Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

FM Forums \| Forum & Miscellaneous \| Join Upload & Sell	Search Used
1 2 end

Archive 2009 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

cdnguyen
Offline
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #1 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

The buyer was from Ebay with over 200 feedbacks. I've had good dealings so far on FM . Don't think of this thread as to point out wrong doings of any individual. I'm merely pointing out my lesson-learned experience. Some of you may have known this already .

Jan 06, 2009 at 03:14 AM

tanglefoot47
Offline
Dedicated FM
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #2 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

aeast wrote:
I think that it would be fair and appropriate to let us know if this is a person that is on the B/S boards based on the fact that there are a lot of international sellers and buyers on here that may be affected by a "is this one that ripped off cdnguyen" syndrome when we are considering buying or selling from them. There are a lot of trustworthy people outside the US that I would hate to see their credibility hurt or questioned based off of this.

BTW I am not trying to be Ameriocentric here. My referencing here is only because cdnguyen is obviously from the US and this transaction is with someone that isn't.

JMHO,
Aaron

I have had some great sales to people outside the USA wish I could say the same with some in the US. But it's all over the place there is always someone trying to get something for nothing.

Jan 06, 2009 at 03:19 AM

aeast
Offline
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #3 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

Agreed. It goes both ways and I think that if someone gets burned by someone on FM then it should be shared to help with the integrity of a place that I have enjoyed buying and selling on.

cdnguyen: Thanks for sharing that. I have had over 370 positive transactions on eBay (used to sell high grade coins to help out when I was a poor college student) but it only takes one bad one to ruin it which is why I am now very selective with what I do on there. I am sorry that your were taken. I have a friend that fell for that sign in through your email scam and was taken for over $3000 as his acct was tied to his banking.

Jan 06, 2009 at 03:39 AM

CVickery
Offline
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #4 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

Just common sense IMO regardless of where the shipment is going. I always feel that the deal is not finished until the item is received and the buyer is satisfied. The only way you know the item is received is if you have tracking, and if anything happens before the package is received then IMO the seller is responsible...so unless you are willing to take the loss, insure the shipment. It's cheap.

That being said, everyone seems to be dumping on the buyer and I guess that's natural since cdnguyen is one of 'us' and has a good rep here. However, it's quite possible that the buyer hasn't received the package. He may be more ticked off than cdnguyen...he's paid and hasn't received anything in return. It's a sad situation and could have easily been avoided by spending a few more bucks on tracking and insurance.

Jan 06, 2009 at 04:33 AM

StevenPA
Offline
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #5 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

It comes down to the people involved, not really where they are located, and I'm sorry you're having difficulty with this sale.

No one should have to go through this kind of thing.

I know it's a little bit late now, but for next time, I strongly recommend Global EMS or its American (USPS) equivalent, Express Mail International. It's a bit more, but it offers tracking door-to-door for most places regardless of nation. Check it out.

Jan 06, 2009 at 12:26 PM

cdnguyen
Offline
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #6 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

Yup it's a lessons-learned for me. I want to give buyer benefits of the doubts too so hopefully the package will turn up. Buyer said he wants refund now and when or if the package showed up he'll return the lens back to me. I like to believe he'll do that.

Jan 06, 2009 at 05:32 PM

alexandre
Offline
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #7 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

cdnguyen wrote:
I won't mention which country since there are good and bad people in every country. I didn't there are Paypal rules for shipping.. Interesting. I'll look it up.

But not in the US, right?
Spare me.

Jan 07, 2009 at 04:07 AM

henryp
Offline
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #8 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

FWIW, it's been my experience that online package tracking is considerably more reliable from UPS than from USPS.

Henry Posner
B&H Photo-Video

Jan 07, 2009 at 06:30 PM

carlsbadbum
Offline
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #9 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

MarGal wrote:
CONUS, PayPal and insurance.

I was going to say that.

Jan 07, 2009 at 09:13 PM

rbethem
Offline
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #10 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

As a US buyer, when buying from international seller say from UK, Canada or Australia, is there any particular issues concerning customs or extra fees to the buyer that he or she should be aware of?

Jul 16, 2009 at 04:02 PM

neilvan
Online
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #11 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

cdnguyen wrote:
Fedex and UPS charge brokerage fees outside of US and if the buyer doesn't want to pay for it they will turn around and collect from seller.

Not necessarily. The seller just has to prove that the buyer was informed of any possible customs and/or brokerage fees.

Jul 16, 2009 at 04:46 PM

neilvan
Online
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #12 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

henryp wrote:
FWIW, it's been my experience that online package tracking is considerably more reliable from UPS than from USPS.

Henry Posner
B&H Photo-Video

Without a doubt. When buying from the US (I am in Canada) I only buy from B&H and use UPS to ship. UPS tracking is very accurate, if fact, I am just waiting for a lens to arrive from B&H right now! USPS tracking is almost useless.

Jul 16, 2009 at 04:48 PM

neilvan
Online
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #13 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

carlsbadbum wrote:
MarGal wrote:
CONUS, PayPal and insurance.

I was going to say that.

Me too except I only sell to fellow Canadians now, with PayPal and insurance, signature required.

The only time I have 'almost' been scammed was by selling to someone in the US. There is scum everywhere in the world.

Jul 16, 2009 at 04:53 PM

Cicopo
Offline
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #14 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

This situation comes up anywhere customs can get involved. You can't sell at one value and insure at a lower value without risk to you. No matter how much someone wants you to cheat their countries import laws it's you taking the risk. If I want to buy something from a US seller I want them to ship & insure it for full value. Otherwise they have no protection, I look like a suspicious buyer etc.
As for shipping uninsured no way, end of story. I insure every single thing I sell. that way I have a tracking number, and so does my buyer. I've sold countless car parts valued well below $100 Cdn buy not 1 of them left without insurance. Considering the value of cameras & lenses there's no way I would ship without full insurance & tracking info.

Jul 16, 2009 at 08:01 PM

neilvan
Online
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #15 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

Cicopo wrote:
This situation comes up anywhere customs can get involved. You can't sell at one value and insure at a lower value without risk to you. No matter how much someone wants you to cheat their countries import laws it's you taking the risk. If I want to buy something from a US seller I want them to ship & insure it for full value. Otherwise they have no protection, I look like a suspicious buyer etc.
As for shipping uninsured no way, end of story. I insure every single thing I sell. that way I have a tracking number, and so does my buyer. I've sold countless car parts valued well below $100 Cdn buy not 1 of them left without insurance. Considering the value of cameras & lenses there's no way I would ship without full insurance & tracking info.

Exactly, it's just simple common sense to protect your property.

Jul 16, 2009 at 08:07 PM

Cicopo
Offline
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #16 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

One other point I'd like to make here that most of you probably don't know is that by shipping with a lower value invoice, or as a gift when in fact it was a purchase make YOU a smuggler. The US & Canadian government, and I'm sure a lot more are very interested in finding people that do this, and will prosecute them. This can be used by your buyer to force you to drop it when they apply for a refund. If you fight them they can threaten to turn you in. If you can prove that you shipped at the sale value you are off the hook, but otherwise it could be a real battle for you, while they pretend to be law abiding citizens just turning a bad guy in.

Jul 16, 2009 at 10:05 PM

NsBenitez
Offline
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #17 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

Or... You could take a minute to see if the buyer or seller (foreigner or not) is a respectable and honest person and deal with confidence

I am very well aware of the scams people try to pull, but putting us foreigners in a hot spot is just not fair. Many of us are just regular dudes trying to get gear for our hobby at a reasonable price, and just because we have to do things differently than a US buyer, it doesn't mean it's automatically a red flag for a scam.

Btw, a US buyer could've done the exact same thing to you. PayPal ALWAYS sides with the buyer, that's why you have to "buy" the seller, not a particular item.

Jul 16, 2009 at 11:15 PM

EB-1
Online
Dedicated FM
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #18 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

I never sell outside of the US, period. (AK and HI are OK, if they pay extra for shipping.) FedEx, insurance, and Direct Signature mitigate potential problems.

EBH

Jul 17, 2009 at 12:57 AM

redal
Offline
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #19 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

Just maybe the buyer is thinking exactly the same way about you.
He has over 200 feedbacks on ebay.
YOU can't provide him a tracking number, and have no insurance. And no signature required. Sounds like a lot of reasons why the item might not turn up.
Id ask for my money back too.

Even for local items i send, they get a tracking number, and signature required, it covers both parties.

Jul 18, 2009 at 11:52 AM

globalkiwi
Offline
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #20 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

Agreed, in this case the OP doesn't know if the guy is genuine or not - he could just as easily be telling the truth.

Jul 18, 2009 at 04:52 PM

Vertigo2020
Offline
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #21 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

If you ship outside the US, you must do two things above all else. #1 Ship UPS fully insured to declared value with adult signature required for delivery #2 Require the buyer to provide his VAT ID and enter that information on the shipping invoice.

Jul 20, 2009 at 02:36 AM

dan727
Offline
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #22 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

Vertigo2020 wrote:
If you ship outside the US, you must do two things above all else. #1 Ship UPS fully insured to declared value with adult signature required for delivery

I always do that when shipping within the US as well. It is very easy for any paypal user to use a credit card to pay for an item then call the CC asking for a chargeback. Paypal will side with the buyer 99.6% of the time.

Jul 20, 2009 at 01:28 PM

MajinHurricane
Offline
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #23 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

I will never ever ship anything to mexico ever again.

Jul 21, 2009 at 01:03 PM

Yakim Peled
Offline
Dedicated FM
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #24 · Buy and Sell: US sellers beware on overseas transactions

cdnguyen wrote:
I can't tell if it's lost or not. The buyer told me he never received it. AFAIK he can lie to me and said it was never received. He said in the mean time he wants the money back and will ship the lens back when he received it. I got ripped-off need I say more.

Apologies in advance for my lack of understanding but according to what you write it is possible that he is telling the truth and he indeed did not get it. So why are you so sure got ripped-off?

As a personal note I'll say that the whole "CONUS only" issue makes it difficult for me - as a non US resident - to buy and sell stuff on the B&S forum. While I understand and respect your preferences I think that the rating of the specific FM'er should account for more than the place he lives.

Happy shooting,
Yakim.

Jul 23, 2009 at 01:16 PM


FM Forums \| Forum & Miscellaneous \| Join Upload & Sell 1 2 end