Atn Sellers: Beware of selling Intl. through Paypal

[edubs01]

Just wanted to share my recent experience and give everybody a heads-up.
I sold a shirt to member mythage about a month and a half ago.
I am located in the US and seller was located in Canada.
Package was shipped via USPS First Class Intl. Customs Form # was provided to buyer and uploaded on Paypal.
After a month buyer contact me that item was never received. At that time I explained that if it gets held up in Customs it is out of my control. He then started calling Customs and Canada Post. To make a long story short package was located but it was ripped open and contents were missing. Package was shipped via a padded envelope purchased directly from PO. Most likely it was ripped open by customs or in transit
Buyer opens up a Paypal claim and since proof of delivery can't be obtained I lost the case.
Just be careful when shipping Intl. and cover your ass.

 

[edmorel]

Canada will occasionally eff up a package. Its weird because you'll send something today and it will get there in 3 days, send something tomorrow and it gets there in 3 weeks. There is no rhyme or reason. First Class international is a crap shoot because there is no tracking/trail, if you are selling anything valuable, send it Priority International and insure it or you will be SOL.

 

[SpooPoker]



Package was shipped via USPS First Class Intl.

/thread

 

[plei89]

Happened to me before plenty of times. That's why I try to only ship Express for International packages.

 

[edubs01]

The problem is most of the times the buyers don't want to pay for additional shipping.

 

[Makoto Chan]

I'd rather pay less and accept the risk, but I guess if I tell that to someone in the US they can't know I won't get angry and file a claim. I'm sorry to hear about this.

 

[Ivon]

That's just dounds like a case of theft, which can happen if you ship domestically or internationally and the buyer can still do the Paypal claim anyway. Shouldn't there have been some sort of insurance on the parcel, especially if it was worth a decent bit of change? Over the years, I've never had that happen to me, knock on wood. My last package showed in three days with no duties from a respected forum member and seller, it arrived Thurday morning after paying PayPal Mon night.

 

[sdolina]

I've bough around hundred items from US and no one was missed. Few were destroyed because of uncareful packages (die-cast car models) but if ship Priority Mail you'll be safe.
Customs and post-office clerks are the problem but not as much as described.

 

[Nicola]

Customs have been known to open packages. They check if the package contains what it claims. If the value matches. If the tariff section is right.

Now the people doing the checking are supposed to be bonded

When you say the package was found? Where? Did you/he file a claim?

 

[ThatGuy]

This can happen domestically too. Sometimes you just get unlucky. As the seller, you need to ensure you do your very best to ensure that the buyer, who is the customers, gets the products he/ she paid for. Note that the buyer normally puts up the money first. There is a reason Paypal protects the buyer. I have bought from some very lazy sellers who do nothing for three weeks before being bothered to send my item to me.

Anyhows, you were just unlucky this time.