I wrote to the Buyer again today and informed him that if I didn't hear from him I was going to file fraud charges with the Postal Service. He replied promptly and said the only reason he did had not returned the stamp was that he didn't have my address???? Hopefully I'll get it back and this little episode will be history. PayPal's policies still put us sellers at risk.
Unfortunately this is true with who ever you use as a payment processor. It is not like the good old days anymore where you would get paid with cash, check or money order. You need to have your own website in order to do that but you still have to have a card processor to handle payments and you are at the mercy of the corporate monoliths.
For the record, I checked with the post office regarding shipping merchandise via Certified Mail. I just received the email response:
"If you are looking to ship packages and require a signature, you may use certified mail for $3.50, or you may use Signature Confirmation for $3.05 ($2.60 when purchasing postage online). Both will provide you with tracking as well as a signature from the recipient."
Update: The buyer had sent it (US #121 used) to PSE. I think the buyer was confused as to where he purchased it, thought it was ebay. He sent it back to me, but the Postal Service in all it's wisdom sent it to California, (I'm in Massachusetts). It eventually went back to him and he mailed it to me. So I'm only out the PayPal fee, (and a lot of anguish). But the problem still persists with PayPal, a buyer can file a claim with their Card Company and PayPal debits the sellers account regardless of the circumstances, and with our asking the seller any questions. So, my fellow Sellers, BEWARE, PayPal is not on your side! Dave
It sounds like the buyer paid through Paypal and used a credit card. If this is the case the problem is NOT with Paypal. If you had your own website and the buyer paid by credit card he can do the same thing and if the credit card company sides with him you lose. That is the law of the land, like it or not but it doesn't sound like Paypal is the bad guy here ........ they cannot override the decision of the card issuer..
Any payment processor pretty much always sides with the buyers. If you sell high end stuff, you need to document the ^%$$# out of everything and be willing to sue the buyers, if you have an actual fraud case. Which of course does happen.
I've always sold three figure and up items direct to dealers higher up the food chain than I am (I have an advantage in being an ex bourse seller and knowing most of them). It cuts out all the nonsense whining about certificates, pricing negotiations, condition, bad checks, etc. They also generally pay more than offers I've had from collectors. It's always been win-win for me - your results may vary.
Comments
He replied promptly and said the only reason he did had not returned the stamp was that he didn't have my address????
Hopefully I'll get it back and this little episode will be history.
PayPal's policies still put us sellers at risk.
Dave
Unfortunately this is true with who ever you use as a payment processor. It is not like the good old days anymore where you would get paid with cash, check or money order. You need to have your own website in order to do that but you still have to have a card processor to handle payments and you are at the mercy of the corporate monoliths.
"If you are looking to ship packages and require a signature, you may use certified mail for $3.50, or you may use Signature Confirmation for $3.05 ($2.60 when purchasing postage online). Both will provide you with tracking as well as a signature from the recipient."
I stand corrected.
The buyer had sent it (US #121 used) to PSE.
I think the buyer was confused as to where he purchased it, thought it was ebay.
He sent it back to me, but the Postal Service in all it's wisdom sent it to California, (I'm in Massachusetts). It eventually went back to him and he mailed it to me.
So I'm only out the PayPal fee, (and a lot of anguish).
But the problem still persists with PayPal, a buyer can file a claim with their Card Company and PayPal debits the sellers account regardless of the circumstances, and with our asking the seller any questions.
So, my fellow Sellers, BEWARE, PayPal is not on your side!
Dave
If you sell high end stuff, you need to document the ^%$$# out of everything and be willing to sue the buyers, if you have an actual fraud case. Which of course does happen.