The Ebay Advice Column

jjttdw · Mon Feb 16, 2015 1:19 pm

summoner wrote:
jjttdw wrote:I'm sending a rather large, $2.5k+ print to Australia from the U.S. It needs to be tracked and fully insured. It looks like FedEx International Priority is a little under $200 for shipping. USPS International Priority is about half that. Any thoughts on using USPS versus FedEx?
As long as it can be insured for the full amount, then I would think either would be about the same. I would suggest USPS Express International though.

Priority Mail Express International?? Is that what they call it?

summoner · Mon Feb 16, 2015 1:22 pm

jjttdw wrote:
summoner wrote:
jjttdw wrote:I'm sending a rather large, $2.5k+ print to Australia from the U.S. It needs to be tracked and fully insured. It looks like FedEx International Priority is a little under $200 for shipping. USPS International Priority is about half that. Any thoughts on using USPS versus FedEx?
As long as it can be insured for the full amount, then I would think either would be about the same. I would suggest USPS Express International though.
Priority Mail Express International?? Is that what they call it?

Yep that is it. But you will need to check the size restrictions to see if your package is too large. I forgot there is a max on size.

jjttdw · Mon Feb 16, 2015 1:27 pm

Thanks, brother.

halftonegraphics · Mon Feb 16, 2015 1:45 pm

you will need to do USPS Express GXG in order to insure for that amount. $2500 is the max insurance, i believe. on another note, GXG is actually serviced by FedEx. ive never looked up FedEx international rates but I might guess it will be the same or very similar.

http://pe.usps.com/text/Imm/ab_012.htm

jjttdw · Mon Feb 16, 2015 2:09 pm

halftonegraphics wrote:you will need to do USPS Express GXG in order to insure for that amount. $2500 is the max insurance, i believe. on another note, GXG is actually serviced by FedEx. ive never looked up FedEx international rates but I might guess it will be the same or very similar.

http://pe.usps.com/text/Imm/ab_012.htm

In the price calculator section it does not give the option of GXG, only Priority Mail Express International. It also seems to let me insure to $5k.

halftonegraphics · Mon Feb 16, 2015 5:02 pm

it'll show up if you put a value of $2499 or less.

but, yeah, you are correct. looks like Express allows for insurance up to $5000. GXG is capped at $2499.

IronRinn · Wed Feb 18, 2015 1:58 pm

Has anyone used the "Find contact information" feature? Trying to verify the identity of a new buyer but not necessarily thrilled about basically trading info.

halftonegraphics · Wed Feb 18, 2015 5:22 pm

IronRinn wrote:Has anyone used the "Find contact information" feature? Trying to verify the identity of a new buyer but not necessarily thrilled about basically trading info.

it gives each party the other party's full name and phone number.

IronRinn · Wed Feb 18, 2015 5:36 pm

halftonegraphics wrote:
IronRinn wrote:Has anyone used the "Find contact information" feature? Trying to verify the identity of a new buyer but not necessarily thrilled about basically trading info.

it gives each party the other party's full name and phone number.

Yeah, that's what bothers me. Have you ever used it? Not sure if it would help the situation or if I would just be giving a potential scammer more info on me. There's no problem at the moment, just kind of paranoid lately dealing with low-feedback buyers, I guess.

veltri · Wed Feb 18, 2015 6:02 pm

It's a good deterrent. I used it once when the seller wouldn't ship my item. He shipped it the next day.
He already had my info, though.

1000steps · Thu Feb 19, 2015 9:37 am

Three buyers in the last week have pressured me to ship before they paid for the freakin item. WTF???

People are so shortsighted at times, it's a wonder they can walk safely across a room.

Thu Feb 19, 2015 10:30 am

potential issue:

(1) canadian buyer (no feedback / new account) .... fishy username (jibberish)
(2) paypal clears payment (after initial warning email)
(3) i ship USPS fully insured / tracking (using ebay global shipping program)
(4) package marked as delivered on feb 10
(5) buyer contacts me saying he never received it

what happens if it can't be "found"? is this a scam of some sort? also, what happens if i can't find the original USPS insurance receipt? i entered it into ebay (to provide tracking). does that count?

the only thing i wish i would have done differently is use signature confirmation.

cmatthews11 · Thu Feb 19, 2015 10:34 am

Fairly certain that if you used ebay's Global Shipping Program and it is marked delivered there is zero liability on your part?

Thu Feb 19, 2015 10:40 am

cmatthews11 wrote:Fairly certain that if you used ebay's Global Shipping Program and it is marked delivered there is zero liability on your part?

that's my hope, but not 100% certain. it just made me nervous because of the new ebay account (with jibberish username), zero feedback, new paypal account (i think).....

may have to dig into the global shipping program fine print.

halftonegraphics · Thu Feb 19, 2015 6:22 pm

soupysound wrote:potential issue:

(1) canadian buyer (no feedback / new account) .... fishy username (jibberish)
(2) paypal clears payment (after initial warning email)
(3) i ship USPS fully insured / tracking (using ebay global shipping program)
(4) package marked as delivered on feb 10
(5) buyer contacts me saying he never received it

what happens if it can't be "found"? is this a scam of some sort? also, what happens if i can't find the original USPS insurance receipt? i entered it into ebay (to provide tracking). does that count?

the only thing i wish i would have done differently is use signature confirmation.

just to clarify.. you shipped to the eBay global shipping location? your tracking shows it was delivered to them?

if yes to both, nothing to worry about. eBay takes all claims and responsibility after that point.

i dont use the global program, but i would assume they provide a tracking number to the buyer (different than the one you upload to your auction). do they also provide this information to the seller as well? assuming your package was delivered to the global location, then i would assume your buyer needs to have direct contact with eBay and not you.