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Request for invoice before buying?

Is this normal? I have a buyer requesting an invoice before they choose buy-it-now... (This is because she messaged me and I agreed to a fixed price on shipping). First, I don't know how to do an invoice prior to a sale, and second, is this something that sellers regularly do?

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Request for invoice before buying?

Well, no.

The customer is in effect asking for an 'off-eBay' sale.

Which is dumb, because buying through eBay gives him  slightly stronger Buyer Protection that paying through Paypal alone.

(There are circumstances when sending an invoice through Paypal, with the eBay transaction number noted in the textbox, is the simplest way to speed a transaction. For example, selling to a customer who is buying from one seller who lists on multiple eBay sites in multiple currencies.*)

 

Since you probably don't want to sell off-eBay, which would be a violation because eBay would not be collecting its fees, politely tell the customer that he has to actually buy the item before he can be invoiced, because the invoicing is automatic.

If he can't grasp that, just block him. You can't cure stupid.

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Not uncommon with Canadian sellers for example. I mostly sell on eBayCanada in US dollars, but have some items of primarily domestic interest in Canadian dollars. Similarly I have a few listings on dotCOM in US dollars and came across a really old GTC listing in Australia last month. These cannot be combined on a single eBay invoice, but can be through Paypal.

Message 2 of 5
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Request for invoice before buying?

You can tell them to go ahead and buy the item and wait for a corrected invoice before paying. That way you can adjust the shipping amount to what you and the buyer agreed on. already.
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Request for invoice before buying?

Invoices are simple. BUT she/he needs to buy it or win it 1st. Then you can adjust the shipping. All you do is go to: SOLD. To the far right of the items pic, description is box for you to click to create an Invoce, its EASY breezy & its actually already created FOR YOU, You can just play around w the shipping & there's a box to the left where you can leave the buyer a message if u want!

Check the Email Me A Copy Of This Invoice. Then look it over. They make life on pBay so much easier, so you may as well get familiar wwith em now;)
Message 4 of 5
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Request for invoice before buying?

Thanks. I finally figured out why she was wanting the invoice. eBay wouldnt let her actually make it to the checkout, because my account settings didnt allow combined shipping, and she was trying to get quantity of 10.  I still haven't gotten her order, but I changed my settings so I'm guessing she should be able to proceed to checkout? 

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