Buyer sent message wanting to cancel because of failure to read shipping exclusions

[cooprr]

As a new seller, I tried to cover my bases and because of my past experience as a buyer not being able to receive Paypal purchases at a PO Box, I set up my shipping exclusions to include PO Boxes, as I accept Paypal. Having no experience on how payment systems work related to shipping addresses, my settings for payment saying Paypal accepted means that I only accept Paypal. I need to be straightened out on this if I am incorrect.

A zero experience buyer (account opened one day prior to auction ending) sent a message stating she/he has attempted to pay but cannot because of my shipping exclusion to PO Boxes and cannot find it anywhere in my listing, and wants the transaction cancelled IF I will not ship to PO Box.

I replied with instructions to find See Exclusions and asked for a reply after she/he reviews the listing and ebay policies.

Should I:

Cancel the transaction per buyer request? -> contact second highest bidder for second chance?

Let the 3 day payment timeframe run out and report non-buyer?

Thank you to those who assist the newly-confused sellers!

[emerald40]

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@readabouthorses wrote:

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@emerald40 wrote:

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@readabouthorses wrote:

From the time I started using PayPal when it first started until I moved in August 2011 all of my purchases were sent to a PO Box because I had no mail delivery (heck, I didn't even have a physical address the PO would accept ... it didn't exist).

Back when I first signed up to use PayPal both as a buyer and seller they would not accept a PO Box as your physical address when you were registering your account. Since I had no physical address the PayPal person who monitored the boards (Damon) helped me set it up with an exception to allow my PO Box as my physical address for registration. Maybe that is the thing people are thinking about when they say they don't accept PO Boxes .... thinking about the registration part and not the where is my package going part.

There are too many people on eBay using a PO Box for it to be a problem accepting payments.

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+1

I am reading more of that old thread and you nailed it.

But unfortunately I found another thread where that confusion was accepted as fact.

I did find it odd because Post Office boxes are the safest way to go imo.

But I do have a question, when the item is over $750 who signs for it.  

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I don't know how other POs work but at my old PO where I had my box if something came that needed a signature they kept it back behind the counter and put a slip in the box that you had a pickup at the counter and then you signed for it when you picked it up, even if it was an envelope that would have fit in the PO Box.

______________________________________________

That would make much more sense.

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[myboardid]

IMO you have made a huge and ridiculous mistake.  This was a good experienced buyer who might have turned into a great long term customer.  You have made him very angry, while he has been attempting to work with you and get the problem solved.  Yes, his frustration showed, but so what?  It shouldn't have happened in the first place. 

[readabouthorses]

@myboardid

Since we are talking shipping this is sort of a related question on the OP's listings ...

can those perfumes and colognes be shipped by Priority Mail? I thought those all had to be shipped by some ground method?

[emerald40]

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@myboardid wrote:

IMO you have made a huge and ridiculous mistake.  This was a good experienced buyer who might have turned into a great long term customer.  You have made him very angry, while he has been attempting to work with you and get the problem solved.  Yes, his frustration showed, but so what?  It shouldn't have happened in the first place. 

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You really should address these types of posts to the OP rather than me.

But since you addressed it to me - the OP made a mistake in not thinking you could have paypal and a PO box.  And I would agree with you that he easily could have accommodated this buyer.

But imo this buyer has become way too aggresive in her response to the situation as to being someone I would want to deal with.

[d-k_treasures]

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@myboardid wrote:

My address is a PO box and always has been.  I accept Paypal and I also buy with Paypal, there has never been an issue with the PO Box since the first day Paypal existed.  So I don't care what you heard about no PO Boxes, it is just plain wrong.  They are perfectly fine. 

As to your buyer, ask him to put a physical address down on his Paypal payment, and for him to email you the PO Box number and you will ship it there.  You cannot change the auction at this point. 

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^^ This. Although I do believe that you can change that setting after the fact - I remember asking a few sellers who didn't realize that they had that restriction after an auction ended and I couldn't pay, and I'm thinking you can change it in the invoice.

Even if you shipped to my physical address using USPS, it will go to my PO box. That's all I've ever had with PayPal. The only problem is that PP wouldn't ship me my new debit card to a PO box since a few years ago - so now I don't have one of those anymore.

[a_c_green]

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@emerald40 wrote:

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@a_c_green wrote:

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@emerald40 wrote: 
I did find it odd because Post Office boxes are the safest way to go imo.

But I do have a question, when the item is over $750 who signs for it.  

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The recipient. He'll find a pickup notice in the PO Box, at which point he'll need to go to the counter, show ID and sign for the package.

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Not sure I am understanding as I never had a PO box.  Can you get into your own box or does the post office do it for you?

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The post office fills your PO Box from in back (they're literally boxes mounted in the wall), and you can retrieve your mail from the front, on the lobby side, once you open the individual door via the relevant combination or key. For items that either won't physically fit in the box or will require a signature, you will find a pickup notice, which you will have to take to the counter during business hours.

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And if it is the former what is to stop someone from going around the counter, not signing for it, and then trying to pull a scam using it as an excuse to get their money back?

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Um, that won't happen, unless we're talking burglary here.  The bottom line is that for Signature Confirmation, you still have to sign for the package, whether it's on your doorstep or inside the post office.

[tev4all]

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@cooprr wrote:

So lessons learned:

I cancelled the transaction per buyer's request in her first message saying "if I cannot have it shipped to my PO, then cancel my order" and this comes in:

"With respect, you're being incredibly rude and intentionally unprofessional.

Now, how can we save this transaction and how can you accommodate me? Let's have a happy ending, please."

Not a fan of being barked at, judged and then asked to be accommodating. Intuition screaming. Again.

When can I stop replying to someone?

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Now would be a good time. 

DO NOT delete the original message from buyer asking for you to cancel due to their not reading the full terms of sale. You may need this later. 

[cooprr]

As a newly-confused seller, I came to sell in good faith.

A zero experience buyer states "where does is say you don't ship to PO?" "If not PO, then cancel"

I respond with direction where to find.

Buyer then touts they are 5000+ feedback, now buying something rare - from me - and escalates verbally.

I cancel order per their original message.

I receive verbal slap and then pat on head to behave.

Sellers and buyers - we are all humanity. Different rules of how buyers are allowed to treated sellers and vice versa in a virtual marketplace. 

People behave with more dignity face to face.

Discovering choices.

[dangre_1]

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@cooprr wrote:

So lessons learned:

I cancelled the transaction per buyer's request in her first message saying "if I cannot have it shipped to my PO, then cancel my order" and this comes in:

"With respect, you're being incredibly rude and intentionally unprofessional.

Now, how can we save this transaction and how can you accommodate me? Let's have a happy ending, please."

Not a fan of being barked at, judged and then asked to be accommodating. Intuition screaming. Again.

When can I stop replying to someone?

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Right now why would stop replying.

Consider putting this buyer on your blocked bidders list https://pages.ebay.com/services/buyandsell/biddermanagement.html

[imakesugar]

There are 2 different problems here.

#1) If It is the Buyers problem with Pay Pal then they need to go in their PP account and give them a legitimate street address to open and maintain the account. That does Not mean that My P.O.Box can't be shipped to or used to get items on eBay. PP does want a regular street address just as My state drivers license needs a street address...

#2) is a setting in the account settings where the SELLER won't ship to P.O. Boxs. I don't know why Sellers who ship with USPS have this box checked off. Like above posters said it is very safe! No one can steal anything I get from a PO box. It is actually the very BEST way to send out packages and get a Delivery confirmation.

If a package gets lost on the way to MY box then it is not because it had anything to do with anyone else besides USPO. Saying that If it is stolen before it gets to my box then it was a USPS employee who stole it (normally I doubt that this happens often) or it really did get lost...Then ANY Seller will get their money back on Priority free insurance OR Paid for insurance. You don't have to try and prove ANYTHING...Like it got stolen.,It was delivered but... This alone gives Sellers a more secure option that just a street address. 

On My Return merchandise address I have ONLY MY  PO box for returns. Then I can open the item sent and IF I get bricks or any other thing that was NOT purchased then I can get an account from the PO master right then and there and file a report. 

The real unbelievable thing about all this is that IN MY TOWN where I live in RURAL MN, I can Only get mail through the PO. Even when I have to put down a street address (which is only used by UPS, Fedex etc) and You request a Street address, My post office automatically keeps the packages AT the PO for me to pick up. They will not ship ITEM to My street address as I don't have that listed as getting mail there. It is ONLY A PHYSICAL ADDRESS where I live at. NOT A MAILING ADDRESS. 

So, check Your settings...You might be loosing lots of business by NOT sending to a PO box...Of course I do know that some items come by FEDEX, UPS, then it is delivered to My door. I like it when Items come by My PO box so the best Sellers have a choice on IF I want it sent by UPS OR USPS. then I can pay more to have it sent that way. 

[the_fancy_fox]

You do know that some places don't have physical address or mail delivery? My mother in law lives in a town where there is only PO boxes.

if PayPal says your covered, it's no different than a regular address. Personally, I think they are safer.

[dangre_1]

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@emerald40 wrote:

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@cooprr wrote:

So lessons learned:

I cancelled the transaction per buyer's request in her first message saying "if I cannot have it shipped to my PO, then cancel my order" and this comes in:

"With respect, you're being incredibly rude and intentionally unprofessional.

Now, how can we save this transaction and how can you accommodate me? Let's have a happy ending, please."

Not a fan of being barked at, judged and then asked to be accommodating. Intuition screaming. Again.

When can I stop replying to someone?

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That time is now.  Ignore and block.

Now as to the future, do you want to continue to block post office boxes knowing that you can accept them with paypal.  If so there may be some exclusion you can click on in your shipping category.

I just cannot remember.  I block post office boxes because I exclusively use fed ex.

But in my opinion they are a lot safter than the porch or what I have - a community box way down the street.

But I am again asking this question -

Who signs for an item over $750?

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For an item that requires a signature a package slip is placed in their mailbox and I have to go to the counters to sign for it.

[dougsue123b]

There is no reason to not ship to a P.O. box. I do it all the time.

[imakesugar]

Your imagination is running away with You...I don't know how anyone could go behind the counter and pick up a parcel that asks for a signature confirmation...Isn't that a felony? As small as MY PO is I don't think I could usually find My package...delivery confirmation ONLY ITEMS are put in a large box and a key is put in My smaller box and I open it up and then the packages are there. They are confirmed when the PO master PUTS them in the larger box...

[fern*wood]

How you handle your buyer at this point is, of course, entirely up to you.  When I find myself in a hole, though, I stop digging.

Personally, if I find I have messed up and unjustly inconvenienced a buyer, I apologize and try to work it out.  I guess I look at their annoyance differently if I am at fault.   You are free to block, but there is nothing to stop them from buying under another ID if they really want your item.  If they then try to mess with you, you will have to deal with getting ebay to handle.