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

From: John Foust <jfoust_at_threedee.com>
Date: Mon Apr 23 08:52:48 2001

At 09:29 PM 4/22/01 +0000, jpero_at_sympatico.ca wrote:
>That seller should have put a notice stating "shipping in States
>only". Fact is, he didn't say this limitation and ebay is open to
>whole world. Ebay always says to sellers and buyers to please
>contact each other asap after the conclusion of this auction.

It's kinda funny that you think eBay buyers read the
auction descriptions and fine print.

I can't tell you how many times I've said "USA only" and had
international bidders and winners, or how many buyers want to
back out because of regret combined with an inability to read
the description, or who can't read the e-mail I send them that
says "US Mail or UPS, your choice" or "Shipping is $8" - rapidly
followed by their e-mail that says "How much is shipping?"...
and then the "USA only" international buyer wants you to falsify the
export document so they don't have to pay customs fees.

You can get really screwed by international shipments
on inexpensive items - without lots of insurance and receipts,
who's to say the item didn't arrive? Ten+ years ago, I seem
to remember the Amiga market being scammed by Italian buyers
who'd claim over and over that their product never arrived.

I was also bit by the recent dramatic change in the US Post Office's
rate for international shipments. Once upon a time, you could
send an item of a pound or so almost anywhere in the world
under the "small packet" rate. This is now gone, and rates
for sending abroad seem to have doubled or tripled.

- John
Received on Mon Apr 23 2001 - 08:52:48 BST