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Flea Bay Problem!!!


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I've got a question for some of you more experienced E-bayers...

I recently sold a pack of Minimates on E-bay and noticed I was getting a lot of hits from people overseas, asking me what shipping cost would be to Hong Kong and Vietnam and such, the reason being is the pack I sold was a TRU exclusive and they don't have TRU there (that's my guess).

So the people that had asked those questions didn't win, but another person did, and I when I sent him an invoice he sent me a message asking me if I would insure the package, and if the cost of the insurance was included in the shipping price, if it wasn't than could I send him a new invoice with that included, and he would pay right away. He's also repeatedly asked me to contact him outside of E-bay, when I write him. (a e-mail address through Concerta.com) I sent him a new invoice, and he wasn't writing me back or paying me until I threatened to open a case with E-bay. I also told him it wasn't a big deal and if he didn't want them or couldn't pay right away to just let me know... As soon as I mentioned opening a case, he paid. I got insurance on the box, used bubble wrap on the package, and a tracking number. After a multitude of attempts to reach him after the tracking number told me he had received the package, (I wanted my feedback, I'm a new seller) He finally wrote me today telling me the box was damaged and he wanted a refund.

I have a 7 day refund guarantee, but the box was in perfect condition when I sent it out, The item itself (the minimates) are in mint condition as well) I packaged them in a box on the outside, and evelope on the inside, and bubble wrap in between that. I really don't want bad feedback, but I don't know what to do, He has 5 days to get them back to me according to my refund status. My guess was that he was just trying to somehow collect on the insurance.

Nothing like this has happened so far but again my selling rating is low, but I've tried really hard to make sure everyone I deal with was happy... It just pisses me off because, I gave him 2 chances to not buy them, and the boxes on these things aren't even a collectible item. My guess is that he's in a foriegn country and found a cheaper deal, so he decided to return mine, or he had plain old buyers remorse. If anyone can let me know what I'm obligated to do in a situation like this. I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

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Sorry to hear of your troubles-that's really not the norm on eBay.

In the few times I've had damaged items that are insured, my post office always tells me that they person that receives it needs to contact their post office to collect on insurance. I would say that if you didn't offer it, that he could return it to you for a refund, but since you bought insurance it's really the post offices issue now (IMO). I would offer the info he needs to claim money from USPS, but I wouldn't do it myself if I were you. It sounds to me like you have the high ground in this (although that doesn't always mean something when eBay is involved). I think you're handling this well.

But I would say it sounds like something is screwy. Even if people ask, don't talk with people outside of eBay messaging because if there are issues eBay can't just pull up the communication. And I wouldn't be too concerned about negative feedback (even if you're new). You can respond to it politely and if it's a one time case I don't think it will carry too much weight. Just my $.02.

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Bluntly, you're obligated to do nothing. If he wants to make a case about it, let him open one. If that happens call Ebay directly and explain it to him. He may send you negative feedback, but thems the breaks. You're in he right, he's not, consider it a moral victory, even if your feedback doesn't reflect that.

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I'm pretty fussy when it comes to packaging although not anal about it but if the packaging is described as being Mint then Mint is how I want to receive it. For emphasis I'll explain that the Star Wars kubrick line has a series of carded charcters which TBH are only bought for the packaging ,ridiculous I agree but that's what I'm concerned about because the figure within is unlikely to be removed. That is the extreme example of where I expect to receive the item & the item's packaging in pristine condition although anybody selling a toy in a cardboard package should in my opinion attempt to get it to the buyer in the condition it was sent. That is a simple enough task which most North American & Asian sellers complete although buying stuff from UK sellers is a different kettle of fish as it seems that a bubble-wrap envelope is often perceived as being acceptable.....it ain't . Sending loose Minimates in this fashion is of course OK & I do the same but I'd rather have no box than a crushed box .

....get to the point bhm :rolleyes:

If you packed the item in cardboard with bubble wrap around it then I think I'm qualified with enough experience to say that the guy is probably pulling a fast one . Minimate sets from TRU inevitably have seen life on a peg hanging from their J-hook which is the first area which Mr.Anal might complain about ......if it was a TRU exclusive vehicle then the packaging is almost impossible to keep Mint even if you are lucky enough to buy it Mint* .

Unless you specified that the packaging was mint..... which is a dangerous game...you are just selling him the Minimates ,period. Regards insurance the onus is on the buyer but unfortunately he may well leave negative feedback but this can be challenged if his comments aren't truthful so if he's disputing this via ebay be careful to observe what he's complaining about & if it's just the packaging he mentions you may well have a case.

* In Ivan's Database I have only ever seen packaging pictures which show a crease or blemish on one or two of the thousands of pictures ......Minimate vehicles . Nobody here is more in awe of the MMDB than I & my comment is purely for emphasis & not a criticism of Ivan .

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BHM, I've stopped reading your posts lately. They're usually funny, but every time I see that wall of text now days I cringe. Though it's probably me going through some stuff, and not you. So I'm not trying to be mean, just sharing. Okay TM2, you can shut up any time now. :/

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I don't think I've ever listed an item as "mint," and don't reckon I ever will. I will say that something is in "good" condition, and maybe even that is a potentially dangerous proposition (since "good" to me might not be "good" to Joe Schmoe). But, I hate bidding on auctions that don't give any useful description whatsoever, since pictures can and do deceive. So, I figure it's worth telling the potential buyer of any general pros and cons.

I'm sure that I have lost out on lots of money by laying out the various flaws in the things I've sold. But it has probably benefited me in the long-run and I would hope for the same courtesy to be extended to my by those I buy from.

I'm sure this has very little (if anything) to do with McGowan's issue :D

Also, I enjoyed reading your post quite a bit, BHM. And I'm sure that I speak for 10s of others when I say that.

Edited by karamazov80
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That's sad to hear Dino ,I guess I can't always please everybody with my posts which of course is my sole wish in life .

I however continue to gain benefit from this

....my insomnia is now cured & I have found a new meaning to life.

Heh. After the heck of a week I've had that put a smile on my face and helped more than you know. :)

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* In Ivan's Database I have only ever seen packaging pictures which show a crease or blemish on one or two of the thousands of pictures ......Minimate vehicles . Nobody here is more in awe of the MMDB than I & my comment is purely for emphasis & not a criticism of Ivan .

Heh, not only that, but those are the hardest smeggin' packages to get clean pictures of.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have an eBay issue which I will piggyback off this thread instead of making a new one.

My eBay auctions are listed as UK postage only, instead of specifying worldwide. Basically, I view them as auctions on Ebay UK with postage to UK addresses. I thought that would be enough to not allow international bidders but some of my Transformers listings have been won by people in China and Spain, and I wanted to know what my options are. I really can't be arsed to mess around with different postal rates etc, it's why I made them UK only in the first place and I am really annoyed that eBay allowed them to bid.

I vaguely remember a "buyer exclusions" part of the listing but perhaps naively thought that setting postage to UK only would actually stop people giving me an international address to ship to.

I have asked them to provide me with UK addresses to ship to and made it clear that the "Postage and Delivery" section says "UK only". Can anyone give me more help than this?

Cheers guys!

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First of all I'd like to know how the thread-starter resolved his problem ?

As for your question Danny ....it is definitely an option to block international bidders & as I recall it revolves around the shipping options in the listing 'thingy'. Personally I make a note of every Minimate seller outside of the UK who won't ship to me & when I list stuff on ebay I make damn sure that they won't be able to bid on my stuff when I list it :tongue:

The Post Office doesn't exactly encourage foreign shipping...........

........I recently packaged up 5 Marvel TPB in one parcel to ship to the US.I then took it to the mausoleum that is known as Hatherleigh PO where they weighed the package & informed me that a parcel of that particular weight would cost £44 to send . I thought that that was excessive & asked the alternatives ..."You could pack them in two small packages weighing less than 2 kilos........it's the weight you see !"

I duly returned home & eventually repackaged them in 2 small packages carefully ensuring each was under 2 kilos ,for emphasis one of the small packages was hovering just under the 2kilo mark !!! I returned to the PO a few days later ,stepping carefully over the corpses & presented the small packages to the smiling statue at the counter who carefullly re-weighed them.

"Just under 2 kilos each.....2 small packages .....that will be £23.54 each "

"What? WTH are you on about? You told me that it would be less??"

"But they're above the minimum size for 'small packages' "

I got my wallet out I placed the cash on the counter ,my gaze never leaving his face & if he had smiled I swear I would have pulled his head off :verymad: He gave the change & the receipts ,I picked the receipts up, leaving the change on the counter & began to walk out.

"What about the change?"

"I hope it happens soon,bye " said I,not looking back. :down:

I was purely acting as a middleman arranging stuff to be sent from a UK store on behalf of a friend in the US & I was & still am happy to do so but why is it made so difficult by these morons who dream up these regulations? I am even more aware ....& extremely grateful...of the hoops some of my friends in the US have to jump through sending stuff to me. Thanks Guys.

Edited by buttheadsmate
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To this day, I'm still amazed at what you can find on the Internet....like this Google Maps picture that managed to capture the specific incident Rob is referring to...

AngryBHM.jpg

Note to self......these fookers on here can find you. :biggrin:

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