How do you tell a fpgeeks potential buyer they don't have enough cred ?

[Anne]

I guess one way to do it is to start a thread like this right after they asked.

PS: If you do something thru paypal, make sure everything is verified/confirmed before shipping anything, otherwise paypal won't cover you under the seller protection.

Also for packages under $50, USPS flat rate includes insurance, if it goes above that definitely insure for more.

Thanks for this information - I didn't know that. I looked at a couple of mine and they did not specifically say "insured mail" so maybe for those I would be covered. But, of course, I don't want my money back - I want what I ordered. There is just no pleasing me ...

[ian1964]

This is interesting. I remember a conversation somewhere else about not Buying from people with less than 50 or so sells under their belt. Me, I use Paypal and feel secure to buy from anyone and don't care if they have ever sold anything. Consequently I have picked up some absolutely amazing deals. Probably because of the 50 + rule applied by others.

Can you imagine when Amazon started if they employed the "not enough cred to sell too"? They would still be struggling for there first sale.

By the way, don't worry, I am not trying to buy anything.

[Farmboy]

I guess one way to do it is to start a thread like this right after they asked.

PS: If you do something thru paypal, make sure everything is verified/confirmed before shipping anything, otherwise paypal won't cover you under the seller protection.

Also for packages under $50, USPS flat rate includes insurance, if it goes above that definitely insure for more.

That would be my thought. My initial reply was "You just did" but you beat me to it. I was busy elsewhere.

[Chrissy]

You are the seller, you get to set the conditions of sale. I don't send expensive pens outside the US. I insist on full value insurance, tracking, and delivery confirmation. And I'll only use Paypal. (Tracking gets entered so Paypal has proof of delivery, etc.) And if the pen is really valuable and someone had zero rep my response would be "I'm sorry but unless a well known member can vouch for you I'm not comfortable with this sale." New members can hang out, post, get reputation, buy cheaper pens, sell some pens, etc and develop their trust with folks here. It's OK to just say "I'm not comfortable."

PLEASE Please Keep in mind that there Are times when Tracking says it is Delivered and It Truly Has NOT. I have just spent an hour and a half on the phone with USPS asking about 3 packages that were "delivered" 5 days ago and 1 package that disappeared from their radar 8 days ago. It Can Happen and is stressful to both buyer and seller.
PLEASE DO SEND IT INSURED as Tandaina advised. I have read of terrible experiences of people that had packages that were not insured, and were perhaps understandably, told sorry and good day from the post office.

So you are feeling the inadequacies of the USPS to eh. I have 1 MIA in Texas, 1 inbound from the UK MIA and 3 in Canada that are MIA ,....

Oh yes I am. How Awful, huh?!!! It makes me wonder what is going on and how the heck this could happen so regularly it seems ... is it getting worse? In an attempt to see if I was the only one ( THANK YOU for letting me know I am not - but I feel your worry and anxiety )

( I also feel very strongly of mailing a simple letter by FedEx, although, No Carrier is immune to these problems. But I truly hope it is not a growing trend with USPS. I just have never had this problem with sooo many packages before and knowing it keeps happening has me worried and quiet frankly, Disgusted )

I mailed a bottle of ink to the US from the UK. I used Royal Mail tracked and signed-for service which has adequate insurance and is supposed to take 5-6 days for delivery.

Within 48 hours it had made it from my local Post Office, across the pond and had arrived in LA. I was given USPS tracking saying 'passed through USPS facility' Ten days later, nothing else had happened. I was frustrated by the fact that USPS wouldn't let me email them because I didn't have a US address. So my buyer lodged an enquiry, that showed up on the tracking.

Nothing else happened, so I searched for and found the name of the CEO of USPS and sent an email. I received a reply from the advocates office the next day. That same day it moved from wherever it had been (US Customs I assume) and was sent to the area where it needed to be delivered. Then it was delivered the next day. 16 days after I had mailed it.

I'm happy to try to be patient, but only up to a point. It was only a bottle of ink, nothing earth shattering. Customs didn't need to delay it for so long.

[Haga888]

I guess one way to do it is to start a thread like this right after they asked.

PS: If you do something thru paypal, make sure everything is verified/confirmed before shipping anything, otherwise paypal won't cover you under the seller protection.

Also for packages under $50, USPS flat rate includes insurance, if it goes above that definitely insure for more.

Anyone know if there is a max for insurance on a pen? Wondering if the post office would consider a pen above a certain value "jewellery". I know for watches they consider them jewellery so they will only insure it for a max of $500 regardless of how much extra insurance you buy. They will take your money if you want to buy $1,000 of insurance but won't pay out more than $500.

Sorry a bit off topic thread jack.

[caribbean_skye]

If you are sending something worth more than $50, insure the package and get tracking (if stateside), if you are that worried ask for signature to be required (those little green cards). If international, depending on where it is going i would say EMS, registered mail etc. I returned a pen to India last July, sent how I usually do and off it went. It still has not arrived, and the customs declaration LC number does nothing. Also cannot do any claims etc so I am out the pen and the postage. Even on the receiving end the LC is useless, lesson learned. From now on, any intl packages will be sent registered mail, even if it is a pain (and will ask for a signature) the littke extra cost is worth the piece of mind.

[Anne]

You are the seller, you get to set the conditions of sale. I don't send expensive pens outside the US. I insist on full value insurance, tracking, and delivery confirmation. And I'll only use Paypal. (Tracking gets entered so Paypal has proof of delivery, etc.) And if the pen is really valuable and someone had zero rep my response would be "I'm sorry but unless a well known member can vouch for you I'm not comfortable with this sale." New members can hang out, post, get reputation, buy cheaper pens, sell some pens, etc and develop their trust with folks here. It's OK to just say "I'm not comfortable."

PLEASE Please Keep in mind that there Are times when Tracking says it is Delivered and It Truly Has NOT. I have just spent an hour and a half on the phone with USPS asking about 3 packages that were "delivered" 5 days ago and 1 package that disappeared from their radar 8 days ago. It Can Happen and is stressful to both buyer and seller.
PLEASE DO SEND IT INSURED as Tandaina advised. I have read of terrible experiences of people that had packages that were not insured, and were perhaps understandably, told sorry and good day from the post office.

So you are feeling the inadequacies of the USPS to eh. I have 1 MIA in Texas, 1 inbound from the UK MIA and 3 in Canada that are MIA ,....

Oh yes I am. How Awful, huh?!!! It makes me wonder what is going on and how the heck this could happen so regularly it seems ... is it getting worse? In an attempt to see if I was the only one ( THANK YOU for letting me know I am not - but I feel your worry and anxiety )

( I also feel very strongly of mailing a simple letter by FedEx, although, No Carrier is immune to these problems. But I truly hope it is not a growing trend with USPS. I just have never had this problem with sooo many packages before and knowing it keeps happening has me worried and quiet frankly, Disgusted )

I mailed a bottle of ink to the US from the UK. I used Royal Mail tracked and signed-for service which has adequate insurance and is supposed to take 5-6 days for delivery.

Within 48 hours it had made it from my local Post Office, across the pond and had arrived in LA. I was given USPS tracking saying 'passed through USPS facility' Ten days later, nothing else had happened. I was frustrated by the fact that USPS wouldn't let me email them because I didn't have a US address. So my buyer lodged an enquiry, that showed up on the tracking.

Nothing else happened, so I searched for and found the name of the CEO of USPS and sent an email. I received a reply from the advocates office the next day. That same day it moved from wherever it had been (US Customs I assume) and was sent to the area where it needed to be delivered. Then it was delivered the next day. 16 days after I had mailed it.

I'm happy to try to be patient, but only up to a point. It was only a bottle of ink, nothing earth shattering. Customs didn't need to delay it for so long.

I am disgusted that you had to wait so long - And to be told you had to have a US address to even email them?? What century are they living in I wonder?
Well, needless to say I am currently in the same boat. My package, if you believe the "tracking", has been in Los Angeles since Feb. 10th.
I hope my case ends eventually like yours, and I at least get my package.
As I am writing this, I have been on hold with USPS and after 43 minutes was told that "it's a waiting game and you just have to wait until customs releases it" and
it could take up to 3 weeks.
I spoke to a supervisor that, of course, told me the same thing. When I asked him for the number to contact Customs, he had to put me on hold 3 times to find it.
Eventually, he said that they took their number down and only have a website! He said there is no way to call them - they ( understandably ) don't want to answer
questions on locating packages.
Ugghh. Can you say D-I-S-G-R-A-C-E-F-U-L? Or maybe, just Disfunctional...

Chrissy, I am trying to find that email address now...

[Anne]

If you are sending something worth more than $50, insure the package and get tracking (if stateside), if you are that worried ask for signature to be required (those little green cards). If international, depending on where it is going i would say EMS, registered mail etc. I returned a pen to India last July, sent how I usually do and off it went. It still has not arrived, and the customs declaration LC number does nothing. Also cannot do any claims etc so I am out the pen and the postage. Even on the receiving end the LC is useless, lesson learned. From now on, any intl packages will be sent registered mail, even if it is a pain (and will ask for a signature) the littke extra cost is worth the piece of mind.

That's terrible. You definitely have my sympathy. This one package I am waiting for is registered mail from the UK and it still got stuck in L.A. for 9 days. So far...
I realize that, speaking for myself now, this could be considered a first world problem, BUT I think it is amazing how such a lack of service is just accepted as "the way it is".

[Anne]

I recently put my pen up for sale. There is a potential buyer that asked about the pen, the thing that concerns me is he has only four posts and just joined recently. As my question suggests, is there a way to tell off the potential buyer (hopefully not a scammer) that he appears to not enough cred and I don't trust him?

lowks I have to apologize for hijacking your thread to spout off about My current problem!
I truly hope you wind up selling to a decent buyer and experience nothing but a smooth transaction.

[Chrissy]

I am disgusted that you had to wait so long - And to be told you had to have a US address to even email them?? What century are they living in I wonder?
Well, needless to say I am currently in the same boat. My package, if you believe the "tracking", has been in Los Angeles since Feb. 10th.
I hope my case ends eventually like yours, and I at least get my package.
As I am writing this, I have been on hold with USPS and after 43 minutes was told that "it's a waiting game and you just have to wait until customs releases it" and
it could take up to 3 weeks.
I spoke to a supervisor that, of course, told me the same thing. When I asked him for the number to contact Customs, he had to put me on hold 3 times to find it.
Eventually, he said that they took their number down and only have a website! He said there is no way to call them - they ( understandably ) don't want to answer
questions on locating packages.
Ugghh. Can you say D-I-S-G-R-A-C-E-F-U-L? Or maybe, just Disfunctional...

Chrissy, I am trying to find that email address now...

I'm going to PM you the one for the person who emailed me. I hope it helps.

[caribbean_skye]

If you are sending something worth more than $50, insure the package and get tracking (if stateside), if you are that worried ask for signature to be required (those little green cards). If international, depending on where it is going i would say EMS, registered mail etc. I returned a pen to India last July, sent how I usually do and off it went. It still has not arrived, and the customs declaration LC number does nothing. Also cannot do any claims etc so I am out the pen and the postage. Even on the receiving end the LC is useless, lesson learned. From now on, any intl packages will be sent registered mail, even if it is a pain (and will ask for a signature) the littke extra cost is worth the piece of mind.

That's terrible. You definitely have my sympathy. This one package I am waiting for is registered mail from the UK and it still got stuck in L.A. for 9 days. So far...
I realize that, speaking for myself now, this could be considered a first world problem, BUT I think it is amazing how such a lack of service is just accepted as "the way it is".

Ugh. I know that depending on which ISC location it goes through it can take up to several weeks (nyc and la are slower than chicago) and from what i understand registered mail just adds to it. When i was at the post office working out the details to send a package by registered mail the postal clerk tried to advise against it (think it was because he did t want to do the extra work involved) and one of the things he mentioned is that every time the package changes hands it has to be signed for, which means that it will take longer to arrive at its destination. I hope that your package is delivered soon. The missing pen, well when that was inbound from India it was in NYC for 13 days before it moved.

[dmendel]

Just to get back to the OP's question: It seems to me the bigger risk is as a buyer, not a seller. I would be much more reluctant to BUY a pen from someone who has little presence or is brand new, than I would be selling to such a person. As others have said, if you follow PayPal's guidelines for Seller Protection (tracked, delivery confirmation, ship to PayPal address) you are fine. At the same time, not everyone who is "new" to the board is a scammer. We were all new at some point. If you look at my profile, I look like a noob, but I'm not. I joined FPN in 2006 (same username) when it was pretty much the only game in town. I bought my first pen there, and sold my first pen there, and then had many, many more amicable transactions over the years. I stopped by FPGeeks when it was first started, but there was not much going on here at the time and FPN was fine, so I stayed there. I eventually took a hiatus from pen buying and selling, and board discussions, mostly because I just got too busy with life. I recently have had some free time and decided to sell some pens that I have not been using. So I went back to FPN. I discovered to my chagrin that FPN classified had changed considerably, not necessarily to my liking, so I came back here. To my surprise, I have found a vibrant and engaging discussion board, and a nice, easy classified forum, much like FPN's used to be. I realized, though, that I might have some trouble selling my pens because I have had almost no activity here, and sure enough my pens tended to linger (even though I did point people to my profile on FPN). I ended up making a really nice trade for my beautiful ebonite Edison Pearl that worked out very well. But the rep that comes from such positive transactions takes a while. I hate the idea of penalizing someone simply because they are "new."

[lowks]

Just to get back to the OP's question: It seems to me the bigger risk is as a buyer, not a seller. I would be much more reluctant to BUY a pen from someone who has little presence or is brand new, than I would be selling to such a person. As others have said, if you follow PayPal's guidelines for Seller Protection (tracked, delivery confirmation, ship to PayPal address) you are fine. At the same time, not everyone who is "new" to the board is a scammer. We were all new at some point. If you look at my profile, I look like a noob, but I'm not. I joined FPN in 2006 (same username) when it was pretty much the only game in town. I bought my first pen there, and sold my first pen there, and then had many, many more amicable transactions over the years. I stopped by FPGeeks when it was first started, but there was not much going on here at the time and FPN was fine, so I stayed there. I eventually took a hiatus from pen buying and selling, and board discussions, mostly because I just got too busy with life. I recently have had some free time and decided to sell some pens that I have not been using. So I went back to FPN. I discovered to my chagrin that FPN classified had changed considerably, not necessarily to my liking, so I came back here. To my surprise, I have found a vibrant and engaging discussion board, and a nice, easy classified forum, much like FPN's used to be. I realized, though, that I might have some trouble selling my pens because I have had almost no activity here, and sure enough my pens tended to linger (even though I did point people to my profile on FPN). I ended up making a really nice trade for my beautiful ebonite Edison Pearl that worked out very well. But the rep that comes from such positive transactions takes a while. I hate the idea of penalizing someone simply because they are "new."

On that note, there is a user who wants to trade for an Edison #76

[Anne]

Just to get back to the OP's question: It seems to me the bigger risk is as a buyer, not a seller. I would be much more reluctant to BUY a pen from someone who has little presence or is brand new, than I would be selling to such a person. As others have said, if you follow PayPal's guidelines for Seller Protection (tracked, delivery confirmation, ship to PayPal address) you are fine. At the same time, not everyone who is "new" to the board is a scammer. We were all new at some point. If you look at my profile, I look like a noob, but I'm not. I joined FPN in 2006 (same username) when it was pretty much the only game in town. I bought my first pen there, and sold my first pen there, and then had many, many more amicable transactions over the years. I stopped by FPGeeks when it was first started, but there was not much going on here at the time and FPN was fine, so I stayed there. I eventually took a hiatus from pen buying and selling, and board discussions, mostly because I just got too busy with life. I recently have had some free time and decided to sell some pens that I have not been using. So I went back to FPN. I discovered to my chagrin that FPN classified had changed considerably, not necessarily to my liking, so I came back here. To my surprise, I have found a vibrant and engaging discussion board, and a nice, easy classified forum, much like FPN's used to be. I realized, though, that I might have some trouble selling my pens because I have had almost no activity here, and sure enough my pens tended to linger (even though I did point people to my profile on FPN). I ended up making a really nice trade for my beautiful ebonite Edison Pearl that worked out very well. But the rep that comes from such positive transactions takes a while. I hate the idea of penalizing someone simply because they are "new."

Excellent point of view. I wish you well here.

[KBeezie]

I guess one way to do it is to start a thread like this right after they asked.

PS: If you do something thru paypal, make sure everything is verified/confirmed before shipping anything, otherwise paypal won't cover you under the seller protection.

Also for packages under $50, USPS flat rate includes insurance, if it goes above that definitely insure for more.

Thanks for this information - I didn't know that. I looked at a couple of mine and they did not specifically say "insured mail" so maybe for those I would be covered. But, of course, I don't want my money back - I want what I ordered. There is just no pleasing me ...

To Clarify USPS Priority includes $50 insurance domestically, not first class or internationally.

[KBeezie]

I guess one way to do it is to start a thread like this right after they asked.

PS: If you do something thru paypal, make sure everything is verified/confirmed before shipping anything, otherwise paypal won't cover you under the seller protection.

Also for packages under $50, USPS flat rate includes insurance, if it goes above that definitely insure for more.

Anyone know if there is a max for insurance on a pen? Wondering if the post office would consider a pen above a certain value "jewellery". I know for watches they consider them jewellery so they will only insure it for a max of $500 regardless of how much extra insurance you buy. They will take your money if you want to buy $1,000 of insurance but won't pay out more than $500.

Sorry a bit off topic thread jack.

Depends on the claim and where it was going and how well you packed it, and the nature of the loss or damage.

Also if you do a shipping label from paypal they won't allow you to insure for any more than $400 in which case you have to go with USPS directly via their website or in a post office. Also international shipping has different limits depending on which country it's going to, and the small flat rate box cannot be insured internationally.

PS: It would be pointless to insure for a grand and then only get paid out 500... but I imagine it would vary on the content, for example you can't mail a brick, it gets damaged and then demand they pay a grand on it, when I ship a particularly expensive pen, I insure it for the value it would cost if it had to be reacquired new from a retailer, since they're only going to care about the brand/model and it's replacement value.

[Chrissy]

You can't do that in the UK, at least not with Royal Mail. You can actually insure something for the replacement value, but if you need to make a claim, you can only get back what it cost you, and you have to prove what that cost was when you bought it.

[Empty_of_Clouds]

When sending something from New Zealand - barring certain rare restrictions - the package has included insurance for full replacement value as long as that value does not exceed NZ $2000 (about US $1350). So, I could send a Nakaya (for example) to the US for about US $10 and still be fully insured!

I find it a bit strange that a small and insignificant country like this can apparently have a better postal service than a superpower, but there it is.

Oh, once I ordered a some books from the UK and Royal Mail delivered them to my door here in just 3 days! I think that may be a record.

[Chrissy]

When sending something from New Zealand - barring certain rare restrictions - the package has included insurance for full replacement value as long as that value does not exceed NZ $2000 (about US $1350). So, I could send a Nakaya (for example) to the US for about US $10 and still be fully insured!

I find it a bit strange that a small and insignificant country like this can apparently have a better postal service than a superpower, but there it is.

Oh, once I ordered a some books from the UK and Royal Mail delivered them to my door here in just 3 days! I think that may be a record.

I suppose that Royal Mail decided that since many ebay sellers make huge profits on what they sell, they aren't going to pay out the profit. Only the actual original loss. On the other hand it isn't clear if, when they charge a premium for the insured value, and they pay out less than that, they refund the extra premium paid in the first place.

UK to NZ in 3 days is very good. I once had the same 3 day timescale for the delivery of a horse rug to Oz, and that was sent by Economy rate.

On the other hand I sent a small FP converter to Oz on 7th December, and it wasn't delivered until 13th January.

[Cookies]

I mailed a bottle of ink to the US from the UK. I used Royal Mail tracked and signed-for service which has adequate insurance and is supposed to take 5-6 days for delivery.

Within 48 hours it had made it from my local Post Office, across the pond and had arrived in LA. I was given USPS tracking saying 'passed through USPS facility' Ten days later, nothing else had happened. I was frustrated by the fact that USPS wouldn't let me email them because I didn't have a US address. So my buyer lodged an enquiry, that showed up on the tracking.

Nothing else happened, so I searched for and found the name of the CEO of USPS and sent an email. I received a reply from the advocates office the next day. That same day it moved from wherever it had been (US Customs I assume) and was sent to the area where it needed to be delivered. Then it was delivered the next day. 16 days after I had mailed it.

I'm happy to try to be patient, but only up to a point. It was only a bottle of ink, nothing earth shattering. Customs didn't need to delay it for so long.

I am disgusted that you had to wait so long - And to be told you had to have a US address to even email them?? What century are they living in I wonder?
Well, needless to say I am currently in the same boat. My package, if you believe the "tracking", has been in Los Angeles since Feb. 10th.
I hope my case ends eventually like yours, and I at least get my package.
As I am writing this, I have been on hold with USPS and after 43 minutes was told that "it's a waiting game and you just have to wait until customs releases it" and
it could take up to 3 weeks.
I spoke to a supervisor that, of course, told me the same thing. When I asked him for the number to contact Customs, he had to put me on hold 3 times to find it.
Eventually, he said that they took their number down and only have a website! He said there is no way to call them - they ( understandably ) don't want to answer
questions on locating packages.
Ugghh. Can you say D-I-S-G-R-A-C-E-F-U-L? Or maybe, just Disfunctional...

Chrissy, I am trying to find that email address now...

When sending something from New Zealand - barring certain rare restrictions - the package has included insurance for full replacement value as long as that value does not exceed NZ $2000 (about US $1350). So, I could send a Nakaya (for example) to the US for about US $10 and still be fully insured!

I find it a bit strange that a small and insignificant country like this can apparently have a better postal service than a superpower, but there it is.

Oh, once I ordered a some books from the UK and Royal Mail delivered them to my door here in just 3 days! I think that may be a record.

Disgusted? Really? For taking a little over a week to be processed? Around 40% of the world's total mail volume goes through USPS. Millions of parcels and letters are picked up, processed and/or delivered every single day. Mistakes are bound to happen overall. With that amount of volume, if all you're complaining about is packages occasionally taking a while to be processed or inspected they do pretty well.

Empty_of_Clouds - Royal Mail is oddly quick. I don't know why since it should theoretically take the same amount of processing time as every other international shipment. But it is consistently 1 week to my door step. Even packages from Canada take approximately 50% more and they're our neighbors. No idea why.