8mm Forum: Ebay protocol?

This is topic Ebay protocol? in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=002340

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on November 10, 2012, 01:40 PM:

So, I asked specifically in my ebay listing that potential bidders from overseas should contact me for a shipping quote BEFORE bidding.
Someone from France has just gone ahead and bid anyway.
What would you do in order to avoid hassle at the end of the auction?
I've sent the bidder an email with the full shipping quote and given them the opportunity to retract their bid if it's not suitable. Does that sound about right?
_________________

Posted by Vidar Olavesen (Member # 3354) on November 10, 2012, 01:47 PM:

That sounds good to me. I would pay the shipping costs myself, if I bid. If he later says he won't pay, that makes him the bad one and you are entitled to leaving negative.

Posted by Mark Mander (Member # 340) on November 10, 2012, 02:15 PM:

As a seller you can't leave negative feedback,I've had a few non payers lately and ebay are not interested.I recently had a bid on a film from the Netherlands and normally i do UK auctions only due to trouble i've had abroad,I gave in and sent the films but they couldn't find the address so it was returned,more fool me!! Mark.By the way he bid first then asked to bid!!

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on November 10, 2012, 02:56 PM:

Michael, you couldn't be more fair than that, if they want the film
then no doubt they know that shipping costs must be paid.

Posted by Pasquale DAlessio (Member # 2052) on November 10, 2012, 03:53 PM:

Your in the right. If the buyer does not agree to the shipping you can cancel transaction with no reflection on you. matter of fact, when you request to cancel a transaction the very reason is listed as a choice. Good luck with your auction!

PatD

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on November 10, 2012, 05:36 PM:

So, if the auction ends, the buyer doesn't agree to the shipping, I can cancel the transaction without fear of negative feedback from him (or her)?

Posted by Wayne Tuell (Member # 1689) on November 10, 2012, 06:14 PM:

if the buyer does not pay, you file the nonpayment complaint, once that is over you get the fees refunded and the buyer does not get to leave feedback.

with the language barrier it is easy for them not to understand to contact you first, or could be they didn't read it. You would be shocked how many buyers see a picture and bid without reading descriptions. For future auctions, maybe put the setting not to allow other countries AND have directions for buyers outside your homeland to contact you first then you can add their buyer name to your allowed list. Before I started selling worldwide, I was having to do that.

It is possible to enter the shipping methods and weight of a package in the item builder steps. That way no matter who looks at it from any country, it will show the costs before they bid.

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on November 14, 2012, 01:07 PM:

Well, this is as I feared.
How long does one wait before filing an "Unpaid Item" complaint?

Posted by Ron Douglas (Member # 2990) on November 14, 2012, 02:00 PM:

That's a good point Michael.
Experience tells me to file the complaint no later than 4 days after the auction ends.
The majority of bidders pay up very quickly after receiving a non-payment case against them, and with the rare exception of holidays/illness, I've found this to work on all but one instance.
There are lots of ways to ship internationally, as long as you weigh your item caefully, include the price of your packing etc and get a handy Royal Mail postal guide for international rates, then the ebay system allows for this quite nicely.
If you are clear in your item description and do what you promised to, then buyers have no comeback on your service.
Good luck, iit really is worth it, as most other forum members seem to agree

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on November 14, 2012, 02:21 PM:

Thanks, Ron. I'll give 'em till friday.

The problem is not me shipping internationally. I've always shipped internationally but I specifically ask in the listing for overseas bidders to contact me for a shipping quote BEFORE bidding. This person didn't, just bid anyway. I immediately contacted them and gave them a shipping quote but with the offer that they can retract their bid if they wished.

They went ahead and won the auction on Sunday. Despite three invoices and a email, no reply.

Posted by Terry Sills (Member # 3309) on November 14, 2012, 04:29 PM:

I find the problem stems from the upsidedown logic of Ebay. They are too biased in favour of the buyer. Whatever happened to 'buyer beware' the basic rule of auction. I heard an horrific story from a reliable source, where a seller sold an item to France/Belgium and the buyer requested to return the item for a full refund. The seller agreed and the buyer returned a package containing a rotten apple! The seller complained to Ebay and backed his complaint with photos of the content of the package. Ebay refused to accept the complaint and forced the seller to give a full refund. I have to admit that I have only suffered once in this manner but in my view Ebay gets worse by the day in many ways. The problem is that communities like ours rely on good faith and honesty, but Ebay attracts undesirables who see it as a way of making a fast buck.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on November 14, 2012, 04:38 PM:

Very True Terry,it's a sign of the times I suppose when people
are capable of such rotten tricks, and no more so than the one
being pulled on Michael,I STILL can't get my head around the
hang up that some people have with shipping, how the hell do
they think the goods are going to get there?

Posted by Ron Douglas (Member # 2990) on November 14, 2012, 04:39 PM:

Gents, you raise some seriously important issues that are continually being experience by ebay members worldwide.
Ebay appear to have no true accountability and continue to fall back on their policy rules, evading the true issues and hiding behind some unevenly applied terms and conditions.
With sellers being unable to leave negative feedback, simply in order to warn any other sellers, ebay rely upon a buyer reaching a threshold of unpaid item cases, where their account may be estricted/or suspended.
The only way around international bidders not contacting you before bidding is to ensure your postage calculator is pre-set, so there can never be any doubt as to what the buyr is expected to pay for shipping.
For me, it's a realisation that there are far more time-wasters out there than I'd previously thought!

Posted by Bryan Chernick (Member # 1998) on November 14, 2012, 07:50 PM:

Ebay has a new Global Shipping Program that is supposed to make shipping international from the U.S. a lot easier. You enter the weight and dimensions of the item and they calculate the shipping for the international buyer. I have a few auctions going on right now where I'm offering it. If one of them goes international I'll let you know how it works out.

quote:
The Global Shipping Program simplifies selling an item to an international buyer. All you need to do is ship the item to a US shipping center. International shipping experts manage the international shipping and customs process, and send the item to the international buyer.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on November 17, 2012, 02:22 AM:

I am glad to hear that Michael has received his payment. The buyer appears to have a bargain.

Posted by Vidar Olavesen (Member # 3354) on November 17, 2012, 03:51 AM:

Why don't you post eBay links here too? Easier for us ;-) (Lazy bastard that I am)

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2