eBay

rickycautin04 · ‎11-09-2014

I just need some advice from other sellers. I recently sent a package to the USA and the buyer says he hasn't received it. That's the 3rd package that has gone missing. On this last one I'm going to lose about 70.00. Right now I'm not sure if I should ship anymore to the U.S. Losing 70.00 is a lot of money for me. Any advice???

2014sportsterguy · ‎11-09-2014

I assume was tracking, you may need to repay buyer and hope they pay again when shows up, but not sure, others with experience may know. If you ship again maybe get signature, if lost is there not standard 100 dollar insurance on your invoice.

mr.elmwood · ‎11-09-2014

@rickycautin04 wrote:
I just need some advice from other sellers. I recently sent a package to the USA and the buyer says he hasn't received it. That's the 3rd package that has gone missing. On this last one I'm going to lose about 70.00. Right now I'm not sure if I should ship anymore to the U.S. Losing 70.00 is a lot of money for me. Any advice???

They have opened a case? They are just inquiring? How long has it been? Packets are advertised at around 10 business days. Throw in weekends and that can come close to three weeks of linear time.

I have not lost a packet to the USA in years, thousands of sales.

Since I started using Paypal Shipping, over two years ago, incidences of lost or delayed packets has fallen to zero. I use PO supplied labelopes and printed Paypal labels with everything in the correct format.

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2014sportsterguy · ‎11-09-2014

Sure it's nice to have a tidy PP label but obviously you have the correct address so a label ABC has no effect on loss.
If your shipping with no insurance then block buyer not getting mail and also go to another mail outlet, but 3 weeks is normal for USA from Canada.

rickycautin04 · ‎11-09-2014

No, I didn't use tracking. He's opened a case. It's been exactly a month since I sent the package. I don't send too many things to USA.

triber · ‎11-09-2014

I agree with Mr. Elmwood, I have not lost a package in over a year, several thousand package, I always use Paypal labels. I thought I had lost one recently, buyer opened a case saying it had not arrived, so I refunded, and got a defect of course. I wrote back a couple of days later and asked if had arrived and she said not.

A few days later, the package arrived back with the word "Refused" in marker pen across it. The package had been opened and the label carefully cut out and re-attached to another envelope. I think that this is where the defect program really falls down.

2014sportsterguy · ‎11-09-2014

Seems you may have to refund and chance not getting a negative, if buyer received it later most likely will pay again, most collectors are honest. Good luck. Also block buyer until your clear what happened.

2014sportsterguy · ‎11-09-2014

The mailmen are looking at zip codes etc what does a fancy label have to do with loss?

femmefan1946 · ‎11-10-2014

Nothing to do with the postie.

A lot to do with the buyer.

A Paypal label looks more 'official' than a hand addressed, stamped parcel. (Full disclosure, I usually use the stamps and handwriting myself, but then I sell to a very honest clientele).

It's like spelling and grammar. If you list a good item at a fair price with lots of grammatical and spelling errors, good buyers will think you don't know what you are doing and avoid bidding. Scammers will think you don't know what you are doing and bid thinking can be conned.

OP is selling coins. A hobby rife with scammers (sorry, but that's my experience and observation). He has to make the buyers believe that he is smarter than they are and cannot be conned.

OP

You have to decide at what price point you are going to charge for tracked/delivery confirmed mail. Is a $70 sale worth $15 postage to you? Will $15 postage mean that you will have fewer bidder with lower bids?

Perhaps instead, especially on your lower priced items, you should consider using Cookie Jar Insurance. This just means that every shipping charge includes a small amount (usually ten cents or a quarter) which is tossed into a virtual Cookie Jar as a premium on self-insurance.

When and if you have a claim of non-delivery, you refund the customer and take the loss out of the Cookie Jar.

If your average sale is $10 and you add a dime to every shipping charge, then you can have one $10 loss in every 100 sales without actually losing money overall.

Most sellers have fewer losses, perhaps one in five thousand. Depends on the category.

2014sportsterguy · ‎11-10-2014

That makes sense re mail, but not sure agree about the coins most collecters as you know are honest but I guess it temps some people. Do you know when we print label is it just for address and separate of postage.? Not to keen on technical errors. Thanks

femmefan1946 · ‎11-10-2014

The label has your address, your buyer's address, a bar code for tracking (on most but not all services*), and customs information if going outside Canada.

In addition, on some services you get a 5% to 18% discount on PO counter prices.

*As I recall, all PP labels have a barcode, which could serve to scare off some scammers, but not all the bar codes are used for tracking.

2014sportsterguy · ‎11-10-2014

ok thanks, but was wondering if it prints just" address" not postage..

is it two separate functions, reason asking is if the printing went haywire not sure could remedy fast..and could have money taken out of account?

dutchman48 · ‎11-10-2014

If you are sending light packet, you can get insurance through Shipsurance Insure Post for a $1.50 per $100.00 and you do not need tracking for that service.

maggiebvintage2010 · ‎11-10-2014

You can print address labels through eBay, along with invoices and packing slips. You can use Avery templates here:

www.avery.com/avery/en_us/...%26.../Avery-Design--Print-Online.html

When you print a label through PayPal shipping, it is just that - a Canada Post shipping label, which you pay for through PayPal. If you have trouble printing it, you cancel it. Watch your account - you should have a refund in about 15 business days. If it doesn't show up, call PayPal Customer Service.

rickycautin04 · ‎11-11-2014

Thanks for all the great replies. I'm wondering about the customs form? A couple of times they've told me I should fill it, but other times they've told me it's not necessary. The PP labels seem like a good idea. How do I do it with the weight issue? How much is it for them?