Suspicous buyer from US

[tcrazer]

I've just had a buyer from the US which I think is suspicious.  They have bought several high priced collector cards from me which were exclusive to Australia, they have zero feedback and the paypal payment is from an unregistered account. 

I've sold for over 12 years and this is the first time my spider senses are tingling.  Some things just don't sit right with me.  I am reluctant to send it as I don't think this is a genuine buyer.  Is a mutual cancellation the best way to recoup ebay fees?

[lyndal1838]

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@i-love-my-sheep wrote:

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@lyndal1838 wrote:

You cannot just cancel the transaction without asking for a Mutual Cancellation but be aware that you can still received negative feedback from the buyer.

The only way to avoid a neg it to open a non paying bidder dispute and issue the buyer with a strike.  In all other scenarios you can get a neg.

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I think the buyer has already paid.

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Yes, the buyer has paid.  The OP is only worried about his DSR and defects unless he does a mutual cancellation.  I was just pointing out that a Mutual Cancellation can lead to negative feedback but that can be avoided by a NPB dispute.

It is all a bit too late to worry now....just by refunding the OP is going to get a defect, trashed DSRs and probably a negative.

[tcrazer]

Well, after messaging the buyer, he appears genuine and as ebay has told me his account is legitimate, I will be sending him the items he bought. 

Now, what would be the most secure method to send to the US that would satisfy seller protection.  The items can be sent in a large envelope so it won't require a parcel. Is registered post international the way to go? I want to ensure I have all bases covered

I just hope that should a dispute arise that ebay/paypal will side with someone who has done business with them for 15 years over someone who signed up last year and has zero feedback.

[cherry*135]

You need to choose a mail service that has tracking/ proof of delivery. Insure the parcel for its value also.

These options are in addition to the postage costs. I think the  intl insurance  starts at $9 and goes up depending on value.  Did you allow for these in the cost of postage in your listing?

Any dispute will be under eBay US policies, where the buyer lives.

I just hope that should a dispute arise that ebay/paypal will side with someone who has done business with them for 15 years over someone who signed up last year and has zero feedback.

No, that isn't how it works. 

[harley_babes_hoard]

"I just hope that should a dispute arise that ebay/paypal will side with someone who has done business with them for 15 years over someone who signed up last year and has zero feedback."

No that's not how it works at all. The buyer is king on ebay.

[lyndal1838]

I am glad to hear that....I could not see where the buyer had done anything wrong, except to be a new ebayer.

Just remember that any dispute involving the USA will mean you have to provide Proof of DELIVERY to the buyer's address, not just proof of postage.

I am not sure what the current International postage options are...perhaps ask at your post office but make sure that it involves signature on delivery.

[foundationstation]

For the US, I use pack and track (trackable online).
I photograph the actual customs form before lodging it as Australia post don't give you a copy and it has the address on it.
I have won a couple of non received claims with this method (when they showed delivered online, but the buyer said not received).
Make sure you keep the receipt with the tracking number on, and enter it separately into ebay AND paypal.

[tcrazer]

So, with pack and track, you are not given a carbon copy of the lodgement form? the Auspost website says there is proof of posting Proof of posting^ (ensures that if you sell an item via the PayPal online payment gateway, you qualify for PayPal seller protection)

[digital*ghost]

You can process pack and track online through the Click & Send website - that way, you can print off two copies of the address label, and/or save a copy of the pdf (of the postage labels), and make sure to get / keep a lodgement receipt at the post office.

Pack and track and registered post costs the same to the US for under 500gm ($21.10 - both can be processed via Click and send, but you still have to go to the post office to pay for the postage, show ID etc), the only difference is that P&T is guaranteed trackable online and doesn't get a sig on delivery, while registered isn't trackable but does get a SOD.

PayPal / eBay require sig on delivery for items above $750 dollars (including postage), but for under that, an online status of delivered is accepted (providing you can show that the online status relates to a package sent to the buyer's address, which you get with P&T if you print a copy of the mailing label for yourself), 

[tcrazer]

Thanks for the info. Never actually used click and send before as I've only had to send in envelopes. Is it something that you have to sign up for and do you pre-pay?

[digital*ghost]

You do have to create an account, but it's a relatively simple system to use (well, most of the time.  It might not seem so at first, and if you run into any problems processing a label, there's likely a bunch of posters here that will be able to help).

With international mail, you only process the label online, print it out, fix a copy to the package (it'll print two on an A4 sheet - one for the package and one for the PO to keep, so print two copies - for 4 labels all up - if you want to retain one for your own records), then you have to take it into the PO to lodge and pay (this is because they ask for ID and so forth for international mail - you can actually pay online for them, but only if you select courier pick-up as the lodgement option, which costs extra).

You can pay for domestic packages online if you want to, though, either with a credit card or PayPal.