What the crap!!

[wadedaniel84]

Someone please help me with this...

I sell a card internationally. The seller and I agree that I will cover shipping charges. I go to send an invoice and it won't let me. Says he has to pay 27.25 in international shipping charges.

I say well go ahead and pay the full amount 27.25 + 85 for card. I'll refund the shipping cards via his paypal addres through paypal.

He sends the money. I get 85 bucks in my paypal. He then asks me to refund him the 27.25. The 27.25 never went into my account, just the 85. He's in china by the way.

In the sell area it says that he used an address in Kentuckey. I'm son confused. Do they charge the buyer international charges just for purchasing the card? What gives man! Here's a pic of the transaction.

[wadedaniel84]

From his end

[fullmetal]

Appears you have signed onto the Global Shipping program

[ChicoCheese]

Scam is my guess, but I don't want to jump to conclusions.

[minnesotachill]

Sounds like you signed up for Ebay's Global Shipping Program.

[tristan20]

LOL What an idiot.

He's trying to scam you, nothing new considering where the buyer is

[hairyangryfella]

I'd guess that you've used the ebay global shipping service, and just like any international buyer who has to use it, gotten ripped off.

[wadedaniel84]

Sounds like you signed up for Ebay's Global Shipping Program.

How do I unsign... Because now I'm in a crappy situation. Any ideas on what I should do?

[wadedaniel84]

So if I refund the guy does he get his funds back?

[hairyangryfella]

So if I refund the guy does he get his funds back?

You can refund the entire payment and see if he gets his shipping amount back, otherwise you're screwed and will suffer this expense as a learning experience.

Global shipping is a rip, but this is obviously how they do it - they pocket the extra for shipping and manipulate the payment to show the ebay center where you are to ship to.

[fullmetal]

LOL What an idiot.

He's trying to scam you, nothing new considering where the buyer is

Rather broad statement, that I believe is incorrect even for this circumstance.

The seller likely opted into the Global Shipping Program, where eBay handles the collection of postage and handles the shipping from a Kentucky US address.

I never opted in because I heard it scared away international buyers because of the high costs allotted to them.

[wadedaniel84]

I mean if I refine the guy he shouldn't have to pay nearly 40 bucks on nothing? Right. He should get his shipping charges back.

[fullmetal]

Here is the FAQ page. Hopefully it helps.

Using the Global Shipping Program (http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/shipping-globally.html)

The shipping charges include any US shipping charges that you specify, as well as applicable international shipping, handling, and other fees.

The import charges include applicable customs duties, taxes, brokerage, and other fees.

[WillC]

Nearly every item that is sold using the Global Shipping Program sells for far below normal market value. I've seen some astonishing examples. Postage is always $16 or more (even on cards that sell for $0.99 and only require standard international postage). Usually postage is much more than that, e.g. $25. On top of that, you have to pay the customs fees up front, which are about 25% (or whatever).

So a $50 card ends up costing $50 + $16 + $12 = $78... or more, depending on the postage.

[ebacardi2]

You can refund the entire payment and see if he gets his shipping amount back, otherwise you're screwed and will suffer this expense as a learning experience.

Global shipping is a rip, but this is obviously how they do it - they pocket the extra for shipping and manipulate the payment to show the ebay center where you are to ship to.

What heck are u talking about? Global shipping is no issue here, if op is signed up then buyer in china paid the shipping center the money, and seller needs to just ship to the shipping center. Please read global shipping it is a good deal

[wadedaniel84]

Does anyone know if I refund him if he'll be credited these charges?

[wadedaniel84]

Would I have to cancel the transaction on eBay? Is that how he'd get the fees refunded?

[Chucky]

Does anyone know if I refund him if he'll be credited these charges?

Just call eBay and ask them.

I can understand the international people not liking the global shipping program but for those of us in the USA its a great deal. I would not ship international if not for this program. Paypal made it too easy to be scammed.

[crackberry]

LOL What an idiot.

He's trying to scam you, nothing new considering where the buyer is

what's wrong with people from Kentucky? Is this like an American only joke?

[Dwade Collector]

Nearly every item that is sold using the Global Shipping Program sells for far below normal market value. I've seen some astonishing examples. Postage is always $16 or more (even on cards that sell for $0.99 and only require standard international postage). Usually postage is much more than that, e.g. $25. On top of that, you have to pay the customs fees up front, which are about 25% (or whatever).

So a $50 card ends up costing $50 + $16 + $12 = $78... or more, depending on the postage.

I've bought $400 auctions that become freaking $500+ with the global shipping garbage. Freaking ebay calculates your customs fees + they force you to pay the $30 for shipping. I hope that people understand that "customs" checks packages at random, meaning that not every package is taxed when shipped to the international ebay warehouse. Ebay/Bowes obviously pocket the fees that "slipped away" from the customs officers. A lot of question marks with that business, it doesn't add up

In a nutshell, it's impossible for customs to charge duties on every package that get's shipped to the Ebay warehouse. This fee that you pay, doesn't end up going to the government, but in ebay/bowes pockets

[Qwasian]

he actually paid the shipping to ebay, not you. you cannot refund him, you or him would have to call up and show the transaction cancelled and "HOPE" you can get the shipping charges back, usually you cannot be refunded on those charges because you opt into it and pay into it. I think the program is kinda unfair because it's almost certain to make buyers mad and make them ding your DSR's if not leave negatives. the way you opt out of it for next time is to uncheck the box in the shipping area next time you list an auction. and I believe they have a section in your control panel where you can opt out of the program all together and they will stop asking on the auction setup pages.

[hairyangryfella]

What heck are u talking about? Global shipping is no issue here, if op is signed up then buyer in china paid the shipping center the money, and seller needs to just ship to the shipping center. Please read global shipping it is a good deal

What the heck is hard to understand about that?

The Global shipping IS the issue here because the OP didn't anticipate it, which might end up being an expensive lesson for him. He has to refund the buyer the amount he paid for shipping, but it's an amount he never received because ebay took it.

I would never buy anything using the Global Shipping system because it's a ripoff. You still end up getting regular airmail service, but paying multiple times what it's actually worth, all so that oblivious/frightened Americans can ship internationally without having to worry about anything else.

In this instance the OP told the buyer he'd give free shipping, but because ebay took that high shipping amount from him automatically, he's now in a crappy spot. Get it?

[wadedaniel84]

I called eBay. I cancel the transaction, buyer gets his outrageous shipping charges back.

[hairyangryfella]

I called eBay. I cancel the transaction, buyer gets his outrageous shipping charges back.

...and you get a record of that on your account and will be punished for doing so, or if you do it several times or something like that. Good old ebay...

[nissandriver77]

As soon as I see the global BS shipping program on a listing I keep scrolling unless it is super high end.

What makes me laugh is when you see the $28+ shipping fee on items under $30 lol.

[WillC]

As soon as I see the global BS shipping program on a listing I keep scrolling unless it is super high end.

What makes me laugh is when you see the $28+ shipping fee on items under $30 lol.

Or an item worth $0.99 that has shipping of $16. That's the most frustrating. I'm guessing the sellers are completely oblivious since they don't set the shipping rate (eBay do).

[wadedaniel84]

Update. I did what eBay told me to do and cancel the transaction. Instead of accepting that, like I told him to do he opened and item not received case... God help me. Somevpeople are just idiots. I don't even know if this guy will get his shipping funds back by open ending an item not received case.

[wadedaniel84]

Question for the eBay know it alls. So he cancelled the item not received but he (and I ) can't open up the case with the pending transaction cancel!!! Says not available.


Question. Do I refund him first? Is that why it won't open up?

[bmf]

...and you get a record of that on your account and will be punished for doing so, or if you do it several times or something like that. Good old ebay...

hairyangryfella is right. there is no winning with ebay. especially if you are a seller. and they wonder why more and more people are doing deals through other means. horrible company. i can only imagine the loud monkey screeching at their leadership meetings

[rttrffg2012]

Question for the eBay know it alls. So he cancelled the item not received but he (and I ) can't open up the case with the pending transaction cancel!!! Says not available.


Question. Do I refund him first? Is that why it won't open up?

Give him his shipping back, like you said you would.

[fullmetal]

Give him his shipping back, like you said you would.

He isn't in possession of the shipping. eBay charges and administers the program that took the $27. That amount is separate and on top of the auction amount. See my post above as to what it covers.