Received this email today - eBay auction

ajaan

I sold four George III and George IV Crowns on ebay about 20 days ago. Today I receive this email:



<< <i>Folks.- I have not received this item the next note I send is to feedback and e-bay >>



The guy didn't want to purchase the insurance which was a big mistake, he got the Crowns $6.00 each which is a steal. The coins were mailed April 13, 2004. I have a postal receipt from this date that shows I mailed a package weighing 4.4 oz to his zipcode. If he leaves a negative I'm going to be pissed.

airplanenut

Don't forget to remind him that he's an idiot

wybrit

The guy didn't want to purchase the insurance which was a big mistake, he got the Crowns $6.00 each which is a steal.

The guy is mad. If he gives you a neg for the transaction, you can always do the retort that he didn't select insurance and that you are not responsible for the post office's performance. No potential buyer is going to punish you for that.

However, you've hit on one of my pet peeves here. I don't think it's stupid to forego insurance on a $24 purchase. That's all he could have claimed if the coins had gone missing. If you add up the economics of paying the insurance versus taking the hit for an occasional lost item, you come out behind if you always choose insurance.

If I buy 20 coins at $25 each, one from each seller, I pay out $500. If I choose insurance on each item, I pay an additional $26 (in reality, more since in all fairness the seller should charge more to have to drive the package to the post office!). There is less than a one in twenty chance that the package is going to go missing, unless you live in an area where there are problems with mailbox theft. Therefore, taking the risk is usually the better choice.

The only exception to that rule is when the package is quite valuable or the coin in question will be very tough to replace.

ajaan

If I go on my assumption that an insured package is more likely to arrive than an uninsured package, an assumption that may be incorrect, then I have to disagree with you wybrit.

If I buy a coin for a 'steal' I'm going to spend the extra $1.30 or whatever to make more sure I'm going to receive the coin. Today I bought a Edward II coin for what I feel is a great price ($38). I choose to pay for the insurance because I know I can't replace the coin at that price. If it will cost me $60 to replace the coin then the $1.30 is a good investment IMO.

JadeRareCoin

ajaan, here's my opinion:

The bidder decided to not buy the insurance because he intended to rip you off. If you sent it first class uninsured, then he probably received the coins. Now he is going to tell you that he never received them. He is gambling that you will refund him, at least partially, to avoid a negative feedback. If you take the neg and don't refund him, then he is not out anything, since he received the coins that he paid for. jmho.

ajaan

I'm not refunding him one cent. If he negs me so be it. I have a feedback rating of 630 with no negs. If he does neg, can I get it removed through eBay?

Askari

Unfortunately, Jade most probably has the right of it. It's a common scam. No matter what, I'd block him from now on.

MacCrimmon

This is exactly why I do not like sending coins to an unknown buyer uninsured. In this world of eBay, sadly, you are guilty until proven innocent, IMHO.

That 1c/Neth I just sold is being repatriated to the Netherlands. It was sent Registered, but with no insurance (only $40 anyway). The buyer did not quarrel with the excessive charge, so obviously they felt they had made a good buy. Hopefully it will arrive safe and sound within a few weeks.

As to this clown, ajaan: most likely they are attempting to pull a scam. If not, TOO BAD!

boz

I always include insurance in my shipping price. These coins could have been shipped priority mail w/insurance for less than $5.
To some that may seem like a lot for shipping, but if you consider your average drive to the coin shop it is probably going to cost you close to that in gas.
With these lost in the mail claims seeming more rampant now, I feel the insurance is a little deterent anyway. If nothing else it makes the buyer jump through some hoops, and wait at least 40 days to get their money back.
I also feel that insurance on my purchases increases my chances of actually receiving the coin.

Hope this works out for you, but if not I wouldn't worry about the neg. Explain yourself in your reply. Most level headed people with common sense will over look a neg of this manner. I know I have when bidding.

ajaan

How can I block a bidder?

Aethelred

<< <i>If I go on my assumption that an insured package is more likely to arrive than an uninsured package, an assumption that may be incorrect, then I have to disagree with you wybrit.

If I buy a coin for a 'steal' I'm going to spend the extra $1.30 or whatever to make more sure I'm going to receive the coin. Today I bought a Edward II coin for what I feel is a great price ($38). I choose to pay for the insurance because I know I can't replace the coin at that price. If it will cost me $60 to replace the coin then the $1.30 is a good investment IMO. >>



I tend to agree that insurance is a good idea. When I buy an item I always pay the extra $1.30, it just makes me feel better!

This buyer is a pure idiot, I hope you have not left him feedback yet, but suspect you have. People like this are the reason I don't mind bidding with sellers who have <1% bad feedback. Although this is one of the flaws in the eBay feedback system, I am not sure how they could go about fixing it.

wybrit

If I go on my assumption that an insured package is more likely to arrive than an uninsured package, an assumption that may be incorrect, then I have to disagree with you wybrit.

If there is data to prove this out, I'd like to see it. I can bet there is none since insurance under $50 doesn't even get electronically scanned - it just gets an "INSURED" stamp put on it.

Aethelred

<< <i>If I go on my assumption that an insured package is more likely to arrive than an uninsured package, an assumption that may be incorrect, then I have to disagree with you wybrit.

If there is data to prove this out, I'd like to see it. I can bet there is none since insurance under $50 doesn't even get electronically scanned - it just gets an "INSURED" stamp put on it. >>



I don't know if an insured package has a better chance of making it here, but it makes me feel better and just for that is worth $1.30, at least to me. Having said that Wybrit's logic is sound IMO.

0john0

Could you give us the bidder's E-bay ID so I can block them also? Thanks
-j

Lloyd

Welcome to Hell!! I've got 6 packages outstanding - APPARENTLY. Screw them - no insurance and I can insure up to £500 from this island - and I advertise it. Never give in if it's not insured.

L

PS 4 o/s to France

EDIT TO ADD: BTW Ebay will not help and I think you should add this to your abuse of the customer...

Aethelred

<< <i>Welcome to Hell!! I've got 6 packages outstanding - APPARENTLY. Screw them - no insurance and I can insure up to £500 from this island - and I advertise it. Never give in if it's not insured.

L >>



I agree, if they do not insure they get nothing!

Lloyd

As a seller I'm telling you this (again again again) - NEVER leave feedback when the amount is paid - you're only half way through the transaction - don't forget your rating the buyer too. There's no God given right that they have to feedback in second place.

If I'm the customer I rate as soon as I like the coin whether or not they've feedbacked me.

L

0john0

Ajaan, I assume the buyer was avallonj1 after looking through your sold auctions. 99.6% feedback (236-1). Their one neg was back in oct 2002: "No contact about sale, no payment received. Had to relist item". The post office does lose things every once in a while. Either way this really sucks for you. I hope it works out well in the end.

As for the french, I have read so many bad reports about dealing with them I don't offer my items to anyone in france.

Aethelred

<< <i>As a seller I'm telling you this (again again again) - NEVER leave feedback when the amount is paid - you're only half way through the transaction - don't forget your rating the buyer too. There's no God given right that they have to feedback in second place. >>



Lloyd, that is great advice and I am going to satrt following it for unknown buyers.

Aethelred

<< <i>As for the french, I have read so many bad reports about dealing with them I don't offer my items to anyone in france. >>



I have never had a problem with France, but I have with Germany and Georgia.

JadeRareCoin

Lost a $185 package to Belgium recently. Long story, but it was not insured and it should have been. I am refunding the money and I am out the medal. Lesson learned. (our office assistant says she was talked out of global priority by the postal worker).

MacCrimmon

I didn't think you could insure for over $40 from the US to Europe, etc. True / False?

Lloyd

Tell you what - I'll keep saying this over and over. I have two neutrals and three negs - all are for non delivery of coins - under non-insured shipping - when I blatantly advertise insured shipping.

You have to be in a position to return one down their throats.

A while ago a Dutch guy gave me a neutral and recently wrote saying the coin had turned up - UK to Neverland in about 8 weeks!!! Amazing eh? You can see why drugs are legal there.

L

Askari

Insured mail is stored separately from uninsured mail, making it less likely that the USPS will lose it. However, they used to deposit insured packages in my mailbox along with the regular mail until I asked them to stop doing that. I'd rather pick them up at the post office, than some drive-by thief rip them off. Yes, it's a little more hassle, but believe me, the folks at the post office know my face!

a2labmom

IMHO, if the buyer declined insurance, to bad so sad...

danglen

As a seller, I NEVER leave feedback upon receipt of payment, (and have been crucified in the US Coin Forum for taking that stance). As far as I'm concerned, feedback is for rating the ENTIRE transaction, not just half of it.

The other thing I have done that has helped significantly, is that I print my shipping labels with the US Postal Assistant software (downloaded free from the www.usps.gov website), and it allows me to get Delivery Confimation for 13 cents. Anytime I ship out an item that is over $20.00, I use the Delivery Confirmation option. About once a month I get an email from someone claiming not to have received their shipment. I check the USPS website and send them a copy of the report that states their item was delivered on such date at such time, and never hear from them again. I then block them from bidding on my auctions in the future.

SYRACUSIAN

A while ago a Dutch guy gave me a neutral and recently wrote saying the coin had turned up - UK to Neverland in about 8 weeks!!! Amazing eh? You can see why drugs are legal there.

L







feedback extortion


How can I block a bidder?

block him

lordmarcovan

<< <i>I have never had a problem with France, but I have with Germany and Georgia. >>



So, Dead King, what've you got against Georgia, hmmm?

ajaan

I am annoyed at the tone of his email more than anything else. It sounds like blackmail to me. If he would have been nicer and just stated he didn't receive the coin yet, this thread would never have been started. I don't like the threatening nature of his email.

Aethelred

<< <i>

<< <i>I have never had a problem with France, but I have with Germany and Georgia. >>



So, Dead King, what've you got against Georgia, hmmm? >>



Just the fact that two of my Georgia packages went missing!

Askari

<< <i>Just the fact that two of my Georgia packages went missing! >>

They probably went to the country of Georgia rather than the state.



<< <i>As far as I'm concerned, feedback is for rating the ENTIRE transaction, not just half of it. >>

But what if the buyer feels the same way? Mexican standoff over who posts first?

Placid

I agree, require insurance in your auctions as it helps protect you as well as the buyer.
Always insure for at least $50 so the buyer needs to sign for it.

cosmicdebris

I put this in my auctions:

I use 3 day Priority Mail ($3.85) with Delivery Confirmation ($0.45) and Insurance ( Insurance is optional for this item and is up to you to decide whether you want it or not. I will not be held responsible for lost mail ).

ajaan

Direct quote from my ebay listing:



<< <i>All items sent uninsured are at the risk of the buyer. >>

MadMarty

I'm with CosmicDebris, if a user pays with Paypal thye can dispute the charge saying they never received the item. Paypal puts a hold on YOUR account! Everything I ship goes with insurance (post office can trace) or with delivery confirmation. If you have delivery confirmation Paypal will not put a hold on your funds!

Aethelred

Having read this and another thread on the Lightside on the same topic, I think the time has come to re-write my eBay terms and re-figure my postage fees.

Aethelred

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