ebayer people beware!

I have been buying on ebay for a couple of years and NEVER had a problem. A few months ago I decided to start selling. I have 100% positive feedback and I ship as soon as payment clears. ai also offer shipping insurance which I recommend to everyone. Well I sold a coach purse on ebay on the 12th of October and the buyer did not send payment until 10/16/06. On the 17th I sent the package off by priority mail and the post office said 2-3 days. Now mind you we had a freak storm in western ny on the 12th and people in our area just got power back on the 22nd of the month. The buyer contacted me and wanted to know where her package was. She wanted no excuses just the package or a refund...I explained the above to her and she became down right nasty and has filed a complaint against me through paypal and now they have frozen the sale and may end up ruling in her favor.She did not take the offer of insurance and the only proof I have that I sent it is my receipt for priority mail. There is absolutely no way to track this item...I recommend everyone to either require shipping insurance or a tracking number for 59 cents because now I might be out my original $65 I spent on the purse...The $152.50 I sold the purse for and the money it cost to ship the item. Plus I do not have the purse and it could be sitting on her table...Please be careful.... ~~hugs and well wishes~~ Chris

WOW, Chris. Sorry you have to go through this. I usually hear good things about Ebay but somtimes hear stories like this. Thanks for the heads up! I hope you get your money for the purse that you deserve. Kay

Chris that really sucks. I sell on eBay all the time, and I only use Flat Rate priority boxes, so that I know what the actual postage will be -- no guessing that way, and the price of the s/h is upfront on the auction. You can go to www.usps.com and create a label that has FREE delivery confirmation # or you can pay the extra # for signature confirmation. I learned not to ship anything out that doesn't have a delivery confirmation #. I hope this can be settled without you losing any $$$. Susan

That's why I always sendmy stuff UPS. It does cost more but you get a tracking number and the cost comes with $100 of insurance. Sometimes people kvetch about the cost but I explaion why and they seem to understand. The only problem I've had with EBAY is a couple of "buyers" didn't pay and I had to relist the items and file a "non-payment" complaint against them. One I never heard from and the other, well let's just say she had every excuse in the book but didn't bother to contact me or say anything until after I filed the complain. That was after the invoice and 2 reminder notices as well as a final notice that I had to hear from her within 24 hours or I would file the complaint. Oh well, it takes all kinds I guess But, I have sold 57 items and brought in over $1500. All in less than a month.

Hey Chris: I am sorry you had this experience. I have been on Ebay since the year it started. I have bought and sold hundreds of items and have been screwed on both ends (it is just bound to happen sometime). If you have the receipt for the shipment, scan it and email it to Ebay/PayPal. I am pretty sure that, if the buyer did not buy insurance (and you offered it), they really may rule in your favor if you produce the USPS receipt (isn't the buyers zip code listed on the receipt?). Case in point...I bought $40.00 worth of pictures once...and I never received it. I did not choose to buy insurance so I never got my money back and never got the pictures. That is why I am thinking you might win this one. I would also suggest *calling* PayPal. Let them know you have a 100% feedback rating...and let them know you have the USPS receipt. If you are proactive about this...they may see you as an honest seller. I hope it works out for you! Good luck and, again, I am sorry you had to go through this. Hugs, Jersey