Expensive item purchased by new buyer with zero feedback.

[sell2fishmore]

I have a buyer that just joined, has zero feedback, the item was $1600.00.  I'm nervous to ship....How can I make sure he is legit?  On shipping page it show's "eligible for seller protection".  I read through the topic and don't see any thing that explains this situation.  Paypal also showing, "Seller Protection".

am I safe??

[ittybitnot]

The only "seller protectiion" you will have is for "item not received" if you ship with SIGNATURE confirmation to the address provided by PayPal and a "delivered" status is shown online.    You may have some additional protection via PayPal for an "unauthorized use" claim so long as your buyer does not redirect your package once shipped. 

 There is no seller protection for items not as described (SNAD or INAD) should the buyer claim there is something wrong.  Good luck!  

[emerald40]

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@sell2fishmore wrote:

I have a buyer that just joined, has zero feedback, the item was $1600.00.  I'm nervous to ship....How can I make sure he is legit?  On shipping page it show's "eligible for seller protection".  I read through the topic and don't see any thing that explains this situation.  Paypal also showing, "Seller Protection".

am I safe??

---

When the say sellerp rotection, they mean the limited things you can do that will protect you if a buyer files a case for item not received.

First, make sure payment is in your paypal account.  Do not rely on emails and a buyer does not need your email.

Wait for the OK to ship from paypal.

Since it is $1,600 - use tracking and online signature confirmation.  Mandatory.

Send it onlyto the address on his paypal account and no where else.

That is your seller protection that if a buyer files INR, you can upload tracking, show signature confirmation, and you will win.  Same if buyer files unauthorized use of his credit card.

Of course nothing will protect any of us if the buyer files SNAD.

[dougsue123b]

There are people that create accounts to buy higher priced stuff so they have full buyer protection.

They may have been buying as a guest before.

Could be someone who was looking for that item on the internet and found yours, signed up to buy it.

Could be another seller that doesnt want you to know 

Could be just a first time buyer, we were all one of those once.

I have sold stuff to zero feedback, just signed up people and never had a problem.

Just because its a zero guy doesnt mean its a scam

[ednkarens]

I wouldn't recommend shipping to a PO Box.  Also, once they pay and you get their physical address, for peace of mind, you can always Google their address and see if there is a picture of the front of their house,  If you find that their house is currently For Sale, then that might be a cause for concern.  Also, if you find that they have an apartment that looks really **bleep**.  

HOWEVER, you might find that they have a nice house and if you search their name and find them on Facebook or other social media, you'll see that thery are honest and you should feel comfortable with the transaction.

We have sold to many 0 feedback, new buyers with no problems.  We have also sold and shipped to derelict houses and apartments with no problems.  Read the sound advice that others have posted to your response and move on to the next sale! List, List, List!!!

[dougsue123b]

There is absolutely no reason to not ship to a PO box. At one time long, long ago it was a paypal issue but not anymore. PO boxes are the safest from mail theft. 

[bigchief2472000]

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@sell2fishmore wrote:

I have a buyer that just joined, has zero feedback, the item was $1600.00.  I'm nervous to ship....How can I make sure he is legit?  On shipping page it show's "eligible for seller protection".  I read through the topic and don't see any thing that explains this situation.  Paypal also showing, "Seller Protection".

am I safe??

---

You will only have "seller protection" if you're dealing with an honest buyer.  If your buyer decides to lie about something, ebay and paypal will generally take their word over any evidence that you may have.  Your only recourse would be to file a police report and work it out through the legal system.  That being said, I've sold to guest buyers and buyers with new 0 feedback accounts with no problems.  You just have to decide if you want to take that risk.

[laserpartshq]

That's a lot of Mola to risk if your feeling uncomfortable. Maybe, you should cancel the transaction.

[emerald40]

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@laserpartshq wrote:

That's a lot of Mola to risk if your feeling uncomfortable. Maybe, you should cancel the transaction.

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Uncomfortable is not a valid excuse to cancel a transation on ebay.

It will result in a defect.

Sellers need to figure this out before they list if they are willing to assume the risk.

[skatefool]

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@emerald40 wrote:

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@laserpartshq wrote:

That's a lot of Mola to risk if your feeling uncomfortable. Maybe, you should cancel the transaction.

---

Uncomfortable is not a valid excuse to cancel a transation on ebay.

It will result in a defect.

Sellers need to figure this out before they list if they are willing to assume the risk.

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How about cancelling when you are shipping to a reshipper?

[a_c_green]

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@ednkarens wrote:

I wouldn't recommend shipping to a PO Box.

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A PO Box is safer than a street address. You eliminate the risk of porch theft, the package stays safe and dry until pickup, and it can only be collected by the box holder. I sell to many rural buyers, and it's very common to see them using a PO Box instead of their own address. Some big-city buyers of mine use PO Boxes as well, to avoid theft from porches or apartment mailboxes. I've never had a problem shipping to a PO Box.

[emerald40]

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@a_c_green wrote:

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@ednkarens wrote:

I wouldn't recommend shipping to a PO Box.

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A PO Box is safer than a street address. You eliminate the risk of porch theft, the package stays safe and dry until pickup, and it can only be collected by the box holder. I sell to many rural buyers, and it's very common to see them using a PO Box instead of their own address. Some big-city buyers of mine use PO Boxes as well, to avoid theft from porches or apartment mailboxes. I've never had a problem shipping to a PO Box.

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My mailbox is across the street and so far down the road where I cannot even see it from my house.

Do you think that is safer than a PO Box.

I totally agree that PO Boxes are the safest way to go.

Not sure, but does UPS allow to ship to a PO Box?

[a_c_green]

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@emerald40 wrote: 
Not sure, but does UPS allow to ship to a PO Box?

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According to UPS, no:

> Can I use UPS to ship to a P.O. Box?

>

> UPS will only accept shipments to a valid street address. We do not

> deliver to P.O. Boxes. If a shipper should use a P.O. Box address, the

> recipient´s telephone number must be included on the label. Your

> package that is addressed to a P.O. Box may be delayed, will not be

> covered by any UPS Service Guarantee, and will require an address

> correction charge. Additionally, Army Post Office (APO) and Fleet

> Post Office (FPO) addresses are not accepted.

Ref: https://www.ups.com/us/en/help-center/sri/ship-box.page

I assume the phone number is for calling the recipient to find out where he lives.

I've also heard that you can add the post office street address to the shipping label, although I don't use UPS, so I don't know if that works to persuade the driver to drop the box at the post office.

[dtexley3]

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@skatefool wrote:

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@emerald40 wrote:

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@laserpartshq wrote:

That's a lot of Mola to risk if your feeling uncomfortable. Maybe, you should cancel the transaction.

---

Uncomfortable is not a valid excuse to cancel a transation on ebay.

It will result in a defect.

Sellers need to figure this out before they list if they are willing to assume the risk.

---

How about cancelling when you are shipping to a reshipper?

---

Actually shipping to an item to a reshipper is safer than most transactions on eBay.  Once the item is delivered to the reshipper the buyer cannot file an INR.  If they try to file a SNAD under the MBG the BUYER must purchase postage and return the item to the reshipper within 5 days, the seller only has to issue a label for postage from the reshipper to seller leg.  Damaged items are the responsibility of the reshipper, the buyer must place a claim with them, the seller is not responsible.

Most reshipper "horror stories" are because sellers don't know their rights when a reshipper is involved.  The seller is well protected by eBay and Paypal policy.

[emerald40]

I sell expensive fine jewelry.

Someone in an International country buys it using a reshipper.

He keeps the diamond ring and sends me back a gumball machine plastic ring.

For the price of $100 to send it back to the States, he now has a $5,000 diamond ring.

No thank you.  Not until Paypal catches up to ebay and no returns once it leaves the reshipper.