Shipped before payment--any good options if no pay?*resolved*

puffer

Sometimes I have shipped ebay sales before the customer pays, I figure they are serious enough in their interest with the collectible to make the offer and "buy" it and are pre-occupied with other things. How do others deal with such situations? So ebay says since you opened an unpaid item case you could let that run its course, 4 days. Also phone contact information is provided if requested. Lots of companies send out material "on approval" to active customers. What do they do if the customer takes it and does not pay? Ultimately all these systems are based on trust and the law is a painful course to take with collectibles. It would be a pretty low down dog that tried to scam sellers.

NotSure

Ship an item BEFORE receiving payment, on ebay? EBAY? NEVER!

410a

That's a tough one and it is a judgement call. I only know this it's your judgement and no one else's. PERIOD. If you shipped to me before payment I assure you that you would be paid or receive the item back. I just don't and many other don't have the LARCENY in their hearts. Best of Luck, Regards, Mike

jdimmick

I have done it on occasions , in fact did it this am. (on cheap stuff though)

I had 4 merc dimes sell this am, that were from about 9 bucks to 17 bucks. I went ahead and shipped all 4 before the po closed so it would go out today as a courtesy to the buyer. 2 have paid, 2 still have not. well see what happens


I did do this once before had a guy not pay on 5 dollar item, chalk it up as whatever

I probably would never do it on a item of significant value

LindeDad

What's your eBay ID I want to get in on your giveaway.

BTW even eBay has had the policy for years of payment tendered then ship.
Also if anything is received in the mail addressed to you it is yours by postal regulations IIRC.

291fifth

Insist on payment in full before shipment. Not doing this is just asking for trouble ... which I found several times when I didn't follow this advice!

BryceM

I don't really know which eBay/PayPal rules would cover such a situation and I never intend to find out. If you want to send people free products that your prerogative. In reality, the law doesn't help you much unless your loss is truly significant (think 4 or 5 figures). The cost of negotiating the legal system in terms of time and money doesn't justify the trouble.

puffer

Contracts are the governing principle; if a buyer made an offer you accept = contract. I did contracting for years where verbal agreements governed the commerce, I did not get paid until the thousands of dollars of work involved in the contract was completed to the customer's satisfaction. It all depends on the reputation--customer, business person, the area where you are doing business. With mail order the contracts would involve many different levels of law for both seller and buyer. I had a guy buy some numismatic items last year with an echeck that bounced. The postal inspectors pursued it, as did ebay and paypal.

Sonorandesertrat

<< <i>Insist on payment in full before shipment. Not doing this is just asking for trouble ... which I found several times when I didn't follow this advice! >>



This. The only time I would make an exception is if I know the buyer personally or he has references from people whom I trust.

TwoSides2aCoin

Good options for no pay ? Suffer with dignity, I guess.

silverpop

never ship till you are paid

puffer

<< <i>Good options for no pay ? Suffer with dignity, I guess. >>



Business people become sharper in time, some become totally cynical, ie that everyone is operating out of only selfish motives or try to overcome the misunderstandings and punish those who are flagrantly lawless. The guy on the unpaid item case is in state so small claims court would be an option. I'm prepared to spend a dollar to make a dime as the government does, if people will not honor their contracts.

COALPORTER

I know eBay has a disclaimer that pops up if you try to print a shipping label
before payment is made. Cant remember the exact words, but something along
the lines of S.O.L.

Baley

Why would anyone ever ship to a stranger before they paid?

jdimmick

On a 9 .oo coin ,

It saves me time having to drive down to the po just to ship out another a few hours later. Worth 9.00 to pre ship, if guy doesn't pay who gives a crap.(hopefully he will)
as I mentioned I would never do it on anything of decent value.

jim

ormandh

Yes, with eBay's policies it is a terrible idea to ship before payment. I am interested to see how this turns out. Please let us know when you find out what can be done. I hope that things work out for you though. I really do.

bestday

<< <i>Why would anyone ever ship to a stranger before they paid? >>



No way on Ebay

Wabbit2313

<< <i>What's your eBay ID I want to get in on your giveaway.

>>

Wabbit2313

The best option I can think of is don't do that again. Ever!

ebaybuyer

puffer, when you assume everyone is honest, you will learn the meaning of disappointment. the fact is, out of every 100 transactions there WILL be a problem, that equates to 99% of people being honest. the other 1% are (as I type this) trying to figure out a way to get something for free... and they never sleep, being overly trusting will win a free stay at the poor house

SamByrd

I do not ship before payment even here among the so-called circle , when I sell I get paid period before shipment.

Nap

It's easy to kick the guy while he's down, but does anyone have experience with eBay handling a situation like this? Just because the payment did not take place at time of sale does not mean there was not a two party transaction, and should not mean the seller is not entitled to receive payment.

I had a seller ship me something and it arrived before I paid (I was away for a weekend in the era before smartphone apps). I was quite embarrassed and quickly paid of course.

bestday

<< <i>It's easy to kick the guy while he's down, but does anyone have experience with eBay handling a situation like this? Just because the payment did not take place at time of sale does not mean there was not a two party transaction, and should not mean the seller is not entitled to receive payment.

I had a seller ship me something and it arrived before I paid (I was away for a weekend in the era before smartphone apps). I was quite embarrassed and quickly paid of course. >>




People need to realize this country has changed ,economic conditions , values .....not same as were decades ago

No payment was made.... how can ebay pursue buyer? It is now the sellers responsibility to obtain payment

TwoSides2aCoin

The only option I know for "no pay" is less money. Having to spend a dollar for a dime and more time may be worth it, based on the principles at stake for some.

For me: trying to teach another person a lesson for my mistake is asking for more trouble. The lesson's learned here.

lkeigwin

Do you also do refunds before the coins are returned?
Lance.

pitboss

How about a little prayer.

derryb

you're paying for paypal seller protection, use it. It's not valid until paypal details page shows payment received and "OK to ship."

Wabbit2313

<< <i>Do you also do refunds before the coins are returned?
Lance. >>



Even funnier yet!!

grip

I wouldn't do it on e-bay. But I have done it many times to our
own. And never had a problem. You just have to be selective.

AMRC

I keep waiting for the "April Fools" but I am not hearing it.

winky

Only if you want to lose. DUH !!

coinhack

<< <i>Good options for no pay ? Suffer with dignity, I guess. >>



OUCH!

LOL And I agree.

puffer

<< <i>Do you also do refunds before the coins are returned?
Lance. >>



No but those who return items want to get their money as soon as you get it back, 3 hours is too long for many of them. And ebay actually has a refund buyer before the item is returned, why would that be?? Are they trying to get sellers to refund before they get the item back.

I spoke with ebay today and they said of course you have a contract with the customer and have full right to collect. And as I said before I will spend a dollar to get a dime back on a rip-off, others here apparently don't believe in the rule of law. I have never had a buyer who bought something not pay with the exception of a bounced echeck.

silverpop

common sense would tell one no matter if e-bay or not get paid first then ship

jessewvu

What's your eBay user ID?

grote15

I thought I was reading The Onion for a second there..

jdimmick

an update,

from this am, still 2 have not paid

bestday

<< <i>

<< <i>Do you also do refunds before the coins are returned?
Lance. >>



No but those who return items want to get their money as soon as you get it back, 3 hours is too long for many of them. And ebay actually has a refund buyer before the item is returned, why would that be?? Are they trying to get sellers to refund before they get the item back.

I spoke with ebay today and they said of course you have a contract with the customer and have full right to collect. And as I said before I will spend a dollar to get a dime back, others here apparently don't believe in the rule of law. I have never had a buyer who bought something not pay with the exception of a bounc


Best of luck to you ....Mistakes go in the rear view mirror , learn and move

Cougar1978

Suit yourself, I can't imagine shipping a coin before they have paid and payment has cleared or been cashed. I would have never believed someone like that existed.

At a show, a coin does not leave my table until it has been paid for. Send out mail order approvals? Nope, not how I roll.

In the pre paypal days I got fake money orders, etc. Never, ever did I ship anything until payment had cleared the bank or been cashed. I did not care what they thought about it or squawked.

Refunds are not issued until the item is returned.

What to do if a customer takes it and does not pay - its unsecured debt, good luck. Answer: your gonna take a hit, they are gonna beat you outta it. Hope it was not a big ticket item.

Wabbit2313

If the guy really had balls, he would open a case and also try and get a refund!

oih82w8

Only if I have a good working relationship with the buyer would I ship before payment.

telephoto1

There are enough issues and hurdles for sellers with eBay as it is...why do people go looking for problems? SMH.

Ajjohnson77

I just did the same thing by accident. I have been hunting the guy down for two weeks. Called his post office. Someone is still getting mail at the P.O. Box. This guy has had no contact with me since the auction ended. I just accidently sent out the package. No tracking info. What is there to do. I even called the local police where this guy lives to see if they could check into it. No one wants to help. I hope he's not dead and he had better not have just intended to rip me. Im not giving up!

TopographicOceans

I used to hot ship years ago on small items, but had to be taught that was a dumb thing to do.
This was in the old days when PayPal wasn't the only game in town. If someone checked out saying they'd mail a check or MO I would ship.

Just open the unpaid item case and if you're lucky you'll get paid - maybe.
If not, you can at least get your fees back and then have to write off the gift you gave.

puffer

<< <i>I just did the same thing by accident. I have been hunting the guy down for two weeks. Called his post office. Someone is still getting mail at the P.O. Box. This guy has had no contact with me since the auction ended. I just accidently sent out the package. No tracking info. What is there to do. I even called the local police where this guy lives to see if they could check into it. No one wants to help. I hope he's not dead and he had better not have just intended to rip me. Im not giving up! >>



You could always do a small claim court action. Just provide the court with as much evidence as you have from ebay and from your own records of the item. And if you get a judgment it may be difficult to execute it. You could always post on an anonymous venue online so if someone does a search for Joe Shmoe, Sioux Lookout, Montana, he would come up as a scammer and a no goodnick.

While an item is in transit you can always call it back, it runs around $18 with the usps.

TopographicOceans

<< <i>You could always do a small claim court action. Just provide the court with as much evidence as you have from ebay and from your own records of the item. And if you get a judgment it may be difficult to execute it. You could always post on an anonymous venue online so if someone does a search for Joe Shmoe, Sioux Lookout, Montana, he would come up as a scammer and a no goodnick. >>



If only there was an easier way, like just ship after payment.

BAJJERFAN

Have you checked with the post office to see if the shipment can be halted?

puffer

In my case it is a 1913 type 1 Buffalo nickel MS65 NGC. My thinking was no one who likes a coin like that enough to order it is going to scam me. And it has still been less than a week since the guy got it so I'm not really worried.

Ajjohnson77

Mines a bit more priccey. Its a PCGS MsS65 maryland commem half. Im going to get this guy. Somehow. Im a lawyer and know a few guys at the Pd and prosecutors office. Wonder if they would help me over a couple hundred bucks?

derryb

Ask him to return it if he's not going to pay for it.

grip

What puffer said. And you should know this being a lawyer....NO ?