International buyer issue

[noelbeast55]

Hello all,

I found a post similar to my issue, but still unsure what to do. 

I sold about 10 years ago on eBay and just restarted. The game has changed a bit, I see. I did not do enough to restrict international buyers from buying my items here in the US, but that’s changed now for all future items I’ll sell. 

Issue:

Someone in Brazil messaged me about an item I was selling, asking if I would ship to Brazil (I only listed domestic shipping and didn’t check the international shipping box—thought that was enough at the time). I didn’t see his message in time, and the Brazilian won, but hasn’t yet paid. Their account is brand new, no ratings, feels like potential scam. 

For an an almost identical issue another user posted 2 years ago, it was suggested that they send an invoice to the buyer with the international rates for shipping, and if they don’t pay, problem solved. Makes sense to me, but how do I get the buyer’s email address to send him an invoice? Just message him for it? I’m reluctant to reply to his message until I know exactly how to proceed and keep myself safe. 

i also saw how people were saying I should change my PayPal settings to accept US currency only. I don’t see that as an option in PayPal (normal user), but I can add other currencies. Can I safely assume that if I don’t add currencies, PayPal won’t accept anything other than US currency? 

Thanks for any help offered!

[birdsflowersanddogs]

As far as the Paypal thing I had to open a business account and then restrict it to US dollars only. Buyers from outside the US can still bid on your items, but they won't be able to pay. If you try to limit it through Ebay they only use the shipping address to determine if it is international or not. The problem with that is the freight forwarders are using US addresses so Ebay lets it go through. You can send an invoice to the buyer that won the auction with the international rate on it.

[noelbeast55]

Appreciate the insight! I’ve heard that about the business account, but I’m a pretty small seller on the side; sounds like PayPal does an automatic currency conversion if anything. 

So sending the invoice: any advice on how to get his email, or is it literally just me messaging him for the contact? 

[birdsflowersanddogs]

You should be able to send the invoice through Ebay.

[noelbeast55]

I see that now, missed before because I was looking on my phone. 

So I could ship the item to Brazil with USPS for $15, but shipment would not qualify for ebay seller protection (no tracking or delivery confirmation), which I feel is the linchpin of this potential scam: he claims he never got the package, I’m out the item and cost of shipping. I feel confident this is going to happen considering that the buyer is using a brand new account with no ratings and he wants me to ship directly to Brazil. 

Potential solution: I can send him an invoice for UPS shipping of about $150 (with tracking and signature confirmation). I believe that this would cause him to back out of transaction, which is what I ultimately want. All this effort to preserve my below 40 excellent rating. 

Thoughts on the UPS solution? 

Thanks!

[missjen831 · Accepted solution]

@noelbeast55 You don’t need to ship UPS. You can ship USPS to Brazil and have seller protection. They are an e-Delcon country. If the item is under 4lbs you can ship first class international and have tracking. If you ship UPS the buyer will probably be charged brokerage fees & not be too happy about that and that could pose a problem for you.ebay would cover you but PayPal would not if he refused the package and filed INR.

[noelbeast55]

Hi Jen,

Thank you for the information! I asked at my local USPS if there was any tracking available to a foreign country and was told no, so I’ll go back tomorrow and ask again using the details you provided. Appreciate it!

[buyselljack2016]

@noelbeast55

Not saying your buyer is a scammer, but isf they were the cost of shipping would not deter them. You would be refunding selling price, and anything they pay for shipping.

Never "email" a buyer.  Always keep all contact in eBay mssaging.

I think the tracking that Jen mentioned for Brazil is a recent change/addition(this year?)

Also supposedly Brazil customs delays have been reported to be less of a problem. I can not confirm that.

In the past some things were reportedly tied up in customs so long that buyers got refunds when the estimated delivery was exceeded.

Your PO probably gave an answer just based on "foreign Country".  1St class does not have tracking to all countries.

[sam9876]

I wouldn't ship a rock to Brazil.

[banana*shoe*boutique]

---

@sam9876 wrote:

I wouldn't ship a rock to Brazil.

---

I agree with this.  

and to the OP, if you don't want to ship to Brazil, don't.  Your listing did not accept International shipping.

I could be totally wrong on this but I would do nothing.  Wait for them to pay.  If they do and use the Brazil address, cancel order for "problem with address" and if the don't pay, file an unpaid bidder.

[noelbeast55]

Thanks all for further comments. Buyselljack, I thought the USPS told me no tracking even for Brazil, but I’ll double check. 

Sam and banana, I agree with you, I don’t want to ship there, but I’ve seen on other comments that since I didn’t specifically exclude certain countries from shipping, I could still be held accountable to ship to them. I personally thought that by only marking domestic shipping that that was enough, but not according to others. 

I could potentially do nothing. He messaged me actually before the auction ended to ask if I would ship to Brazil, and then bid up (actually beyond my buy it now price) and won the auction without my answer. I still haven’t replied, he hasn’t paid. 

I suppose I could just continue to do nothing? I don’t necessarily like it, I really do want to be a good seller, but this whole thing is just fishy to me, and even losing $25 isn’t a big deal, but it’s more of a principle thing. I don’t like people potentially taking advantage of a system to cheat someone else. 

So maybe just...do nothing?

[missjen831]

Do nothing. The buyer can’t pay unless he’s got a US address. Brazil isn’t as unsafe to ship to as it was but I too wouldn’t ship there. Not unless it was a low value sale ($40 and under for me). 

[southern*sweet*tea]

---

@sam9876 wrote:

I wouldn't ship a rock to Brazil.  anywhere south of Texas

---

[cka197818]

You and me both!!! I ship International but I will no longer ship to Brazil. Things have a tendency of getting "lost". If you ship First Class, there is no tracking. Packages are held in customs for extended period of time. Buyer claims they never received item and as long as it says "in transit" or "held in customs", buyer will get their refund.

[missjen831]

---

@cka197818 wrote:

You and me both!!! I ship International but I will no longer ship to Brazil. Things have a tendency of getting "lost". If you ship First Class, there is no tracking. Packages are held in customs for extended period of time. Buyer claims they never received item and as long as it says "in transit" or "held in customs", buyer will get their refund.

---

First class shipping to Brazil includes tracking. They are now an e-Delcon country 🙂