Selling tips

[pctech007]

I am not so new to eBay anymore as I have been selling used and new computer parts. I have been selling since Mid 2017 and have a healthy positive feedback from customers all over the world. I have ventured out to selling other stuff that I am not using anymore along with the move to international selling. Is there a way to spot a shady buyer on eBay?  eBay can be a tricky market. I made a semi costly mistake of selling a great combo to a buyer who paid with a check and ended up as loss for me when he or she canceled payments while the item was in transit. eBay gave me a phone number of the customer but when I called I asked for the buyer but they claim they are not there and said I have the wrong number.

Any advice is appreciated so that I wont get burned again. I didnt bother to persue any actions but took it as a lesson.

[tiramisu41]

Don't acccept payment methods other than PayPal and never ship until you have signed info your PayPal directly (not via a link in an email, message, text, etc) and can see that the payment has arrived.

[redroofsurplus]

Don't ship internationally -

[pctech007]

Why not? I have already have successful transactions overseas.

[fashunu4eeuh · Accepted solution]

Hi, sorry to hear you got stung. Ebay no longer allows payment by check or money order except in just a few categories. Here is the link to the accepted payments policy: 

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/payment-policies/accepted-payments-policy?id=4269

It is difficult to discern a scam artist prior to the sale. To help protect my interests, most of my items are fixed price with immediate payment required. I also have my Buyer Requirements set up at the most stringent settings to weed out the deadbeats. I do ship internationally but avoid problematic countries by setting my shipping exclusions. Doing so prevents sales to those countries i have blocked. Below are links with more information on setting Buyer Requirements and shipping exclusions. Best of luck to you in your journey forward.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/listings/creating-managing-listings/setting-buyer-requirements?id=...

https://webinterpret.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/205644957-How-to-set-shipping-exclusions-on-eBay

[kensgiftshop]

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@pctech007 wrote:

I made a semi costly mistake of selling a great combo to a buyer who paid with a check and ended up as loss for me when he or she canceled payments while the item was in transit. 

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Was it a regular check or an echeck?

If they use an echeck, the payment will show pending until the payment clears.

Some will use an echeck hoping you will ship the item before finding out the payment is declined.

Usually by the time you find out the echeck was declined, the buyer already has the item.

If it hasn't been to long, you can try filing an unpaid item and hopefully get some of your fee's back.

[pctech007]

It was a check when I contacted eBay months ago. They told me "We are working on it" and I have not heard from them since after doing multiple follow ups.