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foto16 wrote:
A novice question: as a new seller, how do you sell here if you start with 0 feedback? What if a buyer scams you--there is no protection for the seller, right? I guess the only way is to sell to folks already with many positive feedbacks, and build your record along the way.
Start small if you can with lower value items and build your feedback. Also if you have more robust feedback elsewhere, like forums or other places where people can leave ratings, you can link to those and provide proof that you are the same person.
PayPal has no real seller protection in practice. They will side with the buyer in the overwhelming majority of cases and this is very well documented. Yes you can find stories where they sided with the seller but it's rare and usually in instances where the buyer makes no effort to provide "proof". As mentioned before, there have been cases where the seller literally filmed the entire packing and shipping process with a GoPro mounted to his body, and PayPal still sided with the buyer. To an extent it will depend on the rep you get and your ability to convince them, but again if there is any 'evidence' disparity whatsoever, the default is to side with the buyer. I was reading another report just the other day where a guy sent some $700 shoes to a buyer, buyer claims the box was empty, and the seller lost the dispute despite having tracking/delivery confirmation and a UPS employee weighing the box before shipping.
On top of all this, PayPal charges a dispute fee - this is triggered when the buyer files a PayPal claim, or if the buyer initiates a chargeback on their credit card.
A common scam is the buyer claims they were sent an empty box or a weighted box or something to that extent, and then they go on the offensive. They cut off all communication with the seller and only deal with PayPal. By claiming that you sent an empty box (or a box with weights in it), that also prevents PayPal from asking the buyer to simply return the item to you as part of the resolution process. It also removes most of the burden of proof from the buyer, because if their story is that they received an empty box, there is very little they can show on their end, and it's super easy to just remove the item from the box and take a picture while empty. The buyer has nothing to lose by doing this because even if they somehow lose the dispute, they still have the item they claimed not to have received, so they only stand to gain by trying.
What actually happened to me quite recently is a buyer broke the item due to improper use and then tried to claim he was sent a broken item rather than accepting responsibility. Thankfully the item was only a couple hundred dollars (a vintage toy) and it wasn't worth my time fighting it, but frustrating nonetheless as that's what the fraudulent buyers are counting on.
To answer your question, there isn't a lot you can do if a buyer decides to scam you. Document absolutely everything on your end down to the very last detail with photo/video evidence and that will give you the best possible chance should a dispute arise. Even if you are successful, it will be a hassle likely involving many phone calls and asking for various managers/escalation - the scammers know this and know that most sellers will give up rather than continue to fight.
At the end of the day getting scammed isn't the norm and it's unlikely you will have a problem (especially here on FM), but just be aware that if you do have a problem, as a seller you are at a major disadvantage if you agree to use PayPal. Generally speaking the merchant (you in this case) always takes the risk with regards to anything that is shipped - same as any other retailer. Normally the buyer would have some risk too, as payment must be sent beforehand, but when using PayPal the buyer enjoys almost universal protection. If you're selling to someone on FM, just sell to someone with feedback and who posts regularly and it's extremely unlikely you will have an issue. Personally I try to sell everything locally first and only if I am desperate will I turn to platforms that involve shipping the product.
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You have all the same 'power' to scam them, and they have no reliable means of protecting themselves either.