Blocking Selected States or Zip Codes from Buying

[pf9000]

Is it possible to block some of the States or specific zip codes? For example, there are a few States where people have a different culture, and will be problem buyers. They don't understand what someone in California wrote in the description. Or they thought the words had said something different. They are not happy with the transaction, and now they want to return the item. Another example would be a fragile item, and the further away it ships, the greater the risk of damage. And also the weather is sometimes an issue. I don't want to sell to someone in the middle of a storm or blizzard with road closings and evacuations. So I would like to be able to block those states or areas from buying, during those events. Is there a way to do that?

[soh.maryl]

I think he means Idaho, Connecticut and Louisiana.

It would be so mean to deprive those people of their right to buy pineapple candy.  

[heckofagame]

Ouch, that hurts. 

[cardxcraft]

Or, maybe you're too sensitive.  Goes both ways.  

[cardxcraft]

You're taking this way too serious 

[cardxcraft]

I'm going against the lemmings, and not just for the sake of it.  If the seller doesn't want to sell to certain countries, or states, that his or her perogative; and not a violation of Civil Rights laws...  

That has last line has to be the mother of all .....comments.  

[soh.maryl]

Pretty sure the OP's original question was intended to be serious.  

[brightlightbookseller]

Very few of the responses so far have been intended to be serious, however.  For good reason.

[pf9000]

I don't appreciate it when a customer makes demands for a full refund when the merchandise was delivered on time as described and as shown in the pictures. My rating as a seller is being threatened by Negative Feedback and the cost to return it is not worth it, so the buyer gets to keep the merchandise for free.  I believe that was the buyers plan all along. Certain areas are more prone to this type of dishonest behavior.

[buyselljack2016]

We just had a thread along these lines recently. (not sell to Zips, locales) Difference is the seller was on the other coast.

Short answer is, no there is no eBay provision to block selected areas other than AK, HI, protectorates, and international.

Recent poster attempted that by using a "warning" in the listings, and eBay was less than pleased, (earned a short seller restriction) so such a disclaimer about where a buyer can be located would not be advised.

I was once told (maybe more than once) to avoid confusion (or attempt that) to write it so that a 5 year old would understand it 😁 Even that, may, or may not help.

If you do not wish to take chances on shipping to some locations, for whatever reasons,  ...................  you could cancel as OOS to avoid issues and take your lumps.

[hartungcards]

You may want to post a request on the Technical Issues board asking if eBay can add a "Don't Sell to Areas Prone to Dishonest Behavior" option to the Seller Preferences menu.

[pf9000]

If I could limit some sales exclusively to California, than I don't have to deal with those issues involved with a seller located far away.  The farther away the buyer is located, the higher the shipping costs involved and the greater the chance of damage occurring in shipment. The far away customers are more likely to suffer from Buyer Remorse. Poorer States are more subject to initiating returns. There are certain places where people will want to initiate a return because they didn't feel the merchandise was worth the total cost, based upon the high cost of shipping. Especially when the box was thrown around by the delivery carrier. A gift given to a person in a damaged box as a Birthday Present makes the person feel like what's inside is compromised, even if upon opening the box, the contents meets the description provided in the listing. When a box arrives at your front door looking as though it has been through a terrible ordeal, the likelihood of a return is increased based upon the outer appearance of the box. That's why I don't want to send certain products so far away.

[the_fancy_fox]

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@inhawaii wrote:

If I could, I would block buyers from North Dakota.   😉

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Yeah, northern Montana for sure.

Kidding aside, I understand what he’s saying. Depending on what items he sells. 

Back when I was selling clothing I got a pallet partially full of… the best I can describe it is gang banger clothing.  And I had more trouble with those clothes than all the others I sold. Way too many sales went south, people claiming it didn’t arrive, was damaged, wasn’t what they ordered, negotiations after the sale, etc… 

I figured out this line of stuff wasn’t where I wanted to go and I flushed about 200 pieces  pieces of clothing to the good will. 

The solution isn’t to ban zip codes or states, it’s not to sell those items that will be high risk sales. I won’t sell phones or electronic items.  Clothing I won’t even bother with anymore. Others may have more risk tolerance than I do. 

[buyselljack2016]

Certain areas are more prone to this type of dishonest behavior.

----------------------------------------------------

I have no stats to disprove your theory, but I expect that the .1% of buyers that fall into that category are likely pretty evenly spread "from sea to shining sea".

[the_fancy_fox]

I looked at the OP’s listings and I don’t see tv repair manuals as being high risk… 

am I missing something?

[1tuna]

certain posters used to mention they did not want to ship to certain zip codes in New York.

I think it was too much stealing

others have tried to block certain zip codes in NY when covid was rampant

this was due to the slow delivery in parts of NY.

I happen to like New York New Jersey and I live in PA.

all three states have an abundance of watches to buy and sell

@pf9000