international shipping and paypal
Sugar20
Posts: 27
Paypal has made international shipping almost impossible. I confirmed a few months ago in a call to them that global priority tracking isn't sufficient in case of a chargeback. I tried sending some packages global express, but it takes forever to fill out the forms and costs $20+ so I thought i found a happy medium with international registered mail. It costs regular airmail, plus about $7 to send it registered and it's not too bad on the filling out forms stuff. I got a chargeback a few weeks ago, did everything correct as far as filing my part of the claim by providing the registered mail tracking number....and found out yesterday that I lost the chargeback. How can you send something safer than registered....it's under lock and key the entire way and signed for every step of the way. I guess what this basically means is that regardless of how you send it, registered, global express, etc. if the postman doesn't do his job and tracking isn't perfect on the item, you will lose. I emailed them and ranted about it, offered to provide the registered tracking receipt and everything, but I lose becasue some moron postman in Taiwan didn't properly sign for it?
I don't really want to start using fedex or ups for overseas shipping, but my two options are to do that (and hope the tracking shows up online, which isn't 100% either) or stop accepting any non-US paypal payments. Paypal's burden of proof has fallen so much on the seller that I wish I didn't feel I had to use them. When I can produce a registered mail receipt with the buyer's exact address, postal stamped and with tracking and still lose the chargeback claim, I don't have any faith in them. Opinions?
I don't really want to start using fedex or ups for overseas shipping, but my two options are to do that (and hope the tracking shows up online, which isn't 100% either) or stop accepting any non-US paypal payments. Paypal's burden of proof has fallen so much on the seller that I wish I didn't feel I had to use them. When I can produce a registered mail receipt with the buyer's exact address, postal stamped and with tracking and still lose the chargeback claim, I don't have any faith in them. Opinions?
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ive made exceptions a couple times before, but my listings make it clear i want US bidders only..
Wow. That just sucks. I'm always thinking that maybe I should start shipping internationally, and then I hear stories like that to remind me why I shouldn't.
I feel your pain.
I understand the need to have a tracking number, but if you can prove you sent it registered mail it's absurd to lose a chargeback. Keep in mind that we all think that delivery confirmation is great for shipping in the US, but the first time the postman forgets to scan that thing in (or someone makes a nice arrangement with his friendly postman), you are screwed with paypal.
Using FedEX is no better than any form of trackable package thru the USPS in Paypal's eyes. I sent a card to a buyer in Italy via insured FedEX that the winning bidder personally signed for. 3 weeks later I get a chargeback notice from Paypal that they are "stealing" $680 from my account as the customer filed a non-receipt of package complaint with Paypal. Talking to the SH*THEADS at Paypal and even providing them with copies of the emails where the customer told me the item was received did no good. Though the buyer was international verified, they would not confirm his address and I was left in the cold, out $680 and no card. Unless you only send to registered users with confirmed addresses, Paypal will do NOTHING to protect you, the seller, should the buyer file a complaint.
Trust me, for international sales, it needs to be a money order, certified check or bank transfer if you want to protect your investment.
What happen did the buyer ever sign for it?
This is what I had to do to meet PayPal's requirements:
1. Put Bubble Mailer inside Flat-Rate Envelope Express Mail.
2. Fill-Out Customs Form.
This provides $100.00 insurance and online tracking.
The cost for this service was $ 17.15.
I want to sell everywhere, BUT unless the items are
really expensive, the PayPal requirements make
such sales difficult. PayPal is the only payment
method that I accept, because I do not want to mess
with checks and money-orders. (When I used to take
checks/money-orders, 99% of my buyers used PayPal.)
storm
<< <i>the first time the postman forgets to scan that thing in (or someone makes a nice arrangement with his friendly postman), you are screwed with paypal. >>
Dumb idea.
No mail carrier is dumb enough to risk his/her job to help somebody steal. Some are dumb enough but if they're going to steal they're going to keep the stuff for themselves. How much are you going to bribe a mail man to not scan a package worth $50 or less?
If you sent something overseas registered I think it comes with an automatic $44 or so of insurance. Don't forget to file for that, at least you get some of your $$ back.
A little over 2 months ago, I sent a registered insured package to Germany to a buyer who purchased 2 items and the total was $216 including shipping. Here's the part where I think I got scammed on. He took about 2 weeks to pay me after the auctions ended and I had to keep reminding him and he finally paypal me after 2 weeks. I shipped it out the following morning. On the 12th day, I get a Paypal dispute claim that he filed (never emailing me first mind you) and they held the funds. I provided the Tracking # to Paypal which gave me another 2 weeks to see if it shows up. While this was going on, I looked up the ebay item #s and saw that he had unregistered himself (same day as the paypal claim). My question is, why would someone need to hide or just disappear if they didn't receive anything? About a week after, I then did a search on ebay for a similar item.....let me say that one of the cards this guy bought was an SGC 98 and it was the only one graded by any of the reputable companies. Anyways, after doing my search, I came to a similar item that offered the same tough card in BGS 9.5 offered by Kkoenig and it was the only 1 graded 9.5. I then looked at the bidder with (0) feedback and saw that he was from Germany, and the account opened up the same day as the other one disappeared. I emailed my potential scammer and told him that I was going after his *ss with mail fraud and just threw in that I knew he was bidding on this 9.5 card with the new name. He didn't win that card, and lost by $75 ($75 less than what he paid for mine using BIN). His reply was that he still never received my cards, and admitted on bidding on Kkoenig's card because he never got mine. Anyways, another 2 weeks goes by and Paypal refunded his chargeback because the tracking # never showed up as being delivered....just accepted when I dropped it off. I have since filed an insurance claim with the P.O., and this was what the phone rep told me. Registered packages going to U.S. & Canada are pretty much safe as both of our postal system is strict on scanning and getting signatures for those articles. However, anything going overseas registered is not guaranteed.....meaning that they are very lax about getting packages scanned and just deliver it as regular mail which may have been the case with my package. I think my little German *sshole found a loophole. I bet my package got there on the 12th day. Anyways, now I have to wait up to 60 days while the P.O. puts in an inquire with the Frankfurt customs to see if it ever got there and/or delivered or not. I'm not holding breath on this one and no longer ship outside of North America.
Oh, here's the crazy part. A month later, I had put up a bunch of auctions with .10 listing day and this a-hole (same German guy) had the audacity to email me and offers $40 on one of my cards. I never responded. The item never sold at the starting price of $19.99, and a couple days later, I see $50 in my Paypal account from this jerk for the card he wanted. Of course I wrote him then and told him he was a F-ing pyscho jerk and to take his scam elsewhere and refunded his money immediately. Unreal. Anyways, beware of this guy. His new ebay ID is uwahardcoreicon, and he only buys hockey cards and video games and his name is Christian Lill of Germany.
<< <i>yep.. too bad.. i refuse to sell to anybody outside of the US..
ive made exceptions a couple times before, but my listings make it clear i want US bidders only.. >>
I echo this 100%
I refuse to sell to anyone outside of the US.
I know I lose potential bidders, but I also lose a great deal of potential headaches.