posted on March 23, 2001 06:15:46 PM new
My guess is the buyer wants you to mail the item COD; the buyer will then give the carrier a check that will then be forwarded to you.
Kinda like an escrow, except you could end up with a NSF check.
posted on March 23, 2001 07:00:19 PM new
At the USPS website, click on Service Guide and use "COD" as keyword.
From what I gather, you pay the COD fee and then add it to the amount to be collected by the carrier. The check can be either made payable to you, or made out to "CASH" and the USPS will then send you a Postal Money Order.
COD fee's start at $4.50 for up to $50 value.
I'd go to the local post office and ask before deciding how to handle this one.
posted on March 23, 2001 07:58:36 PM new
You take the package to UPS, ship it, pay the regular shipping charges + COD Fee ($6.00). UPS delivers the package, picks up the check and UPS mails it to you. UPS does not usually accept checks unless you specifically authorize them to pick up the check made payable to you. If you do not specifically authorize the check, UPS will require the buyer to pay cash and then UPS will mail you a money order.
I used UPS because that is the carrier you mentioned, but all carriers will be basically the same with slight differences in the fees of course.
posted on March 23, 2001 09:04:00 PM new
It sounds like he wants you to send the merchandise COD, and he'll give the carrier a company check to give you (a business check, as opposed to a personal check---both of which can bounce).
I don't like the sounds of this at all. If you agree to send it COD, require a cashier's check, money order or cash.
If the buyer is afraid of being defrauded and that's why he doesn't want to send you the payment FIRST, then use I-Escrow (with him paying the fees) and give him 24 hours to approve the merchandise before releasing the funds to you.
If like most auctions I have seen, you selected or defaulted to 'Seller ships upon payment', then I think this person has no right to want to change the terms after the fact. If this is the way they normally do business, why didn't they contact you before bidding to ask you about it?
You have mentioned his rating, what about yours? Is it so low, or derogatory as to cause distrust.To my knowledge, this is not the normal way to do auction business. I would be very leery of completing the transaction in the manner this buyer wants.
If I did have any idea that I would do anything like this, I would certainly contact some of those that left feedback for him and ask for reference. The feedback can often be deceiving.
These are just my opinions naturally, I don't know any of the details of the buyer or transaction, but again I would be leery of this total departure from procedure after the auction has closed.
yeah, typos!
[ edited by jimhhow on Mar 24, 2001 03:55 PM ]
posted on March 28, 2001 06:26:35 PM new
I would proceed with caution when dealing with a COD transaction. I did this ONCE and only ONCE, at the request of a bidder several years ago. The bidder was anxious to receive the item and requested that I ship it via USPS Express Mail...which I did that day.
The bidder refused delivery of the package and the package was returned to me. I was out the cost of shipping + the COD fee, but I suppose I should've felt lucky that I at least got the item back.
When I emailed the bidder and questioned the reason for the delivery refusal, she said she'd "changed her mind".
posted on March 29, 2001 01:39:49 PM new
If you dont offer COD (Cash On Delivery) Re-translate it to Calling Off Deal! If it is not stated that you deal with cod's the buyer has nerve to ask you to do this. Save the letter, forward it to yahoo's feedback, then cancel buyers bids if you dont want to do things that way.
You are the seller, set guidelines that are convenient for you, dont let someone change the way you sell, once you give in, you will only be subjected to more problems like this since buyers spread the word just like sellers do!
On the other hand, I just sold an item, the bidder responded with, "I will send payment and shipping information in May when my auctions close" This person did not have the courtesy to tell me they were outside the US, then expected me to hold items for 6 weeks while they stold my photo's and put item up for re-sale elsewhere, they planned on paying after ( IF ) they resold item.
Not in this life, item went to the next high bidder and the original slacker was blacklisted.
