How Protected am in This Situation? Am I Missing Something?

[eyecurate]

Selling from TX, USA.

I received an offer slightly below asking for sneakers that I am selling. Buyer has 0 feedback (red flag no.1) from a year-old account. The location of the buyer is Paraguay (red flag no.2) . Normally I would decline and move on. However, these will be shipped for eBay authentication and then forwarded to the buyer. First time doing so.

Is there more protection for me as the seller as eBay is involved in both the authentication and the international side? Or will I still get scammed and eBay sides with the buyer and I lose product and money?

[redlinear]

Don't know about the verification thing.
But, international orders I welcome from a return standpoint.
   They are paying me for the item and shipping to get it to a freight forwarder.
    They are then paying others for more shipping cost, customs, taxes, etc.
If they want to return the item?  It'll cost them considerably more than it'll cost you. 
  As for the delivery?  You're responsible for getting it to the freight forwarder.  Not all the way too wherever it's going. 
(or at least that's been my experience)

[itsjustasprain]

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@eyecurate wrote:

Is there more protection for me as the seller as eBay is involved in both the authentication and the international side? Or will I still get scammed and eBay sides with the buyer and I lose product and money?

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You SHOULD have more protection since Ebay is handling the authentication and (especially) the international shipping. 

Just curious: why is Paraguay a red flag? Since you are offering international shipping in general why did you not exclude Paraguay from your list of countries? 

I would go ahead with the sale since Ebay International Shipping is what you are using. I would not ship directly to the buyer using my own shipping method (and I know you were not planning to do that) as I would be taking on the risk of a fraudulent return or damage claim. If Ebay does the authentication and international shipping then it should be less risk for you.

[ittybitnot]

You're responsible for getting it to the freight forwarder. 

@redlinear 

In this case, I would think that our OP, @eyecurate would be sending this to the authentication center.  eBay was rolling out a program where they provided a FedEx label for such purposes, but don't know the status for that.  

So, it seems if the shoes are sent to the authenticator, the authenticator will ship to the Freight Forwarder, so if the buyer claims they got the proverbial empty box, the claim will be on eBay's dime so long as the seller is aware and knows what to do should that happen.  

[eyecurate]

Not necessarily anything against Paraguay but South American and Asian countries have been an issue before, mixed in with an account with no feedback was the main concern.

This may be a dumb follow-up. My understanding is I am automatically enrolled in the eBay International Shipping Program is that correct? It's an opt-out program from what I see. 

[12345jamesstamps]

It's only an offer..."slightly below"the price.

So this buyer can't find a pair of sneakers to buy in Paraguay?

I sell to most countries. Never ever had a buyer from Paraguay yet.

No feedback...so this buyer probably won't understand why it will take so long to receive the sneakers from Texas...correct? You will be protected by eBay. However, if it is freight forward...buyer will wonder why is it taking so long. Will be a lot of emails back and forth. Sounds like more of a headache for making a sale.

If I saw the buyer buy something...anything...maybe...even if he purchased something in his own country.

Just my opinion....I prefer to sell them at going price...and maybe someone who purchased something before.

Anyway, buyer may not even be able to purchase item...not everyone's credit card goes through without a problem. I would wait for another buyer.

[erzengelb]

There is no such thing as "Seller Protection" on eBay. The policy is toothless and unenforced. You're on your own. 

[a_c_green]

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@ittybitnot wrote:

You're responsible for getting it to the freight forwarder. 

@redlinear 

In this case, I would think that our OP, @eyecurate would be sending this to the authentication center.  eBay was rolling out a program where they provided a FedEx label for such purposes, but don't know the status for that.  

So, it seems if the shoes are sent to the authenticator, the authenticator will ship to the Freight Forwarder, so if the buyer claims they got the proverbial empty box, the claim will be on eBay's dime so long as the seller is aware and knows what to do should that happen.  

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The OP lists eBay International Shipping for international purchases (after authentication), but it's not clear whether this particular buyer is using international shipping or a US-based freight forwarder.

[redmodelt]

If you don't wish to make a sale to them and was just an offer, don't reply and block the buyer. If at any point you have replied to them, they can still contact you up to 30 day after you block, so just delete the messages. https://www.ebay.com/bmgt/BuyerBlock

[slippinjimmy · Accepted solution]

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@eyecurate wrote:

Selling from TX, USA.

I received an offer slightly below asking for sneakers that I am selling. Buyer has 0 feedback (red flag no.1) from a year-old account. The location of the buyer is Paraguay (red flag no.2) . Normally I would decline and move on. However, these will be shipped for eBay authentication and then forwarded to the buyer. First time doing so.

Is there more protection for me as the seller as eBay is involved in both the authentication and the international side? Or will I still get scammed and eBay sides with the buyer and I lose product and money?

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The Authentication process is different for International orders, it only applies to a few countries (Canada for sure). Your shoe listing if the buyer has a shipping address in Paraguay will not go to the Authenticator, you would be shipping it via eBay International Shipping (if the buyer happens to have a US Shipping Address then Authentication WILL be in effect).

Under the current policies shipping via EIS is even safer for you than via the authentication system as your only obligation is to get it to the shipping hub, once there any type of claim (INR or NAD) will be handled and covered by eBay (or rejected and returned to you).

To confirm this, look at your listings, with a US (or Canada) address you will see the Authentication notice, if you change the shipping location to Paraguay the Authentication notice goes away and EIS becomes the shipping service offered.

[southern*sweet*tea]

Unless the buyer is shipping to a US address the shoes won't qualify for authenticity guarantee:

https://pages.ebay.com/authenticity-guarantee-sneakers-seller/#faq

Only items purchased on eBay.com are eligible for Authenticity Guarantee. Items that are listed on eBay.com but located outside the U.S. for delivery to a buyer located within the US may be available for Authenticity Guarantee soon—check back for updates. However, items that ship to a buyer address located in Puerto Rico, Canada or Australia are eligible (items exceeding $2,500 shipping to Australia are not currently eligible for AG). Any other buyer addresses located outside of the U.S. are not eligible for the service at this time. Unincorporated territories (incl. Guam, Virgin Islands, North Mariana Islands, American Samoa and Palau) and Armed Forces postal locations are not currently covered

[slippinjimmy]

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@ittybitnot wrote:

You're responsible for getting it to the freight forwarder. 

@redlinear 

In this case, I would think that our OP, @eyecurate would be sending this to the authentication center.  eBay was rolling out a program where they provided a FedEx label for such purposes, but don't know the status for that.  

So, it seems if the shoes are sent to the authenticator, the authenticator will ship to the Freight Forwarder, so if the buyer claims they got the proverbial empty box, the claim will be on eBay's dime so long as the seller is aware and knows what to do should that happen.  

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All sales via Authentication use a prepaid FedEx shipping label provided by eBay, it is not "rolling out" it is the way it has worked since day one of the authentication program.

Maybe I missed it but I don't think Forwarders are relevant to this thread, It may be true that the buyer has a US forwarding address but the OP did not state that.

[pjcdn2005]

@eyecurate 

If the buyer is purchasing with a Paraguay address they will not be sent to an authenticator.  That program is only for buyers located in the US, Canada or Australia.   Buyers in other countries won’t see the AG information on your listing.   Since you use EIS to ship internationally you should be fine once the sneakers reach the EIS shipping Center.

If the buyer is using a US freight forwarder than the sneakers would get sent to authentication and would work the same as f the buyer was in the US.  When a listing that goes through authentication has no returns on it, eBay states on the listing that it is a final sale and can’t be returned.

[soh.maryl]

Why is a 0 feedback buyer considered a "red flag"?

[ittybitnot]

Is there more protection for me as the seller as eBay is involved in both the authentication and the international side?

@eyecurate 

Since my last post earlier this morning, I have had time to look at this some more.  It appears your listing is NOT US only.  Instead, you use Ebay International Shipping, which makes my assumption about the Authenticity Guarantee program and a freight forwarder incorrect.   Thus, an international buyer (without a US address, which would suggest the freight forwarder scenario)  can bid/buy your products. 

The differences would be, that apparently eBay may not require that you ship to the authenticator, but likely directly to the EIS center.  I say this because I went to your listing under shipping information which has the blurb about "include shipping from the seller to the authenticator, authentication time, shipping from the authenticator to buyer" is removed from the shipping information if I change my location to an international destination.  There is no longer any mention of being shipped to the authenticator first. 

If authentication is not required (ebay likely doesn't want to pay for international shipping) then you would be under the protections outlined by the EIS program. 

Yours is an interesting question, and thank you for asking here.  Do let us know how it turns out if you accept that offer.