sharenv
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posted on September 28, 2000 04:49:47 PM
I'm sure this topic has been beaten to death in the past - so if you're bored of it, please feel free to move on.
But I really need to vent...
My auction terms clearly state "ship to US only." Why is it so difficult for bidders to abide by my decision to ship where I choose? In the recent past I've had two auctions close only to find out that the winners were international. I send a friendly e-mail to them advising that I ship to US only and if they can provide me with a US address I would be glad to complete the transaction. Otherwise, I will offer the item to the next highest bidder.
Neither of these bidders e-mailed me prior to bidding to ask if I might consider an exception.
One of these winners had the nerve to try to convince me to change my terms, giving me links to the USPS site to calculate shipping and insisting that, "after all, it isn't very difficult."
The other left me negative feedback for not completing the transaction with him, stating that I was a "bad seller."
I've checked the bidding history on both of these bidders and it's obvious they do this routinely. It just seems unfair to the seller to have to go through all the trouble to contact the next highest bidder, lose the opportunity of positive feedback from that bidder if they do choose to buy, have to re-list the item if they choose not to buy, apply for the fee credit from eBay, etc. I'm a small/part time seller and one of the reasons I choose not to ship out of the country is the time factor involved in doing so.
Can these "TOS offenders" be reported to eBay with any success? How do those of you with "ship to US only" terms handle this type of situation?
Please don't try to persuade me to ship internationally; I have very good reasons to ship to US only and have no desire to change my terms.
Thanks! I feel better already!
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bobbysoxer
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posted on September 28, 2000 05:02:10 PM
sharenv
Sorry to hear that some bidders don't respect your tos.
I was just wondering if some of these bidders who routinely bid on USA only auctions are accumalating negs?
Could you see if your negs can be changed to neutral?
not bobbysoxer on eBay
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sharenv
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posted on September 28, 2000 05:16:10 PM
These bidders are NOT accummulating negs and I think that's because most small sellers are fearful of a negative retaliation and figure it's just not worth it and move on.
I left both of them neutrals stating simply, "transaction not completed as I don't ship internationally."
I left the neutrals for the sole purpose of warning other sellers that this is an international bidder so they may have the opportunity ask the bidder to withdraw and cancel the bid if they won't.
What it got me was one nasty negative and one rude neutral in return.
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cdnbooks
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posted on September 28, 2000 05:16:44 PM
just ship it
Bill
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fallen_madonna
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posted on September 28, 2000 05:35:02 PM
I live in the UK but have friends in Ohio who will accept mail for me. I would never even THINK of bidding on a USA only auction first without emailing to ask if this is ok. To date I have never had anyone refuse. In addition I always advise what method of payment I will be using (personal check drawn in US $) and no-one ever seems to have a problem with that either.
I think most sellers are actually quite reasonable if you a)Ask first and b)Are prepared to make life easy for them. Demanding that they ship internationally once the auction ends is not the way to begin your business relationship.
The guy who sent directions to the USPS site should have maybe emailed before bidding and should have offered to pay for FEDEX or UPS if he was really that keen. And if as a seller you still couldn't bring yourself to do this he should have accepted this with good grace. I have visited the US 7 times and stood in line to mail stuff internationally enough times to know it is a real pain.
Just my 2c. Or tuppence, as we say over here 
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Crystalline_Sliver
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posted on September 28, 2000 05:36:16 PM
Maybe it'll might interest you some international bidders pay very well for items. VERY well.
:\\\"Crystalline Sliver cannot be the target of spells or abilities.
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goob22
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posted on September 28, 2000 05:38:54 PM
I just had an International newbie bidder (new account 6 days old) win an auction. TOS was for US bidders to pay $8.00 Priority shipping (weight is 8lbs). Bidder (who has a freebie email address so can't tell if it was international) replied & wanted it shipped at US price. Auction clearly stated US shipping & that international was higher. WBN also advised that if they were international, to let me know & I would advise shipping amount (which turned out to be $16.00/28.00 for surface/air). I have now emailed them 3 times with the correct shipping for international but no replies.
I guess they were not aware of the higher shipping & now don't want to pay, but they didn't bother to read the TOS or email statements. Now I'll have to NPB/FVF & all the other hassle.
goob22
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bobbysoxer
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posted on September 28, 2000 05:53:31 PM
sharenv
I ship internationally but I just think that bidders should respect the sellers' tos concerning USA ONLY. Ask before bidding. Also in previous threads there has been mention of bidders letting the seller know that even though they are out of the USA before or right after bidding, they want the item shipped in the USA. In my opinion, that is ok.
A person goes into a physical store and there is a sign stating the business policy about local checks only and a person from a city 2,000 miles away, insists on paying by check. Go figure.
One time a customer came in wanting to FAX a couple of papers. At that time the first page (not cover page) was $2.90 and $1.00 for each page after that. He put up a fuss, very angry. I stood my ground. He came back about 15 minutes later found out we had the best price in town. He was nice this time....Then there were those that wanted free FAXing for a toll free number.
not bobbysoxer on eBay
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sharenv
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posted on September 28, 2000 06:45:38 PM
fallen madonna: You are right that if a buyer asks first, I will usually make an exception. I will first explain that because the item is already packed and weighed in priority box, they must be willing to pay for the purchase of a box and to wait the additional time it will take me to obtain the forms (as I don't keep stock on these). Also, because I work during the hours the post office is open on weekdays and do my buying on Saturdays, it might be best to ship it Fed Ex or UPS so I can arrange for pickup at my house. If they are agreeable to all this, I have no problem making an exception. However, on a regular basis I choose not to do all of this.
Also, I have read with horror some of the threads on here relating to the length of time it takes for payment to reach the US and the damage that often occurs to the package when shipped internationally. So while some of you may do a high enough volume to absorb some of this, I prefer to stay within the US and keep it simple.
My problem comes with those who feel you are obligated to them even though they show no regard for your terms.
Thanks for your input.
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mboyko
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posted on September 28, 2000 06:47:10 PM
Hey, just to let you know, I have the same thing happen all the time, and I HATE IT. I ship to the US only because I don't need any other markets, I get plenty for my items from customers in the US. I made an exception once and learned my lesson. I said the guy could bid, he did, and it went $1.00 over what a USA customer bid. So for the extra dollar I had the pleasure of filling out 2 pages of customs forms. Never again! Also, I had a foreign customer neg me for not selling to him even though my terms clearly state that I only ship within the US. I reported it to [email protected] , told them it wasn't fair that I received a negative from someone that never should have been allowed to bid in the first place. All feedback must be transaction related, and since there was no transaction, his feedback violated what is allowed under feedback comments. They must have agreed with me because they removed the negative.
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sharenv
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posted on September 28, 2000 06:49:58 PM
Mboyko: thank you so much for sharing your experience. I'll try to get the neg removed through safe harbor. I had read their terms for having feedback removed, but I thought (short of a lawsuit) that my situation didn't apply. I'll let you know how I make out!
Thanks again!
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cdnbooks
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posted on September 28, 2000 06:58:39 PM
sharenv
a little perspective.
Surely your angst and the time you are spending on this and the sleep you are undoubted losing can't be easier than just shipping it. That takes an extra 30 seconds to fill in a little green form.
Bill
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mboyko
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posted on September 28, 2000 07:07:35 PM
You would say that cdnbooks. That cdn probably stands for Canadian! I just turned down a Canadian bidder the other day. Hate those customs forms!
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sharenv
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posted on September 28, 2000 07:13:31 PM
cdnbooks: If it were as simple as that, there would be no problem. I am not set up to ship in any other manner than priority or ups on occasion. I work full time, have 4 children and do e-bay part time. On an exception-only basis, yes, I will ship internationally.
On a regular basis, I do not have the time nor the desire. And as someone else has already mentioned, I sell just fine to US customers, why on earth would I want to go through all the extra hassle to make an extra dollar or two? It's not cost effective or efficient. The recent auction that closed with the international winner was just 50 cents more than the US second highest bidder. Would it be worth buying a box, re-packing and weighing the item, obtaining and filling out the forms, waiting who-knows-how-long for payment and then waiting on line at the post office for 50 cents??
I just happen to have some time tonight because my auctions are not getting bids and I'm trying to divert my attention from refreshing that screen and seeing the same total over and over!!! Oh, and please don't tell me I'm not getting bids because I don't ship internationally - by Thursday night I usually have bids at least 90% of my listings - this week is the exception (I hope!).
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cdnbooks
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posted on September 28, 2000 07:25:59 PM
Do what's easiest if that's what you want to do, just be sure you are.
BTW, if you assume that the high bidder didn't bid, you don't get the second bid, you get one bid increment (ie $0.50) above the third bidder.
As for this week, my auctions are flying high.
Bill
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bobbysoxer
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posted on September 28, 2000 07:58:47 PM
As I have stated I sell internationally and have no problems. However, I have heard of plenty of stories that were so lucky here on AW and the cafe.
In my opinion the energy, time and so on that is spent by sharenv on this thread could very well be worth it if the transaction went bad......
Preventive Maintenance
not bobbysoxer on eBay
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cdnbooks
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posted on September 28, 2000 08:09:18 PM
bobbysoxer
...and the reason a International transaction is more likely to go bad the one invovling only Americans is exactly what?
Bill
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reddeer
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posted on September 28, 2000 08:30:25 PM
I've been selling on eBay for 3 yrs & have shipped over 1000 items, at least 100 of those across the big pond.
I've yet to have an Interntional item go missing, or arrive damaged. The only deadbeats I've had lived in the U.S.A.
Most International payments arrive via snail mail every bit as fast as buyers from NA, some, much faster.
Customs forms take 10-60 seconds depending on the form used.
I have no problem with US sellers that don't want to sell Internationally, but let's stick to the facts. Problems can happen to shipments sent to the next State over, deadbeats live everywhere, and so do slow payers.
[ edited by reddeer on Sep 28, 2000 08:34 PM ]
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scrabblegod
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posted on September 28, 2000 08:34:00 PM
I was wondering if any of you sellers that turn your nose up at international bidders, would be willing to put a link in your auctions sending them to mine where they are always welcome?
I have been very happy with my sales to other countries and I find the little green form no real trouble. Do you limit sales to people from your home state because it is to much trouble to collect sales tax? Why would I want to limit my store front to this country when I can invite the whole world inside.
ALL BUYERS WELCOME
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rkanta
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posted on September 28, 2000 08:45:36 PM
>and the reason a International transaction is more likely to go bad the one invovling only Americans is exactly what?<
1. Numerous e-mails back and forth haggling about shipping clearly stated in auction. One is usually sufficient on U.S. Sale.
2. For those of us with merchant accounts. Stolen Credit Card. NO AVS on international sales. Merchant takes all risk.
3. Item arrives broken or defective from factory. Expensive shipping paid by seller 3 times.
4. Buyer refuses to honour bid unless seller will perjure themselves on customs form.
5. More haggling on shipping. Buyer wants seller to send none insured to save him a couple of bucks, but still wants seller to guarantee safe delivery and pay by credit card.
RK
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reddeer
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posted on September 28, 2000 08:50:03 PM
What a crock. I've yet to run into even one of those problematic examples.
Now ask me about "some" of my shipments to USA customers.
Oh, the horror stories I could tell.
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bobbysoxer
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posted on September 28, 2000 08:53:28 PM
cdbooks
I am sure you have read posts of sellers complaining of the international sells as I have.
not bobbysoxer on eBay
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bobbysoxer
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posted on September 28, 2000 09:01:33 PM
scrabblegod
The sellers who have in their tos to the effect "No sells outside of the USA" should not be insulted. You and I have the right to conduct business as the sellers who don't sell outside of the USA.
It is not a matter of turning one's nose up at non-USA sells it a matter of business preference. Everyone does things different. One seller accepts Paypal while another one doesn't. We all do things different which is good because it gives buyers a diverse selection. It doesn't make one better than another.
There may be things you do or don't do that turn buyers towards others. Sometimes the shoe is on the other foot, too you know.
The point was/is the tos stated no non-USA sells and the bidder was arrogant to bid anyways. Then some even leave negs! Silly.
But it is worth the effort to fight.
not bobbysoxer on eBay
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reddeer
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posted on September 28, 2000 09:01:51 PM
I would hazard a guess that 90% of the complaints you read on AW have to do with fellow Americans.
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cdnbooks
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posted on September 28, 2000 09:02:09 PM
reddeer
Ths problem with you is that you think that facts and logic are somehow a better basis for discussion than emotion, opinion and hyperbole.
You should know better.
Bill
[ edited by cdnbooks on Sep 28, 2000 09:09 PM ]
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reddeer
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posted on September 28, 2000 09:15:35 PM
Bill
I think from here on in every time I see a seller complaining on AW, my first question will be .... "was that an American bidder?"
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bobbysoxer
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posted on September 28, 2000 09:19:55 PM
redder
Let me make myself perfectly clear:
I proudly sell to international buyers! I am yet to have problems but because the world is diverse there are those who have had problems.
No matter what group there are always the "good" and the "bad."
I spent my fair share of time abroad which is why I sell internationally!
I just was trying to be fair to those that disagree with me or have had different experiences with international buyers. I too have had problems with USA buyers.
People are people are people.
not bobbysoxer on eBay
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reddeer
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posted on September 28, 2000 09:22:28 PM
Bobbysoxer .... Not much that USA Only sellers can do aboot it [little Can humour], so they might as well grin & bare it.
Works for me!
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cdnbooks
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posted on September 29, 2000 04:20:20 AM
reddeer
Must be a little more Canadian humor "grin and bare it"
Bill
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reddeer
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posted on September 29, 2000 05:48:50 AM
It was.
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