As a seller, can I cancel an order if a buyer seems sketchy?

[locomrloco]

I sold an item that I was going to ship in a bubble mailer. The buyer added a note saying to please ship it in a box. I responded that I can only ship in a bubble mailer and that they’re free to cancel the order if they’re comfortable with that. They responded with saying I can use any used box that I got from eBay. I responded yet again that I don’t have a box, plus I’m sure the added weight would increase my shipping price past what I listed as shipping. They haven’t responded and it’s getting close to ship date. I want to cancel the order myself as the seller, but none of the 3 choices I’m given to cancel the order match this situation. And if I cancel the order flat out, I’m sure the buyer will just leave negative feedback. But now I don’t feel I can trust this buyer to not pull something sketchy.

I don’t know what to do. 

[Anonymous]

not sure if you can do that.

[marnotom!]

eBay Order Cancellation Policy:

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/member-behaviour-policies/order-cancellation-policy?id=5298

[fern*wood]

You are selling items that cost 100s and aren't using boxes?  I'd be looking for a box if it were me.   The thing I can see the buyer "pulling" is a claim for damage.

[monica-sells]

If it's this account and your recent sale, you did not specify the shipping "container", so you can't argue that the buyer is changing the 'rules' after the fact. They are making what appears to be a simple request. A small 'box' that will even fit in the bubble mailer would probably not exceed 16 ounces, and therefore would not increase your shipping costs...

Personally, I would accomodate the buyer, but if you feel you can't, I am not sure of your alternatives.....

[chickadee8618 · Accepted solution]

A "Simple Request" to ask for a box should have been done BEFORE the purchase, not after. 

[toomuchstuffagain35]

That is NOT sketchy.

If it was the steelbook you should definitely ship that in a box well padded.

Or at the LEAST wrap it in cardboard before putting it in the mailer

[locomrloco]

That’s definitely how I see it. 

[lakefor94]

If you are not shipping those fairly pricey items in boxes, you will end up paying a price. It is imminent. 

[applied_memetics]

It appears to me you have given the buyer a chance to cancel the order if they now find the terms in which they chose to purchase the item no longer agreeable. If they do not get back to you, I would ship the item the way you stated in the listing in order to fulfill your obligations to Ebay as a seller. If upon delivery the buyer finds the shipping method unacceptable and leaves you a negative feedback, contact Ebay support. Support will be able to see that you offered the buyer ample opportunity to cancel the order and (in my experience) they will remove any unreasonable negative feedback attributed to the transaction.

The only stipulations I can foresee are if you did not clearly state your shipping methods and materials in the listing there is a decent chance Ebay may side with the buyer and the feedback will stick and/or you may have to go through the returns process.

If it were me, I would try to accommodate the buyer's request if you can find a way. Although you may lose some of the profit you had expected, you will eliminate risk to your reputation as a seller. If you are going to sell items of substantial value, you are going to want to use boxes. Hopefully the seller responds before you have to ship and you two can settle the matter amicably. 

[a_c_green]

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@locomrloco wrote:

I sold an item that I was going to ship in a bubble mailer. The buyer added a note saying to please ship it in a box. I responded that I can only ship in a bubble mailer and that they’re free to cancel the order if they’re comfortable with that. They responded with saying I can use any used box that I got from eBay. I responded yet again that I don’t have a box, plus I’m sure the added weight would increase my shipping price past what I listed as shipping. 

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You listed it as Free Shipping. I suspect that the buyer has had past experience with games in padded envelopes getting squashed, hence the request for a box. This being a $160 purchase, I'm sure they (or any other buyer) would want to receive it in the perfect condition shown in your photos.

At minimum, you could sandwich it between two layers of cardboard (with the corrugations on one side running at right angles to the corrugations on the other for maximum rigidity), and then place that in a padded envelope. You can also get cardboard mailing sleeves intended for this very purpose. 

USPS Ground Advantage is priced in 4-ounce increments below one pound, so you might even be able to add the cardboard (or go to a cardboard mailer) for the same postage cost as a plain padded envelope, if it stays within the same weight-price range. At worst it might be 50¢ to a buck more in price difference, not the end of the world, in order to protect the expensive item from damage.

[slati_2013]

Nothing sketchy about the buyer. The buyer does not want the item to arrive damaged. The USPS has boxes for DVDs you can order for free. In fact the USPS has boxes for most items. Most of my shipping use USPS boxes. Trying to save on shipping is usually not a good idea. Better pay a few extra dollars for the item to get there undamaged than end up with a return for an item that arrived damaged. 

[mementomoria]

I always ship my games and books sandwiched between cardboard or in a box depending on the value of the item and the odds of damage in mail.  I also send those items first class or priority once again based on the value to increase the spead of delivery rather than media mail. The few cents you save is not worth the trouble of damaged items. I truthfully would be ticked off if I received a pricey item in a poly bag or bobble mailer. 

[gamersbaystore]

Not true. Buyers cannot make demands of how an item is shipped period, its against ebay's policies to demand anything that was not mentioned in the listing or agreed to by the seller. ebay has sided with me every time buyers have pulled this crap.

If you call and get a rep on the phone, they will approve cancelling in a manner that does not negatively affect your account if the buyer is in fact violating ebays policies. This has been my personal experience in dealing with situations like this.

I'm not against reasonable demands from buyers either, but demanding things after the sale and not before it is not acceptable. The OP has no obligation to meet the demands their buyer is making.