Ebay help, pretty please

[martlin]

HELP!

I have been having a bit of a clear out in my tackroom, amongst other things, I have listed a saddle on Ebay - the auction has finished, it has made more money than I expected and all seemed good, until I opened the message from Ebay, the automated one just after your auction finishes... It said the saddle sold and gave me the details of the buyer... She is in Czech Republic, has registered today and has 0 feedback
What do I do?
the postage from a quick look on the good old t'internet will have to be about £100
I mean, even if she does pay, PayPal is bound to hold the money and I can't just cough up £100 to send a parcel.
Ideally, I would like to just sell the saddle to the underbidder and cancel her bid - can I do that?

I'm in panic

 

[maletto]

Erm, unfortunately I don't think you can do that. Annoying as it is, in the same way as a bidder is entering a contract to buy from you, you are entering a contract to sell to them.

Did you have anything in your listing to say to contact you before bidding if you have 0 feedback? or that you don't post abroad? Or did you say that you had the saddle advertised elsewhere?

Finally, what's your feedback? are you worried about getting a neg?

She should be requesting the postage price from you so you won't be losing out on that front, it's the threat of the potential paypal dispute & claim the item is not received etc that is a risk :S

 

[spacefaer]

I know it's not a lot of help but I always put on my listings that buyers with less than 5 feedback have to contact me before bidding.

£100 seems a lot to post it - whih service are you looking at?

 

[martlin]

My listing said post to UK.
I didn't say that the saddle is advertised elsewhere, because in theory you can't do that and I am a good girl
I have 100% positive feedback and really would like to keep it that way.
The buyer has not contacted me, I'm not sure if she is English speaking... (not a problem as such, but sent her a message she might not understand)
I'm most worried about forking out up front for the courier, TBH. Even if she does pay, PayPal will hold the money until positive feedback. I will send recorded and insured, that's for certain.

Thing is, I really need the money

 

[Fire_Fly]

You don't have to sell to them, you can withdraw but this does mean you can get a non-performing seller hit on your account and a neg. Your best bet to get away without a neg would be to say it's going to cost an extra £100 to send it, if they don't wish to proceed then you can mutually withdraw from the sale.

 

[martlin]

£100 seems a lot to post it - whih service are you looking at?

I need to send recorded and insured, no way I'm letting it just go! I looked at parcel2go, which finds you quotes from all sorts of couriers - strangely enough, ParcelForce were the cheapest at £98.

 

[JessPickle]

not helpful now but in future you can change the settings so that people not from uk with 0 feedback can't bid, unless they ask you then you can choose to make exception.

For now I'd contact the buyer and explain the cost of postage, then see if you can mutually cancel it.

 

[martlin]

You don't have to sell to them, you can withdraw but this does mean you can get a non-performing seller hit on your account and a neg. Your best bet to get away without a neg would be to say it's going to cost an extra £100 to send it, if they don't wish to proceed then you can mutually withdraw from the sale.

That's what I have done - send her a message saying postage to her will be £100 or she can arrange her own courier, providing the funds are cleared beforehand. Now I'm worrying myself sick that she hasn't even understood my message
The underbidder was only £2 less, would just love to sell to them.

 

[*hic*]

A couple of things spring to mind - tell her your PayPal a/c has problems and can't accept her payment and she needs to do a transfer direct to your bank for the sale amount plus postage - that way you still get the cash and the risk is on her. Alternatively go on the ebay Q&A forums and ask if there's an elegant way out of it.

 

[alexy1000]

Hello, little known but there is an instant messaging facility in ebay, you can speak to a rep directly, you need to find out how long your supposed to wait you dont have to send if she dosnt reply to your postage quote, you cant reasonably be expected to can you. Ebay can remove any negative feedback in these circumstances anyhow.
Heres the link to instant ebay help.

How To Contact eBay Via Live Help*
Just Like Instant Messager
Need to talk to a customer service rep after hours? You can Instant Message them from the eBay Home Page.

Look under the Java/Sun Logo on the top of the home page. There is a tiny little blue link that called "Live Help"

Click on it and you will be taken to live chat. You probably will have to wait a few minutes for a customer service rep to come on the line.

While your waiting, start typing out your question.

 

[Equus Leather]

I don't think PayPal holds the money does it?? It never has with me?

 

[mcnaughty]

Hello, little known but there is an instant messaging facility in ebay, you can speak to a rep directly, you need to find out how long your supposed to wait you dont have to send if she dosnt reply to your postage quote, you cant reasonably be expected to can you. Ebay can remove any negative feedback in these circumstances anyhow.
Heres the link to instant ebay help.

How To Contact eBay Via Live Help*
Just Like Instant Messager
Need to talk to a customer service rep after hours? You can Instant Message them from the eBay Home Page.

Look under the Java/Sun Logo on the top of the home page. There is a tiny little blue link that called "Live Help"

Click on it and you will be taken to live chat. You probably will have to wait a few minutes for a customer service rep to come on the line.

While your waiting, start typing out your question.

Ditto above - you don't have to sell to her and then you do a "second offer" I think that is what it is called - when you can offer to the next highest bidder - tell her that postage is £100 - you never know she might pay...

 

[perfect11s]

HELP!

I have been having a bit of a clear out in my tackroom, amongst other things, I have listed a saddle on Ebay - the auction has finished, it has made more money than I expected and all seemed good, until I opened the message from Ebay, the automated one just after your auction finishes... It said the saddle sold and gave me the details of the buyer... She is in Czech Republic, has registered today and has 0 feedback
What do I do?
the postage from a quick look on the good old t'internet will have to be about £100
I mean, even if she does pay, PayPal is bound to hold the money and I can't just cough up £100 to send a parcel.
Ideally, I would like to just sell the saddle to the underbidder and cancel her bid - can I do that?

I'm in panic

its up to the buyer to pay the shipping unless you have specified free shipping world wide!!! send the buyer a message saying thanks for the winning bid please send payment for item plus £x for shipping.. they could be 100% but when ive bid on items from overseas I find out 1 will the seller ship and 2 how much first? if you dont get a responce in a few days relist or offer it to the underbidder good luck...

 

[Mav]

Next time you list an item, make sure you specify to sell to UK only - there is an option when listing to do so - that way you won't come up against this problem in the future. I always use this when I'm posting an item. For now, I would wait to hear from the buyer and make sure they pay before posting the saddle anywhere. The buyer has to pay the postage - not you. You can only offer the 2nd bidder if the 1st bidder fails to pay for the item, otherwise you are breaching your contract with the buyer. Good luck!

 

[Bowen4Horses]

Next time you list an item, make sure you specify to sell to UK only - there is an option when listing to do so - that way you won't come up against this problem in the future.

i think martlin has said she did do this... if this is the case Martlin you can do a 'second chance offer' for the underbidder and cancel the winning bidder's transaction telling her your listing stated UK postage only. apologise. and make sure you explain to the underbidder what's happened so they don't think you're dodgy...

 

[Mav]

I believe if you select sell to UK only, someone from outside this area is not able to make a bid on your item as they are added as a blocked bidder and cannot place a bid, so they wouldn't have been able to win the item in the first place.

 

[HollyWoozle]

Yes, I'm pretty sure that if you stated that you would post to the UK only then you are not obliged to send it anywhere else.

 

[perfect11s]

I dont see it matters where the buyer is as long as they pay postage and for the item,
you can have messers and non payers in the uk too!!!!!!! I hope your buyer is genuine...

 

[flyingfeet]

I think you are being unfair here, if your auction allowed overseas bidders then you should honour it

If you are paid with PayPal and you ship to their PayPal address you are 100% covered as a seller (the insurance works both ways), but you will need to make sure you use a tracked service

I would just get some quotes from websites and remember to get insurance and then complete the invoice for the buyer.

 

[pink24]

Ebay automatically opens a non paying dispute if its over 7days since the end of action (depending on your settings) so if i were you I'd send them ther invoice inc the £100 p&p and if you dont hear after 7 days then give a second chance offer to the other bidder. You could always email the second highest bidder and let them know whats going on before they buy another saddle elsewhere. If you do end up sending it abroad please please please make sure you it gets tracked otherwise if it gets lost paypal will always side with the buyer which will leave you minus the saddle and with no cash, it happened to me recently!!

 

[allatno10]

Ebay automatically opens a non paying dispute if its over 7days since the end of action (depending on your settings) so if i were you I'd send them ther invoice inc the £100 p&p and if you dont hear after 7 days then give a second chance offer to the other bidder. You could always email the second highest bidder and let them know whats going on before they buy another saddle elsewhere. If you do end up sending it abroad please please please make sure you it gets tracked otherwise if it gets lost paypal will always side with the buyer which will leave you minus the saddle and with no cash, it happened to me recently!!

As above, however if they don't pay within 4 days you can open a non paying dispute without waiting for Ebay to do it automatically. I wouldn't be keen on sending a saddle abroad. Good luck.

 

[martlin]

Thanks guys for all your answers.
Jen_Cots, it's not so much I don't want to honour the auction, it's a case of being in a difficult situation, with fairly expensive item. When the buyer pays by PayPal, PayPal is likely to hold on to the money until I get positive feedback or 3 weeks with no complaint. That means that I need to fork out just over £100 up front to send the saddle to somebody who has registered with Ebay about 3 hours before my auction ended and bid on the saddle without asking postage costs...
Anyway, I didn't get any response to my message to the buyer, so I'm just about to send them an invoice with the postage I have been quoted, at the same time I will contact my underbidder and let them know of the situation, they might be willing to wait a few days and see if they can get the saddle.

 

[noodle_]

theres no way id send it


it says post to uk...... then so be it - thats your case - dont post



paypal can withhold your money sometimes.... be very careful.

 

[martlin]

Aaargh!
To add insult to injury, I can't add the effing postage to the invoice! So, basically, I can't invoice the buyer

 

[JoanneLangford]

I agree, talk this through, do not dispatch saddle until you recieve payment for carriage.

I sympathise you so have to watch your step with E Bay!

 

[*hic*]

Either email and ask for the whole amount by Bank Transfer or do the SCO and then email the original buyer for a mutual cancellation. If you get no joy and get a neg a very calm follow up of "Buyer wanted me to post to country I don't ship to" will be fine for anyone reading your feedback to understand that it was not a problem of your making.

 

[martlin]

I have just had a live chat with Ebay - useless as it was...
I think I'll just do SCO - can I do that without waiting?

 

[*hic*]

On your "Selling Reminders" from the All Selling page it should tell you what is eligible for SCOs.

 

[martlin]

On your "Selling Reminders" from the All Selling page it should tell you what is eligible for SCOs.

Thanks, just sent a SCO, but now wondering what to do with the original bidder? They don't respond to any communication... Shall I just ignore them?

 

[*hic*]

Email them through ebay's messaging system and tell them that as they are in a country you don't post to you cannot sell to them. Hope they were just pratting about and don't respond. If they don't pay I don't think they can leave feedback - if they do then it can be removed as unfair.