Advice on potential eBay problem

Todd Adamson · 04-11-2011, 02:53 PM

I've been an eBay member for about 10 years, but I don't use it often, so am not really experienced with the ins and outs of selling, especially to foreign countries.

So, I listed a lens recently, and I only provided shipping options for a US address. I didn't have time to pay close attention to the bidders, and it was won by someone in Singapore. My first instinct was to just cancel their bid and go to the next highest bidder, or relist. But the person who won the auction has been a member since 2002, with hundreds of positive feedbacks (100%) in both buying and selling. Whaddya think, would it be safe to go ahead and send to the Singapore buyer?

Bramela · 04-11-2011, 03:00 PM

I have been an ebay seller for years and never had a problem with Singapore, korea etc.
Main thing is just so long as you have received payment, in your account and finalised, go for it.
Singapore is a very very trustworthy place to deal with.
I sold 3 lens there recently, no hassles of any kind.

Go for it!

Colbyt · 04-11-2011, 03:04 PM

For a member with near 100% feedback, I would complete the transaction adjusting the shipping. I shipped to Hong Kong a time or two with zero problems. Some other areas might be more problematic.

Todd Adamson · 04-11-2011, 03:32 PM

OK, that's good news, thanks!

rhodopsin · 04-11-2011, 04:08 PM

Within the past year I have shipped to Singapore without problems. Nice people. Reliable postal system.

Todd Adamson · 04-11-2011, 04:14 PM

Thanks. DOes anyone have any recommendations regarding the best way to ship from the US to Singapore?

rhodopsin · 04-11-2011, 05:21 PM

Ask the buyer. For buyers like your guy I've had good luck with the cheapest method, US stamps on a nondescript box with handwritten address and customs note -- for inexpensive lenses. ~US$6 per lens(!), delivered in 5 days from rural West US, probably on the same flight as the 'special' shipments. For more expensive items the tracking & insurance fee is far less a part of the total cost, might be worth it ymmv.

Colbyt · 04-11-2011, 05:29 PM

Ask the buyer is good advice. I shipped USPS global mail. You may or may not have to do a customs form so allow a little extra time when and where you drop it off. BTW, I don't lie om those forms.

Todd Adamson · 04-14-2011, 08:00 PM

Well, this one fell through, despite the buyer having great feedback, and I still think there's a good chance he may have been honest. BUT, once he sent me money, he asked me to declare the value at about 10% of what it was worth (and obviously, what I would be insuring it for). So I refunded his money and canceled. He begged me to reconsider, and said I could declare it at whatever I wanted....he almost had me changing my mind, but then he asked me to shio it to a different address than the confirmed address PayPal had on file. Final straw, I wasn't going to risk it.

You'll be seeing a DA*55/1.4 up on the marketplace or relisted on eBay very soon, LOL.

Colbyt · 04-15-2011, 05:22 AM

You made the right call. Fudging customs forms is not good. Under-insured out of country is plain crazy and the address switch alone would have killed it for me.

K-9 · 04-15-2011, 06:35 AM

Even though you select ship to US only, there is a box you have to check in selling preferences, blocking bidders not from the countries you do not ship to. As far as overseas transactions, they are risky, regardless of someone's perfect feedback or not. Unless you send the item registered or fully insured, if the person doesn't get it and puts in a paypal claim, you are out the money. You are putting a lot of faith in other countries' delivery. I would suggest always sending fully insured.

Ubuntu_user · 04-15-2011, 07:24 AM

Hey Todd, not to distract from the main topic, but how much are you looking to get out of your DA* 55mm?

Edit: Is it wrong to put the value way lower on customs forms than it really is? I recently had a situation that I didn't know what to do--I sold a computer to a guy in spain and sent it via USPS priority. On the custom form it would only let me put the value at 400 dollars. So I left it at that.
However, countries that have import fees and duties if the declared value is put as being low, then the fees are avoided. Is that wrong?

dgaies · 04-15-2011, 07:39 AM

Originally posted by Ubuntu_user

Edit: Is it wrong to put the value way lower on customs forms than it really is? I recently had a situation that I didn't know what to do--I sold a computer to a guy in spain and sent it via USPS priority. On the custom form it would only let me put the value at 400 dollars. So I left it at that.
However, countries that have import fees and duties if the declared value is put as being low, then the fees are avoided. Is that wrong?

Is it wrong? I suppose that's an ethical/moral question that you have to answer yourself. It's technically illegal, so in that sense it's "wrong".

That said, have I declared items at a lower value to help save people money? No comment.

Todd Adamson · 04-15-2011, 07:50 AM

Originally posted by Ubuntu_user

Is it wrong to put the value way lower on customs forms than it really is?

To be honest, I could give a rat's ass about this country or any other collecting any kind of exorbitant duty fees. But I assume it would be difficult filling out forms at the post office saying the item was valued at $50, and then turn around and ask them to insure it for $600.

I'll send you a PM.

dgaies · 04-15-2011, 07:58 AM

Originally posted by Todd Adamson

To be honest, I could give a rat's ass about this country or any other collecting any kind of exorbitant duty fees. But I assume it would be difficult filling out forms at the post office saying the item was valued at $50, and then turn around and ask them to insure it for $600.

Which is why you aren't allowed to insure the lens for more than the declared value. So if someone wants a lens declared low, they also have to accept the risks associated with no having (full) insurance on the package.

04-11-2011, 02:53 PM	#1
Todd Adamson Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Iowa Posts: 722	Advice on potential eBay problem I've been an eBay member for about 10 years, but I don't use it often, so am not really experienced with the ins and outs of selling, especially to foreign countries. So, I listed a lens recently, and I only provided shipping options for a US address. I didn't have time to pay close attention to the bidders, and it was won by someone in Singapore. My first instinct was to just cancel their bid and go to the next highest bidder, or relist. But the person who won the auction has been a member since 2002, with hundreds of positive feedbacks (100%) in both buying and selling. Whaddya think, would it be safe to go ahead and send to the Singapore buyer?

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04-11-2011, 03:00 PM	#2
Bramela Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Newcastle Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,284	I have been an ebay seller for years and never had a problem with Singapore, korea etc. Main thing is just so long as you have received payment, in your account and finalised, go for it. Singapore is a very very trustworthy place to deal with. I sold 3 lens there recently, no hassles of any kind. Go for it!

04-11-2011, 03:04 PM	#3
Colbyt Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Central Kentucky Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,417	For a member with near 100% feedback, I would complete the transaction adjusting the shipping. I shipped to Hong Kong a time or two with zero problems. Some other areas might be more problematic.

04-11-2011, 03:32 PM	#4
Todd Adamson Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Iowa Posts: 722 Original Poster	OK, that's good news, thanks!

04-11-2011, 04:08 PM	#5
rhodopsin Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Deep Forest Posts: 643	Within the past year I have shipped to Singapore without problems. Nice people. Reliable postal system.

04-11-2011, 04:14 PM	#6
Todd Adamson Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Iowa Posts: 722 Original Poster	Thanks. DOes anyone have any recommendations regarding the best way to ship from the US to Singapore?

04-11-2011, 05:21 PM	#7
rhodopsin Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Deep Forest Posts: 643	Ask the buyer. For buyers like your guy I've had good luck with the cheapest method, US stamps on a nondescript box with handwritten address and customs note -- for inexpensive lenses. ~US$6 per lens(!), delivered in 5 days from rural West US, probably on the same flight as the 'special' shipments. For more expensive items the tracking & insurance fee is far less a part of the total cost, might be worth it ymmv.

04-11-2011, 05:29 PM	#8
Colbyt Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Central Kentucky Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,417	Ask the buyer is good advice. I shipped USPS global mail. You may or may not have to do a customs form so allow a little extra time when and where you drop it off. BTW, I don't lie om those forms.

04-14-2011, 08:00 PM	#9
Todd Adamson Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Iowa Posts: 722 Original Poster	Well, this one fell through, despite the buyer having great feedback, and I still think there's a good chance he may have been honest. BUT, once he sent me money, he asked me to declare the value at about 10% of what it was worth (and obviously, what I would be insuring it for). So I refunded his money and canceled. He begged me to reconsider, and said I could declare it at whatever I wanted....he almost had me changing my mind, but then he asked me to shio it to a different address than the confirmed address PayPal had on file. Final straw, I wasn't going to risk it. You'll be seeing a DA*55/1.4 up on the marketplace or relisted on eBay very soon, LOL.

04-15-2011, 05:22 AM	#10
Colbyt Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Central Kentucky Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,417	You made the right call. Fudging customs forms is not good. Under-insured out of country is plain crazy and the address switch alone would have killed it for me.

04-15-2011, 06:35 AM	#11
K-9 Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: USA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,971	Even though you select ship to US only, there is a box you have to check in selling preferences, blocking bidders not from the countries you do not ship to. As far as overseas transactions, they are risky, regardless of someone's perfect feedback or not. Unless you send the item registered or fully insured, if the person doesn't get it and puts in a paypal claim, you are out the money. You are putting a lot of faith in other countries' delivery. I would suggest always sending fully insured.

04-15-2011, 07:24 AM	#12
Ubuntu_user Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,545	Hey Todd, not to distract from the main topic, but how much are you looking to get out of your DA* 55mm? Edit: Is it wrong to put the value way lower on customs forms than it really is? I recently had a situation that I didn't know what to do--I sold a computer to a guy in spain and sent it via USPS priority. On the custom form it would only let me put the value at 400 dollars. So I left it at that. However, countries that have import fees and duties if the declared value is put as being low, then the fees are avoided. Is that wrong?

04-15-2011, 07:39 AM	#13
dgaies Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Maryland / Washington DC Posts: 3,917	Originally posted by Ubuntu_user Edit: Is it wrong to put the value way lower on customs forms than it really is? I recently had a situation that I didn't know what to do--I sold a computer to a guy in spain and sent it via USPS priority. On the custom form it would only let me put the value at 400 dollars. So I left it at that. However, countries that have import fees and duties if the declared value is put as being low, then the fees are avoided. Is that wrong? Is it wrong? I suppose that's an ethical/moral question that you have to answer yourself. It's technically illegal, so in that sense it's "wrong". That said, have I declared items at a lower value to help save people money? No comment.

04-15-2011, 07:50 AM	#14
Todd Adamson Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Iowa Posts: 722 Original Poster	Originally posted by Ubuntu_user Is it wrong to put the value way lower on customs forms than it really is? To be honest, I could give a rat's ass about this country or any other collecting any kind of exorbitant duty fees. But I assume it would be difficult filling out forms at the post office saying the item was valued at $50, and then turn around and ask them to insure it for $600. I'll send you a PM.

04-15-2011, 07:58 AM	#15
dgaies Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Maryland / Washington DC Posts: 3,917	Originally posted by Todd Adamson To be honest, I could give a rat's ass about this country or any other collecting any kind of exorbitant duty fees. But I assume it would be difficult filling out forms at the post office saying the item was valued at $50, and then turn around and ask them to insure it for $600. Which is why you aren't allowed to insure the lens for more than the declared value. So if someone wants a lens declared low, they also have to accept the risks associated with no having (full) insurance on the package.