How to I protect myself from scammers ?

[mycanadastore09]

How do I protect myself from scammers once an item has been sold ?

What are the signs of potential scammers ?

Tracking #'s are not 100% guaranteed that an item has arrived at the correct destination, as it could have been delivered to the wrong address by mistake.

[momcqueen · Accepted solution]

If the tracking number says it's Delivered, your responsibility ends there. If the carrier has made a delivery error, that is the fault of the carrier.

Signature confirmation is required for any purchase over $850 CAD including shipping.

You cannot prevent SNAD claims (Significantly Not as Described) but you can do your best to provide accurate descriptions, low postage, and fast service so as not to foul the waters and create buyers with resentment.

Also, a higher feedback count will discourage many buyers without ethics who might be looking for an easy mark.

In short, don't sell anything you cannot ultimately afford to lose since it's always possible that no matter what you do, that will happen, and then you will have a big fight on your hands which may go so far as to include law enforcement and police reports. 

[femmefan1946 · Accepted solution]

Any time you feel nervous about a shipment, use Signature Confirmation.

For $1.50 you are very politely telling a potential INR scammer that they are being observed.

And an honest customer gets the warm fuzzies that you took extra steps to see that she received her item.

The $850 point (is it that high now?) is only necessary in case of an INR Claim. Sometimes you need it emotionally.

as it could have been delivered to the wrong address by mistake.

Which is not your problem.

Offer help with the PO, but not money. (Pro Tip-- liars lie.)

And of course you can use Buyer Blocks.

Since you are among those who still use Auctions, you can vet many of your bidders (not the last second ones) and cancel bids of the questionable ones.

Look at the Feedback Left for Others, since all buyer FB is positive.

If you used Fixed Price listings like 85 % of transactions, you could add Immediate Payment Required and the listing would remain live until somebody paid.

You can Block deadbeats with Strikes for non-payment.

You can Block certain countries or even continents. (I don't want to sell to Brazil, Italy, Israel or China, YMMV)

And then there is Cookie Jar Insurance.

This just means setting aside a few pennies, rarely more than a dime, in a virtual Cookie Jar, from every sale.

If the customer has a problem, you refund from the Cookie Jar.

The pennies accumulate.

If you sold 100 items at $10 and put 10 cents aside from each sale, you can refund the 101st customer who is unhappy.

If you sold 200 items at $10 and put 10 cents aside from each sale, with no problems, you have $20 in hand and can treat yourself to a nice pub lunch.