topic Re: Perfume--offer from buyer with no feedback in Selling

Perfume--offer from buyer with no feedback

beakychew — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 01:24:45 GMT

Two days ago I listed a bottle of unopened vintage perfume for $299 (with Best Offer) including registered postage. (On one of my selling accounts, not this one.)

Today I've had a message from a buyer in the USA, no feedback, account started 2 days ago. They ask whether the item is still available and offering $350 including postage.

Note that the system calculates registered postage to the USA as $28.70.

I'm reluctant to accept due to the lack of feedback and the new account. I've never sold perfume (and I only have 3 to sell from my own stash) before but have seen various issues on the boards about perfume--with buyers complaining of fakes (this isn't) or taking some out and saying it wasn't full etc.

How can I protect myself from scammers? Would you accept the offer?

Re: Perfume--offer from buyer with no feedback

collect247 — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 01:29:02 GMT

It looks like a scammer,put them on your BBL.

Re: Perfume--offer from buyer with no feedback

*tippy*toes* — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 01:29:08 GMT

They are offering you MORE than your asking price. That is classic scam behaviour. Do not accept it and do not reply to any messages. Block them before they can buy it. Block them before you decline the offer.

As an aside, are you posting these perfumes through the post? Were you aware that you have to have a valid dangerous good licence to do so? Perfumes are on the postal prohibited list unless you have a licence to post.

Re: Perfume--offer from buyer with no feedback

lyndal1838 — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 01:30:27 GMT

For a start you cannot send perfume through Australia Post without a Dangerous Goods Licence and an account with Australia Post. The perfume must be packed according to their guidelines and labelled for Road Transport only.

Just tell the overseas customer the item is no longer available and alter the listing to pick up only.

Re: Perfume--offer from buyer with no feedback

*tippy*toes* — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 01:30:38 GMT

I would also set up buyer requirement blocks to stop these people being able to buy from you.

Re: Perfume--offer from buyer with no feedback

beakychew — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 05:51:52 GMT

Thank you all.

I had no idea that perfumes are a dangerous item. I guess that makes sense. I'll see if I can find a courier who'll deliver. Pick up only won't work as I live in a small country town 🙂

I will block the buyer now.

But how can I set up a block to avoid new accounts? I have set up to block anyone with feedback <= -1, but can't see a way to block those with no feedback.

Re: Perfume--offer from buyer with no feedback

clarry100 — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 06:02:51 GMT

You can't block for someone who might open a new account to get around blocks.

But if they do so that is in itself a breach of policy.

Then if they buy to retaliate against you on the newly created ID you should be able to get any bad feedback left removed by ebay.

You can block buyers who have not been thru phone verification.

With that you can choose a feedback score of 0 or lower, or even 5 or lower.

Re: Perfume--offer from buyer with no feedback

redders_60 — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 06:12:21 GMT

Block the scam buyer; They are only after your contact details for nefarious reasons. Put your seller blocks in place as described above & go from there.

In order to sell perfume within Aust put in your listings local pickup only. Other things that can work are "Road Transport Only" or No FIFO (Fly In Fly Out) rural customers please.

Do please ensure all is packed well & goes by road transport. FiFO customers living far rurally will know they can't buy. (Or at least they should!) I've no perfume license; but when I've sold the occasional unwanted gift I make it quite clear as to who can buy & under what terms. No problems.

Re: Perfume--offer from buyer with no feedback

lyndal1838 — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 06:14:32 GMT

@beakychew wrote:
Thank you all.

I had no idea that perfumes are a dangerous item. I guess that makes sense. I'll see if I can find a courier who'll deliver. Pick up only won't work as I live in a small country town 🙂

If you contact a courier company you must let them know that the package contains dangerous goods.

If it it going interstate a lot of couriers use air freight so will not take the parcel.

Re: Perfume--offer from buyer with no feedback

thecatspjs — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 06:28:14 GMT

@redders_60 wrote:
Block the scam buyer; They are only after your contact details for nefarious reasons. Put your seller blocks in place as described above & go from there.

In order to sell perfume within Aust put in your listings local pickup only. Other things that can work are "Road Transport Only" or No FIFO (Fly In Fly Out) rural customers please.

Do please ensure all is packed well & goes by road transport. FiFO customers living far rurally will know they can't buy. (Or at least they should!) I've no perfume license; but when I've sold the occasional unwanted gift I make it quite clear as to who can buy & under what terms. No problems.

It is not enough to put road transport only - perfumes are prohibited unless accepted under explicit dangerous goods contract with AP.

How dangerous and foolish, not only to send yoursefl, but to encourage others to do so.

Re: Perfume--offer from buyer with no feedback

brushwell — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 08:08:46 GMT

I spoke to the local courier company and they will take perfumes if:

1. they are properly packaged

2. they are declared

3. you have an account with them which takes 2-4 weeks to set up and requires minimum volume.

Number 3 = not feasible.

Re: Perfume--offer from buyer with no feedback

brushwell — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 08:24:55 GMT

The Australia Post Dangerous and Prohibited goods guide states:

D2.3 – Class 3 – Flammable liquids

A flammable liquid is any liquid or mixture of liquids or liquids containing solids in solution or suspension that gives off a flammable vapour at temperatures of not more than:

• 60°C – closed-cup flash-point test, or

• 65.6°C – open-cup test normally referred to as flash point.

The flash point is the lowest temperature at which a liquid gives off flammable vapour in a test vessel in sufficient concentration to be ignited in air when exposed momentarily to a source of ignition.

Some common examples: • alcohol • benzene • cleaning compounds • gasoline • paint • paint and varnish removers • solvents • thinners • varnish.

So I've been researching flashpoints...

In general, perfumes are much less flammable than eau de cologne or EDT as the latter have more alcohol and less perfume. (I'm selling perfumes).

These are the flashpoints for my perfume:

SOS: 275°F
ULTRA: 238°F
EXTREME: 200°F...

so these are much higher than the AP requirements, which means that this perfume is not technically a flammable liquid....? i.e. it won't combust unless the external temperature gets extremely high. It appears to be combustibility at lower temps that AP is worried about in the regulations.

Re: Perfume--offer from buyer with no feedback

*tippy*toes* — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 09:34:05 GMT

Please stick with the one ID on a thread otherwise it gets confusing. It doesn't matter if it's a cologne, a toilette or a perfume, they are all prohibited without a dangerous goods licence. Believe me, you don't want to get caught because the punishments are severe and include a possible jail sentence. The PO where you post it is also subject to punishment, even if you don't reveal the contents of the package.

My husband has a dangerous goods licence. He carts general frieght. He has to know absolutely everything that is in each box because if there is one potentially dangerous item and he doesn't have the dangerous goods sign on the back of his truck he could end up with a very hefty fine. His employer gets the hefty fine and a jail sentence.

If you want to risk it that's your business, but is a possible jail sentence worth a few items you want to unload? Do you have a husband and kids? How would you feel about them coming to visit you in jail? You also have to ask yourself, what if the bottle breaks in transit? You then risk the safety of all the postal workers that come into contact with it. It would only take a backfire on a truck/van or some static electricity and BOOM. Could you live with that?

Re: Perfume--offer from buyer with no feedback

beakychew — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 10:06:41 GMT

Personally, I'm concerned about being legal and safe.

From what's posted above about the regulations, it sounds as though AP doesn't see all perfumes as flammable liquids. Some are not actually flammable. It depends on the flashpoint--their words not mine.

Or do you interpret the statement differently?

Re: Perfume--offer from buyer with no feedback

thecatspjs — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 10:34:05 GMT

@acorsen wrote:

So I've been researching flashpoints...
In general, perfumes are much less flammable than eau de cologne or EDT as the latter have more alcohol and less perfume. (I'm selling perfumes).

This is not necessarily the case. Perfumes can have a much lower flashpoint as they may also contain more concentrated oils and other chemicals.

Re: Perfume--offer from buyer with no feedback

lyndal1838 — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 10:51:17 GMT

@acorsen wrote:
I spoke to the local courier company and they will take perfumes if:

1. they are properly packaged
2. they are declared
3. you have an account with them which takes 2-4 weeks to set up and requires minimum volume.

Number 3 = not feasible.

Basically what AP requires to transport perfumes except that you don't need to hold a DGL.....the company would have a blanket Licence.

Don't waste your time trying to find ways around it....you cannot sell perfume on ebay unless it is pick up only.

Re: Perfume--offer from buyer with no feedback

phorum_junkie* — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 13:23:24 GMT

Even if the perfume has a low flashpoint and would not be unsuitable for AP without a DGL you still cannot list it on ebay a there rule is no perfume except for pick up.

Re: Perfume--offer from buyer with no feedback

davewil1964 — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 13:31:49 GMT

The original problem is the OP has been hit by a wannabe scammer.

The answer is to ignore and block them, set postage to exclude those likely to scam and now be aware that ANY offer for more than the BIN, especially from OS 'buyers', is an automatic flag.