Lost Ebay parcel to Ukraine

Stoneygirl

Hi all, hope you're all enjoying the sun!

I'm a bit annoyed and the title probably says it all, and I need a rant and I wondered if anyone else has been in a similar situation.
Early in August, after a loft clear out at home, I sold my baby monitors on Ebay. Within a couple of days, I had a bid....from the Ukraine (no request for postage costs), just a bid. So, as a matter of course, I dropped them a polite message to say 'bear in mind the postage cost is only for the UK only and should you win, I'll advise what the postage is first. Also, the monitors are the 3-pin GB type, etc. I was hoping they wouldn't win....but they did.

So, they paid promptly. I had a bad feeling about the whole thing but my husband said 'just send them. Whats the problem?' The day after payment, I sent them off via Airmail small packet, advising the buyer what stage the transaction was at the whole way. I never received a reply at all (no thank you, nothing). By the way, the postage cost was only about 43p more to the Ukraine than what my original ad said, so as another good will gesture, I didnt ask for any extra money.

Six weeks and 2 days later, I received a dispute via Paypal from the buyer, saying the parcel never arrived. The note said 'Sorry I not been in touch, I have ill child. I have not received monitors'. I immediately wrote back and said that I hoped the child was better and that I would investigate the claim. Alarm bells rang when I looked at the feedback of this buyer. They continuously bought the same item....same brand, type, month after month and the 'ill child' has been used in some feedback before. Now, this person may very well have an ill child, but I wrote to them and said I wish they had contacted me directly sooner, instead of leaving it for weeks.
Now, 24 hours later, I have received a rather snotty mail from Paypal saying they will refund the buyer within 10 days if I don't refund them myself.
I've sent a message to Paypal venting my annoyance on how the buyer has handled this, and their snotty correspondence.

Lessons learned:
1) Remember to put 'UK bidders only' on my ad (I've changed my profile to exclude overseas bidders now. My ad did only appear on Ebay UK, but I suppose that doesnt stop overseas bidders looking.

2) I didn't know I could cancel bids. I only buy and sell a few things for my own enjoyment, not to make loads of money, so its not a business.

I just feel I've been 'had'. I've read so many times about sellers getting annoyed with Paypal/Ebay for taking the buyers side.
So now I'll have to pursue a claim with Royal Mail see what sort of compensation I am offered.

As a matter of interest, I also did look at the feedback for this buyer when they first bid. They have 100% positive feedback and the majority of the comments were good, but there were a few comments from sellers that werent so good. I just think its a bit strange that this buyer would buy the same item over and over again.
Call me naive, but I got quite uptight and upset about it yesterday as I am proud of my 100% feedback with ebay and I don't want anything to ruin it. My husband said I was worrying over nothing but I can't help it.

Rant over....thanks for listening.
:sad::mad:

Obviously_the_best

First thing, stop accepting advice from your husband, from what you've put he sound far too relaxed, second if they're scamming lots of people then report them to the police, not that they'll do much, if anything, but it will make you feel better

Stoneygirl

Yes, he is far too relaxed about things like this, especially when he runs his own company.. (Your comment made me smile!)
I probably won't be able to prove a scam anyway. To be honest, I feel better now I've had a rant on here! Thank you!

Crowqueen

I just feel I've been 'had'. I've read so many times about sellers getting annoyed with Paypal/Ebay for taking the buyers side.
So now I'll have to pursue a claim with Royal Mail see what sort of compensation I am offered.

Not all of it is justified. Your buyer is probably rogue, but if people's money was not guaranteed, they would probably not entrust it to a complete stranger. The extra protection helps convince buyers it's safe to send it to you.

I do sympathise but equally this person could have been absolutely genuine and you would have had a responsibility to them to refund.

One thing the system does do is put private sellers with a couple of listings per month or per year on the same footing as a business, whether Argos or someone self-employed just ticking over. It's a shame but eBay cannot discriminate because the buyers don't tend to - and it's their money that makes the site go round.

Your husband may be relaxed about it because some loss is inevitable with any kind of business, whether it is someone running off without paying for their meal or nicking sweets from a garage kiosk. He probably has some accounting for loss and self-insures.

Rant away, though - it's better than doing it to one of your customers. Just don't let it get to you - the majority of buyers are decent and honest and only want their item. Talk to your husband about why he is so relaxed about it and take his advice on board.

Stoneygirl

I think he's so relaxed about it is because the total transaction was £16.50 and he has customers who owe him loads more than that. I think i'm just miffed by the principle of it. But yes, my buyer could be genuine - it just seems a bit suspicious that they've bought the same item over and over again and just opened a dispute without contacting me first. It makes you feel like a criminal. I've not refused a refund anyway. In my message to them, I was polite and said I would investigate and get back to them asap. It's Paypal's approach that's annoying. Anyway, I've calmed down a bit now.
I must stop taking things to heart!
Thanks Crowqueen!

Crowqueen

Stoneygirl wrote: »

I think he's so relaxed about it is because the total transaction was £16.50 and he has customers who owe him loads more than that. I think i'm just miffed by the principle of it. But yes, my buyer could be genuine - it just seems a bit suspicious that they've bought the same item over and over again and just opened a dispute without contacting me first. It makes you feel like a criminal. I've not refused a refund anyway. In my message to them, I was polite and said I would investigate and get back to them asap. It's Paypal's approach that's annoying. Anyway, I've calmed down a bit now.
I must stop taking things to heart!
Thanks Crowqueen!

You will become hardened to it.

I've sold quite a lot on eBay with virtually no problems - but I don't let buyers feel short-changed and for the amounts involved with me there was never any issue with refunding. I've been more of a buyer so I know what the situation is like from a buyer's perspective - and believe me, although it doesn't feel like it, you as a seller have a lot more control over the process than a buyer does, so there needs to be safeguards in place for buyers - that, like with everything, get abused.

Have some chocolate (or whatever floats your boat in that way, mine is a glass of Pimm's and lemonade, particularly in this weather!), sort out a claim through RM and think about all the good sales you've had.

International sales are no different really to UK sales - they are just as likely to go wrong as UK sales are - but if you decide you don't want to post overseas, go to your buyer prefs and set your blocks to exclude "bidders whose primary delivery address is in a country I don't ship to" - and then only upload UK postage. However, some items are very attractive to overseas buyers and IMO you are missing out on sales/bids by excluding overseas buyers. I just sold a few items and although I'm not sure I want to send them recorded overseas - it's too expensive and these are genuine scam-magnets - wargaming figures - I got loads of offers from Germany and Russia.

Look at it from a neutral, unemotional POV.

Good luck.

soolin

As above set yoru seller preferences to exclude overseas bids if you don't want them to bid:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1623183

Stoneygirl

Morning all, I've hopefully set my profile correctly now about overseas bids and will go about getting a claim to RM.
Had some chocolate too, which went down well

Thanks to everyone for listening to my moan....had to get it off my chest. Its amazing how quick you type when you're wound up!
Have a great day!

macfly

Obviously_the_best wrote: »

First thing, stop accepting advice from your husband, from what you've put he sound far too relaxed, second if they're scamming lots of people then report them to the police, not that they'll do much, if anything, but it will make you feel better

Which police force? Interpol?

Stoneygirl

Just to add to my tale of woe...
I've just opened my Paypal account to view the claim status and the buyer has said (through Paypal) that they have tried to contact me and I haven't replied...

Another very stroppy to the point e-mail has now been sent to Paypal, no doubt in vain, but I can but try.

Stoneygirl

macfly wrote: »

Which police force? Interpol?

I don't think I'll be going down the Interpol route.:D