posted on July 14, 2006 12:43:59 PM
I don't like to be paranoid, but I have recently quit shipping to most Asian countries. It the buyer is willing to send an International Postal money order, then of course I would sell to them.
This website from Americart gives more than enough reason to think about shipping to some areas...
posted on July 14, 2006 01:57:06 PM
I wonder if fraud's more likely to occur with high-end items. And would it depend on the item itself? This spring I sold violin music to Hungary, no problems, but the auction ended at about $20.
posted on July 14, 2006 03:17:48 PM
I didn't realize that Singapore was a problem country. I've shipped items there about a dozen times with no problem. I also frequently ship to Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong (no problems) I wouldn't ship to any of the former Soviet Union, and Nigeria. I also have shipped to the Middle East (mostly Israel and Brunei.
posted on July 14, 2006 03:26:18 PM
I have a friend's zoom lens up for auction right now and it's doing pretty well (near $160 so far). High bidder is from Hong Kong with zero feedbacks! I e-mailed him a little while ago and told him that since he's brand new, should he win, the only payment method I will accept is international money order in US$. Scary.
Albania
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Bolivia
British Virgin Islands
Canada ($1000 limit)
Cape Verde
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador ($500 limit)
Grenada
Guinea
Guyana ($500 limit)
Honduras
Jamaica
Japan
Mali
Mexico
Montserrat
Nigeria
Peru
St. Christopher (St. Kitts) and Nevis
St. Lucia
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Sierra Leone
Trinidad and Tobago
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SINCE Malaysia AIN'T listed, I'd probably ask for a BANK MO, DRAWN ON A USA BANK, in USD
posted on July 14, 2006 04:33:30 PM
I can think of very few countries where a person can't find a Western Union office and wire the money to the buyer so he can pick it up at a WU office in his town. The bottom line is, if a buyer is in a remote third world banana republic where he can't get safe greenbacks or the equivalent to the seller in a reasonable length of time, he has no business bidding in the first place and you're better off without his business.
If Murphy's law is correct, everything East of the San Andreas Fault will slide into the Atlantic
posted on July 14, 2006 05:18:23 PM
Roady - I sure hope you had that requirement in your TOS so that your buyer knew of that restriction before bidding.
That would be like getting to the counter with your credit card in hand and being told - sorry, you have to pay with Canadian Tire Money (CTM) - go find some of that and come back again -- wouldn't it?
If everyone hasn't read up on CTM on the wikipedia link that sthoemke just put up -- you should. Sounds a lot like the old Green Stamps. But, hey, eBay says it's okay to ask for it - but you can't ask for U.S. Currency, right? (If you're trying to make any sense of this, stop right now - go hug your significant other -- that would be Ralphie, Tom -- and you'll be better off tonight.
Wayne
Never explain -- Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
~ Elbert Hubbard
posted on July 14, 2006 06:28:35 PM
Singapore is not the problem,it is the Indonesians who claim to be in Singapore which is the problem.
Take a look at the address they give you,second last line will have the city in Indonesia ,followed by 'ID'.
The last line will say Singapore,and the Singapore post office will forward the mail to Indonesia.
Malaysia is right next to Singapore,so its mail will also be forwarded.
it does not always work out that way,sometimes it gets returned to the states.
posted on July 14, 2006 07:28:49 PM
That's an easy one. I wouldn't trust any piece of paper, be they check, cashier's check, money order, International money order, even a bank transfer is no good. Just write the bidder back and tell them the only acceptable payment is cash or hash in an envelope. Usually I send back an e-mail advising them to place the cash in a box. Attach the box to a large balloon. Bring the box and balloon to a tall building, like a prison. Then, let it go. When I recieve the box I'll send the goods.
posted on July 14, 2006 09:05:31 PM
He wrote back to me and this is what he said:
In your listing you mentioned that paypal is the accepted payment method. Till todate my feedback is excellent from US ebayer
They received speedy payment and I received my items in due course. This is how I pay and I'm GENUINE.
Please tell me more.
I wrote back to him and said:
I'm sorry but accepting payment for International transaction is a risk for me because if something happens to the package then you can do a charge back against my paypal account and I'm not about to have that happen. There are only some countries that I know the USPS delivery is safe but I don't feel that way about your country.
This has nothing to do with you personally it is the postal system in your country.
There are other forms of payment if you still want to bid on this item, but paypal is not offered, Again i'm sorry but this is the way it has to be.
tonimar1
and I forgot to mention I offer paypal to USA bidders .......I tell International bidders to contact me.
IHe only has 8 feedbacks.........lol
toni
[ edited by tonimar1 on Jul 14, 2006 09:08 PM ]
posted on July 15, 2006 02:37:04 AM
Okay folks I feel I should set the record straight here. Malaysia isn't some Asian hotbed of fraud like neighbouring Indonesia. There are a number of international banks in KL that can issue a USD bank check payable on their US branch (usually in NYC) that you can negotiate at any US bank free of charge.
International money orders aren't easily obtainable in the region, even in next door Singapore, the financial hub of S.E. Asia. Basically money orders are almost extinct outside the USA since almost everyone has embraced electronic banking and EFTPOS - which is usually free. Most of Europe (well the ever growing EU) enjoys free, cross-border, same-day bank transfers so no need of slow, paper-based systems like money orders or checks (except in France).
FYI I've had about 25+ eBay transactions with buyers in Singapore and Malaysia without trouble so far, mind you no PayPal: bank draft or bank check only (preferably on HSBC or an international bank group).
posted on July 15, 2006 08:39:41 AM
How much is involved?
If he is willing to pay EMS or Fed Exp intl or UPS intl,you will get online tracking to satisfy Paypal.
But if it is a lot of money,and he files chargeback and Paypal lost despite the tracking number,Paypal would just take it out of your account.
Or if it turns out to be a fraudulant card,there is no seller protection no matter how you ship.
Tell him to send cash via registered mail.
