ebay sale problem

[og1]

This is BS. Feedback on eBay has nothing to do with PayPal payments or any payments period. I have over 540 transactions and I can tell you that. I have dozens of transactions that I never received any feedback from. Some are more conscientious than others in providing feedback. Doesn't mean I didn't get the money! That's just a stupid statement to make.

While you have a lot better feeling about doing business with eBayers with hundreds of positive feedbacks....or 100% positive feedback or close to that. As a previous poster stated...they all have to start somewhere. I suppose this could be a scam but the worst that can happen to you is that he doesn't pay you...you cancel the auction with eBay...you get your seller fees back...and then you relist it. I don't see the point if this is a scam? I guess he's trying to get you to send him the iPhone before you receive payment? Just make sure you do the following:

Once you receive a PayPal payment...transfer the money into your designated account immediately. Usually your bank account. It will then take 2-3 days to post in your bank account. Once the funds appear in your bank account...you have "secured" the funds...it is safe to send the item to your buyer.

One last note. There are what is called "Verified" eBay members. These are people who do link a verified checking or savings accounts to their eBay accounts. Therefore, eBay provides greater fraud protection to the transaction. I like to see verified eBay members but it's not a deal breaker. Number of transactions, percentage of positive transactions, all are indicators of honest people.

I'd move forward with the transaction but just make sure you get the secured funds before you ship the iPhone.

If you have less than 100 feedback and sell an item for over $100(or ANY item ebay/paypal determines to be "high risk for fraud" ie: IPHONES) PAYPAL WILL HOLD YOUR MONEY UNTIL THE BUYER LEAVES POSITIVE FEEDBACK, or until you can prove it was delivered to them. You should research before calling people stupid. I ran into this several times last year selling iphones before I crested 100 feedback.

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=xpt/Marketing/securitycenter/sell/SaferPayments-outside

 

[artofdesign]

If you have less than 100 feedback and sell an item for over $100(or ANY item ebay/paypal determines to be "high risk for fraud" ie: IPHONES) PAYPAL WILL HOLD YOUR MONEY UNTIL THE BUYER LEAVES POSITIVE FEEDBACK, or until you can prove it was delivered to them. You should research before calling people stupid. I ran into this several times last year before I crested 100 feedback.

Sad but true. Happened to my brother last week. Paypal has frozen his iPhone $ until buyer gives pos feedback.

 

[og1]

Exactly! I second this. Feedback has nothing to do with it. Absolutely nothing.

see above post. unfortunately it DOES

 

[billinaz]

No. It's a legally binding contract. You should send him a paypal invoice from the option on eBay(make sure it's linked to the auction). And make sure he pays, is verified, and uses a confirmed address.
Use shipping insurance, cheap and keeps you safe.
Then make sure you require signature on delivery(not just conformation, get signature, per paypal it's required if over $250 for item).
If you follow these steps and the item is what you listed(no errors in your listing and item received matches perfect) then you should be covered.
You should verify the tips I suggest. As far as I know that's the best way to cover yourself). I have over 100 feedback and never had a problem if I follow those steps.

2 other thoughts:
$500 for a used iPhone seems about $100-$175 too much. Just compared to what they normally go for on eBay.
And, the term "item" is normal for eBay.

Yea, legally binding.. are you kidding me?

There is about 99.9% chance its a scam. I bet they want you to ship to Africa, and the paypal receipt you get will be a fraudulent page or a stolen account.

Take a look at this:

http://208.86.2.178/showthread.php?p=881845

Here is a preview of the scam email:


Hello seller,
I'm willing to buy this item this item, i will be offering $1200.00 USD for the total cost including shipping & insurance via USPS Global Express Mail 3-5days, i will be paying via PayPal. Kindly reply me with you paypal email address for effective payment or you can send me a money request to my email at i_am_wonderfully_made@yahoo.com.

Then you get this :

Dear Sims Sims inc,
This message is originated from paypal company.We have received an order from our client i_am_wonderfully_made@yahoo .com regarding the payment made to your paypal account. The payment has been successfully made but due to security reason we have to receive the shipment tracking number before the next 24 hours for the processing of your order.This a new measure we are taking to protect both our sellers and buyers against fraudulent customers.Once you have shipped the item, send us the shipment tracking number for verification and after the shipment has been verified your account will be credited immediately.

This PayPal® payment has been deducted from the buyer's account and has been "APPROVED" but will not be creditted to your account untill the shipment reference/tracking number is sent to us for shipment verification so as to secure both the buyer and the seller. Below are the necessary information requested before your account will be credited. Send tracking number to us or email us through this mail paypal_onlinetransaction@emailaccount.com.



Ive gotten them before and played with the scammer. I even had one next day air me a check (drawn on an account of an unsuspecting victim in Oklahoma. He used the shipping account number of a company in Massachussetts. They had no idea he used their account.

DONT DO IT!

Use Craigslist, people come to you..... with cash.

Cancel the auction and play with the scammer..... see what they try to get you to do!

 

[Rooftop voter]

This is BS. Feedback on eBay has nothing to do with PayPal payments or any payments period. I have over 540 transactions and I can tell you that. I have dozens of transactions that I never received any feedback from. Some are more conscientious than others in providing feedback. Doesn't mean I didn't get the money! That's just a stupid statement to make.

While you have a lot better feeling about doing business with eBayers with hundreds of positive feedbacks....or 100% positive feedback or close to that. As a previous poster stated...they all have to start somewhere. I suppose this could be a scam but the worst that can happen to you is that he doesn't pay you...you cancel the auction with eBay...you get your seller fees back...and then you relist it. I don't see the point if this is a scam? I guess he's trying to get you to send him the iPhone before you receive payment? Just make sure you do the following:
Once you receive a PayPal payment...transfer the money into your designated account immediately. Usually your bank account. It will then take 2-3 days to post in your bank account. Once the funds appear in your bank account...you have "secured" the funds...it is safe to send the item to your buyer

One last note. There are what is called "Verified" eBay members. These are people who do link a verified checking or savings accounts to their eBay accounts (others just have a credit card as security).. Therefore, eBay provides greater fraud protection to these transaction. I like to see verified eBay








members but it's not a deal breaker. Number of transactions, percentage of positive transactions, all are indicators of honest people.

I'd move forward with the transaction but just make sure you get the secured funds before you ship the iPhone.

Not true. If you have less than 100 positive feedback They hold your cash untill you get positive feedback from the buyer or untill 3 days after the item was delivered. I know because if happened to me 3 weeks ago when I sold my 3GS.

 

[og1]

Sad but true. Happened to my brother last week. Paypal has frozen his iPhone $ until buyer gives pos feedback.

it sucks, but I will say I have always gotten my money released instantly by calling paypal and giving them the UPS tracking # after it has ben delivered for 72 hours.

 

[KGWVU]

This is without a doubt fraud. Look at the buyers profile (linked below). He also bought two other phones so you are not the only one this scammer is looking to defraud. Good luck!

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI....eName=PageBidderProfileViewBids_None_ViewLink

 

[lorenwade]

see above post. unfortunately it DOES

I guess I never experienced that problem. Wow! I buy and sell tons of products on eBay but never had this problem.

 

[Vinnie Madrox]

This is without a doubt fraud. Look at the buyers profile (linked below). He also bought two other phones so you are not the only one this scammer is looking to defraud. Good luck!

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI....eName=PageBidderProfileViewBids_None_ViewLink

well i filed a "cancel this transaction" case, and i'm just awaiting the buyers response. so HOPEFULLY i can re-list this and get whatever money back.....

 

[og1]

well i filed a "cancel this transaction" case, and i'm just awaiting the buyers response. so HOPEFULLY i can re-list this and get whatever money back.....

should be good. I had one jackass leave me a negative feedback before agreeing to cancel one time, but other than that smooth sailing. I wish we could petition ebay to allow restricting auctions to a buyer with 25 feedback or more. seriously annoying for these high fraud items.

 

[tigress666]

This is BS. Feedback on eBay has nothing to do with PayPal payments or any payments period. I have over 540 transactions and I can tell you that. I have dozens of transactions that I never received any feedback from. Some are more conscientious than others in providing feedback. Doesn't mean I didn't get the money! That's just a stupid statement to make.

<snip>

Once you receive a PayPal payment...transfer the money into your designated account immediately. Usually your bank account. It will then take 2-3 days to post in your bank account. Once the funds appear in your bank account...you have "secured" the funds...it is safe to send the item to your buyer.

You know, that's nice but you don't understand how Ebay/Paypal treats you when you are not an established seller (it's a newer policy but I can't say how new cause last time I sold something it was years ago). I say this cause I sold an item recently and because I only have 32 feedback (and technically none as a seller, I only had sold one item before that and that was before ebay made a distinction between feedback as buyer or seller), paypal refused to release funds to me until I got positive feedback from the buyer, or about a month from the transaction (ended up being waiting a month... buyer waited about a month and a half before giving me positive feedback). They said it was cause I had too little feedback as a seller (so you wouldn't notice this since you sell a lot and get a lot of feedback so they wouldn't do this to you).

I can tell you for certain your method won't work for some one like me or OP who doesn't use ebay much (I have all positive and I've been on ebay for 10 years) cause of what I've stated above. I'm sure for me trying to hold that item until the funds fully cleared would mean negative feedback because by the time they would (if the buyer didn't already file a claim with paypal for me not sending the item), the buyer would be extremely pissed he hadn't gotten his item yet.

This also gives the buyer plenty of time to complain and say you didn't send it if they are scamming you. While the money is not available for you to put in your bank account. Not to mention even if you have, if paypal rules against you they can require you to pay it back or go to collections (which will make marks against your credit which affects you getting loans and such).

In my opinion Ebay has gotten very hostile to use if you are just casually selling stuff on the side (and not having a business using Ebay). I've heard some people say don't accept Paypal and I've heard over the years several Paypal horror stories to believe them, but ebay insists you accept credit card. so who do you use if you're just some one selling an item or two every now and then besides Paypal to accept credit card? Craigslist can be scarey in its own right and you won't get as much but you can set yourself up better if you are careful not to get scammed. Ebay makes it very hard to set yourself up not to get scammed if you aren't running a business and just selling stuff on the side.

 

[artofdesign]

Yea, legally binding.. are you kidding me?

No. im not kidding. Unless it qualifies under they rules ebay sets, that you agree to in order to sell an item, then it is legally binding technically. Just because most people don't treat it that way doesn't mean its not true. Read the terms.

If it is a scam then clearly he can cancel it. BUT you cant just assume that before the parties attempt to proceed and cancel it, the buyer has to not pay him or something else has to happen that ebay deems as transaction canceling worthy.
Or the buyer has to ignore ebay or the buyer can approve the cancellation of it....which is the route he is taking now.

 

[pasipple]

Not true. If you have less than 100 positive feedback They hold your cash untill you get positive feedback from the buyer or untill 3 days after the item was delivered. I know because if happened to me 3 weeks ago when I sold my 3GS.

If that is true then I would sincerely apologize about the "BS" comment. I've never heard of this. But I have long surpassed the 100 transaction threshold so they must have changed the rules.

That changes a lot.

Humm....still....the difference being...PayPal "secures" the money until positive feedback or 3 days afterwards. Doesn't mean you get scammed. Can't happen. PayPal has the money....and it takes a few more days to get the funds in your account. It's not like the buyer is going to be able receive the shipment and then get his money back from PayPal on some kind of scam. If the buyer tried to get his money back...PayPal would require feedback from the seller and an investigation before the money is returned. PayPal has these policies for many reasons...primarily to avoid scams and fraud.

Still safe to proceed.

Again...sorry about the "BS" comment to the previous poster.

 

[artofdesign]

If that is true then I would sincerely apologize about the "BS" comment. I've never heard of this. But I have long surpassed the 100 transaction threshold so they must have changed the rules.

...

Again...sorry about the "BS" comment to the previous poster.

You seem like a stand up guy.

And I agree, I think that is a newer policy, wasn't there when I was new to eBay, i think.

 

[og1]

If that is true then I would sincerely apologize about the "BS" comment. I've never heard of this. But I have long surpassed the 100 transaction threshold so they must have changed the rules.

That changes a lot.

Humm....still....the difference being...PayPal "secures" the money until positive feedback or 3 days afterwards. Doesn't mean you get scammed. Can't happen. PayPal has the money....and it takes a few more days to get the funds in your account. It's not like the buyer is going to be able receive the shipment and then get his money back from PayPal on some kind of scam. If the buyer tried to get his money back...PayPal would require feedback from the seller and an investigation before the money is returned. PayPal has these policies for many reasons...primarily to avoid scams and fraud.

Still safe to proceed.

Again...sorry about the "BS" comment to the previous poster.

nice when someone admits they were wrong, good on you for that. i too was astonished with this new hold system and knew nothing about it before it was too late for me, but i went through it 3-4 times without any issues, just took a couple days extra. i would ship my items overnight, so it only took 4 days to get my money usually.

 

[GoCubsGo]

This says a lot ....

He bid on 3 phones right away? Please.

And I would relist it ... you can reject a bid I thought. When you do relist it, relist it with immediate payment required.

 

[Alonzo84]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but adding the BUY IT NOW option always seems to attract scammers. Even if I clearly state in the item description "only ships to CONUS" the BUY IT NOW attracts people who want me to send it to Africa as a "surprise gift" for someone. I seem to have no issues as long as I allow the auction to play out.

 

[pasipple]

This is without a doubt fraud. Look at the buyers profile (linked below). He also bought two other phones so you are not the only one this scammer is looking to defraud. Good luck!

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI....eName=PageBidderProfileViewBids_None_ViewLink

He likes to buy phones? Doesn't mean he is scamming. But I know personally I would not be too comfortable selling such a high priced "item" on eBay to someone with no feedback and no previous transactions. Bottom line you need to know the "rules" and "terms of sale"...policies on eBay (which apparently I don't) and PayPal and proceed carefully.

As the original poster stated....it would probably be wise to cancel the transaction and move on. Even doing that can be a problem...if the buyer contests the cancellation.

 

[artofdesign]

View attachment 237794
He bid on 3 phones right away? Please.

You guys could be right about this buyer. BUT just his high activity on phones doesnt mean he is a scammer. I have sold 6 iphones now on ebay(the wife's and I's) and 3 of them have gone to guys who only buy iphones and buy A LOT of them(on the 3 buyers over the last month they had bought a few to dozens.). They must have some re-sale business or something. None of them scammed me.

 

[Domino8282]

I just listed my iphone on ebay about an hour ago, and it already sold for the "buy it now" price of $500.....problem is, it's a new ebay user with 0 feedback......

i'm VERY skeptical of this, is there a way i can reject the sale and keep the auction going? here's my auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330449846824&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123


I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO!!

I wouldn't be so quick to cancel their order. But I would take the following precautions:

1) Don't mail it until Paypal says "it's safe to ship," and only if it says you're eligible for "seller protection." If you view the details of their Paypal transaction, it should say both of these things.
2) ONLY mail to a Paypal confirmed address. It should say "verified" or "confirmed" under their address on Paypal, this is the ONLY place you should mail to.
3) Whatever mail service you are using, make sure to insure the item (for the sale price) and to get delivery confirmation.
4) If the sale is international, fill out the customs form accurately and completely (don't lie on the form and say it's a gift or put a lesser value because they ask you to, in order to reduce their customs fee).

If you do all of the above, it's basically a no-lose situation for you. Take the proper precautions *before* you ship. But there's no reason to pull out immediately for no reason other than lack of feedback (IMO).

EDIT: Sorry, I thought he already paid. If you're feeling sketchy and he hasn't paid yet (given his comment about hoping it's "exactly as described") you have every right to cancel and relist.

 

[satirev]

I just listed my iphone on ebay about an hour ago, and it already sold for the "buy it now" price of $500.....problem is, it's a new ebay user with 0 feedback......

i'm VERY skeptical of this, is there a way i can reject the sale and keep the auction going? here's my auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330449846824&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123


I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO!!

obviously you dont have a lot of experience on ebay if youre worried about this. you are the seller so you have nothing to worry about. you get paid, and then you send the item. i WOULD be worried if you were the one buying the iphone from someone with no feedback. i would absolutely never do that...

 

[artofdesign]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but adding the BUY IT NOW option always seems to attract scammers. Even if I clearly state in the item description "only ships to CONUS" the BUY IT NOW attracts people who want me to send it to Africa as a "surprise gift" for someone. I seem to have no issues as long as I allow the auction to play out.

I always sell mine with BIN, every time, and never had the issue. The options you set in the add and the details you write are important. The seller needs to set-up the auction correctly and this isnt an problem.
Even if the situation you mentioned happened, then you'd just inform ebay that the buyer didn't agree to the terms of the auction and re-list it for free. You have the message they sent you as proof for ebay.

 

[artofdesign]

I wouldn't be so quick to cancel their order. But I would take the following precautions:

1) Don't mail it until Paypal says "it's safe to ship," and only if it says you're eligible for "seller protection." If you view the details of their Paypal transaction, it should say both of these things.
2) ONLY mail to a Paypal confirmed address. It should say "verified" or "confirmed" under their address on Paypal, this is the ONLY place you should mail to.
3) Whatever mail service you are using, make sure to insure the item (for the sale price) and to get delivery confirmation.
4) If the sale is international, fill out the customs form accurately and completely (don't lie on the form and say it's a gift or put a lesser value because they ask you to, in order to reduce their customs fee).

If you do all of the above, it's basically a no-lose situation for you. Take the proper precautions *before* you ship. But there's no reason to pull out immediately for no reason other than lack of feedback (IMO).

Yup! And since it's over $250, paypal requires signature on delivery.

From paypal's terms:

"For transactions that total less than $250, proof of delivery is confirmation that can be viewed online and includes: the delivery address, delivery date, and the URL to the shipping company’s web site if you’ve selected “Other” in the shipping drop down menu. For transactions that total $250 or more, you must get signature confirmation of delivery."

 

[Domino8282]

obviously you dont have a lot of experience on ebay if youre worried about this. you are the seller so you have nothing to worry about. you get paid, and then you send the item. i WOULD be worried if you were the one buying the iphone from someone with no feedback. i would absolutely never do that...

Not true. I thought the same thing until I learned my lesson the hard way.

Sold my iPhone 2G to a buyer in Vietnam. Paid immediately via Paypal with a credit card and e-mailed asking me to ship to a different address as a birthday gift for their sister. Said their birthday was soon, and to please rush delivery.

I didn't know any better, figured like you said that I was protected. Plus the money had already come through on Paypal (or so I thought). So I shipped the item to the address they specified in the e-mail. I immediately submitted a request to transfer the funds to my bank account.

About a week later, AFTER the funds were already in my bank account, I got a notice from Paypal saying the buyer had committed credit card fraud, and that *I* was responsible for paying Paypal back. I was dumbfounded.

I spent hours on the phone with both E-Bay and Paypal, I submitted a formal complaint to the IC3 (Internet Crime Complaint Center), all to no avail. The fact that the buyer was in Vietnam and that I had shipped to an unconfirmed address gave me absolutely no recourse whatsoever.

So, you *can* get screwed as a seller. It's been my personal experience that buyers are far better protected. I still don't think you should necessarily cancel an auction just due to zero feedback, but you should be aware of when you are protected and when you are not.

I just sold my 3GS for $450 to someone in the UK. In my auction this time, I excluded Southeast Asia, Africa, Russia, and South America, because their postal systems sometimes have issues with loss of packages, theft, etc. I also made my only international shipping option USPS International Express, because for your money it's the most reliable and trackable option. And obviously, this time I didn't mail to a non-verified address.

 

[satirev]

Not true. I thought the same thing until I learned my lesson the hard way.

Sold my iPhone 2G to a buyer in Vietnam. Paid immediately via Paypal with a credit card and e-mailed asking me to ship to a different address as a birthday gift for their sister. Said their birthday was soon, and to please rush delivery.

I didn't know any better, figured like you said that I was protected. Plus the money had already come through on Paypal (or so I thought). So I shipped the item to the address they specified in the e-mail. I immediately submitted a request to transfer the funds to my bank account.

About a week later, AFTER the funds were already in my bank account, I got a notice from Paypal saying the buyer had committed credit card fraud, and that *I* was responsible for paying Paypal back. I was dumbfounded.

I spent hours on the phone with both E-Bay and Paypal, I submitted a formal complaint to the IC3 (Internet Crime Complaint Center), all to no avail. The fact that the buyer was in Vietnam and that I had shipped to an unconfirmed address gave me absolutely no recourse whatsoever.

So, you *can* get screwed as a seller. It's been my personal experience that buyers are far better protected. I still don't think you should necessarily cancel an auction just due to zero feedback, but you should be aware of when you are protected and when you are not.

I just sold my 3GS for $450 to someone in the UK. In my auction this time, I excluded Southeast Asia, Africa, Russia, and South America, because their postal systems sometimes have issues with loss of packages, theft, etc. I also made my only international shipping option USPS International Express, because for your money it's the most reliable and trackable option. And obviously, this time I didn't mail to a non-verified address.

It's too bad you weren't smart enough to realize a scam when it's blatant. Anyone who wants you to deliver to an address other than the one their paypal account is linked to should be a red flag to you...