posted on September 19, 2001 12:24:59 AM
bidder on postage! My auction ad states that shipping this antique widget is 6.00 in US, and 10 Dollar in Canada ( I checked at the post office before posting the auction). Well the auction closes for 200.00 on Sunday! I emailed my EOA , which asks please give me your address so I can began to pack the item,and please tell me if you are in the U.S or not. The guy emails saying he is leaving town Monday morning, wount be able to be on the computer until Friday, so please email the total now!
So I did, and I instructed postage of 6.00 plus insurance of 3.00. Well I get a email from this guy on Tuesday night (I thought he was out of town?) and his bidpay money order confirmation! HE IS IN CANADA! His email said well I am in Canada so no need to insure it, mail it first class air mail!
There is NO WAY THIS WILL FLY FOR AIRMAIL at 6.00!! My auction page, and TOS stated what Canadian air mail shipping was! Should I kindly ask him to send the remaining 4.00? Or would that piss him off? Also I am suspicious that if he can pull this stunt off, and keeps mentioning doesnt need insurance, I am worried he might say "I didnt get the widget!". What should I do? I used to eat up things like this when a out of country bidder pulls this stunt, but I've had enough!
posted on September 19, 2001 01:21:33 AM
Well, you could:
A) E-mail him and explain what your TOS stated.
You were e-mailing the total to him as a courtesy as he had requested and only later found ot that he was from Canada--keep it nice.
Wait for him to respond. Maybe he'll send the extra $$$ and maybe not. Either way, move on to option
B) Evaluate your profit margin and satisfaction with the sale and final price. If you are happy, eat the $4 loss and ship the item.
C) Refuse to ship the item until he sends the extra funds (assuming he responds negatively to
Option A). If he still refuses--refund
his payment--I would give him the full amount
back because he will probably be pissed off
and cause you grief if you do not.
Then file for FVF fees etc. Choose whether
or not to leave feedback etc.
There is always a chance that he didn't read
your TOS too closely (not uncommon)
In the future, when offering to ship internationally, instead of assuming they
are from the U.S., do what I do. I automatically assume that all my bidders are
internationals and charge them appropriate
shipping. Wait and see if the bidder will respond--if he/she doesn't realize
that his city in Nebraska is not a part of Canada or that Vermont is no longer a colony of the Austrailian crown I am happy to make
some extra $$$
posted on September 19, 2001 05:52:09 AM
I'm in Canada. A spokesperson from Canada Post was being interviewed on the radio a few minutes ago. Currently no mail is sent by air to or from the U.S. It is all being trucked.
posted on September 19, 2001 06:26:26 AM
i sent several items to canada monday via global priority. since they do not offer del. confirmation i opted to purchase for 75 cents a proof of mailing........
i would wait until i recv'd the m.o and then email telling him he owed you the balance. hew could mail it the cash to you...most canadians have a stash of U.S money ubder their mattress........he can not stop a bidpay once the confirmation has been sent to you.
posted on September 19, 2001 06:52:39 AM
I have just been in a similar situation where my canadian buyer said the $150 item had not arrived and it was NOT insured.
While your situation is annoying for the principal of the thing, if you look at the financial situation you are not really in that bad a position.
I would pay the extra shipping and send it because after all, $4 is a very small percentage to save the sale of a $200 item.
When you actually have the money from the buyer, I would then politely explain the situation and ask for the extra $4. Even if you do not get it, they can only say no !
Due to my own experience, I would also strongly strongly STRONGLY advise you to pay for the insurance yourself because if this buyer is sneaky enough to take you for $4 when they are already paying $200, they are very capable of saying it never arrives. If you have no protection, you will then be in a $200 dispute where you may end up paying for at least half of it !
Of course, what you do is your choice, but that is my advice from my experiences.
Good luck !
