International buyers using freight forwarding companies

[jonathankirkland]

I am new to selling. Currently, I deal only with electronics, more specifically gaming electronics.

Initially this was not a problem, but lately it is becoming more of a headache and I feel overwhelmed as to what I should do to resolve this.

I do not do international sales, but I discovered that international buyers can get around this by using a freight forwarding company to purchase my items anyway.

I am weary of doing this and do not want to do this. I have been told that I can block these "non-US" Paypal payments through Paypal, but I cannot figure out how to do so. It appears it can ONLY be done via a Paypal business account, is that so? Also, when I inquired about signing up for a Paypal business account, the first thing it asks for is a "legal business name". Well I do not own a business so that stops me right there. Someone told me I could just "make one up", but that did not seem correct.

To further complicate matters, I did not learn until recently that simply cancelling these orders from international buyers using freight companies is NOT acceptable. I already have a few defects, and a since learning about this in the last few days another international buyer using a freight forwarding company has purchased my item. The Paypal payment is still pending, but I expect it will go through in the next few days.

To make matters even worse on top of all this, I checked the buyers ebay page and he has a new account, with only one feedback from a seller who is calling him a SCAMMER.

I feel I am really in over my head and with all these rules I feel like I must now choose: do I ship the item and risk being defrauded by someone who is very possibly a scammer OR do I give up selling all together on ebay and I am stuck with all this inventory??

So far I have not had any issues selling here and enjoy doing so, but I do NOT want the risk of selling to international buyers using freight forwarding companies! I have read too many horror stories on here about that. I have read others who have had "no issues" with this type of sale, but it really appears to be about 50/50 in regards to claims from people who say it's totally fine and they are protected to others saying they have lost their money and their product.

Totally lost and unsure what to do to proceed now... any constructive criticism is welcome!

[phono_0490xxxxxx]

Thanks, and from your reply posting it raises another issue with the eBay endorsed freight forwarder marketed as GSP.

See, I visualise quality HiFi gear, heavy with huge trannies, fragile, and desirable in places like Japan where power supply compatibility can be a non-issue.  Japan, another highly respectful and trustworthy trading ground.

So, the GSP contradiction in this category also extending to other collecting fields?

The contradiction that is never an issue via other International shipping methods?

DO NOT attempt to ship any form of Vacuum Tubes, no matter what type or elements use in manufacture via GSP.

That's because the apply an absolute prohibition that is NOT negotiable, no matter what.

The goods get seized, then resold via their eBay seller ID, no doubt at a zero listing fee.. mates rates deal.

The matter of buyer and seller refunded does not appease the hopeful buyer/collector fully, and disappointing for the sellers who value in more than $$$ what they offer.

The same scenario happens with benign Uranium [aka Vaseline] Glass in any form.  It's absurd.

It's understandable with timber products and the associated bio-quarantine issues they can have, but not these and other types of items where bloody minded GSP admin decisions are affected.... but not via any other forwarding method.

[kh-gary]

Hi everyone,

Due to the length of time that has passed since this thread began, we have locked it from future replies. If this is still an issue that warrants discussion, don't hesitate to begin a new thread here: https://community.ebay.com/t5/forums/postpage/board-id/selling-db.

Thanks.