eBay/PayPal Mess -- Need Advice- Update

[Redcatcher]

I sold a large Hummel figurine on eBay shortly before Christmas which I thought would fetch maybe $25. Instead, it went for $500 which is beside the point. The buyer is located in Germany and in order to avoid enormous custom fees, she made two payments through PayPal and asked me to declare the value of the lessor amount. (this is not breaking any US laws but her own custom laws). Because of the extreme weather in Europe and the Christmas mail rush, we both agreed that it would be best to wait until AFTER Christmas to ship the figurine out. Well the day after Christmas we were hit with a blizzard here that left me snowed in for days. The PO was even closed. I guess fearing that all I was doing was making up excuses, she panicked and opened up, not one, but TWO disputes against me through PayPal (since she had not used eBay's checkout). Her reasoning was that the 45 days might run out while the figurine was in transit and she would have no way to recoup her money should the figurine get broken or lost in the mail. I exchanged countless e-mails with her and reassured her that I would make things right with her. My eBay reputation is stellar. So what I intend to do is declare the figurine at the full amount and then insure it for the full amount. I still have not shipped the figurine out because we are at a stalemate. The funds are frozen and now if the figurine arrives broken or is lost, she will have it AND her money. As it is, shipping is going to have to come out of my own pocket. I contacted the next bidder and he is still interested in the figurine. I think maybe I should sell it to him. But then if I default on the disputes they may start imposing limits on my account. Plus it would be as if I were selling the same item to two people. I rely on PayPal as a source of income. I am not sure what to do at this point.

 

[gavinandallison]

Talk to paypal. Send them copies of the local news reports about the weather and see if they will close the dispute. But she and you both committed a breach of the law by 1. Her asking you to declare the value at a lesser extent than it is, 2. You agreeing to do so. Are you sure that you are within US Customs restrictions by declaring it at a lower value? Surely you will have to pay tax on what you make..... A sticky situation indeed, German customs are VERY strict indeed.

but if you do decide to ship, ensure it is safely packed and insured for damage in transit for the full amount that she paid. Paypal should work for both sides, not just the buyer. See what they say or advise you to do...

did you keep her updated with all the delays due to weather etc? Communication is a big thing when dealing with people and you don't know if she has been pricked by others so is playing it careful. all of these auctions depend on one thing - trust - and unfortunately there are some people out there who will prick people (I am not saying you are one of those though) and they get everyone else a bad name.

 

[Talihofarms]

Your situation is exactly why so many people do not sell outside of US and Canada.

If it was me, I would offer a refund and stay out of the foreign market.
Decleration fraud could come back and haunt you.








just my.02

 

[kitchwitch]

At this point I would try to get it worked out through paypal and then just refund her the money. Especially if you have another buyer. I understand her concerns since she has been separated with a substantial sum of her money but at the same time, it's a risk you take when buying from a stranger halfway around the world. If she gets snippy about it just explain that in the course of trying to retain your reputation with ebay and paypal you have to admit that you BOTH were planning on being involved in illegal activities and because of her preemptive measures against you, you are no longer comfortable in doing business with her.

Personally I sell NOTHING on EBAY anymore. I sold a series of medical textbooks a couple weeks before my wedding and honeymoon and a few days before I left for the wedding I sent everything out and everyone but ONE person (who spent almost $100 on this book) received their books. Supposedly he never received the book, he also declined insurance and delivery confirmation and then kept harassing me and lodging complaints against me because I wasn't responding to his emails.

When I explained the situation he told me being on my honeymoon was no excuse.

People are sooo horrible sometimes.

 

[EweSheep]

That is why I deal with folks in the lower 48 states, Hawaii and Alaska, with a few exceptions for Canadians......anyone else, nope, I do not deal with them! But I do buy things from UK with sellers with execellent feedbacks and very good with PayPal. No problems so far.

I would refund her money back and no figurine and sell it to the other bidder. If that other bidder do not want it, then I can sell it back on Ebay and say NO foreign countries, list names of countries you will not deal with and stick with Ebayers in the lower 48 states.

 

[chicks4kids]

I think what she did is perfectly reasonable. With paypal you are under a time limit to file a dispute....this covers her end of the deal if in case she doesn't receive the item. It's not a claim yet. The dispute is just a safe measure as a buyer and doesn't show up negatively to you in any way. Once she receives the item, she just goes in and cancels it...just like that. Now if you don't ship her the item, and she escalates it to a claim that's a different story. I've had to file disputes, especially with sales out of the country because of the time frame. It is a reassurance for the buyer.

You should most definitely ship it out to her though and send her tracking information. Otherwise, she'll escalate it to a claim.

 

[Redcatcher]

Quote:
This does not cover MY end of the deal though. I could ship the figurine to her in good faith but then if it arrives there broken or not at all, she will have her money regardless. She has no intentions of closing the dispute even if she has a tracking number. She is going to wait until the figurine arrives there first and if it is damaged, she will certainly try to claim that the item was not "as described". According to her, that was her entire reason for opening the disputes. Then I would need to explain why there are are TWO disputes when actually only ONE item is being disputed. There is no way that I know of for me to prove that one of these items does not exist and there should be only one tracking number. I have heard too many stories of buyers defrauding sellers through disputes so I am very reluctant to send this figurine out to her at my own expense now.

edit: typo

 

[chicks4kids]

Quote:
This does not cover MY end of the deal though. I could ship the figurine to her in good faith but then if it arrives there broken or not at all, she will have her money regardless. She has no intentions of closing the dispute even if she has a tracking number. She is going to wait until the figurine arrives there first and if it is damaged, she will certainly try to claim that the item was not "as described". According to her, that was her entire reason for opening the disputes. Then I would need to explain why there are are TWO disputes when actually only ONE item is being disputed. There is no way that I know of for me to prove that one of these items does not exist and there should be only one tracking number. I have heard too many stories of buyers defrauding sellers through disputes so I am very reluctant to send this figurine out to her at my own expense now.

edit: typo

You can get online with paypal chat immediately and find out how it's possible that there are 2 disputes on the one item however, they also have a customer service number that you can call and get on the phone with a LIVE person to find out what your options are in regards to if you ship the item and she still escalates to a claim for reasons you mentioned. If you want to talk to someone on paypal just log in, go to the resolution center and hit contact us...they will give you a pin # and a phone number to call. I hope that they can help you. It didn't click in my head when you said she opened 2 disputes on the same item....sorry.

 

[Redcatcher]

There are two disputes open because the seller paid for the same item in two payments. One payment was for $300 and the other was for $200. The receipt for the lesser amount was for me to print out and enclose in the package as "proof" that she only paid $200 for the figurine when she actually paid $500 for it. I believe this would make it more difficult for me to insure AND collect for the full value if the figurine was broken or lost in the mail. She may have opened the disputes to try to cover her own butt since I would be limited to collecting the $200 IF that was the value I declared (which was her plan). IF I sell to her at all, I fully intend to declare the $500 and enclose a copy of the eBay auction. I would rather not have to explain to PayPal why there are two payments. Though I suppose the two payments could have been a "mistake" but then that would be lying to cover a lie.

 

[chicks4kids]

Oooooh, now I get it. The light bulb just came on, I'm blonde