice for that (there is an invoice link on one of the screenshots you sent). I'd fully expect him to vapourise (whats his feedback score?). Alternatively you ask him for a US address to ship it it. Never had any success with anything connected with Russia on-line. I'm sure there must be some legitimate people out there but the whole of Russia, Nigeria and Turkey all appear to be always out to scam me! So they instantly set my scam radar on high alert and I'd want to be 100% certain they aren't scamming you. (So make sure the shipping has insurance, tracking etc.)

If the Russian's Nigerian cousin happens to be a King and the King's daughter is stuck in Turkey and just needs to to pay her shipping fee for her and the King will pay you back double run for the hills.

GJ0KYZ · 17 November 2013, 08:39

It will be cheaper to ship to Russia than America. At least it's cheaper to send a letter there.

ShinyShoe · 17 November 2013, 08:56

@GJ0KYZ did you realise the OP was already in the US?

Nick Hearne · 17 November 2013, 08:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by GJ0KYZ

It will be cheaper to ship to Russia than America. At least it's cheaper to send a letter there.

When he is in the USA already, think not!

ncp · 17 November 2013, 14:26

So, even though it screams scam, play along?

Step 1 - Write him a nice email asking what freight carrier he'd like me to use for shipping from the USA to Russia so I can get a quote.
Step 2 - Wait for him to "pay".

Anything else?

whisper · 17 November 2013, 14:40

You can cancel the sale as the buyer has asked you to post to a country that is not on your advert, you can cancel this straight away and get a final credit refund, then you just relist it.

Easy to do, but a bit of a pain for you, but that's ebay...

IanH · 17 November 2013, 14:46

Dont worry too much. It may be genuine.

I sold some big speakers to a guy in Tallin (Estonia). He paid then arranged collection himself.

This contrasts to a British git coupe of weeks before. He bought the same speakers and literaly two minutes before i embarked on a 200 mile drive to Doncaster to deliver them, he phoned me to say his wife had a car accident and he couldn't buy them as he needed money for repairs. At least he had the decency to tell me but he didnt tell me that he had just won a simiar pair so i think his wifes accident was not true.

I had the last laugh. The guy from Talin who bought them was a real gent to appreciated what he bought. Because he aporeciated the quality of the speakers, he put in a top bit and i got £100 more than the git from Doncaster who in the end bought a much lesser model as he probably didnt appreciate the difference between a basic set of speakers and my reference speakers.

So just because someone if from an emerging market doesnt mean it is a scam. There may be language difficulties to overcome.

whisper · 17 November 2013, 14:55

My sister sold an item on ebay, was payed via PayPal and shipped it to Italy, the buyer said he had not received the item and claimed all his money back via PayPal which was taken off my sister.

So she lost the item, the postage costs and the money from the buyer, to be honest, I would cancel the sale as it's just not worth it.

ShinyShoe · 17 November 2013, 16:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by whisper

My sister sold an item on ebay, was payed via PayPal and shipped it to Italy, the buyer said he had not received the item and claimed all his money back via PayPal which was taken off my sister.

So she lost the item, the postage costs and the money from the buyer, to be honest, I would cancel the sale as it's just not worth it.

You'll notice the big international sellers - electronics from Hong Kong type guys - will ship to almost anywhere in the world except Italy. Hence my comment about tracking and insurance.

chris.moody · 17 November 2013, 16:50

I ship everything I sell on eBay by signed for delivery or collection in person. It puts the postage prices up considerably but stops the "I never received it" scam.

Chris

--
Tigga - Avon SR4 Rescue with 40hp Yamaha 2 stroke

Nick Hearne · 17 November 2013, 20:56

I sold a bike rack in September posted it off paid an extra £5 for insurance which put it over what I had charged but very happy I did as it turned up incomplete easy claim including the insurance and shippin, costs!

This was with Cheap Parcel Delivery From Interparcel very happy with there service

Peter_C · 18 November 2013, 07:00

Get the auction cancelled. It is most likely a scam, and without a signature required it is guranteed that you will be refunding their money without your consent.

For the future when you place the ad, you can choose where people can purchase from, not just listing writing it in the ad.

From someone who sold his iPhone 3 times on ebay and never once actually got to collect on it. Wound up trading the phone for a powered wheelchair.

MikeCC · 18 November 2013, 14:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by whisper

You can cancel the sale as the buyer has asked you to post to a country that is not on your advert, you can cancel this straight away and get a final credit refund, then you just relist it.

Easy to do, but a bit of a pain for you, but that's ebay...

This is simplest route. Sending anything to Russia is a pain - many parcel carriers won't touch it and although post (under 2kg only) eventually gets there, customs can take a long time to clear.

Buyer may or may not be honest but it's the Russian delivery that's the headache.

ss03947 · 21 November 2013, 20:40

Not all international buyers are dodgy, I've sold to Russia before & never had any comeback.

Quote:

My sister sold an item on ebay, was payed via PayPal and shipped it to Italy, the buyer said he had not received the item and claimed all his money back via PayPal which was taken off my sister.

So she lost the item, the postage costs and the money from the buyer, to be honest, I would cancel the sale as it's just not worth it.

If I've a Parcel to go overseas, I won't accept Paypal, for the reasons quoted above, I want bank transfer, & the buyer has to arrange shipment themselves & pay for it, all funds to be cleared before the parcel leaves the house.

SS