Buyer has asked for an invoice

[hippieo98]

Thank you guys so much for your support. I’m a noob here.  My next question is. A buyer sent a request for invoice but has not paid. I’m not sure what do. I don’t know how much shipping will be until I pack the item and go to the post office. I have an idea.  I was reading on the eBay community that they can scam you if you send the buyer an invoice.  

[varebelrose]

Be aware that there may be restrictions on mailing perfumes, I don't know for sure, but I think they have to go by ground only. Just a heads up.

[inhawaii]

Didn't the listing state what the shipping charges are?

[hippieo98]

Thank you. I didn’t know this.  I’ve only sold one and I did ship it ground thankfully. I bought the eBay shipping code. 

[hippieo98]

Yes 10.20-22.50 I believe. It’s standard I didn’t input the charges it was automatic 

[hippieo98]

Im still not sure what I’m supposed to be about the invoice ?? Is he asking me to send him an exact amount ?? Because the listing has the shipping as 10.20-22.50 ( most likely will be $11 or less)  I just read on the eBay community to be wary of buyers asking for invoices 

[aprilmoviebuf2000]

The buyer receives an invoice automatically from eBay.  Your choice whether to send anotherr or not, but be sure to do it via eBay only.  The only time I send invoices if for combined shipping.  Is that the case?
By the way, perfumes cannot be shipped USPS Priority.  They have to go by ground shipping only.  
And, you are selling open obviously used perfumes with the condition being New without Box.  You are setting yourself up for trouble with that.  

[simply-the-best-for-you]

The scammer problem is not with YOU sending an invoice.   The scammers typically send you a fake paid receipt, when you communciate outside of eBay to try & fake you into believing they paid.  

That is NOT what you're describing here.  It's perfectly fine for a buyer to request an invoice (though unnecessary since eBay sends one) & it's perfectly fine for you to send one, as long as all communications are going through the eBay website.  

As for shipping, you can only charge what was in the listing.   Just send the buyer an invoice through eBay, some people like to have an invoice & then if they don't pay by the 5th day, cancel the transaction with a reason of buyer didn't pay & you can relist it.   Perfumes must be shipped ground. 

[reallynicestamps]

https://postcalc.usps.com/Business/Index

You need a digital scale and a tape measure. Plus the customer's postal code.

Starfrit sells a digital kitchen scale for under $15 that weighs up to 5kilos (over 10 lbs.)

If the buyer is not seeing your shipping cost,  it is very likely he is not in a country you ship to.

You can cancel as Problem with Address.

At this point in your selling career, do not ship overseas, and have at least 10 sales under your belt before you ship to Canada.  (We're pretty calm about buying from the US here and the two postal systems are well integrated.)

[hippieo98 · Accepted solution]

Thank you. Everyone has been so helpful. I’m going to cancel due to address like you advised. I appreciate everyone’s assistance 

[hippieo98]

I just realized the shipping address is  in the US. 

[candd205]

You can send the invoice. Just don't do anything outside of eBay. Don't give your phone number, don't rely on a text, e-mail or message telling you that you have been paid, only rely on the traditional ok to ship indicated on the item. Don't add any gift cards to the order, don't change the delivery address. The request for an invoice could be a way to warm you up to cooperating with other requests that might not be legit.

[rcaspindle-4]

I agree

[dbfolks166mt]

     As reallynicestamps  mentioned get yourself a digital scale and make sure you enter the weight and dimensions of the package you are sending correctly when you create the listing. Also make sure you select the correct shipping method. The two listings you currently have posted both have priority mail as the shipping method and as aprilmoviebuf2000  mentioned you can only ship perfume via ground either UPS or USPS. 

     Don't go to the post office to purchase your shipping either create the labels in eBay or some other postal service provider like Pirate Ship the rates are heavily discounted. I can ship up to a 15  ounce package from Virginia to California for under $10 using either UPS Ground or USPS Parcel Select Ground Cubic. 

     Another option is you can simply offer free shipping and bake the cost of shipping into your item listing price. While you don't sell internationally which is probably good at the moment one thing to watch for is freight forwarder shipping addresses. If you are selling and shipping perfume or anything else that has to be shipped ground and you sell something to a buyer using a FF you should probably cancel due to a problem with address. While it's the FF's responsibility to handle the international leg they may or may not ship the item via sea transport and not sure what the liability laws would be should something go wrong if it went by air.