Living on the edge...

[ricarmic]

Well I've decided to break one of my rules.

Lost a package of China stamps to a US address over a year ago.

As per my normal policies, after politely refunding etc, I blocked the buyer.

Buyer has asked me a couple times since then why they have been blocked, politely each time though. My normal practice is that I don't respond to the requests and I did not respond.

They asked again today, once again quite politely, so against my own rules, I let them know the reason and my past experience (once something is lost to a location, that tends to happen fairly regularly so that's why I block the id, although there's lots more to the message).

Their response was quite good, they understood my position and said they were interested in a few items and that they would understand if I decided to keep them blocked.

Hmmm, this doesn't really seem much like an "out to rip off sellers" kind of person does it now?

So I've written them back suggesting I'll split the cost of upgrading the shipment to tracking, if anything extra is required to upgrade the shipping (because my stuff is free shipping, if they buy enough stuff, it makes the upgrade cost small if at all).

It will be interesting to see how it turns out, I thought others might be interested in the situation so I'll post updates as it progresses, if it does....

[rose-dee]

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@ricarmic wrote:

Hmmm, this doesn't really seem much like an "out to rip off sellers" kind of person does it now?

So I've written them back suggesting I'll split the cost of upgrading the shipment to tracking, if anything extra is required to upgrade the shipping (because my stuff is free shipping, if they buy enough stuff, it makes the upgrade cost small if at all). 

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No, this really doesn't sound like a buyer with nefarious intentions.  Why take the chance on communicating with a seller again if you defrauded that seller once?  I think opportunists just move on to the next victim.  

I take it the buyer made an INR claim in the original transaction?  If he did, and if the loss of the parcel really was no fault of his own, then he could also be seen to be good enough to be willing to trust you again.  So I think it can cut both ways, unless there were other issues involved in the original sale. 

At any rate, you could protect yourself by asking him to pay for signature confirmation as well as full insurance, in addition to a portion of the tracking cost.  If he really is a good customer, he shouldn't mind.  

[ricarmic]

Hi Rose!

Yep it was an INR.

Yep that's what I offered, that I split the cost of upgrading to tracking, ie it has to be sent tracked to his location. I didn't think signature would be required.

He was ok with that.

I have unblocked him.

He's interested in the Chinese stamp lots that are normally selling within minutes of being listed (same style that set my fastest record, listed 2 today one sold in 3 minutes, 1 in 20 minutes), so the odds are small he'll get many, or even one anyway....they'll soon run out (sadly)

As there's news I'll post it here!

[rose-dee]

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@ricarmic wrote:

Yep that's what I offered, that I split the cost of upgrading to tracking, ie it has to be sent tracked to his location. I didn't think signature would be required. 

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But wouldn't the signature confirmation protect you from an unfounded INR -- just in case?  I think, given the situation you've described, that I'd even pay for it myself, for the extra $1.50 or so.  

Or is it too late, i.e. is the parcel already on its way?

[ricarmic]

Hi Rose!

Tracking is enough to cover the INR, (it is going to the USA) value is not high in the $20 to $100 range depending on how many he got.

He hasn't purchased anything yet, all the lots I've added in the last couple days have sold, will be a few days before I have another round pictured and listed....

[rose-dee]

Well, let us know the final outcome.  I'd like to believe there are decent buyers like this.  

[amandabalmain]

Sometimes it's ok the break the rules... just make sure that you keep the email communication that you have had with this buyer -- if there is a problem in the future, those emails could come in quite handy 🙂

[ricarmic]

So the fellow was successful in catching two of the China lots I unleashed this weekend.

He and I had already agreed to split the cost of upgraded (ie tracked) shipping.

I issued the invoice and he paid promptly, polite as before.

Stamps will go out tomorrow.

Will advise once they arrive and/or if there's any other news......

[rose-dee]

Good luck -- I hope it all works out for you!  Sometimes the ones we worry about the most in advance are the ones that just go perfectly smoothly after all, and hopefully this will be one of those. 

[zee-chan]

Good luck! Though personally I wouldn't offer to split the tracking cost, I'd ask the buyer to pay for all of it up front.

[ricarmic]

Hi Zee!

Because my lots have built in shipping, since he managed to get a couple lots, the splitting is quite economical, especially in this case because he was fine for me to use only older full gum stamps which I get at a discount.

For this transaction each of our additional shares was $2.50 against a $50 ish transaction.

On the assumption this one goes ok, I'll have to decide down the road when I go back to just sending untracked....although the particular stuff this buyer is interested in will run out in the relatively near future anyway...

[ricarmic]

Updates:

The tracked packet arrived aok, received positive feedback.

The buyer in the meantime purchased another lot ($45 item), and was waiting to see if he could get more lots to lower the upgraded shipping (split) cost. Because of that I didn't send an invoice with the added amount yet.

However in his enthusiasm after getting the other lots, last night he went and paid the invoice with no shipping added.

I sent a note this morning asking him if he wants to bear the risk of the item not showing up or if he wants me to send an invoice for the extra $5 for the upgraded (tracked) shipping cost.

With some buyers, nothing ever seems to go simple......