Dear fellow collectors,
Since half a year we are selling a huge banknote collection on eBay on a
10-day basis, hard work, still for more than a year to go.
The hardest work is, that we frequently face buyers who so-called
"didn't receive their package", knowing that 99% of those
cases the package still in transit is, or stuck at customs. We send all
packages by registered mail and higher value packages by courier (free
of charge by the way), and the tracking number can be easily checked on
several websites, however buyers don't seem to check this often, it's
easier not to communicate and file a case immediately.
We, as a seller, have to additionally contact numerously by phone abroad
customs, post offices and courier services, including PayPal and eBay,
trying to clarify everything and to get delivery proofs, and spending
lots of time and money. If not, we guaranteed lose the case.
Nevertheless, since the Buyer on eBay has all the rights and the Seller
has no rights, cases are always
closed by refunding the buyer, no matter what, even if the status still
shows "in transit", eBay and PayPal are believing the buyer in
the first place, regardless of tracking evidences. eBay is therefore an
easy place to buy notes, receive them and complain you didn't receive
them, refund is guaranteed on top of your (future) received notes.
The best example was last year with suspicious buyer betrillionaire
from Dallas, Texas.
Mr. Mansouri won several notes (including expensive Iranian notes) for
about 1000 USD and were sent in 3 different packages (2 by Post, 1 by
DHL). He received none ...... he said, and filed a case on PayPal (not
on eBay strangely!).
We had written proofs and delivery certificates from the Post that 1
package indeed was delivered, we had official certificates and
electronic proofs from DHL that the package was delivered at his address
and the 3rd one was stuck at customs. Mr. Mansouri made not any effort
to contact a post office or customs.
Guess what, all 3 were reimbursed by PayPal, while all evidence was
given on PayPal to defend from our side.
Has anybody got similar experiences on eBay with cheating buyers? Or any
advice on such scenarios?
How can we, as a seller, protect ourselves against such buyers, knowing
that the support is not coming at all from eBay or PayPal. Considering
also that only the sellers are continuously financing eBay and PayPal
through its numerous fees, it is even more frustrating to be handled
like that.......
In case packages are indeed stuck at customs, what is happening then?
Stuck forever? Ending up in an incinerator? Maybe returned?
Thanks,
Erwin van den Buys
Belgium