posted on January 23, 2001 05:12:15 PM
I just had a bidder email me to ask if I would send the item via media(formerly known as bookrate). The item is not a book, tape, or CD.
I emailed her back that it was against postal regulations to send items book rate that are not books or other media.
I'm not willing to get in trouble with the feds just so someone can save a few cents. Now I'm wondering if I have set myself up for a negative. I am saving the email and am considering forwarding it to safeharbor.
Should I send the email to safeharbor or wait. I definately am not going to risk trouble with postal authorities.
posted on January 23, 2001 05:15:50 PM
i would sit back and wait for a day or two. then email the bidder with the total price to include proper shipping. if bidder doesn't want to abide by that, then NPB and forward the exchange of emails to safeharbor.
my .02 worth
posted on January 23, 2001 06:39:40 PM
Don't do it. You will be held responsible.
The P.O. can open the package to verify the contents. That happened to me last week. Of course, since I was mailing a book, it passed inspection. Today, I received a package of books I had ordered and it, too, was opened for inspection.
Trust me....just follow the postal regulations and life will be less stressful for you. Your buyer is out of line on this one. Repeat: don't do it.
Edited because I need to say: Oops. I didn't read clearly that you have already decided against this action. My bad. I don't know if safeharbor will care, but I don't think I would want to work with this bidder again.
[ edited by misscandle on Jan 23, 2001 06:41 PM ]
posted on January 23, 2001 10:50:10 PM
I just did a search on this bidder and discovered that in her auctions, she is offering media rate on her auctions (mostly clothes and baby stuff).
She has a feedback of 88 so I think she would know better, but maybe she doesn't.
My inclination is to cancel since she cannot comply with terms of sale. The whole thing makes me nervous.
posted on January 23, 2001 11:02:38 PM
Well, do you know for a fact that she "cannot comply with terms of the sale?"
If I were in your shoes I would simply tell her what I tell my international customers who ask me to fudge on the Customs forms: "I'm sorry I cannot accommodate your request. I'm sure you will understand. Shipping will be $___ for a total of $___." Period, end of discussion. I've never had a customer argue with me past that point.
It's your call whether to turn her into SafeHarbor. Personally, I wouldn't.
posted on January 23, 2001 11:10:43 PM
So go ahead a lie to the bidder.
Ebay isn't my full time job, since I work for the USPS it would be a serious matter if I was caught. The U.S. Postal Service employs over 800,000 individuals nationwide.
There's a half lie you could tell the bidder, okay, so you aren't an employee, but there are 800,000 thousand of them.
posted on January 24, 2001 05:56:47 AM
Cassie -
I'd inform that seller that media mail is for books, CDs, videos, and computer-readible media ONLY, and that you do not misuse postal services because it's a federal offense. Persons who habitually mis-use the USPS can get hit with a massive postage-due bill, fines, and even jail time. My PO clerks were snickering about a business that habitually sent their gadgets out "book rate", and was hit with a $10,000 fine plus postage due. The clerks spotted the fraud, and the inspectors told them to specifically what was in the packages. Sender said "books", XRAY said "gadgets", inspection proved gadgets, and USPS kept track for a few weeks to prove deliberate deception, then filed charges.
If as a buyer they are not willing to pay the LEGAL rate, they can leave a negative for high postage, but the logical response is: "retaliation: didn't want to pay the legal USPS postage for this item". I would go throuigh with the sale, but hold the FB on the buyer to give you one shot at them if they get snarky about paying parcel post rates.
The first time a buyer has to pay the difference between Media Mail and Parcel Post because a seller mis-uses the rates, the seller usually gets an IRATE negatuive FB. OR, the buyer can REFUSE the package and the seller gets hit with 2X the correct postager AND gets chewed out by their own PO AND probably gets a negative from the buyer anyway!
posted on January 24, 2001 07:39:44 AM
Tell them that the mail method/rate is not subject to negotiation and that you will forward any further request to safeharbor and the Postal authorites;and that you can't afford a felony conviction to save them a few pennies.
