Help - is this buyer scamming?

[amdceltic]

I am new (back again after ten yrs) seller - in Canada - giving potential buyer chance to send me their posts or zip codes, and I in turn will describe types of shipping available and prices, timing, tracking etc.   This is stated clearly, with a rational for its use, on the listing. 

Buyer bids on item, sends me postal code, I sent options, the buyer then asks for boxed packaging because they have bad exeriences with padded envelopes and the like. 

I answer with slightly elevated (about $2) extra postage.  Before that is replied to, and  option chosen,  ebay sends me an emial saying buyer has paid and the amount ls given.  I never did send an invoice - less than 48 hours from listing ending and I am still wasiting on type of posting the buyer wants.  

While the amount for extra shipping materials (my responsibility anyway) and method chosen would be no more than $5 or $6 dollars  is a paltry sum and I should probably ignore it and send it slowest, and cheapest way.   However after reading what some seller have to go through with little or no help from ebay -it seems to my inexperienced eyes.  I would like to ask for choice of method one last time, send a request for extra money or else quite happily cancel the entire thing.    I would like your opinion please.  Also why is $2 handling charge not applied, and why does ebay send an invoice when I havent had the chance to do so, tell me buyer has aid and has no invoice of mine to know what to expect.    Thank you for any help.

[femmefan1946]

That's a waste of time.

There is a simple choice for you when you make up your Selling Form.

Calculated Shipping.

You enter the weight and dimensions  of the packed item into the Selling Form, and give a choice* of services (Expedited, Priority) which have varied levels of speed and security.

Done.

The buyer chooses a service and eBay looks at his postal code and tells him the cost.

You don't have anything more to do.

Once you have advertised a price for shipping, you cannot change it.

The most recent Selling Form is horrible.

There is an Advanced/Business form which is longer but easier to use and gives more details.

I regret that I don't know how to guide you to it.

But KISS

Calculated Shipping.

*Personally, I would not give a choice because the buyer will buy the cheapest service and expect the fanciest.  I am old and cynical.

[amdceltic]

Thank  you for your help.  I agree with you except I can not get a listing to show options for anything but Canadian postal codes.   Any activity on my listings was from Canada only.   I will keep trying to sort this lot out. 

Meanwhile  PLEASE tell me when ebay sends out an invoice - and not wait for me to do so.   How did my buyer pay when he hadn't chosen or informed me what option he wanted  AND my listing for Canada Post gave a price that was not for his postal code, nor did it include the $2  I had noted to be paid for handling. 

This was so much simpler years ago.  You might be old and cynical - but Ms Sharples would have beaten the best of the cynics on and off Coronation Street   LOL.    

Thank you once again.

[dinomitesales · Accepted solution]

I assume this is for the Final Fantasy game you recently sold? You have a shipping option specified for both Canada (Regular Parcel) and United States (Small Packet Air). So once the auction ends the buyer is immediately sent a notice that they won the auction and that they can pay. eBay doesn't want the buyer sitting around waiting for the seller to send out an invoice - the auction ends, they pay, seller ships, and (hopefully) that's the end of the story.

There is no longer an option to add a handling fee - the buyer pays the shipping as specified in your listing.