I'm a New seller and don't want to be ripped off .

[ufovic44]

Hi I'm new to ebay and I put up two items up to sell ,and I wanted to get the most i could for them ,so i may have even overpriced one or maybe even both , well after 2 days I got a offer for both by the same person and it looks to me the offer is what im asking for . but my spider sense is tingling I never sold anything just got on here and I dont want to send the items and find out it was a scam and loss the items and then somehow paypal and eBay make be return the money.     I know once I get payment , I would have to send the items and I would ,thats the deal .   

 But  is there ways I can protect myself from being ripped off? 

What would you do ? I think if I mailed it so It can be tracked by mail , would them show that it got to destination, and would  that be enough to protect myself , from losting the items and having eBay making me return payment or when I send it should I send it by mail that equires a signature when it gets to them ?    

Or  maybe I should just decline the offer, Its just something make me think somethings not right ? 

I guess Im asking because it my first offer and the 2 items total $850 .  The buyer been on since Nov 18 ,2001, still have funny feeling .

anythoughts or suggest be helpful .   

[snoopwiz]

Would that be for the t shirt which you show as $300 shipping within Canada and the McDonalds tie you show as $65 shipping within Canada?  Mentioning  "shipping cost will change , never sold on here so I have to find out how much to your location"   

May not be a good idea to begin your eBay on line selling career with those fairly high ticket items, nor with that wording.   They do tend to attract the underbelly of scammers.  Has the "buyer" asked for you to text him with your PayPal address or anything else off eBay yet?

[ufovic44]

Yes thats me , as you seen  I said something like i put $300 just becaues I'm new and that will change when I get the address with I think I could see in the offer area . I googled it the adderss that was there but it did not take me there so thats second thing ,the first thing was for someone to want the two items that are so different. I could see if you love McD's or you work there , but then you also love Star Wars so much that you get that to ? 

 So what would you do ? I was going to find out the cost of shiping today , I was even thing of only accepting one offer and doing one first .  but maybe I should just decline?   if this is a scammer why dose not eBay catch the person , the person been on since Nov 18 ,2001

[snoopwiz]

Bingo, the vary fact that the same "buyer" has put offers on two relatively different items would get me, a fairly experienced seller, suspicious.  Do you have any other things in the house, much lower value, that you can put up for sale in order to build (albeit a small) seller feedback record.  

If you insist on selling the tie and shirt now though, decline both offers, (send a message to the seller you are cancelling in order to update shipping, pricing, etc) cancel the listing and relist but, do your homework first. Lots of info available on how to determine shipping rates.  No need to let potential scammers you arent really sure what you are doing.   There are those out there who look for just that type of listing. 

I would also make those 2 listing(s)  a fixed price (no offers) with IPR (immediate payment required)   Be sure, 100%, that the payment is in your account before shipping.  Common scam is to send the seller a realistic looking "PayPal" email saying you have been paid.  If it is not in  your account, you haven't been paid.  Do not give out your phone/text number to anyone. These discussion boards can be a treasure trove of information/help so please, don't guess, come here and ask.   

[sylviebee]

Just Curious: What's the difference between your tie and this one?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Vintage-1994-McDonalds-Tie-New-York-Meal-Classic-3-75-x58-L/3038385015...

Or this:  https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Vintage-Star-Wars-Episode-1-Darth-Maul-Shirt-Size-Large-With-Back-Hit-Black-...

[ufovic44]

Thank you very much for taking some time to help .

[ufovic44]

well the tie is the same but mine does not have stains on the bottom of the tie like that one and my tie is new , the T - shirt is different and it is new and in comes in rare Packaging , however there is nothing special about packaging . 

[femmefan1946]

Shipping is the hardest part of selling by mail order, and eBay is mail order in a new package.

You need a digital scale.

Canadian Tire has Starfrit kitchen scales for under $20.

You need a tape measure.

Both of these should be in metric.

Canada Post went metric in 1974,anything else is guesswork.

Now on the Sell Your Item form you could choose Flat Rate or Calculated Shipping.

Choose Calculated.

Once you have chosen the service (Regular Parcel for Canada /Small Packet USA or Tracked Packet USA) you will also enter the dimensions (tape measure!) and weight (scale!) for the package.

EBay will then tell your customer exactly how much it will cost him for delivery.

If you want to use Flat Rate here are the Canada Post rates.

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

For Canada use K1A 0A6 as a standard postal code. That's the House of Commons in Ottawa.

For the US use 90210.

Remember that parcel rates vary with destination.

We cannot change the shipping fees after the sale. That is why you are getting those strange bids. The member may be planning to report you for price-gouging or money laundering, which eBay takes seriously.

Cancel the bids. Remove the auctions.

Start again.

[femmefan1946]

We all want to get the most we can for our goods, but putting prices too high won't do that.

And while eBay pushed auctions as part of their brand, over 85% of transactions here are Fixed Price. Also there are more Unpaid Item Disputes with auctions than with Fixed Price listings.

There are a lot of us Islanders selling on eBay. One day we should all get together for coffee and griping.

Decide what you want to get for your items.

Use Calculated Shipping or Flat Rate shipping to give your customer a sensible price for shipping.

List as Fixed Price.

Add Immediate Payment Required.

Add Best Offer.

• If you accept a Best Offer, the IPR disappears.
• Some sellers price items with BO a little higher, then set the parameter for Accept at the price they really want to get.  Some set the parameter for Refuse at a price they are insulted by. Saves angst.

[doc-holmes]

Did you say the offer from the "buyer" was the same as your asking price? That's step one to take the sale off ebay. They will then ask you to include some gift cards. If they have managed to string you along this far, they will then send a real looking, but fake PayPal email saying you have been paid, and to provide the tracking number to have the funds released to you. Scam, scam, scam.

[richardcm]

I am an experienced seller. This is my buying and personal selling account. I had another eBay ID with  almost a 1,000 feedback and about 1,500 sales. I stopped selling on that account and closed it down a couple of years back as not interested in selling back then.

In January this year I opened two new accounts for selling. Listed the maximum 10 items allowed on each. Both new and 0 feedback.

Both have scam offers with notes to text buyer. New buyer created accounts same day of offer. When you reply they say to send you overpayment for your item and will refund you back the difference. Scam. After refusing offer or ignoring them the buyer is no longer a registered user on eBay.

I was selling only to Canada and USA blocking other countries. Offers with questions on selling to other countries. May not be scam but counties are Malaysia and Singapore which have known scammers. Ignored. Some had accounts that were no longer resisted after refusing offers or ignored.

So be very carelful. You are a new seller with 0 feedback and are actively scammed by scammers. Not just now but for anything else you list for now.

By the way my items were sold for less than $25 with free shipping. Scammed items were under $5. Lol.

[femmefan1946]

Some had accounts that were no longer resisted after refusing offers or ignored.

Excellent points.

But if the account was closed after you ignore an offer-- that was eBay closing it down.

We can't close our own accounts for nearly six months to allow time for any financial obligations to time out.  (Paypal has a 180 day Dispute period).

[richardcm]

No I think the ignored offers were scammers since no payment made. But not important.

[byto253]

Never list with 0 feedback.   At least find some cheap stuff to buy for a buck or two with free shipping from overseas.  Elastics, magic erasers, whatever.  The big goose egg will just have lots of people ignoring your listing.   

For a next step it would be good to list some quick selling small items that you can turn around quickly.  The point is to not make money on these but to get a bit of a sales record.  Only about 30% of buyers, or less, will leave feedback so it is good to get out a number of these.   This will take time but if you are looking at selling much it is worth it to lay down a foundation to show some history.    Even if buyers do not leave feedback, the sales will show in you sold history - which I would check with a low feedback seller.