Am I being paranoid? (eBay selling)

[96Firebird]

I sold an item on eBay for almost $700, buyer has 0 feedback and joined eBay in 2018. Buyer paid via PayPal immediately, then sent me a message asking when it would ship. That was last night, I told them today since the post office was closed. Both PayPal and eBay say I'm good to ship, I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything before shipping it out. The funds in PayPal are on hold, evidently until the package is delivered (I don't sell much on eBay). I will be including the tracking number in both eBay and PayPal, as well as including signature confirmation. Is there anything else I should do to protect myself from getting scammed?

 

[eng2d2]

What is the item and yes you have more risk selling to a 0 feedback person.

 

[DietDrThunder]

Uh, I've never shipped a package until the funds were transferred to my paypal account. The only time funds were held on a purchase was when the purchaser had insufficient funds, and funds were being transferred from their bank. I wouldn't ship until the funds are in your paypal account.

 

[BoomerD]

Say buh-bye to your stuff...and your money. Odds are, the seller will file a complain with PayPal...and since PayPall almost always sides with the buyer...you’re gonna lose.
I don’t get why people continue to use Ebay/PayPal since they went to their “fuck the seller” business model.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

I would never sell an item that expensive on ebay to a zero feedback buyer. WAY too much risk.

 

[eng2d2]

ebay and paypal csr are all outsourced and really incompetent. They are like robots who has no common sense.

 

[PottedMeat]

can you refund the money and send a notification 'item is no longer available' or something stupid like 'i broke it'?

 

[96Firebird]

I have the funds in my PayPal account, they are just not available for withdraw yet because I don't have an established account or whatever...

I'm thinking I might refund... My co-worker sold a laptop before her funds were in her account (said pending, mine does not say that). After she shipped it, PayPal said the funds weren't available. And for some reason she was not eligible for seller's protection...

 

[BoomerD]

“Oops! I dropped it and broke it.”

 

[Aikouka]

I've never had someone try and cheat me out of an item, but yet again, I don't think I've ever had the misfortune of dealing with a recently registered, zero-feedback buyer. I've even sold iPhones over eBay, which can be quite bad when it comes to people cheating you.

What PayPal is likely going to do is hold the money until something like two weeks until after the buyer gets it or until the buyer leaves feedback indicating things are fine. Since you're not an established account, they don't trust you as much as you don't trust the buyer.

 

[Skunk-Works]

I think you're fine. The one thing you need to dispute a charge back with PayPal is a signature confirmation. That's what PayPal says to prevent charge backs.

Everyone started out a a buyer on ebay with zero feedback.

 

[esquared]

Uh, I've never shipped a package until the funds were transferred to my paypal account. The only time funds were held on a purchase was when the purchaser had insufficient funds, and funds were being transferred from their bank. I wouldn't ship until the funds are in your paypal account.

This. ^^^

The only time I had to wait for funds was when paid by a echeck from paypal. Their (eBay/paypal's) instructions were to not ship the item until the echeck clears.

I have had over 500 sales since 1998 and I have never shipped before I was paid. Don't ship until the money is in your account..

 

[Skunk-Works]

If you do plan on waiting till the funds show up in your account, I would inform the buyer.

 

[IBMJunkman]

Say buh-bye to your stuff...and your money. Odds are, the seller will file a complain with PayPal...and since PayPall almost always sides with the buyer...you’re gonna lose.
I don’t get why people continue to use Ebay/PayPal since they went to their “fuck the seller” business model.

What other selling org has the reach and popularity of eBay?

 

[GagHalfrunt]

I think you're fine. The one thing you need to dispute a charge back with PayPal is a signature confirmation. That's what PayPal says to prevent charge backs.

Everyone started out a a buyer on ebay with zero feedback.

That is unbelievably bad advice. A signature confirmation only proves that a package was delivered. It protects the seller from claims of a package being stolen or misdelivered. That's it. If the seller files a charge of significantly not as described it won't help.

 

[Rumpltzer]

Brand new bar code reader. New in box. Never used. Sold it to someone on ebay. They said it doesn't work. Wouldn't provide any details beyond, "it doesn't work."

Paypal gave her a full refund including shipping, so I was out $12 for shipping the item to her. If I wanted it returned, I had to pay for the return shipping as well. I took the loss and let her keep it.

Ebay is a scam.

 

[96Firebird]

I told the buyer that I couldn't ship until tomorrow, and they requested a refund. It may have worked out just fine, but I'll see if I can find a local buyer instead...

 

[Rifter]

I would never sell an item that expensive on ebay to a zero feedback buyer. WAY too much risk.

This, i would have refunded him immediately.

 

[Skunk-Works]

That is unbelievably bad advice. A signature confirmation only proves that a package was delivered. It protects the seller from claims of a package being stolen or misdelivered. That's it. If the seller files a charge of significantly not as described it won't help.

It's not bad advice because I read at PayPal's website that in order for you the seller to be protected from a charge back you must have a signature confirmation. It says this at their website. Read it for yourself.

As far as an item not described shenanigan, that's a whole other matter. Unfortunately, ebay will side with the buyer in most cases and you're usually SOL. In which case you need to block that buyer from any future purchases.

 

[dud]

OP, yes, there are red flags (of risk) all over this deal. Years ago Fleabay transferred almost all of the risk of selling on their site to the seller. An example would be that sellers can no longer leave negative feedback for a "bad" buyer. Anyone who has sold on ebay has their own stories of their "bad" buyers. Years ago you could warn others and use this as leverage against an unscrupulous buyer ... now you are unable to do so. I've only recently sold one item to a new ebay member with 0 feedback but that was a relatively low value ($65) item. All went well and I never did receive feedback from them.

At this point your options are limited and, depending upon which you choose, could get you into a sticky situation with ebay, PP, the buyer ... or all three.

Good luck ...

 

[GagHalfrunt]

It's not bad advice because I read at PayPal's website that in order for you the seller to be protected from a charge back you must have a signature confirmation. It says this at their website. Read it for yourself.

As far as an item not described shenanigan, that's a whole other matter. Unfortunately, ebay will side with the buyer in most cases and you're usually SOL. In which case you need to block that buyer from any future purchases.

It is AWFUL advice. You said, and I quote: "The one thing you need to dispute a charge back with PayPal is a signature confirmation." Read it for yourself.

That is not the one thing you need to dispute a chargeback. It does NOTHING, repeat NOTHING to dispute a chargeback for significantly not as described, broken, counterfeit etc.

 

[Skunk-Works]

https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/security/disputes-chargebacks