No tracking number = Big mistake ??

[gambitrooks]

Just sold a 40 $ digital camera to Brazil and used paypall for the label, I shipped with Canada post International Air Small Packets (6 - 10 business days) and it cost me 22 $ with a tracking number that is appanrently useless.What are my options or it's just a lost cause.

Other info:  The ebay buyer contacted me about not receiving his package.

                   Looked into the buyers background and  he's a  new member since September 2014.

                   He could have done this hundreds of times with different accounts.

                   Called the postal office  the package was scanned  but after that no one knows

                   and why on earth is paypall putting the  item description right on the label

                   so everybody can see  ( Fuji film camera ).

                   My next step is to reimburse the buyer I guess right ?

                  After keeping my end of the bargain it just hurts to loose money like that.

[martinw819]

And it will count as a defect in your seller dashboard even if you reimburse the buyer and he's happy and left you a positive feedback.

Penalize x2 !

[rockp5233]

About the displaying on the label by Paypal, it is probably a good thing you ask this directly to Paypal, for some countries that may be a bit of problems.

Maybe Paypal do not have the choice (to display the contents), maybe it is part of custom regulations !?!?!?

...but most certainly the fact that content is clearly marked on the package, raises serious questions !

[mr.elmwood]

Why didn't you edit the description on the PP label? I do as needed. Blaming PP when you could have changed it?

Tracking to Brazil? Who is going to pay the $80 or so dollars for that? You will have no sales using international tracking. I used small packet under 500 grams to arrive at $80 shipping cost.

[maggiebvintage2010]

I'm wondering how the OP was able to sell to Brazil, since presumably he would have the same restrictions that were discussed in this post:

http://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/New-canadian-sellers-selling-on-ebay-com-can-sell-and-shi...

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/sell/questions/sell_international_requirements.html  - he doesn't seem to have the required 10 Feedback as a seller.

To the OP:

You only have 6 feedback as a seller, and limited experience as a buyer.  You also seem to be selling in higher risk categories.  Most members on these boards suggest that new sellers limit their sales to Canada and the USA until they gain some (more) experience.  Just a suggestion, but why don't you spend some time learning more about shipping in general, and your obligations as the sender of record?  For what they're worth, here are some further suggestions:

In the first place, Small Packets does not have a tracking number, that is simply an identifier for Canada Post and Customs purposes.   You could go to the Brazil Post site and enter the number from your label.  It's possible it was scanned into their system.  While at least one poster has stated that he was able to use this number to win an INR dispute, that was pure luck. 

Secondly, familiarize yourself with the shipping problems that are common for various destinations.  Other sellers have reported problems with delivery to Brazil - you have now joined them.  Choose your destinations carefully, set up an exclusion list for countries you don't want to ship to, and block buyers from those countries.

Thirdly, it wasn't PayPal that put the description on the label.  When you create a PayPal label, they automatically indicate the first several characters of your listing title.  It is up to you to change that to something suitable for customs, and you have 20 characters to do this. You are actually filling out a Customs Declaration as the seller, and you are signing it.  All parcels leaving Canada must list a description of the contents.  Admitttedly it is a bit of a challenge to find a generic or somewhat vague description for a camera, since you must state "camera".  However, it could be changed to "Used camera" or even at a stretch "Used Camera - Parts" +  the first 6 digits of the correct HS Code.  These types of descriptions may make it less attractive to light-fingered types.  Since your actual title was "fujifilm digital camera", if the label read "Fuji film camera" you changed it yourself.  If you didn't change it, it read "fujifilm digital cam" (20 characters) and could have been mistaken for a digital camcorder - possibly something very attractive to someone handling the package along the way.

And finally, why blame everything on the buyer?  Yes, he could have done this hundreds of times with different accounts.  He also could be a fairly new eBay member who is honest.  You, after all, are a fairly new seller, and with a little more diligence you might have done more to protect yourself.

I wish you luck in your future endeavours.

[pjcdn2005]

Packages can take quite a while to be processed once they reach Brazil so it's possible that the package is being processed by customs. I don't make a lot of sales to Brazil but when I do I let them know that if the package is delayed by customs, it could take 4 or 5 weeks to arrive.

Perhaps if you explain that to the buyer they will be willing to wait longer.

As another poster suggested, it might be better to limit your sales to Canada and the U.S. for now.

[mr.elmwood]

It is easier to externally blame than to take responsibility for one's own actions.

Ran into a problem a couple weeks ago. Friend ran into the same thing. Safes in out staterooms on the ship did not work and we had to each call maintenance.

Both of us said the same thing to the fella: "What did I do wrong that caused this?".

Rather than blame, we each started off with taking responsibility. Turns out it was a problem with both safes..

[femmefan1946]

It's harder for new sellers since you don't have a feedback cushion from hundreds of happy customers.

Tracking is six of one/ half a dozen of the other.

The cost of tracked shipping can discourage good buyers.

Untracked shipping is open to specious Not Delivered claims.

When you have those hundreds of happy customers -- or even now if you are selling in a low fraud category-- you can use cheap untracked shipping and add a few pennies to each listing as Cookie Jar Insurance premium.  The few claims you get will be offset by the pennies in your virtual Cookie Jar, and by the savings from not paying the PO for expensive and unnecessary tracking.

But that's for the future.