eBay

ylesiya · ‎06-04-2019

Hello all,

I've got a question for experienced sellers, seeking for an advice.

I've sold quite an expensive item today (Cartier authentic bracelet with paperwork etc). Before purchasing, the buyer sent me a pic of her wrist because she is unsure of the size. I responded that I can't access her sizing based on the photo and this is her responsibility. She purchased anyway and messaged me that she trusts item is authentic and in near mint condition as I've stated in my listing (which is absolutely true and high resolution actual photos of the whole set were provided in the listing). After having few prior experiences, I really dislike this attitude of initial distrust, it really makes my alarm bells ringing. On the other hand, she might be just as scared as I am?..

I've responded that I don't accept returns (which I know eBay does not care about and they can force you to accept return) and advice she really finds out more about her size before I ship. Also, I've proposed to cancel everything and refund if she is doubtful and because I don't want any issues. I mentioned in the same message (and it is stated in my listings) that I will take video recording of all the items being packed clearly showing condition and all serial numbers and certificates, sealing and passing to the courier (I'll use DHL or UPS) as this is my standard practice now with all high value items. Also I've stressed out yet again that duties and taxes are not my responsibility in addition to the same facts mentioned in the listing.

She said it is fine and that she will also videotape opening the package to ensure protection of both parties.

However, I am still worried.

My question is - how to ensure maximum protection? Does it only sound fishy to me or to others as well and it is better to cancel the whole thing? Total value is close to 4000 USD - quite a bit to gamble upon. Current plan, as I said, ship with courier service like DHL/UPS + take detailed video recording of the whole process. Anything else I can do?

My fears:

1) she will say item not authentic despite obviously having all the proof in her hands like item and certificate, then open a case against me. No way to protect myself then in this scenario?

2) she will say item is not in near mint condition. For this I suppose video proof will be good enough or not?

3) any other crazy scam attempt I might not be aware of.

Her feedback score is about 80, she is in USA and I am overseas.

Would you ship or cancel the whole thing? Any advice?

Thanks everyone in advance.

mypostingid15 · ‎06-04-2019

Will this be delivered by the sheriff or his deputy? This sounds more of an interrogation than a sale.

toyshnip · ‎06-04-2019

If you posted an expensive item, you must have known there is some sort of risk. What you need to do is control the risk as much as possible.
1. Shipping - Signature required, tracking, insurance and so on. See what you can do to be 100% that the item was delivered in the exact way you shipped it out. If something goes wrong, make sure the shipping company will cover you.
2. Pictures. Take as many pictures as you can. Pictures of the item, of the shipping box, the shipping label., the packing slip, the paperwork and so on. Make sure the pictures show that everything is connected together. That the shipping label is on the box that shows the item inside. That the scale shows the weight of the item and not an empty box. That the packing slip is with the item. The the papers of authenticity is with the item and shipped. A video is also a good idea as it can show everything tied together. That the item is in the condition stated. Get every inch of the item at high resolution, so that if the customer claims there is a scratch, you can show pictures that it wasn't there before.

Scammers want to hit people who are not preferred. If you have 2 dozen photos, a video, an insurance, tracking it would be hard for them to find a loophole to trick you.

ylesiya · ‎06-04-2019

@mypostingid15

Why even bother answering if there is nothing useful to say?

People do all the crazy stuff and after having few issues with untrustworthy people, protection is a real big question.

ittybitnot · ‎06-04-2019

However, I am still worried.

Basically, the time for "should I ship or cancel" activity is PRIOR to listing it for sale here in the first place. All that video stuff is pretty useless unless you need it in court at a later time.

eBay nor PayPal offer any protection against buyer fraud.

mr_lincoln · ‎06-04-2019

@ylesiya eBay allows SNAD return claims, that means Seller is forced to pay Return shipping regardless of any "No returns" statement. Buyer can return whatever they want in the return package ... and it may not be the bracelet you sent them.

That sums up the worse case real real world scenario ...

Best regards,
Mr. Lincoln - Community Mentor

wastingtime101 · ‎06-04-2019

@ylesiya wrote:
1) she will say item not authentic despite obviously having all the proof in her hands like item and certificate, then open a case against me. No way to protect myself then in this scenario?

No. You would accept the return, provide ~~a prepaid label~~ the cost of return postage and hope you get the same item back instead of a switcheroo.

2) she will say item is not in near mint condition. For this I suppose video proof will be good enough or not?

No. eBay, PayPal and credit cards don't care about video because it's too easily doctored. They won't even look at it.

3) any other crazy scam attempt I might not be aware of.
Her feedback score is about 80, she is in USA and I am overseas.
Would you ship or cancel the whole thing? Any advice?

If you cannot afford to risk it then online venues are not the place to sell it. This is something you need to decide before you list next time, not after.

The overseas factor is another level because taking legal action with someone in another country on a $4k item just isn't going to happen unless you have $$$$$$$ to burn and are doing it out of principle.

Nobody can decide for you what to do. Your options are to ship and take a chance, or you can cancel and get a defect on your account. One defect won't kill your account, but a few could and nobody here knows your account standing.

Your buyer may be honest and thrilled with their purchase, but could just as easily be a problem. There is no way to know.

GLORIOUS!

tanew-768 · ‎06-04-2019

@ittybitnot wrote:
However, I am still worried.

Basically, the time for "should I ship or cancel" activity is PRIOR to listing it for sale here in the first place. All that video stuff is pretty useless unless you need it in court at a later time.

eBay nor PayPal offer any protection against buyer fraud.

Actually, it's probably useless in court since it doesn't prove what was actually sent or received

flakar48 · ‎06-04-2019

Here's the best answer so far:

Nobody can decide for you what to do. Your options are to ship and take a chance, or you can cancel and get a defect on your account. One defect won't kill your account, but a few could and nobody here knows your account standing.

Your buyer may be honest and thrilled with their purchase, but could just as easily be a problem. There is no way to know.

At least in my opinion...

Personally speaking I know what I would've done but that's my choice and you may or may not decide like I do.

a_c_green · ‎06-04-2019

@ylesiya wrote:
Hello all,
I've got a question for experienced sellers, seeking for an advice.
I've sold quite an expensive item today (Cartier authentic bracelet with paperwork etc). Before purchasing, the buyer sent me a pic of her wrist because she is unsure of the size. I responded that I can't assess her sizing based on the photo and this is her responsibility.

I would suggest to her that she simply wrap a cloth tape measure (or even a strip of paper) around her wrist, and note the point at which it overlaps. That particular question should be easy to resolve.

Regarding photos and (especially) videos, those are generally a waste of time, as photos are only looked at to illustrate certain things such as damage, and videos are not watched at all. The problem with both is that there is no indication of what happened before or after the photo or video was taken, so no provenance. The seller cannot conclusively prove what they shipped, and the buyer cannot conclusively prove what was received. That's the basis of eBay's rationale regarding how to resolve he-said/she-said disputes, which is to just roll back the transaction to where the seller has his item back (or at least, what the buyer claims he received) and the buyer has his money back. Buyer is happy; seller is less so.

If you're shipping a fully insured package, you might have recourse with the insurance company once you have refunded the buyer.

I have to say, though, that having looked at your recent sales, they're mostly all 3- and 4-digit sales anyway; this latest one is nothing new for you, price-wise. You're definitely a scammer target on the basis of your high-value listings, though your concerns could be applied generally to everything you've sold so far, and I'm not seeing a whole lot of red flags with this particular buyer, any more than the others you've sold to in the past. Good luck.