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If you buy or sell items on eBay, you will find tips and advice on this forum.

If you buy or sell items on eBay, you will find tips and advice on this forum.

eBay

Buyer lives abroad...

17 replies

Landoni112 · 17/07/2013 13:24

Hi, anyone able to help me with this?

I sold a pair of new trainers to a woman in Russia yesterday. Messaged her through ebay to say sorry I don't post overseas (it too much hassle esp outside EU and not worth it). She came back saying she has an address in germany I could post to, I did'nt bother replying because that is still overseas.
I then offered it 2nd chance to the next highest bidder and asked the Russian lady to cancel the transaction her end.

This morning I see the 2nd person has paid for the trainers, and now so has the Russian, (givening a UK address now, which I guess is un-cornfirmed)against my request for her to cancel the transaction.

I am in a right pickle! I am not used to selling, I am mostly a buyer, and I can't see how I can resolve this through ebay. Help!!!

OP posts:

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pingulingo · 17/07/2013 13:28

I would cancel the 2nd buyers payment (can refund through PayPal) and send a note explaining why and apologising for mix up. I would send to 1st buyers uk address and pay extra for registered post just for my peace if mind in case there is a prob in the future.

Unless 1st buyer has suspect feedback, that might make me not complete sale with them then.

Landoni112 · 17/07/2013 13:44

Hi,

Thanks pingulingo.

I have just refunded the 1st buyer via paypal, and I haven't factored in the registered postage, so it will end up costing me money as the trainers only sold for £3 and I only charged £3 postage.

What is the worst the 1st buyer can do to me? I don't really understand why she doesn't just accept what I have told her, I am not trying to scam anyone.

OP posts:

LilyBossom · 17/07/2013 13:51

you should refund the payment from the buyer abroad and send them an amended invoice for the correct postage

you shouldn't have done a 2nd chance offer until the first transaction was cancelled, you now have 2 buyers who may both leave a neg.

To stop buyers from abroad you have to change your settings to stop them, not just write in your listing uk only.

SavoyCabbage · 17/07/2013 13:53

You can't post it to an address that is unconfirmed by PayPal. Well, you can, but its unwise.

Did you have no overseas buyers on your listing?

Landoni112 · 17/07/2013 14:23

Hi,

I didn't have no overseas buyer on my listings, but I thought I had ticked a box somewhere to say that. I had sold a couple of things before on ebay, but am not very experienced.

Lilyboosm, how do I stop buyers from overseas, I thought by only offering UK postage that would do that? Some people do message and ask before bidding, and I tell them then.

Savoycabbage, thanks, I don't really want to post it to an un-confirmed address, I guess I can just post it to the 2nd buyer and also mark it as dispatched to the 1st buyer, and when they say it hasn't arrived just refund them. Its a bit underhand, but I have nothing to gain from this mess, and I guess if i get a negative rating it doesn't seem fair, but hopefully as I have 300+ positive the 1 negative wouldn't do too much damage?

OP posts:

LilyBossom · 17/07/2013 14:31

underhand plus you will get 2 lots of final value fees to pay. You need to refund the buyer you aren't selling to and send them a cancellation request, plus change your settings in your account to block buyers.

SavoyCabbage · 17/07/2013 14:33

I'd rather get a negative than lose money as the negative is not a real thing.

If you didn't have a postage price for Russia, how about finding the cost of sending it to Russia, tracked, and amend your invoice to include that. Then sending them.

Landoni112 · 17/07/2013 14:44

Thanks for your help everyone.
Anyone know where I can change my settings to state I don't post abroad? I have had a look and can't find it.

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Flibbertyjibbet · 17/07/2013 14:53

I don't think you've done anything underhand, just maybe been a bit quick to do the 2nd chance offer without being sure the winning bidder is sorted.
My listings are set to UK ebay only, and I state clearly in listings that I do not post outside the UK and that anyone winning the bid from outside the uK will have transaction cancelled due to 'buyer being in a country the seller does not ship to'. This is a genuine reason for cancellation in the ebay workings.
Yet I still get people emailing to ask how much is postage to a variety of countries, ( I say no I don't mail outside uk). But the worst is the ones who bid at the last minute and then paypal and their address abroad. Each time I have refunded paypal, and submitted a cancellation request, and each time the cancellation has been granted.

Apart from the one who lives in France but wanted me to send to her mother's unauthorised address in the UK... she threatened with a neg till I reminded her that 'no posting outside the UK' did not mean 'will post to UK citizens outside the UK'

pingulingo · 17/07/2013 15:00

It's an option when you list an auction to select which countries you do and do not post to, and there's an option for choosing to allow only Ebayers who have their home address set to UK only (it's not worded like that exactly but you will see it)

But I am finding more European bidders using ebay these days no matter what my settings are, some ask before if they can bid, others just bid and offer to pay extra postage. If you are careful you can make quite a bit more money by selling abroad - I've found that some baby items sell for a lot more if I post to places like Hungary. But it is a hassle and there's more risk if you aren't careful / but something to bear in mind once you have found your ebay feet!

Landoni112 · 17/07/2013 15:14

Thanks flibbertyjibbert. I was too quick, but i am going on hols Friday, so wanted it all sorted by then.
I have decided just to post to the 2nd bidder, if i get negative feedback and seller fees then so be. Ebay karma will get them for me!

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Flibbertyjibbet · 17/07/2013 15:19

If you get a neg you can respond. Put something like 'My account set to/listing stated uk post only, buyer in Russia. and then people will know the neg was not your fault.

I quite like reading the negs andresponses when I am checking out sellers, its quite obvious most of the time that the buyers are nutters!

Landoni112 · 17/07/2013 15:35

Thanks pingulingo I will look out for that setting.
I have only sold a few pieces of clothing so far, and was surprised how many buyers from Europe were contacting me.

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chipmonkey · 17/07/2013 15:46

Why don't you want to post abroad? If they're willing to pay the postage, what difference does it make?

Landoni112 · 17/07/2013 16:04

was just trying to keep it simple chipmonkey and reduce the hassle at the PO!

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chipmonkey · 17/07/2013 20:06

It's really not that much hassle IME. I live in Ireland and would probably never sell anything on ebay if I didn't post abroad, the population here is so low. I just go in, say where the parcel is going to, pay and that's it! You can work out the amount on the Royal Mail site beforehand.
Having said that, it is very cheeky of a buyer to just assume you will post abroad if it says on your listing that you don't. I always message and ask first.

Flibbertyjibbet · 17/07/2013 23:10

I do post to ireland if they ask first.

Trouble with postage charges abroad is that if the claim it didnt arrive or some other dispute you are out of pocket a lot more. So to me not worth the risk again as I learned that the hard way when I was too worriex about a neg the

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