My first problem w/ ebay came up... needs your advices

From: Mike Ford <mikeford_at_socal.rr.com>
Date: Mon Apr 23 13:44:26 2001

> What's the problem with International shipping???? The World's a big

I have always shipped anything anyplace the person needs it, but shipping
is just ONE tip of the international sales iceberg. Here is my short list
of troubles.

Payment
About half the time I get cash, fortunately nothing lost in transit, but I
know that will happen. The rest of the time averages about 4 emails back
and forth settling on what to send. Please, just use a postal money order
in US funds.

Wrong item
Computers can be confusing, but sorting it out and educating a person over
a $7 cable gets old.

Cultur clash
Item listed as "as is" untested, but with 1 year left on 5 year warranty. I
get a series of gripe emails back, first because its old (duh 1 year left
out of 5 does kind of mean its 4 years old), then (I love this) "I bid too
much". This person made a mistake, and they want me to make it all better,
not a little better mind you, but all better, ie refund purchase price and
shipping both ways. They don't think about how unreasonable their request
is, only what their own personal problem is.

Shipping
With $4 USPS priority mail I am provided free shipping materials, boxes,
tape, mailing labels and I get 2 to 3 day delivery with online
confirmation. International shipping is in general totally unpredictable,
ie the mouse that took 4 months to arrive in Germany, and costs keep moving
so I have to "check shipping costs" for every transaction since I am such a
small time seller. Global Priority mail is OK, but expensive if it can't be
stuffed in one of two fairly small envelopes. Everytime I ship I KNOW I am
rolling the dice regarding some problem coming up.

Dishonest
This is nothing to do with international specifically, in fact most of my
international customers are the best.

Screw ups
Ugh, this is the one that drives me nuts. People who are screw ups, ie
don't tape the box closed, don't pack the item. Worst, I ship a guy
priority a keyboard he just has to have immediately, so I don't even wait
for a check to arrive. A week later I get a package, my same box loosely
taped closed with the keyboard loose on top of the packing materials. I get
stiffed for the auction price, the shipping, AND the moron tried plugging
my DEC LK401 into some Wang/Wyse and blames me that it didn't work and now
he looks dumb to his wife.
Received on Mon Apr 23 2001 - 13:44:26 BST