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Testing the honesty of eBay buyers

Today I shipped out 10 packages without tracking numbers. 8 1 oz silver bars, One 1 gram Gold bar and One 2.5 Gram gold bar. How many do you think will get "lost" in the mail?
Its all relative

Comments

  • Boy I would never do that. Paypal shipping is too easy to use. I was getting ripped off over couple dollar coins when I went to paypal with delivery confirmation. Hasn't happened since.
    imageQuid pro quo. Yes or no?
  • MeltdownMeltdown Posts: 8,650 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Although I don't see why you'd want to take the chance, I hope it works out just fine.
  • Well, I saved about $1 per package this way. Main reason was to see how many claimed item not received. I'm ready to hand out refunds if need be. If I can ship 50 1 oz silver bars out and save $1 per package, and only 1 of those gets "lost" I may make it a practice. Save $50 and Lose $20, $30 savings for me.
    Its all relative
  • sumrtymsumrtym Posts: 394 ✭✭✭
    Advertising this as a "policy" here seems a sure way for that to increase the lost incidence.... image
  • I don't believe fellow forum members would do that to me.
    Its all relative
  • one of the 3 great lies.................... (1)The check is in the mail. (2)I'll still respect you in the morning.
    (3) They wouldn't do that to me .
    Molon Labe
  • jdimmickjdimmick Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The check is in the mail is a big one, a freind and I were talking about this old line yesterday!!!
  • OPAOPA Posts: 17,104 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Since 99% of eBayers, in my opinion, are honest, my guess would be ZERO claims of non receipt on 10 mailed.

    Let us know how it pans out.
    "Bongo drive 1984 Lincoln that looks like old coin dug from ground."
  • mkman123mkman123 Posts: 6,849 ✭✭✭✭
    I think you will be fine. There are much more honest ebayers than the bad ones.
    Successful Buying and Selling transactions with:

    Many members on this forum that now it cannot fit in my signature. Please ask for entire list.
  • Paypal charges $0.18 for first class Delivery Confirmation and I think its free with priority.
  • Since they are only 1 oz, I'm using First class. The .18 is on top of the $1 surcharge for it being a "package"
    Its all relative
  • OPAOPA Posts: 17,104 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Paypal charges $0.18 for first class Delivery Confirmation and I think its free with priority. >>



    Good point...how are you saving $1 per package? Yes, it's free with Priority Mail + you get the online discount for the shipping label.
    "Bongo drive 1984 Lincoln that looks like old coin dug from ground."
  • I can ship a 1 oz coin in a slab with cardboard in a bubble mailer first class, call it 3 oz and they don't charge a dollar extra. it is 1.69 total.
    You shipping these in a letter envelope for 0.42 ?
  • Since your name does not start with a "C", all will arrive safely.


  • << <i>Since they are only 1 oz, I'm using First class. The .18 is on top of the $1 surcharge for it being a "package" >>



    I thought this explained how I was saving a dollar per package. When using paypal shipping for first class mail you are charged .18 for the Conf # and the surcharge for impose on Packages. If you take the same package to the post office they will charge you only First Class mail rate, they will not impose the surcharge for it being a package as the thickness is acceptable for machinable first class mail.



    << <i>I can ship a 1 oz coin in a slab with cardboard in a bubble mailer first class, call it 3 oz and they don't charge a dollar extra. it is 1.69 total.
    You shipping these in a letter envelope for 0.42 ? >>



    If you took it to the post office they would apply 3 oz worth of stamps to it, which would be 76 cents, You would save around $1.

    Letters
    Weight Not Over Price
    1 ounce $0.42
    2 ounces $0.59
    3 ounces $0.76
    3.5 ounces $0.93
    No more than 6-1/8 inches high by 11-1/2 inches long by 1/4 inch thick
    - Up to 3.5 ounces
    - Surcharge will apply for non machinable letter

    1 oz bars are under the size requirements for package therefor are eligible for Letter rates. Not certain if coin slabs are too thick or not.


    Packages
    Weight Not Over Price
    1 ounce $1.17
    2 ounces $1.34
    3 ounces $1.51
    4 ounces $1.68
    5 ounces $1.85
    6 ounces $2.02
    7 ounces $2.19
    8 ounces $2.36
    9 ounces $2.53
    10 ounces $2.70
    11 ounces $2.87
    12 ounces $3.04
    13 ounces $3.21

    + 18 cents for Delivery Conformation when printing with paypal.


    Paypal shipping is set to default for the Package size and letter size is not available.
    Its all relative
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭
    Self-Insuring is great, but the sent sample is not going
    to render a valid predictor.

    ....

    However, the incidence of loss will likely be greater w/o
    the use of Delivery Confirmation than it will be with DC.

    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • Weather11amWeather11am Posts: 2,021 ✭✭✭
    I think as long as your buyers have 50+ feedback, they'll be honest. Good luck!
  • No problems yet, I have sent out about 20 more since.
    Its all relative
  • notwilightnotwilight Posts: 12,864 ✭✭✭
    Use paypal shipping and use a barcoded address label. Haven't lost on in about 4000 since I switched. --Jerry
  • OPAOPA Posts: 17,104 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>No problems yet, I have sent out about 20 more since. >>



    Should not come as a surprise, unless you listen to and believe what the "gloom and doomsayers" are saying about eBay.
    "Bongo drive 1984 Lincoln that looks like old coin dug from ground."
  • Over 50 shipped to date with no problems. $50 extra dollars in my pocket.

    I forgot to include that I give free shipping on all of my items so buyers don't feel ripped off when they receive their item in plain old letter envelope. Have not had a complaint or lost item as of yet. Guess eBayers aren't the thieves everyone makes them out to be.
    Its all relative
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭
    "...Guess eBayers aren't the thieves everyone makes them out to be. .."

    /////////////////////////////


    I do NOT want you to lose money, but 50 folks is NOT a big sample.

    EBAY is literally CRAWLING with thieves.

    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • OPAOPA Posts: 17,104 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i> Guess eBayers aren't the thieves everyone makes them out to be. >>



    Why does that come as a surprise to you? Granted, you may run into a bad apple once in a blue moon, but as a whole, the great majority of eBayers are honest folk just like yourself
    "Bongo drive 1984 Lincoln that looks like old coin dug from ground."
  • fcfc Posts: 12,788 ✭✭✭
    i think people buying single 1 oz bars are not into scams.... what is
    the point of that profit wise for a scoundrel?

    i think your strategy is fine for small low priced items.
  • I agree, I don't do it for anything over $30. Doesn't seem it would be worth the trouble of the buyer to make the claim. If someone did claim to not receive item I would pay up right away to save my feedback b/c PP would give their money back anyhow. I'm going to continue to do this until the loss outweighs the gain.
    Its all relative
  • ttownttown Posts: 4,472 ✭✭✭
    How do you figure your testing the honesty of ebay buyers? I've had more than one package lost by the post office and I'd be more concerned about thier honesty.
  • Its all relative
  • the cost of insurance is almost always greater than the actual risk with big quantities. glad this is working for you.
  • jesbrokenjesbroken Posts: 9,152 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Rick,
    Just a tip--add $1 to your sale price(absolutely no one will balk-IMO) and ship it the safe way with no worries and no complaints and all will be honest.
    Jim

    When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln

    Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
  • RedTigerRedTiger Posts: 5,608


    << <i>

    << <i> Guess eBayers aren't the thieves everyone makes them out to be. >>



    Why does that come as a surprise to you? Granted, you may run into a bad apple once in a blue moon, but as a whole, the great majority of eBayers are honest folk just like yourself >>



    Since 2009, Ebay has made it much harder for sellers to run a scam. Because of that, quite a few that used to scam on the sell-side are now buying and making claims and doing charge backs. $20 items aren't going to attract a lot of attention from the pro scammers. There was that recent NYCounsel thread about selling an unopened box of Platinum coins and now is looking at a $4000 chargeback, and no coins. Paypal has looked into the matter and sided with the buyer (the alleged scammer). It is a long road back at 5% profits on bullion type items to make $4000 back.

    Be careful out there. I wouldn't sell items like unopened U. S. mint boxes. There is no way to verify anything. On the buy side, there is a long and growing long list of coins raw and certified that I will no longer buy on Ebay because the fake coins and fake slabs are so good and so numerous.

    It is likely to get worse because as the economy keeps sliding, people get desperate, and the fakes get better every year.
  • carscars Posts: 1,904
    I give free shipping b/c it gets me 40% discount on my eBay fees.

    I saw the thread on the unopened Mint set, Terrible, Hopefully the guy at least gets his coins back. I always use tracking on items over $25 and always Sig conf on items over $200. Always worry about being scammed but I'm been selling on eBay over 8 years and haven't had much of any problems thankfully. A few chargebacks but nothing serious Knock on wood.
    Its all relative
  • Well, I got my first lost item/refund request this week. $15 item. The buyer is being a real jerk about it to.
    Its all relative
  • mkman123mkman123 Posts: 6,849 ✭✭✭✭
    that sucks Rick!!
    Successful Buying and Selling transactions with:

    Many members on this forum that now it cannot fit in my signature. Please ask for entire list.
  • For anyone who cares, To date I have mailed out 120 items this way using a plain white envelope and stamp instead of bubble mailer & Paypal's Shipping label which saves me about $1 per package. To date, One buyer claimed to not receive his item, Loss=$15, Gain= $120. Seems to be working.

    BTW, I Don't want to accuse that buyer of not being honest, It could have been lost in the mail but odds are it wasn't. I should have labeled this post Testing USPS reliability & Honesty of buyers, Oh well.
    Its all relative
  • OPAOPA Posts: 17,104 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>

    << <i> Guess eBayers aren't the thieves everyone makes them out to be. >>



    Why does that come as a surprise to you? Granted, you may run into a bad apple once in a blue moon, but as a whole, the great majority of eBayers are honest folk just like yourself >>



    Since 2009, Ebay has made it much harder for sellers to run a scam. Because of that, quite a few that used to scam on the sell-side are now buying and making claims and doing charge backs. $20 items aren't going to attract a lot of attention from the pro scammers. There was that recent NYCounsel thread about selling an unopened box of Platinum coins and now is looking at a $4000 chargeback, and no coins. Paypal has looked into the matter and sided with the buyer (the alleged scammer). It is a long road back at 5% profits on bullion type items to make $4000 back.

    Be careful out there. I wouldn't sell items like unopened U. S. mint boxes. There is no way to verify anything. On the buy side, there is a long and growing long list of coins raw and certified that I will no longer buy on Ebay because the fake coins and fake slabs are so good and so numerous.

    It is likely to get worse because as the economy keeps sliding, people get desperate, and the fakes get better every year. >>



    If I recall, NYCounsel did get his coins back, but now the "unopened Mint package" is opened and not worth as much. Buyer claimed "coin & capsule" were loose in the box.
    "Bongo drive 1984 Lincoln that looks like old coin dug from ground."
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