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Seller Advice Please
robr1967
Posts: 264
All:
I wanted to post a question here to get everyones advice on something.
I recently sold some cards on EBAY.
It seems that pretty much all the cards got to their buyers, but one maybe.
Now here is the question. The buyer decided not to insure the card. So, in my eyes, once the card is sent it is out of my hands.
If this person says he does not receive the card after a while, what do I do? Anything?
Thanks
Rob
I wanted to post a question here to get everyones advice on something.
I recently sold some cards on EBAY.
It seems that pretty much all the cards got to their buyers, but one maybe.
Now here is the question. The buyer decided not to insure the card. So, in my eyes, once the card is sent it is out of my hands.
If this person says he does not receive the card after a while, what do I do? Anything?
Thanks
Rob
0
Comments
Bosox1976
I bought two bubble mailers and sent the card in them securely. The postage was then $1.50 roughly for first class mail.
I do have the receipt showing that I sent the card.
Finally in the auction I specifically said that if the card was not insured I was not responsible for lost or damages cards.
any other commments would be appreciated.
Thanks
Rob
James
The person paid using either a check or a money order, I am not really sure which anymore.
I would give it another week and then refund the buyer's money.
<< <i>Well, the card did sell for $45, and I charged $5 for shipping.
I bought two bubble mailers and sent the card in them securely. The postage was then $1.50 roughly for first class mail.
I do have the receipt showing that I sent the card.
Finally in the auction I specifically said that if the card was not insured I was not responsible for lost or damages cards.
any other commments would be appreciated.
Thanks
Rob >>
If you stated this in your auction, you're off the hook as far as I'm concerned, although without DC or Sig. conf. to prove you mailed it you'll lose a paypal claim. A simple postal receipt is not considered enough proof. I hope the item eventually shows up for the buyer.
<< <i>Well, the card did sell for $45, and I charged $5 for shipping.
I bought two bubble mailers and sent the card in them securely. The postage was then $1.50 roughly for first class mail.
I do have the receipt showing that I sent the card.
Finally in the auction I specifically said that if the card was not insured I was not responsible for lost or damages cards.
any other commments would be appreciated.
Thanks
Rob >>
You charged $5 shipping and you did not insure (for $50) or pay for delivery confirmation (dc)? Unfortunately there are buyers out there waiting for packages that come to them without dc and claim they did not receive.
The insurance is for the seller's peace of mind and protection. If you can get the buyer to pay for it, that is gravy. But you should have insurance and dc built into your shipping costs. As others have stated, if you cannot prove that the buyer received the package, you will be on the hook for the loss.
<< <i>Well, the card did sell for $45, and I charged $5 for shipping.
I bought two bubble mailers and sent the card in them securely. The postage was then $1.50 roughly for first class mail.
I do have the receipt showing that I sent the card.
Finally in the auction I specifically said that if the card was not insured I was not responsible for lost or damages cards.
any other commments would be appreciated.
Thanks
Rob >>
Rob:
Although I understand your position here and that you gave the buyers an option, quite frankly, I think you charged a lot for shipping and if the buyer claims the card was not received, the onus is upon you to prove that it was sent to him (a simple post office receipt only proves the zip code to which it was sent). As such, I think you may find yourself a bit up a creek...although there may not be a Paypal chargeback, you could have purchased delivery confirmation, and still made $$$ on your shipping charges, and chose not to go that route. Sometimes, in situations like this, it is better to simply put delivery confirmation on all of your orders and not give buyers a choice, as it avoids situations like the (potential) hypothetical you described.
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Steve Sax, Steve Garvey, Larry Bird, Jerry Rice, Joe Montana, Andre Agassi, Karch Kiraly, Wayne Gretzky, Ichiro Suzuki, Andres Galarraga, Greg Maddux.
"Make the world a better place... punch both A-Rods in the face (Alex Rodriguez and Andy Roddick)!"
That being said, I'd tell him I'll refund his money if it hasn't arrived after 30 days. I'd make sure to let him know that I didn't have to do it 'cause he didn't pay for insurance - you're doing it because it's good customer service.
I actually contacted EBAY, and talked with them about it. They told me that my post office receipt was proof enough that I mailed the item. They further asked to see the listing and I sent them the item number. They then also told me that it would be my choice if I were to offer a refund due to stating specifically in the auction that "I was not responsible for lost or damaged items if they were not insured".
Furthermore, $5 shipping I do not think is excessive considering how I packed things and other people that I have sold things to can vouch for that. On the rare occasion that I do sell card, each auction goes into 2 bubble mailers. the card in one then folded and put into another, The bubble mailers are ober $3 in post office cost, and then the postage was another $1.50. So, again it is very rare that I do not spend more on the shipping then I actually charge the buyers.
Thank you again for all your input
Rob
Forget blocking him; find out where he lives and go punch him in the nuts. --WalterSobchak 9/12/12
Looking for Al Hrabosky and any OPC Dave Campbells (the ESPN guy)
? Rob you can get bubble mailers much cheaper and as stated above shipping of 5.00 is more then enough to purchase insurance and del conf.
Steve
Rob put yourself in that buyers shoes, what would you like a seller to do for you? saying that you are not responcible for lost or damages just does not cut it in my book. If you bought something and it never arrived or came broken i am sure you would want a replacement or your money back.
I just sold over 500 cards and prolly 600 transactions, 2 items out of the 600 failed to show. One was insured the other wasn't. I refunded the buyer in whole for the one I did not insure. 45.00 was the amount.
Good luck in whatever you choose to do.
Steve
Earlier this year, I had purchased a card( $150 +) for my brother. The seller shipped UPS. On the day it was said to be delivered (they notified me of the delivery date), I was home sick, nothing arrived as our driver normally shows up around 3 pm each time. They claimed it was delivered but it ended up in someone else's hands . The seller filed a claim and the issue was fairly resolved.
There's reasons why I did not choose insurance. Out of the last 7 out of 8 sellers, who choose not to offer paypal , but offered insurance, I paid , they mailed the cards or coins out uninsured. I complained wanting some of my money back , they replied "Hey I mailed it , you got it didn't you?" If a seller offered paypal, they probably wouldn't get away with this crap.
I was charged $5.00 for shipping and handling( true cost $1.47 plus envelope ). Nothing in the auction description said it would take weeks before the card was mailed out. Rob has told me ( in post auction emails )that due to his work , he can only do things on Saturday. Wait a week to acknowlege the payment, wait another week to mail out the card .So far the customer service has been horrible. Over charge on shipping , mail it out in a week or 2, no follow up at the post office. As a side note our mail man is my brother in law who has been our mail man for many years. Its been good on my end.
I believe the card will make it here , maybe. On Ebay I buy and sell as Calaban 7, with feedback aproaching 900 and the only negitive was a retalitory strike from a non paying deadbeat, who has a feedback around 50 or 60 , as he has done this to others, just not me. Read my feedback, and if there is any crap that inticates I'm a cheat or liar than bring it on. I am a very honest dealer and a quick payer(most of the time ) . Rich also has a 100 % feedback but I'm not sure how if he does it , not describimg what happens after the auction before the auction ends. I once heard it said that the nature of dissapointment is to expect one thing and get another. I have done my part and if it were not for sellers (non-paypal ) pocketing the extra insurance money, I would've done more. I thought the card would be mailed out quickly, not 16 days later. I thought that $5.00 bought more that an envelope or maybe delivery confirmation , as the question of the card arriving or not has been brought up. It buys a little honesty.
I hope this works out well for all. I'm not angry at Rob, but very dissapointed in the post auction dealing on his part. only works on one part of the process on Saturdays .It only took 16 days after I paid, for the card to be mail. Life is good in Ebay land, but not here. Maybe its me , so if any one can offer any forum mental health advice to help me cope, please help. Sonny (Calaban7 )
Edited postal cost
Keep us updated, my bet is it will be there tomorrow for you.
Steve
Steve
This is another reason why Paypal is the way to go when sending payments....as if there is no proof of delivery, Paypal will rule in the buyer's favor on a claim every time.
If anything, in this case, I think Rob is an honest seller, and if it were me, I'd at least offer to meet calaban halfway and split the loss and refund half the purchase price (less shipping), since Rob did state in his auction that he wouldn't be responsible for items lost in the mail.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Question: Rob, I have no problem with your selling policies, but why not make note of them in your listings to avoid a buyers disappointment with the potential slow turnaround that you sometimes offer?
I don't blame Calaban7 from feeling like the deal didn't go like he thought it might considering your past feedback history. Isn't communication the key to avoiding these pitfalls between buyer/seller.
One last thing, as a buyer I rarely if ever purchase insurance on an item. But if it never shows up and the buyer can prove to me with a scan of the del. confirmation receipt that they mailed the item, then it's my loss and on me. Maybe that's rare for a buyer to feel that way, but I do. I would rather have the option of being able to buy or not buy the insurance, since I personally think it's a waste of money in 99% of the cases.
If I buy insurance and the item is mailed uninsured I would expect a refund from the seller. Or I would drill him with a negative for stealing my money and not honoring his side of the deal.
Calaban I hope you left negs or neutrals for the sellers who stole your insurance money, because that's just plain wrong.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
But, out of that $2.50 - I put Delivery Confirmation on EVERY auction before it ships. Just being able to look up on the USPS website and point out that the card was accepted at the post office and hasn't been delivered yet seems to calm most people down that it is in fact - "on the way". I've had two cards in the past 5 years that have taken more than 3 weeks in the US. But, they did actually arrive - one AFTER I'd refunded the money (uninsured) but then the buyer contacted me and repaid.
So Rob - you may want to consider picking up some bubble mailers at a cheaper price (maybe a box of 100?) and use the savings towards delivery confirmation on each future shipment. (Just checked - almost 4000 entries on ebay for "Bubble Mailer" or "Padded Mailer").
Frank
Sets - 1970, 1971 and 1972
Always looking for 1972 O-PEE-CHEE Baseball in PSA 9 or 10!
lynnfrank@earthlink.net
outerbankyank on eBay!
For bulk Uline seems to be good. Bought 250 recently for $56 delivered. www.uline.com .
<< <i>I haven't been to Sams Club in a while, but at one time they sold 25 count boxes of #0 mailers for about $6.
For bulk Uline seems to be good. Bought 250 recently for $56 delivered. www.uline.com . >>
That's where I buy my bubble mailers in 25 count boxes for $4.72. 4.72 / 25 = .189 per mailer.
I hate to pick on the seller, but you should state in your auctions that due to circumstances, mailings only go out once a week on Saturdays. Let the buyers know up front that there are other more important issues in your life than daily post office visits. Also, paying $3 for two mailers at the PO is not very cost effective. It sounds like your packaging is way above average for most of Ebayers and you should be commended.
Best of luck to both of you.
One thing I've noticed is that each major Post Office center across the country operates differently. When I lived in Phoenix, my outgoing mail was always perfect. Now I live near Cleveland and about 1 in every 100 packages takes about 3 weeks to get where it's going. I've become used to it and there's not much I can do about it. Luckily though, my good feedback helps when I have to explain to a buyer why something isn't there yet. When they get the package though, they can see the post mark is the day that I said I sent it.
As for DC, don't pay the post office 60 cents for it, you can get it through Paypal shipping for 18 cents. If you don't sell much then it doesn't matter. But, on hundreds of sales, it adds up. Every penny counts.
Forget blocking him; find out where he lives and go punch him in the nuts. --WalterSobchak 9/12/12
Looking for Al Hrabosky and any OPC Dave Campbells (the ESPN guy)
Sonny and I are trying to work things out behind the scenes and I was just trying to get peoples advice as to what to do. It has been 50/50 as to giving a refund.
As for my selling. First off, I very rarely sell things, so I had no idea bubble mailers were that inexpensive. I usually buy my shipping supplies from the post office.
As for my customer service being horrible, I am sure he might have been upset when he said that or something, but out of all the packages I sent out from this round of auctions I posted, I mailed out to 13 different customers, and I can say that no one other then this once have I ever had an issue with how soon I can get to the post off and/or the bank.
I am not sure how early banks open or how late they stay open in other parts of the country, but here in the Philly area the bank that I deal with is only open until 3 PM on weekdays except on Fridays. So, for a working stiff like myself, I do work from 8 to 5. When am I supposed to be able to get to the bank except on a weekend? I am also not married, so it is JUST ME that is dealing with all this. Unless I could clone myself, I honestly do not understand how I would be able to get things out quicker. I am honestly not sure anymore if he paid with a check or a money order, although I am assuming it was a money order. If it were a check he would have been waiting even longer for it to get mailed out.
Finally, I am not the type to be cheesy about insurance. In all the buying I have done, it has ALWAYS been left up to me in the past the buyer, so that is what I have leaned toward doing as a seller as well. Futhermore, it is very rare if I DO NOT EXCEED paying for shipping and packaging what I charge the people that win things from me. One person that ended up winning some 69-70 tall boy basketball cards from me, I charged $14 for shipping, when that cost was over $19 for insurance and everything.
Rob
Don't take it as "being raked over the coals". Take it as constructive criticism and something to learn and improve (e.g. cheap bubble mailers). When I got back in to selling cards last year, I had to learn (and still learning every sale) all about EBay and other internet selling.
I guess I take for granted that I work 2 blocks from a PO and can get there during my lunch hours. As for getting checks, I have also been lucky that all have been for under $15. For that low of amount, I usually send out the next day and they usually get their cards (I almost always pay for dc) before I even take the check to the bank.
Alfonz
<< <i>One thing about insurance that ought to be pointed out here is that many sellers use stamps.com for postage labels (which includes DC), but the insurance is purchased separately and is NOT reflected in the total postage cost on the label on the package. Just because a package arrives without an old fashiooned insurance label affixed to it, doesn't mean insurance wasn't purchased and paid for by the seller. >>
I've been selling a long time on ebay and I didn't know this. Thanks for the info!
Also with the above scenario, how would a buyer who paid for insurance know that their package was insured, or that they were merely being taken advantage of by some slimey seller? Is anything indicated or stamped on the outside of the mailer/package?
Also Rob, no offense intended at all.
I had a similar transaction occur from a paypal payment. I shipped within a couple of days of receiving payment. From Milw. to the west coast, the package never arrived after 21 days. The buyer contacted me and I was getting ready to send over a paypal refund on the 24th day after mailing, only to have the package finally show up. So it can take over 3 weeks for mailers to arrive from anywhere in the U.S.A.
There is no way to know on the buyer's end if insurance is purchased through Stamps.com, but the seller can furnish a copy of the on-line receipt which confirms the purchase of the insurance if requested.
I'm not 100% sure, but I also think that the maximum anount you can insure a package for on Stamps.com is $500, though I may be wrong about that. Personally, I use Stamps.com for anything insured $200 or less and fill out the "blue slip" and take the package to the window for anything over that amount.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
I'd only do it for low-cost items, of course and I put a disclaimer in my listings along the lines of "Third party insurance available for $1.00 for up to $50 of coverage."
<< <i>I've often considered "Self insuring" my packages. I've been selling since '98 and never had to file an insurance claim. I'd like to see what everyone thinks about that idea. If I did self-insure, I'd put the money buyers pay for insurance into a fund and if someone has a problem, I'd refund their money. It would be so much faster and infinitely less of a hassle than a USPS claim.
I'd only do it for low-cost items, of course and I put a disclaimer in my listings along the lines of "Third party insurance available for $1.00 for up to $50 of coverage." >>
Not buying USPS or any third party insurance is basically self insuring your package. I know someone made a post in another doing the math of no insurance (self insuring) on anything below $50. USPS insurance for under $50 is 1.65. If you send out 200 packages at $50 or less, you would pay $330 to the USPS for insurance. If your average package sale is $33, then you would have to have the PO cover claims on 10 of your 200 packages or 5%. Like the above qouted poster, I have never had to file a USPS insurance claim. So I think it all comes down to your comfort level of wanting to insure anything you sell that is of lower value.
As for delivery confirmation, I will almost always purchase unless I know and trust the buyer. Too many sleazy buyers out there that look for anyway lack of tracking the delivery of your package (delivery or signature confirmation) and may claim that they did not receive.
Steve
You end up charging $6 instead of $5, the cards get there safely, you have DC and you didn't lose any money. The cards get shipped quicker and get to the customer USUALLY much faster.
<< <i>The card was mailed out on the 16th of June which was a saturday. Depending on the time he mailed it, it could have very well sat in the PO until Monday.
Steve
Steve >>
No mail sits in the PO until Monday. We have to empty the collection boxes at regular times and if we don't then they call the postmaster at home and the PM makes sure they get emptied.
A contract truck picks up our outgoing mail on saturdays at 5pm and sundays at 3pm to take it to the plant for processing. I think more mail gets processed over the weekends than any other time.
Our parcels were very light this past week, and I had several people who were expecting something that didn't come. I would expect the card to get there the early part of the week.
Steve
I've also often noticed that Monday seems to be the "heaviest" mail day of the week in terms of volume, and that's probably due to some extent to what Jim mentioned here about weekend mail being processed.
Edit for spelling.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i>I actually contacted EBAY, and talked with them about it. They told me that my post office receipt was proof enough that I mailed the item. They further asked to see the listing and I sent them the item number. They then also told me that it would be my choice if I were to offer a refund due to stating specifically in the auction that "I was not responsible for lost or damaged items if they were not insured". >>
Couple things here:
1) Ebay has told people differently in the past, with regard to insurance
2) The information they have given you this time is incorrect
The seller's obligation is to get the item to the buyer, not just to ship it. It is not incumbent upon the buyer to pay EXTRA to make sure a package shows up. Think about that for a second - you're asking the buyer to pay $5 for s/h and then another $1.30 or whatever for insurance that it will actually show up? Why do you think insurance claims are paid to the shipper/seller and not the recipient/buyer? Because insurance claims reimburse sellers so they can refund buyers, that's why.
IMHO, if the package doesn't show up in the next week or so, you owe the buyer a full refund.
Tabe
Steve
I have asked nothing of Rob, but am looking at his response, as that is at the core here. Treat people how you would like to be treated, as some of us believe. Most of the comments made here on this thread , speaks well of those that said it , whether for the seller or the buyer. Some of the comments are very self centered as well.
This is a great card (at least to me ), that I truely hope arrives. Maybe .........soon.
<< <i>This is a great card (at least to me ) >>
For God's sake, man! The suspense is killing me! Somebody's gotta post a scan of this "card that launched a thousand posts." It must be the most amazing card ever.
Steve
Since I have been selling on Ebay (prolly 500 transactions) The PO has not delivered 1 item. I paid out to the buyer from the kitty. I also had a buyer claim an item was stolen from his mailbox and luckily it was PO insured. I downloaded the forms and filled out my part and mailed them to the buyer. I also included a check for 27.00 as I insured the parcel for 50.00 and it was a 77.00 transaction.
Recently i had a buyer from Canada win a card from me and based on his great feedback i chose to save him some money and self insure it. No good deed goes unpunished as he emailed me wanting his 5.00 that the PO (nevermind the PO wanted 21.00) to insure the card did not get.
Anyone can say they self insure but do they make refunds when a claim is made? I do, and have the proof to back it up.
Bottom line here? IMO Sonny is due a refund as the OP had enough money left over to either self insure it or purchase PO insurance. The old "i am not responcible for lost or damaged mail" just does not sit well with me.
Steve
Time to send Sonny a full refund.
IMO for 5 bucks postage...
That should more then pay for postage, packaging, delievery confirmation, and insurance!
Cripes I know sellers who send cards for 4.00 and it includes delivery confirmation and insurance.
This sounds like a major bummer.
Sorry to hear about this happening to you Sonny...
I know what options I have left, but am seeking any advice, to avoid me getting a retalitory negitive. Again , I would have loved to have gotten this card , but it never happened. Advice please.