New to ebay

[micig88]

Hello vets. I would like to know if there is a method of scamming at the moment through letter mails. For example this guy messaged me saying that if he wins both auction can I change the delivery through letter mail. I'm scared that he will try and scam me by saying it wasn't delivered and is there any way to prevent this. Thank you in advice\

heres the link of our message https://gyazo.com/6352495163763149872a45b18a1c11e2

[2nd-time-around-jewelry]

I would send your items with tracking. But tell the person you will combine shipping for more than one item. I don't know if video games can be sent by Lettermail.  I think they are too thick for what is allowed at the post office.  I would use Tracked Small Packet to the US & Expedited in Canada.

[ypdc_dennis]

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@micig88 wrote:

... I would like to know if there is a method of scamming at the moment through letter mail. For example this guy messaged me saying that if he wins both auction can I change the delivery through letter mail. I'm scared that he will try and scam me by saying it wasn't delivered and is there any way to prevent this.

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The message you linked asked if you are willing to combine shipping if he wins both auctions he is bidding on.  Nothing scamming about that -- money saved on combined shipping means the buyer can bid higher without breaking their budget.  In Canada the savings can be quite big. I would say "yes" to that part -- you could even give him a shipping estimate for the items he is bidding on.

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/far/business/findARate?execution=e1s1

If he wins both items, you can send a combined invoice with the adjusted shipping cost.

The other half of the message is asking if you could downgrade the shipping to lettermail if he only wins one item.   Probably not a scam, but I would recommend giving a polite "no" to that. You are new to selling and your category is a higher risk one.  I personally have nothing against untracked lettermail and do use it for some of my listings (with very few problems over the years).

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[reallynicestamps]

LetterMail can be tracked domestically-- it costs something over $17 plus the regular postage for Registration and that is not useful once the package reaches the border.

The seller chooses the shipping service. The buyer pays for it.

This allows the seller to choose a service that will give prompt delivery (lettermail is good at that) and secure delivery (any postal service is good at that too).  But it also allows the seller to choose a tracked service which is his protection against false claims of late or non-delivery.

Most experienced sellers will warn against allowing a buyer to dictate the kind of shipping we use.

It is worth knowing that a demand that the seller use a "cheaper" (meaning untracked ) service is a red flag for a scam claim of non-delivery.

You may also find this useful if you have not already bookmarked it.

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/far/business/findARate?execution=e1s1

These are counter rates and are what your buyers will see when you choose the service on the Sell Your Item form.

In reality, get a Solutions for Small Business number from your local PO (or through that website).  This will give you more shipping options, and some discounts on prices. It is also going to be needed if you decide to use the Paypal shipping service, which I prefer since it draws payment from my PP balance, keeping all the bookkeeping together.

The other two services , eBay's Shippo and Canada Post's SnapShip also have their own advantages.

TL/DR-- don't change your shipping method on a buyer's demand.

[micig88]

hey so a new problem came up. People started bidding but the people bidding have zero feedbacks. Should i try my luck and send them the item? or are they scamming

[micig88]

thank you very much for your advice as I learned alot from this but another problem has arrived people started bidding but the people bidding have zero feedback. Should i try my luck and send them the item? or are they scamming

[micig88]

hey so a new problem came up. People started bidding but the people bidding have zero feedback. Should i try my luck and send them the item? or are they scamming

[esclyons]

everything you are selling you are sending with tracking, so you should be fine, full disclosure i have never sold video game items, so i wouldn't be able to tell you about scams, but i am sure they are out there. By choosing to sell video games, etc it will be a quick learning curve for you. But remember every buyer starts out with a feedback of 0.. Now if i had 2 or 3- 0 feedback people all with new accounts bidding on my items i would be worried.

[femmefan1946]

Ah. Bidding.

EBay stupidly defaults new sellers into using Auctions, but over 85% of transactions are Fixed Price.

Even with Auctions, many have a Buy It Now price (higher than the starting bid) or a Best Offer (which is expected to be higher than the opening bid).  Anecdotally, sellers are surprised that their customer prefer to BIN and pay more rather than wait seven days to learn they have lost.

What I am getting at is that you should, in future, do research on what comparable games are selling for, then list as Fixed Price at the price you would be happy to get.

Add Immediate Payment Required, which leaves the listing open until somebody actually pays.

You can also add Best Offer (which is usually LOWER than your Fixed Price) and set BO to accept anything above your comfort level and reject anything under your comfort level.

(eg-- your Fixed Price is $50. Your Accept BO is anything above $45 and your Reject BO is anything below $30. Between $30and $45 you will be notified.)

The Advanced/Business Sell Your Item form has more flexibility and is easier to understand about fees.  You can find a link at the top right hand of the overSimplified form.

Do NOT ever send anything until you look in your Paypal account and see the money there.

As a new seller, cleared payments will be held, but they will appear. You can also use that Held money to buy shipping labels for parcels (not for lettermail) most of which include tracking. Some are also discounted.

Do you have a Solutions for Small Business card from Canada Post?

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpc/en/business/small-business.page?

Shipping is the hardest part of online selling. Take your time. Don't ship overseas until you have at least 10 DSRs and understand why they are unimportant.

[femmefan1946]

With Christmas coming, this would be a good time to do some buying, because that will give you a better picture of how the buyer experience goes.

Choose sellers who leave feedback on shipment, which also makes you look more experienced and trustworthy.

Poly envelopes, bubble envelopes, cozy  socks, books, costume jewelry, baby clothes, party dresses.  Choose a North American seller for speedy delivery and check the delivery dates for Canada.

Too much foofaraw. If I'm gonna wear a dress, I want something with some slink.--Zoe Alleyne Washburne.

[micig88]

actually the sad thing is that everyone except the very first bidder has all 0 feedbacks and most have made their account in 2019

[micig88]

one quick question. if a person is telling me to ship it in another country than they live, should I do it because this person lives in china but wants me to ship it in Ontario what kinda scam can they get out of it if I do ship it to them. I asked him why he wants me to send it there and he says that his sister is over there so IF I get scammed cant I just show ebay our messages

[femmefan1946]

Not a good idea at this point in your selling career.

If the bidder is still just bidding, you can cancel his bid. You can also Block him from bidding again.  You do not need a reason.

One basic problem with non-Canada sales is that you pay more in Paypal fees. PP always charges a non-refundable 30 cents. For Canadian payments you also pay 2,9% of the payment, for USA 3.4%, and for overseas 3,9%. 

The US market is worth the extra fee. International not so much.

because this person lives in china but wants me to ship it in Ontario

There are freight forwarders. These are a Good Thing. Basically your customer has you ship to a North American address. Your responsibility for shipping ends there.

The forwarder then sends the purchase and any others the customer made to him overseas.

The Money Back Guarantee does not apply to forwarded purchases.

Do you have your Shipping set up to give a Calculated and Tracked rate overseas?

If not, do that now.

If you have only shipping showing for Canada and the USA*, you are not required to ship elsewhere and can cancel a purchase from outside North America as "problem with address".

Be very careful Cancelling purchases, if you use the wrong reason, you can get a Defect which is a Bad Thing.

There's more to it that that but most of it won't ever happen to you.

*The world's largest single economy is the USA, and our postal systems are well integrated. There are some problems but not many.