Selling safeguards for newbies/new policy?

[expanded_perceptions]

Hi Community,

I am wondering what safeguards you have in place for newbies? I have just recently made a couple of sales to buyers with 0 FB and admit the first sale I was ultra careful. I took numerous photos of the item prior to packing, during packing, and finally after packing, I sent the package 'signature on delivery' and with insurance. This was despite the listing decribing some minor damage to the item for which I provided numerous photos.

Now, I have just sold another item to a 0 FB buyer. The buyer emailed a little while after paying to say he had given a slightly wrong address on his eBay account and updating the delivery address. On his PayPal address, again it is slightly wrong. Anyway, again I will take numerous photos, send by 'signature on delivery' and insured etc.. I replied to the buyer saying thanks, and that I would ship to the given address, but could he provide his phone details so that the courier may contact them if issues arise? Not had a reply yet, but that is understandable on a Friday evening. The buyer lives about 10 minutes away from me!

I guess I wonder if there are other safeguards that you follow to limit the chances of being either conned or have a buyer defect on you, or scam the system, especially now, in the era of PayPal/eBays new 21 day hold policy!

What tips can we share? Thanks!

[cq_tech]

The buyer's registered eBay address is completely irrelevant when it comes to posting their item. When the buyer completes checkout, they nominate the address to which they want the item posted, which may often be quite different from their eBay address.

The may even be sending it to somebody else as a gift for all you know. That is why in order to maintain your seller protection, you absolutely MUST send it to the address specified in the Paypal payment advice email which is sent after the buyer has paid.

[2106greencat]

Reply to OP - not cq

You have had a lot of good advice and I wish you well with it all.

Always feel free to come here if you are uncertain about any eBay terminology etc.

When you have some spare time, go to the Site Map (at the bottom of every page) - you will find information on selling, buying, paypal, and pretty much anything you need to know.

Although you are a seller, read up on the buying as well, that will assist you in understanding the buyers behaviour in some instances and you will get a head's up on what type of thing to try and avoid and what you may expect from some buyers.

And again - never be afraid to come here and ask, there are NO silly questions on eBay, beleive me.

[2106greencat]

and I just remembered there is the new 180 day policy and paypal 21 day fund holding..........

but I will leave it to someone who knows more about it than I do to expalin it to you.

[phorum_junkie*]

If a buyer has put Sydney in the suburb field I just leave it there (I use ebay labels) but add the suburb so it still has the basic address that the buyer input.

If it is a completely different address I wouldn't ask them to agree to a cancellation I would just refund their money and ask them to pay again with the correct address in checkout.

[thecatspjs]

Thats a great tip PJ.

Did I just post that ???

[antonios7529]

be honest and fair! do not do things you do not like other to do to you.

Try to be acurate  and specific in your title and description, avoid words with general or many meangs.

Be polite with buyers even if you know you are right!

It is not very difficult for a buyer to destroy you with a negative feedback!

On ebay I think about 12-15% of sellers are irrisponsible or even crooks and of cause them we, ALL sellers have a bad name! Buyers will not trust us even if we  have 100% gpositive feedback, as me!  Always we have to be careful with buyers.

Unfortunately  for ebay, if any problem,  a buyer who  paid an item   is right and seller wrong.

This is not right, because the buyer may be ask for a product with different, size, colour, brand etc.

Ebay sellers do not have their own organization to support or promote their rights and they  have to close  their mouth even when they have right, trying to avoid a negative feedback.

Accept the reality that all we make mistake and this planet belongs to all of its residents, including ebay sellers and buyers!

[expanded_perceptions]

Just an update! So the sale went through at about 4.20pm AEST and I responded to the buyer not too long after saying it would be good to have a contact number for the courier and to ask if someone over the age of 18 is home to sign. I then sent an email to the buyers address in PayPal saying pretty much the same thing at around 6pm.

After the great advice from here, I sent a mesage through eBay, and another email to the PayPal provided email saying that I would prefer to cancel the transaction due to no protection, but that the item would be relisted and they could purchase again with an updated address, i sent these last mesaages about 11pm AEST time. I have yet to receive any responses to the four messages. Is this unusual for an item worth $500? If I had bought an item, and had made a mistake in the address, I would be checking to make sure it is responded to so I was free to relax over the weekend, not stressing I had blown $500?

I am very cautious at the minute, especially with 0 FB buyers. Some of you may remember I almost got scammed last week in the thread "Suspicious buyer or not', I hope I am wrong, but my instincts are saying its not adding up, if I am right 2 near misses in a week??????? Is that normal, or a reflection of eBays new policies??

[expanded_perceptions]

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@phorum_junkie* wrote:

If a buyer has put Sydney in the suburb field I just leave it there (I use ebay labels) but add the suburb so it still has the basic address that the buyer input.

If it is a completely different address I wouldn't ask them to agree to a cancellation I would just refund their money and ask them to pay again with the correct address in checkout.

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Thanks for this! I am not sure I am going to take the risk, whislt the address is pretty similar, and the postcode is correct, I am not sure I can send unsure of PayPal protection. As I say, this item is almost $500. I have given the buyer options, and in some ways the buyer is being protected too, especially if they are genuine?

[expanded_perceptions]

Hi all,

Well its now nearly 24 hrs since my first reply to the seller, and in total have sent 4 messages; two through eBay and two to his gmail account! I am wondering what others think is an acceptable timeframe that I should first wait to get a response from, before I enact a 'cancel transaction' through eBay? I know it is the weekend, would you give say until Monday or late Sunday evening for a response? I have messaged the buyer to say that I think cancelling would be best for us both, but I would be happy to relist when he has changed his address?

I have decided that no response, along with wrong address in both eBay and PayPal, plus 0 FB is too great a risk. How long would you wait?

[clarry100]

Well if it was me and I was only 10-minutes drive away I would put the $500 item in my car and drive over to the address to see if all was good.

Then you can negotiate what is to happen face to face over a friendly cuppa.