Man-o-man, I need more eBay help...

I sold a coin with free shipping to the United States... As luck would have it, someone won it from Canada and paid me for the coin - with free shipping.

Shipping to Canada is almost triple that of an insured, domestic package.

I've tried to contact him to request we cancel the sale or he pay the shipping difference, but he's unresponsive (except for the payment)

What are my options? I have over 500 positive feedbacks for over 10 years with not one negative - I try and do right by folks.... but I'd rather not eat what amounts to about $30...

Thank you in advance

 

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I feel your pain. Been there too... The honest answer is that if the buyer doesn't agree to help you, your only option is to honor as listed or be willing to suffer the consequences of Bad feedback.

 

Did you exclude Canada in your listing? I thought if a seller excluded shipment to certain countries on the original listing that people from these countries could not bid on the item. If you forgot to exclude, then maybe you should just pay the shipment cost to keep your stellar rating if the buyer will not at least split it with you. If you did exclude Canada and a person from Canada won the auction, I would then contact eBay to see what your options are here. Good luck! TC

 

what if you drive across the canadian border, buy a canadian stamp and mail it localy?

 

I had the same issue with an Austrian buyer, but he contacted me before he bid and we worked out the shipping in advance. The question is: did you list the item with shipping in the US only?

 

I am 99% sure that when you offer free shipping, it is only valid for the United States, regardless if you have any country exclusions in use.
When you offer free shipping, you have to choose a service.
For example, I choose "USPS First Class Package".

If the buyer is outside the country, this service is not available. So it is not free shipping.
Basically, you are only offering free shipping on the particular service you chose when you created the listing.
On your listing, in the shipping details area there should be a drop down for buyers to view choose their country and a button to "get rates".

This is my understanding, and any buyer from outside the U.S. has paid for shipping on my "free shipping" listings.

 

Nope GB, wish you were correct... He paid for it with the FREE SHIPPING. The listing clearly states SHIPS TO UNITED STATES --- if it were otherwise, it'd say SHIPS TO UNITED STATES, CANADA, MEXICO etc.etc.

I think I'm just going to refund his money... eBay should take the negative down if he posts one. I don't see why they would not...

If anyone want to see the listing I'll private you, just ask...

 

I'd like to see it.

 

Dang Kevin, sorry. I have a feeling you will not get stuck with the shipping charges. ebay must have something in place for this scenario.

 

Nope, I have been there and have had many talks with Ebay. The buyer-if he chooses-can leave bad feedback and Ebay will not remove it. You take that chance if you choose to not ship. Another thing is that if you put no returns on an item and the buyer returns it anyway they too can leave bad feedback regardless of how you had it listed. There are several more ways to get negative feedback that doesn't seem fair, but Ebay won't lend a ear in the sellers favor.

 

It's not enough just to say "U.S. only" in your listing. I don't know if that's what you did, but there's two other things. Under shipping, you can select the international rates. Once there, you either select no international shipping or pick a rate. You can also select countries to exclude or include. I fill out both parts just to be safe.

 

send it media postage rate.., and with delivery confirmation or signiture

 

Media postage rate can be opened to determine if it qualifies as media and it is only good inside the US.

 

Same here, I was actually under the impression that an item listed as only shipping within the US, would only post on the US ebay.com site so that foreign customers wouldn't be allowed to see it.
Your buyer might have left -ebay.ca- (the Canadian ebay) to view and purchase this coin? If that was the case, the transaction could be terminated.

I'd just send it via First Class for a few bucks. You don't need insurance & delivery confirmation, because the customs number is a tracking number.

 

I think you're over thinking this... hopefully you'll be able to get in touch with the buyer and he'll be reasonable. If not, you can still cancel the transaction and take a possible negative. A negative is not the end of the world... anyone who does any amount of selling runs into a jerk now and again. I doubt it would effect your reputation, and you still have an option to tell your side of the story in the feedback.

 

This should not happen if you selected no international shipping under the ebay shipping options.
Someone with a foreign address should not see it.
If you didn't set it up correctly, then you should probably ship it.
Don't worry about the loss, just make it up on the next sale.

 

Yup, if it wasn't setup right, the buyer found your loop hole. I'd agree you might be eating the costs this time but I'm sure it won't be forgotten next time now.

 

I ended up shipping it, even though my ship to option was only the U.S. I don't know why eBay has two different 'tabs' (for lack of a better word) One to only ship to U.S. and one to deny shipment internationally.

The extra $$ wasn't worth more drama as I know there are anal folk who WON'T bid on sellers with 99% feedback....

 

USPS will not insure or delivery confirm international packages. Once it leaves the USA its out of there hands.

 

I had delivery confirmation on that international package, tracking info is sitting right here... I could not insure it without taking out a small loan though....