Re: US EBay annoyance!

warrenlead Fri Nov 11, 2011 9:27 pm

The same thing can happen on local surface mail though surely. I have purchased 100's of items from the USA and used mainly 1st Class International, but also US Letter Post and a few items by Priority Mail.

Letter Post (no tracking) is usually 4-7 days
1st Class International (no tracking) 10-16 days
Priority Mail (tracking with signature required) 14-30 days!!!

I find 1st Class is very reliable and I have never lost a thing except for one Item that was incorrectly addressed by the sender.

jsesere Fri Nov 11, 2011 10:27 pm

It's not the honset buyers that concern me, it's the ones who want something for nothing. At least shipping first class with comfirmed delivery within the US a seller is protected from Paypal and Ebay. I have checked the USPS and they do not offer signature upon delivery as a option. If you were to buy a 2 ounce Tee Dee for $35.00 and had to pay another 25.00 to 30.00 to get it shipped would you think that was a good deal?

Big Al Sat Nov 12, 2011 12:28 am

Speaking of Canadian Posts, about this time last year I sent a clock part to a fellow in Canada for repair. It took six weeks to get there! I’m serious. I had written it off as lost, but he kept saying not to give up, the mail is slow this time of year. Well he eventually did get it, did the repair and oddly enough it only took 4 or 5 days to get it back to me. The mail system must have an orifice/restrictor check valve in place? (The restrictor side going into Canada and the free flow side coming out?)
True story,
Al

nitroairplane Sat Nov 12, 2011 4:27 am

Big Al wrote:Speaking of Canadian Posts, about this time last year I sent a clock part to a fellow in Canada for repair. It took six weeks to get there! I’m serious. I had written it off as lost, but he kept saying not to give up, the mail is slow this time of year. Well he eventually did get it, did the repair and oddly enough it only took 4 or 5 days to get it back to me. The mail system must have an orifice/restrictor check valve in place? (The restrictor side going into Canada and the free flow side coming out?)
True story,
Al

I have had similar things I have recieved things from the US in less than 10 days and then recieved things from Canada in over 5 weeks.
Also i bought plans for an engine here in the UK at easter and it hasn't arrived yet Sad

I think its lost Smile

Cox International Sat Nov 12, 2011 11:41 am

Canada’s mail system belongs to the most reliable ones in the world. The reason shipments to Canada from the USA take 3 weeks on average is Canada Customs. They are often backlogged and packages sit there for a week or two.

As to dishonest buyers, there are very few of them out there that buy what we sell. We ship over 6,000 packages per year (99% non-trackable) and I seriously doubt we get dinged more than 2 or 3 times per year.

Don’t count on Paypal helping you, even if you have tracking. I once took the time to read through all of their clauses re seller protection and there are plenty of loopholes. Here is a classic that crooks use:

Buy (let’s say a Venom for $400) and have the seller ship with tracking. Item arrives and buyer files a SNAD with Paypal (claims seller sent a used Surestart instead). PP instructs the buyer to ship back with tracking. Buyer ships back a used Surestart with tracking and, as soon as tracking shows delivery to seller, PP refunds to buyer.

Don’t laugh. It happens hundreds of times each day and the eBay Power Seller discussion boards are full of such stories. There are a few other ways to rip off sellers that only ship with tracking within USA but this is supposed to be a “helping” thread.

What I am trying to make clear is that the risk to ship outside one’s own country is not really that much bigger for the products we sell. It’s all about choice of product, target customer base, common business sense and, most importantly, having a warm and friendly atmosphere that make your buyers want to bond with you, not rip you off.

There are so many eBayers out there begging to be ripped off due to their hostile listings. Aggression not only creates aggression but also draws in the less ethical buyers.

Bernie
www.coxinternational.ca

Cox International Sat Nov 12, 2011 12:59 pm

This is a classic example of what happens to "USA only" listings:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/150689448040?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

Coupled with this statement on the listing:

SHIPPING IS TO CONTINENTAL US ONLY, SORRY I'VE HAD WAY TOO MANY PROBLEMS WITH PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE LOWER 48, SO DON'T EVEN BOTHER ASKING.

I can understand why the seller only realized about 1/4 of what the engine should have sold for. I was going to snipe it this morning but forgot. Had this sale been available to anyone regardless of location I am almost 100% sure it would have sold in the $60 to $80 range.

Bernie
www.coxinternational.ca

jsesere Sat Nov 12, 2011 1:58 pm

I was going to bid on it, but realized it was most likely the version without the modified crank. Without better pictures it's a crap shoot. That version was selling for around $40.00 this summer. Had he been a seasoned Cox seller he would have included a better description and better pictures.

Cox International Sat Nov 12, 2011 2:08 pm

Definitely not the "real" one but they still sell for $60+ easily if offered internationally.

I am still looking for a "real" one for my collection and my target price is $120. There have been none for for sale, however.

Bernie
www.coxinternational.ca

jsesere Sat Nov 12, 2011 2:23 pm

Maybe so. I don't see the real ones very often.

**Admin** Sat Nov 12, 2011 5:44 pm

Cox International wrote:Definitely not the "real" one but they still sell for $60+ easily if offered internationally.

I am still looking for a "real" one for my collection and my target price is $120. There have been none for for sale, however.

Bernie
www.coxinternational.ca

I'll let you know when I see one, I check eBay at least once every 2-3 days. I have 3 early Estes Killer Bee .049s (Babe Bee crank, regular short needle valve...) It still has the correct cylinder, backplate, crankcase, driveplate... It makes me feel good to know that I got them for $20 each and they could be resold for around $60 each (given I list them for worldwide).

Ivanhoe Wed Nov 16, 2011 5:48 pm

Just thought I'd found a bargain here,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LOT-3-COX-049-MODEL-AIRPLANE-ENGINES-/350506857318?_trksid=p5197.m185&_trkparms=algo%3DRPSI%252BSIC.NPJS%26itu%3DUCP%252BUA%252BMAGEXP%252BI%26otn%3D12%26pmod%3D270846342325%26po%3DLPV%252BLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D4245806351904728162

OK, he ships Worldwide, but he wants $31.95 for shipping 3 Babe Bees! the last engine I got from US EBay cost me $6.00 shipping! And people wonder why their items don't sell!

Wilf

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