Thread: track your packages or lose $200

Just venting a little...

I sold one of my razors (a big 9/8 wm jackson with transluscent horn) on ebay to a buyer in italy for $200. I neglected to put a tracking number on it, and after 2 months I lost the reciept for the postage.

2 months after the purchase, the buyer claims he never recieved the razor. I had no evidence that I sent it, and so ebay returned his funds. I'm out a $200 razor because I didn't track my package that I sent.

Learn from my mistake, don't do what Dave did.

-Dave

I've heard more than a few horror stories about shipping to Italy.

Italy is notorious.

Italy is notorious but ..... I shipped a box of Julius Vesz pipes to a guy in Milan. He sent some to me in trade and I received them. A month went by and no sign of those that I sent. He was a nice fellow and he told me not to worry about it. Three months later ...... the pipes I had sent came back to me with some undecipherable scrawl on the box explaining why they couldn't be delivered. I sent an email to him, confirmed the address, and sent them out again, and this time he received them.

Recently I bought used books from two different Abebooks sellers in UK. I used paypal and paid extra for expedited service. It took 40 days for one set of books and 44 days for the other. I was set to begin a dispute with the sellers through paypal, having 45 days to do it, when my goods showed up. So it is possible that you will get your razor back or that the buyer will eventually receive it, and if he is an honest man, send your money back.

FWIW, I used to send items I sold on the bay or in the classifieds, with no insurance. Now I bite the bullet and insure everything no matter what. The few bucks extra it costs me is worth the piece of mind in knowing that one way or the other I'm covered. That includes items I send overseas. Best of luck with your transaction. I hope if we hear an update it is that the item was received on one end or the other.

BTW, one more thing ...... I bought a Dorko from an ebay seller in Turkey. A couple of years ago he was selling a lot of vintage razors in excellent of better condition. Paid with paypal and never received it. I opened a dispute, escalated to a claim, and even though he had proof that he sent it, I won the dispute. Paypal is buyer oriented and if the buyer doesn't receive the item he will get a refund. That is why insurance is imperative to protect the seller.

I sent a razor to Croatia - tracking is not available for USPS to Croatia.
Paypal sent me an email to not ship the item, pending their investigation of the buyer.
A few days later they told me to send the item.
A couple of weeks later I got an email from the buyer stating he received the item and was happy with it.
A day later, Paypal refunded the buyer's money (at their whim, not at his request), taking it from my checking account (backup funding) as my Paypal account was empty.
I called Paypal and gave them a copy of the email from the buyer - they told me they needed tracking info to give my money back.
I told them there is no tracking in Croatia, but they OK'd the shipment there.
They told me "Tough luck"

The End


Postscript: I attempted to get rid of Paypal after that; the unfortunate reality is that if you do certain kinds of transactions online, you are stuck dealing with the thieves there.

I'm comforted knowing that I'm not alone in this BS, and I will definitely insure anything I mail to anyone, anywhere, now knowing this, especially that a buyer can win a claim even if I have evidence that I mailed the item. And that story of Croatia is just ludicrous. I'm considering only allowing domestic buyers for my items.

Originally Posted by woodsmandave

I'm considering only allowing domestic buyers for my items.

Join the club. I know that it lessens the market for the items I am selling, but the headache is considerably less.

Originally Posted by Theseus

Join the club. I know that it lessens the market for the items I am selling, but the headache is considerably less.

Same here, I only allow domestic sales

My girl ordered me a book in the beginning of November from England. Storm Thorgensons art, did all the art work for Pink Floyd. It did not arrive until January 15th and customs not only opened the package but broke the spine of the book!!! Thing cost close to 160 bucks before shipping!!!