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 Replies: 30 / Views: 4,492 |
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New Member
Canada
25 Posts |
Hey all. I'm thinking of listing my Star Trek Gold Delta on ebay, but afraid of buyer fraud. Is that a legitimate concern? I have strong user feedback (buyer and seller), but haven't sold anything that valuable before and I've read a few bad stories about buyer fraud on high value items. Thanks |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
772 Posts |
There are some settings on ebay in the selling section somewhere.(I can't remember exactly where as I haven't changed them in a while) But, it allows you to set limits on who can buy/bid on your item. Some of the settings don't allow buyers with a certain amount of negative feedback, new accounts, etc. |
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
12477 Posts |
As far as I know, the general settings to disallow potential buyers under a certain feedback rating no longer exists. You can block specific buyers, though. It is safe to sell on ebay. Make sure you offer 30-day returns (buyer pays return shipping), take clear photos, include an accurate description and ship with tracking & insurance (pay for the insurance yourself, it's worth it). Also, require PayPal payment because that gives you an extra blanket of protection beyond ebay itself. You should then be golden (pun intended  ). The worst case after all that is the buyer returns it at their own expense or the postal service screws up and both buyer & seller win.  In Memory of Crazyb0 12-26-1951 to 7-27-2020
In Memory of Tootallious 3-31-1964 to 4-15-2020
In Memory of T-BOP 10-12-1949 to 1-19-2024
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Pillar of the Community
United States
581 Posts |
Per your OP I assume you have a Seller's Account. You can completely fine tune/designate Buyer Requirements in a plethora of ways. Here is the link to the ebay 2 min. tutorial. https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/l...ents?id=4152 Also follow all the advice given above as well. Tip: Because of the specific item you are selling I would restrict sales/shipping only to Canada and USA. Also I would make sure the shipment is insured tracking# (of course), and Signature Confirmation Required for delivery. These are my humble opinions based upon learning from my mistakes. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5825 Posts |
Another level of protection that helps weed out bogus buyers is to list your item as BIN (Buy It Now) with Immediate Payment Required.
All you need to do is decide what the minimum you want for it is.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10284 Posts |
Start with a higher price than you expect, use a make a best offer option, screen the feedback of the buyer before accepting the offer. Don't set an automatic level where you will accept and sell at a certain amount.
You can write in the description exactly why you added make a best offer too. You can put Make Offer in the title.
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New Member
 Canada
25 Posts |
Thanks everyone. I've been reading about fraudsters who will make claims like item not as described and ship an empty box back and tricks like that. From what I've read, PayPal and ebay tend to side with the buyers in these disputes, even if the seller has lengthy and flawless feedback. From the feedback shared here, I guess it's not a common issue. Especially on a coin like the Star Trek gold delta I guess - it's not an easy coin for a fraudster to resell, it has some value but the liquidity seems limited. |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
6768 Posts |
Here is mine quick input for this:
I would say that "yes, it safe".
But need to avoid some actions.
As example, till last month I sold some items (coins and die-cast cars) in the range of $20 - $200 per transactions, and no issues.
Recently sold 2 coins to the buyer with good feedback from the Mediterranean region, after long negotiation, and the buyer chosen the cheapest Surface Shipping No Tracking (6-8 weeks).
MY MISTAKE was to agree to it.
Now, after 5 weeks he already claims "i didn't receive the coins" and actually I may suspect, that he will say the same after 8 weeks.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
9864 Posts |
No need to worry, odds are it won't sell on ebay. The last one to sell at auction went for less than $900CDN, so you would be foolish to sell it by auction. BIN has examples languishing for months and months at prices as low as $1350. There simply is no demand for these coins. Aside from that, selling on ebay is never,ever, without risk. The best you can do is take the advice given by members here to minimize your risk exposure. "Dipping" is not considered cleaning...
-from PCGS website
Edited by DBM
10/24/2018 10:45 am
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CCF Master Historian of USA Commemoratives
 United States
12269 Posts |
Quote:
Recently sold 2 coins to the buyer with good feedback from the Mediterranean region, after long negotiation, and the buyer chosen the cheapest Surface Shipping No Tracking (6-8 weeks).
MY MISTAKE was to agree to it.
Now, after 5 weeks he already claims "i didn't receive the coins" and actually I may suspect, that he will say the same after 8 weeks. Very unfortunate! I hope the item finds its way over the next few weeks. I've only sold a handful of items on ebay over the years, and have generally had no issues. To Silveroid's comment - I would recommend never negotiating shipping method or charges after an auction or purchase closes. Specify your shipping terms clearly in your listing and stick to them. I have had one buyer try to negotiate shipping method and charges (multiple times) after the fact but I refused all offers. Finally, I told him that he had a choice - complete the transaction as specified in the listing or I would cancel it due to non-payment. At that point, he backed off and almost instantly paid the full amount - the item was a tough-to-find coin set and he won it at a very fair price so I'm sure he didn't want to lose it. I sent it to him with signature confirmation required and all went down smoothly. Some folks just need to believe they got "a deal" and will try almost anything to save a few bucks. I'm happy to be fair, but I will not be taken advantage of, or assume unreasonable risk, in a transaction. Collecting history one coin or medal at a time! (c) commems. All rights reserved.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
665 Posts |
@vanhalen26, I will be honest... I have not sold via ebay for the same concerns that you voice. There are plenty of sharks in the pool and I am reluctant to get bitten. That said, I have a number of items that I should move on and you don't always get interest from the local community and I am not ready to eat the significant costs of consigning to a regular auction house. It is one thing to sell an item for a loss, it is another for a scam artist (and there are plenty in the ebay pool) to pull a complete rip-off. That said, I may take some of the advice above and dip a tentative toe into the ebay pool. @vanhalen26... let us know what your experience was if you do sell post and sell on ebay... I shall also if I post. |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
6768 Posts |
Quote:
Very unfortunate! I hope the item finds its way over the next few weeks.
... I would recommend never negotiating shipping method or charges after an auction or purchase closes. Thank you, Commems, appreciate Lesson learnt. |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2984 Posts |
Quote:No need to worry, odds are it won't sell on ebay. The last one to sell at auction went for less than $900CDN, so you would be foolish to sell it by auction. BIN has examples languishing for months and months at prices as low as $1350. There simply is no demand for these coins.
Aside from that, selling on ebay is never,ever, without risk. The best you can do is take the advice given by members here to minimize your risk exposure. I remember the hype when the coin came out. You would think it was the greatest thing in the world. People thought they could make tons of money flipping it. As it turned out it is another coin that is heading toward bullion value in the future. As for risk on ebay, there is always ways to mitigate them by using tracking, insurance, and signature. Besides, there is risk selling elsewhere too. Craiglist, Kijiji, all present their own problems with lowball offers and shady buyers. When it comes to selling, there is no real viable alternative to ebay. Its vast audience alone make up for its deficiencies |
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Valued Member
Canada
92 Posts |
I would like to add a suggestion that may be unconventional: when packaging the item for shipping, record the entire process on your phone camera (or a GoPro). Show the item clearly going into the box, sealed, and labeled. Add a distinctive mark on the package or label.
If there is a dispute, you have evidence of what was packaged and shipped. It's not definitive proof, but it could support your case with eBay/Paypal if it came down to you-said-they-said.
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Valued Member
Canada
65 Posts |
I currently have a Toronto Maple Leafs goalie mask coin on ebay. I have received a few offers including a couple of very good offers by someone in Europe. They asked that I ship to a US address (likely to a mail forwarding company). I got cold feet and unfortunately had to pull the plug on the transaction. I think so long as you're selling to buyers with a good history of clean transactions and you keep good records of what you're selling you should be fine. Definitely track ALL shipments. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12477 Posts |
Quote:
They asked that I ship to a US address (likely to a mail forwarding company). I got cold feet and unfortunately had to pull the plug on the transaction. Why? People in countries other than the US get the shaft? Use the Global Shipping Program in listings. I have shipped many items that way and have NEVER had a problem. There is even a postal worker strike in Canada currently, and I have heard nothing about the package I sent to Canada being obstructed.  My advice to everyone is to calm down. In Memory of Crazyb0 12-26-1951 to 7-27-2020
In Memory of Tootallious 3-31-1964 to 4-15-2020
In Memory of T-BOP 10-12-1949 to 1-19-2024
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Replies: 30 / Views: 4,492 |
Posted 10/24/2018 01:09 am
