How to properly package and ship to a US freight forwarding address.

[mayakane-4]

Could use all the help I can get on this one. First time shipping to a forwarding adress.

So, I sold an item (Dolce & Gabbana bag. Sold it for $1,600). The buyer is located in the Hong Kong, but the adress in the paypal is a forwarding adress located in Portland, OR. 

The buyer seems trustworthy. They have already paid, have been on ebay since 2015 and have great feedback. The only thing I am worried is how to do this (shipping) correctly and not mess it up.

I am planning on either shipping in my own box, or in a Priorite Mail 2-Day Medium Flat Rate Box. Is there more security with the Flat Rate box?

How do I package the bag? I heard some people saing not to pack too heavy, don't put in multiple boxes since the forwarding company is going to repackage it? Should I not buble wrap and put patting? Should I just place the bag in the box and leave it like that?

I also heard people saying I should include SKU number/Item #. How and where do I include that? Do i just write down the number on a sticky note and stick it on the bag? 

Is signature confirmation necessary or not?

Any help and suggestion would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you

[berserkerplanet]

I'll preface this with saying that you are a prime target for being scammed with a $1600 designer bag, being new, and your low feedback score (scammers target new sellers hoping they will make mistakes), and that it's going outside the country/being reshipped which makes things messy if there is a problem.

Not much you can do though without taking a very damaging cancellation strike on your account, so.... assuming you are going to go ahead and ship:

Pack it nicely the way you would if it were a domestic shipment.

No difference between your box and a PM Flat rate box unless you would have to jam the bag to get it to fit in the Flat rate box. Domestic USPS Priority mail has a default $50 insurance coverage no matter what packaging is used.

Many reshippers want an item number on the outside so they can route to the final recipient (not all unpack/repack). If they did not explicitly specify what and where they wanted the info, just write it on the box next to the label. Good idea to also include a packing slip and/or identifying info inside just to be sure in case it does get repacked and separated from the box.

You must use signature confirmation on any sales totaling over $750.



In theory, if the reshipper loses or damages it after you get delivery confirmation and signature showing delivery to them you are in the clear. If the buyer claimed not as described, in theory you would only have to provide a return shipping label from Portland, OR to you, and the buyer would be on the hook for getting it back to Portland from wherever they are. That's in theory, and it isn't always that straightforward when PayPal and credit card companies get involved, depending on the day of the week or phase of the moon.

Others will be along shortly to explain that much better than I have.

[lja440]

I totally agree that you are a perfect target for some scammer. 

I have been on eBay since 2004 and have multiple ID's buying and selling, and all at 100% (note that buyers can ONLY get positive feedback so that amounts to nothing in vetting a buyer). Even with that I do not sell designer items and tech items as the % of scammers drastically rises in these categories. If I get these items they go into a local consignment shop. Yes I pay a much higher fee to the owner (30%) but when it sells it sells and is final, No chance of an INR or SNAD claim.

[flyerfandan999]

You are going to get scammed.

When the Buyer receives they will claim the defects that you noted, BUT INEXPLICABLY DID NOT PROVIDE PICS OF, are much worse that you described in writing so they will want a big partial refund.

DOES NOT MATTER that eBay rules say the Buyer loses protection if item is reshipped, because (a) eBay doesn't care about their own rules, just the bottom line, (b) eBay doesn't follow their own rules, and (c) least of all eBay doesn't care about Sellers.

Now that you KNOW you will be scammed, what are you going to do?

[garmentvarmint2004]

MAYA..

I am very wrorried about this  transaction.  Because you are so inexperienced,  you are  a magnet for scammers!  And because this is  such an expensive item that you are selling--you are even at more risk  than  the average seller here who sells much lower priced  merchandise.

What is worse you must have Signature Confirmation to  protect  yourself.

In addition  to  all  of  that--your buyer is using a Shipping Forwarder---to  get your item safely him

AND you are selling to a buyer in HONGKONG???

If  I were you--I would not   want  to     go through with this  sale.  Athough if you get a    Cancellation DEFECT on yourfAccount--you may  lose your entire business.