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For Ebay/PayPal, use Delivery Confirmation/Tracking ALL THE TIME!


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I'm not sure about the rest of you, but I've had it up past my ears with Ebay buyers as of late. Ever since the "No Negateves for Buyers" bullshit started, the buyers have been getting more bold as to their expectations, shipping times, slight imperfections on used items, etc... On top of that, many don't respond to e-mails, they don't bother with leaving feedback, etc. And to add to that, Would-Be scammers are out on droves looking for nice scores on sellers.

 

I ALWAYS message a buyer the day I send something off and tell them how it was sent. The expensive items will always get DC (Delivery Confirmation) if they're shipped USPS and Tracking/Signature Confirmation if they're sent via UPS. On small things that are $10 or under, I save receipts, but usually don't pay the extra for the DC. This WILL CHANGE as of right now.

 

My last 10 ebay sales have resulted in 6 queries from buyers asking for Tracking Numbers or DC's within a week of auction end, but they don't most didn't mention why they're asking for them. Oddly enough, when I respond with the tracking or DC number that shows it's been delivered, I usually hear nothing back. The 3 where I didn't use it were smaller items and they all responded that they havent recieved the item. (I just got another "i haven't recieved the item" e-mail this morning too) :doh:

 

Coincidence? It kinda looks to me like they're fishing to see if you used it or not. If you did, they don't question you beyond that and the package just manages to pop up. If you don't have DC or tracking, you're possibly going to have a claim against you.

 

 

In one of my most recent problems.

 

The auction was for a ATI X1900 All In Wonder video card and ended on May 9th and paid for on the 10th. Exactly 45 days later, June 24th, the buyer sends me a message asking if I have the tracking for it because he can't find the package.

 

Looking through his feedback, he has 100%, but if you look at the feedback left for others, it's a nightmare for sellers. I have a feeling he'll file a claim and get his money back from PayPal AND he'll get to keep the card as well.

 

Unfortunately for me, I threw out all my May-related shipping stubs because it was the end of June at that time. I KNOW I shipped his card out via USPS Priority with Delivery Confirmation because I sent him a message through the ebay messaging system to let him know, but I didn't send the Delivery Confirmation number for some dumb reason.

 

He didn't file a claim at that time, but I was prepared for it. I called both ebay and PayPal to make them aware of the situation and the buyers questionable feedback tactics. Ebay is looking into his feedback abuse for sellers and they sided with me because of this asswipes history, but PayPal was being sketchy due to the fact that I threw out the DC number already. They said they'll look into the amount of claims he's filed as well as his feedback left for others due to his continual problems with sellers, but scolded me about not keeping the DC slip or using their feature where you can post the tracking/DC. They noted on my account about me calling in and did say that they'd look into everything if a claim was filed, but I know they will side with a buyer 9 times out of 10.

 

The buyer had until midnight on June 24th to file the claim because the 45 days was up.

 

The user ID is: planet_argento

 

http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=planet_argento

 

 

 

 

Lucky for me, he never did file a claim. Ebay looked into my messages and the guy on the phone said that I did do a good job always using the ebay messaging system to send buyers notes that their item was shipped and how it was shipped, but I never used the feature where you can post the tracking/DC number right in the auction, or on the PayPal transaction details on the PayPal site, which I never knew how to do. I will now be using that feature.

 

I was also able to go to the Post Office and ask them about possibly getting a copy of the Delivery Confirmation number if I had lost the original given to me and they did say it's possible because it's in a computer. They'd have to look through the transactions that day and compare them to the address shipped to.

 

 

 

So.... To be on the safe side, ALL my shipments from now on, big or small, will get Tracking or DC and Signature Confirmation, thus resulting in slightly higher shipping charges. To add, ebay has also CAPPED, most catagories with a ridiculously LOW amount you can charge for shipping, making sellers raise their prices to compensate. This was claimed to have been done to wrangle in sellers who overcharge on shipping, but they don't mention the fact that by doing this, they also get a HUGE chuck more money off the sale and PayPal transaction.

 

The BOOK section has a $4 cap if I remember right. When I shipped of my CCNA Networking book, it cost $11 to ship. In my current auction, my Algebra book/Solutions book will cost even more due to weight, and even more than that if it has to go to the West or East coast. A $4 shipping cap? Seriously??? The CD's section allwed $3 max shipping the last time I sold a CD. I usually used the Priority Mail boxes with bubblewrap and DC which ended up costing me $4.55 at that time. I think costs have gone up now. So I'd end up eating $1.55 on that shipping.

 

I understand that they're trying to crack down on sellers who oversharge on shipping, but who decided on what the caps would be? Did they weigh the smallest possible items in each section and go by the cheapest possible shipping method? Bah....

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I rarely ship on ebay, but when I do, I charge $4.00 for shipping. I know that ebay caps the shipping at $3.00 (which is bullshit, because you CANNOT ship a cd for $3.00...postage, cost of envelope, & tracking is about $3.75 for me all day long), so I put in my auction descriptions in big, bold, red type that shipping will cost $4.00 & that the extra buck is for delivery confirmation, which is required & non-negotiable. I've only had one buyer who griped about it.

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Tell me about it, i have had these troubles as well. There seems to be many buyers who do this and when i started to charge more for shipping to have confirmation of delivery i started getting low scores...no neg's but low scores.

Not sure what to do about it, maybe just stay off of ebay and sell in private.

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Edited due to a misunderstanding in my email... buyer did back out though

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good advice, thanx T-Bone!

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Ty, I understand your frustration, and this isn't meant to start shit, but... I have to ask, in all honesty: Why haven't you been getting delivery confirmation for everything all along? I have not sent a parcel to anywhere in the U.S. without delivery confirmation in almost 10 years. Even for sales of only $4-5.

 

If you are printing your USPS labels through PayPal, which you SHOULD be doing, delivery confirmation only costs $0.19 for 1st Class packages, and is FREE for Priority Mail packages. It's been that way for years. Beats the piss out of USPS counter rates.

 

Sending a package for eBay goods without DC is like putting a big red tag on the package that tells an eBay buyer "THE SELLER IS AN IDIOT AND YOU CAN GET YOUR STUFF FOR FREE!!!!" It's a license to steal, and buyers know it.

 

It's not only the chargeback hassle, but it also puts your feedback rating, seller fees, and search placement standings at risk, now that those things all depend on 1s and 2s in star ratings and opened PayPal disputes.

 

It just ain't worth it to save a few cents. Anyone doing business through PayPal and still paying regular USPS rates for delivery and signature confirmation is getting the rubber glove treatment from the USPS. Not to mention that since everything is generated from the PayPal payment information automatically, it's a shitload faster than filling out the DC forms by hand, and the buyer automatically gets a shipping notification email with the DC number when the label is printed. No more having to let buyers know that packages have shipped; PayPal does it for you and it's automatically updated in both the buyer and seller's eBay account.

 

Heck, I even use PayPal shipping labels when a buyer pays by check or money order, it's that convenient.

 

:beerbang:

 

-Dan

 

P.S. You should NOT be sending CDs by Priority Mail. No wonder you're losing yer butt on shipping costs. CDs and DVDs: Send by 1st class rate up to 7 ounces in weight and Media Mail for above 7 ounces. I've been doing it for $2.99 per shipment for several years and I'm covering my costs (including packing materials and insurance) just fine...

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If you are printing your USPS labels through PayPal, which you SHOULD be doing, delivery confirmation only costs $0.19 for 1st Class packages, and is FREE for Priority Mail packages. It's been that way for years. Beats the piss out of USPS counter rates.

 

I'd love to be able to print my labels through paypal but I don't have access to a printer, so I gotta pay the counter rate. I just pass the fee along to the buyer.

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Ty, I understand your frustration, and this isn't meant to start shit, but... I have to ask, in all honesty: Why haven't you been getting delivery confirmation for everything all along? I have not sent a parcel to anywhere in the U.S. without delivery confirmation in almost 10 years. Even for sales of only $4-5.

 

If you are printing your USPS labels through PayPal, which you SHOULD be doing, delivery confirmation only costs $0.19 for 1st Class packages, and is FREE for Priority Mail packages. It's been that way for years. Beats the piss out of USPS counter rates.

 

Sending a package for eBay goods without DC is like putting a big red tag on the package that tells an eBay buyer "THE SELLER IS AN IDIOT AND YOU CAN GET YOUR STUFF FOR FREE!!!!" It's a license to steal, and buyers know it.

 

It's not only the chargeback hassle, but it also puts your feedback rating, seller fees, and search placement standings at risk, now that those things all depend on 1s and 2s in star ratings and opened PayPal disputes.

 

It just ain't worth it to save a few cents. Anyone doing business through PayPal and still paying regular USPS rates for delivery and signature confirmation is getting the rubber glove treatment from the USPS. Not to mention that since everything is generated from the PayPal payment information automatically, it's a shitload faster than filling out the DC forms by hand, and the buyer automatically gets a shipping notification email with the DC number when the label is printed. No more having to let buyers know that packages have shipped; PayPal does it for you and it's automatically updated in both the buyer and seller's eBay account.

 

Heck, I even use PayPal shipping labels when a buyer pays by check or money order, it's that convenient.

 

:beerbang:

 

-Dan

 

P.S. You should NOT be sending CDs by Priority Mail. No wonder you're losing yer butt on shipping costs. CDs and DVDs: Send by 1st class rate up to 7 ounces in weight and Media Mail for above 7 ounces. I've been doing it for $2.99 per shipment for several years and I'm covering my costs (including packing materials and insurance) just fine...

 

 

 

I never got into the habit of using DC or tracking on the $10 and under items because I never really had problems like this before. In the last 2 years, the "bad luck" has run in spurts on both sides of the buy/sell fence for me. A month straight here and there and then all is good for a long stretch. I will indeed be using DC or tracking as well as signature in many items from now on since this type of scam is quite easily won by buyers if they file a claim, and it seems like more and more are becoming aware of it as well.

 

As for the PayPal USPS or UPS shipping thing, I never bothered with it because i never knew my schedule from day to day at my old job. The UPS office is only open from 4:30-6pm in my town and the only other option is USPS. On bigger items, I refuse to go USPS because of the higher rates. On medium sized items, it was a toss-up of the two depending on what time I had available to get to either. Now that my schedule is more settled, I may have to look into that.

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On bigger items, I refuse to go USPS because of the higher rates. On medium sized items, it was a toss-up of the two depending on what time I had available to get to either. Now that my schedule is more settled, I may have to look into that.

 

Depending on when you last did rate comparisons, you may want to check again. With the FedEx Ground and UPS Ground rate increases and fuel surcharges over the last year or two, they are not always cheaper than USPS anymore, and it really depends on the size and weight of the parcel.

 

This week I just had to send a projector in for warranty service. The package was 29 x 23 x 14 and weighed 28 pounds, insured for $1000. It was going from Illinois to California.

 

UPS Ground was $61.54.

 

FedEx Ground was $54.29

 

USPS Parcel Post with Signature Confirmation and full Insurance was $43.00.

 

Surprised the heck out of me.

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The large items I sent were usually guitars, PC towers and a few guitar amps

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I sell on Amazon and GEMM. Forget eBay. I do not bother with anything less than $3 (before shipping.) Just not worth the time and hassle. I would never think of sending any CD, no matter what the price, without Delivery Confirmation. I use the Paypal postage link Dan posted on this site a few years back. It has saved me tons of time and I am sure it has spared me aggravation caused by rip-off customers. You cannot beat 19 cents to assure confirmation of delivery! Thanks again, Dan! :beerbang:

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I sell on Amazon and GEMM. Forget eBay. I do not bother with anything less than $3 (before shipping.) Just not worth the time and hassle. I would never think of sending any CD, no matter what the price, without Delivery Confirmation. I use the Paypal postage link Dan posted on this site a few years back. It has saved me tons of time and I am sure it has spared me aggravation caused by rip-off customers. You cannot beat 19 cents to assure confirmation of delivery! Thanks again, Dan! :beerbang:

 

Here's the link again, in case anyone wants it:

 

https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_ship-now

 

This allows you to use PayPal's USPS shipping and get the $0.19 Delivery Confirmation even when the item was not paid for through PayPal to begin with. I frequently use this when returning merchandise, sending Christmas gifts, etc.

 

Even for things not being sold, it's handy to have the permanent shipping record in the PayPal account, and a permanent shipping email in my email account (by filling in a note as to the contents and using my own email address when creating the label).

 

Once you get used to using it, you'll never want to go back to USPS counter services.

 

-Dan

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Also, on the small packages with online shipping labels you do not have to be tied to your local postal office working hours anymore. You can just drop those packages in any USPS collection box at any time of the day.

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Here's one more thing I do, just in case:

 

If it is my first time with a customer, and the sale is for over $40, I will insure the package through the USPS myself. Costs me $1.75 for $50 or $2.25 for up to $100. That way if the buyer is going to try to scam me by saying the CD arrived damaged, I just tell them to take it to the USPS and file a claim.

 

I do this because of an experience I had one time with an eBay customer saying a CD lot I had sold them opened up during shipping, and that some of the items were damaged. To this day I still believe that was a crock of crap, but it turned out to be easier to just give a partial refund. No more with anything over $40 - they have a problem? Then they deal directly with the USPS, not with me.

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