Advise on postage to prevent scammers

[mandy-gs]

In relation to recent scam transactions I have experienced, it was suggested that I track all items but not upload the tracking to Ebay. I was advised that this would prevent a lot of scammers as they first try an Item Not Recieved case. Having tracking that can be uploaded to the INR case means the case would be closed in my favour. It was further said that once a case has been closed in a sellers favour, a second case could not be opened.

I would like to know if this is correct information and if used by others, does it help?

[curraone]

I don't know.    But as a buyer, I do know that I get annoyed when sellers don't load the tracking number - it is a very useful tool and I know exactly where my item is and what day it is going to be delivered.

Not all buyers are scammers.  

[phorum_junkie* · Accepted solution]

If the buyer opens an item not received case through ebay and you win because you can then enter the tracking number there is nothing to stop themopening a Paypal dispute for not as described. I don't see how not loading the tracking number can do any more than annoy a buyer who likes to track their parcels once they realise on delivery there was tracking but you didn't bother to tell them. 

[nevillesdaughter]

It depends on economics, but I have not had an INR since using Signature on Delivery (no safe drop) - about 4 years now. I list as free postage without mentioning SOD and just factor in the cost. I do upload the tracking number to Paypal, which also adds it to the eBay listing.

Marina.

[*tippy*toes* · Accepted solution]

I wouldn't not upload tracking numbers these days because they protect you from postage defects.Scammers are gunna scam regardless of whether you upload a tracking number or not. If someone is ringing alarm bells, add a sig on delivery.

[englishrosegardens · Accepted solution]

I definitely agree with tippy about tracking protecting you from defects.  I'm also annoyed as a buyer if the tracking numbers aren't put in because I can check whether the parcel is waiting at the PO for me.  I don't have any street delivery here but for people who do, if they check the tracking and see that it's due to be delivered that day they can put off any errands and stay home till its delivered, which means it's less likely to get stolen if it's safe dropped, or it's less likely to get taken back to the PO and it saves them a trip to pick it up.  

I don't send many parcels but when I do, I copy & paste a message to my buyers that tells them if they check tracking early in the morning there's usually a message if it's going to be delivered that day.  I know it doesn't help those who work during the day but it could help others to make sure they're home, and those who work may be able to ask a neighbour to look out for it.

A few weeks ago I decided to add a bit onto my postage to self-insure.  Most of my items are sent as letters so I added 50c to my postage.  It hasn't affected my sales.

I would have thought that tracking would be more likely to deter scammers than encourage it, but as tippy said, if they're that way inclined it probably won't make any difference.

[*tippy*toes*]

They are all very good points re the tracking. It's also useful for sellers in certain circumstances. A few weeks back the AP app alerted me that a parcel I'd sent was being returned to sender, not known at this address (delivery wasn't attempted, it was turned around at the sorting centre). I immediately contacted the buyer and told them what was going on. It arrived back here and I double checked the address, both in the order details and with the buyer and it was correct. The buyer had stated she'd had lots of parcels delivered to problems to that address (it was her work address).

I contacted AP both via their Facebook page and their online help page to find out why this may have happened and also to find out if I could just drop it back in the red box, or whether I'd need to pay another lot of postage. After a few days I'd not heard back from them (unusual), so I took it to the PO and the post master just scanned it back into the system without me having to pay again (it was posted just before the postage increase and this occurred after).

The next day AP finally got back to me and said they had spoken to that sorting centre and it was turned around there because the building at that address was unoccupied as far as their records were concerned. I assured them that the buyer was there and had other deliveries to that address. I told them it was back in the system, so they contacted the sorting centre again and requested they try and deliver to that address.

A few days later I was again alerted that delivery had been attempted and it was being returned to sender, not known at this address. Prior to that the alert said delivery was for that day, then it said it was awaiting collection at such and such post office and 2 minutes later marked as return to sender.

I immediately contacted the buyer and told her that they were trying to send it back again, but at that point it was sitting at the local PO so there is a chance if she gets there quickly, she can get it before they send it back. She went down within the hour and collected her parcel, and gave them a serve up in the process. Thankfully for me she was a very understanding buyer and was grateful I kept her in the loop.

After I'd sent it the second time I told her it was the same tracking number and she had checked it a couple of times, but as the first time it took over a week to get to the sorting centre, she hadn't checked it that day as it was only 3 days after I sent it. In this instance it was beneficial for both the buyer and the seller to have the tracking number easily accessible. It also meant that after the first RTS she was able to look at the tracking and know that I wasn't telling her porkies.

[mandy-gs]

Thank you all for you feedback and opinions. I have been second guessing all postage / ebay selling practices lately as I have come across a lot of INRs and people being nasty in messages. I think I have been making too many decisions based on fear (lowered prices to get sales, no tracking to make it cheaper etc) and this has left me open to even more scammers. I feel like I am being held over a barrel just so I can try and make a dollar.

[englishrosegardens]

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@mandy-gs wrote:

Thank you all for you feedback and opinions. I have been second guessing all postage / ebay selling practices lately as I have come across a lot of INRs and people being nasty in messages. I think I have been making too many decisions based on fear (lowered prices to get sales, no tracking to make it cheaper etc) and this has left me open to even more scammers. I feel like I am being held over a barrel just so I can try and make a dollar.

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I know where you're coming from because I've been there myself, but you can't do everything based on fear.  I know it's wrong and one feels violated when it happens, but as a seller I've learnt to accept that stealing is going to happen occasionally and it's just not worth making everyone else pay for a signature because of it - especially if the scammers still get around it.  

If you add the cost of a signature to all your items you'll pay more in fees and you may sell less if postage is too expensive.  It depends on the price of your items but if they're fairly low I think it's better to just add 50c or $1 to your postage and throw it in a container to cover any losses.  That way you won't feel quite so bad when someone scams you - they'll be stealing from your other buyers rather than from you, if that makes any sense.  You could add a dollar or two to the price of your items instead of adding it to the postage.  It'd still be cheaper than sending as a parcel with SOD and wouldn't slow your sales as much.

I lose very few items but I know clothing is a lot more subject to scammers than what I sell.  However, I expect scamming will eventually spread to the type of things I sell and that's why I added a bit to my postage to cover potential losses.  Unfortunately the honest buyers are paying more to cover what the scammers steal, but that applies to everything we buy in b&m stores too.