Selling to a new overseas ebay buyer with 0 feedback?

soolin

Ok, a couple of things to consider here. Firstly, any draft will probably not be cashable easily in the Uk without attracting a charge so get onto the buyer quickly and make sure they don't send it. They might ignore the request for mutual cancellation, so make sure you explain to them why you have done it..say shipping was horrendously expensive or something.

If they decline to agree to the mutual then you will still have to pay the FVFs which are in excess of £6. Whatever they do they can still leave you feedback.

feedback is actually important as your current total is immaterial, all that matters is how much feedback you have as a seller for the past 30 days. If you have 20 positives as a seller then you are fine as even if the buyer leaves a neg you will be within the 5% rule as long as you keep selling to wipe out that neg. If you get less than 20 positives a month as a seller then you are in danger.

However, saving your money is the only thing that matters here, so worry about a neg later.

I do ship abroad but I don't ship worldwide, you can choose continents and areas to ship to and which to avoid.

minnie123

I explained that I don't accept postal orders etc from overseas in the cancellation section but I think I will also e-mail them too. Thanks Soolin

minnie123

Just checked I have 15 positive as a seller from the past 30 days I also have a few hopefully to come and also some more items for sale so hopefully I should be ok. This feedback thing is ridiculous ebay need to sort something out.

soolin

minnie123 wrote: »

Just checked I have 15 positive as a seller from the past 30 days I also have a few hopefully to come and also some more items for sale so hopefully I should be ok. This feedback thing is ridiculous ebay need to sort something out.

They have sorted it out, that's why they changed the system to only reflect the past 30 days when considering a ban. Buyers were getting fed up of sellers building up lots of feedback then suddenly going 'rogue' and scamming and able to do so because all the previous good feedback from months before made them look good.

minnie123

Thats true but the problem is a negative feedback can be caused by lots of different things and if the negative feedback is because the buyer has been scamming people then of course they should get banned straight away but if it's a negative because of the reason I may get one or a negative because the buyer didn't item didn't fit when they received it or the like then a ban is a bit excessive.

What happens if this person gives me a negative and it is the only sale I have made this month - Do I get banned - and how long for forever? That could hardly be fair?

soolin

If you get a neg and have no other feedback as a seller in a 30 day period then yes you run a very high risk of firstly a reprimand, basically telling you to pull your socks up, then if you don't start to get more positives coming in a 30 day ban.

I think a negative in your situation would be harsh and hopefully the buyer will agree to a mutual and just not bother leaving feedback. However, look at it from another point of view, as a buyer I see something advertised for worldwide sale and I bid and win it fair and square. The next thing is I get an email from ebay telling me my seller wants me to agree that I don't want the item . The actual ebay prompt gives me several options only one of which gives me the option to agree that seller doesn't have to pay FVFs all the others assume I won the item and actually want to pay for it..which one would you choose? Also the buyer now knows you cna do no non paying bidder claim on him so he has nothing at all to lose here.

He won the item, he wants to pay and yet he is being told he can't have it because you changed your mind. If this thread had been from the buyers point of view we would almost certainly be suggesting that the seller has been unfair and that should be reflected in the feedback left.

Ebay appear to be moving towards a more professional seller base, although it seems unfair do buyers really want to think ebay is full of sellers who can happily change their mind and withdraw from the sale ? As I said though hopefully the buyer will agree to the mutual here and just not bother leaving feedback. That's why I suggested a slightly grovelling tone in your email to him explaining why you are refusing to sell, make it sound like it is for his sake ie 'postage works out to be excessive' rather than just because you have cold feet. If buyer thinks you have a very good reason and are trying to protect him he may well just walk away from this.

minnie123

So I wouldn't get banned then thats ok. To be fair to me though I did put in the auction to e-mail me for details of overseas postage and he didn't e-mail me he just bid.

soolin

minnie123 wrote: »

So I wouldn't get banned then thats ok. To be fair to me though I did put in the auction to e-mail me for details of overseas postage and he didn't e-mail me he just bid.

You can't enforce your terms though, always best to have the postage worked out in advance and put into the postage boxes before listing so buyers can make their own mind up.