I was selling wayyyyyy before 2009, but have limits. I have ONE negative feedback that was erroneously given to me as a "revenge" type feedback and Ebay decided I was a "risk" and wanted to implement limits on me. Because of that and all the other boneheaded moves they do, I have curtailed my selling tremendously on there. I'm not too worried about it because I have curtailed my selling so much, I get nowhere near their limits they imposed on me.

I would submit as a buyer this is eBay's biggest problem and I'm glad to read that they are trying to frustrate the triple-market-value sellers who've had the same items on Ebay for years that creates what I call "Ebay search pollution".

I don't agree that the Ebay is the worse managed company around, although some of their policies leave a lot to be desired. There are several major businesses I've encountered in the past 8 years that engage in outright consumer fraud which outranks inefficient and poorly constructed business practices any day of the week.

+1.67

I have seen worse run companies but they should make some more common sense rules too...like drastically limiting the number of bid retractions someone does. :eek: ...Also, if they were to show bidder user ID's only AFTER a sale is over it would help them and their community be safer. One can wish....

Lastly, limiting how much a good seller can sell sounds foolish to me. Whatever it is they are trying to accomplish could be done some other way.

Good point, Leon. I cannot recall a situation where being a good seller is treated as a detriment...

I've had the same crap happen to me. I learned the trick though, even if ebay won't protect you, you can protect yourself through paypal.

Set your paypal account to only accept payment from verified US accounts.

Now, when I have an international bidder win one of my auctions, I do nothing. I file a non paying bidder claim after two days, then four days later you can close the case and get your fees refunded.

They have no way to pay you from an international paypal account, and if there's no record of payment, ebay will close the case in your favor. They can't leave negative feedback since they are a non paying bidder and they get a non paying bidder strike as well.

Maybe next time they'll learn to read the "US only" part of the description. The only thing you're out, is your time.

Oh, and the "buyer" will typically send you multiple emails begging you to change your paypal settings. I just ignore them and do not communicate with them at all under any circumstances.

Oh, I can think of a worse-run company (or university?) alright but, Leon doesn't want us to discuss that.


I have bought much more than I have sold via ebay, so I'm not quit as effected by their rules as those who use them primarily as a seller's market.


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I wish there were clearer instructions from the sellers when they list their cards.

I mean, what does "May not ship to Canada" mean? Either put "Does not ship to Canada" or "Ships to Canada or Internationally"

I have asked a few sellers, and the sellers say they are not allowed to edit their listings?? Seems odd but more than a few have told me that. :confused:

that seems like BS to me, since I click buttons in my listings that state specifically that the only foreign country I ship to is Canada.

I have seen all different kinds of listings/headings and one thing you guys in the U.S. don't notice, is when searching E-Bay, without logging in, I will see shipping, for example, $3.00 dollars, but when I log in, it usually changes from that to as high as $10.00 to $15.00 at times.:eek: (Canadian affect, I guess?)

I have seen from "Free Shipping", "$3.00 dollars", all the way up to $51.00 dollars!!

Some ads state "May not ship to Canada" and as you scroll down, it may say U.S. shipping only or it may say "Ships Internationally" or "World Wide". I don't understand why their original heading doesn't clearly state it, but like I mentioned, more than a few sellers mentioned they couldn't edit their ads? One guy, who had very small pics, said he was unable to edit his ad also?:confused:

They may not be lying technically, but they are incorrect. "May not ship to Canada" is something they are typing, that's not a choice ebay offers, it's either yes or no. Of course my shipping rates to Canada are higher I recently had to raise them to $7 a card, as I was losing money at $6. So yes if you look before signing in it may say $2.50 and then bump to $7 after you sign in but that is understandable. Also the people who use the ebay international shipping service don't control the rates so you get those astronomical jumps. Last I heard ebay was charging almost $20 to send a card to Canada.

The big takeaway should be that if a seller wants his listing to correctly reflect his policies it is 100% doable. If they cannot do it they're either lying or a tad incompetent. Sometimes you have to swallow your pride and call ebay for help like I did when I couldn't discover my selling limits. Seriously, look at my listings and tell me if there's anything ambiguous about them, if there is I bet I can change it in minutes. I'm aquarian1 on ebay.

I can't speak for other sellers but my auctions are clear. Any international person who bids didn't bother to read my auction terms. Sorry, but that's not my problem.

can an international bidder even place a bid if you chose the correct options when building your listing?

Unfortunately, yes.

Yes they can bid and eBay knows there is a loop hole to allow them . However , if you do contact them when you notice it they will allow you to cancel without penalty if you had that Country blocked .

I use the global shipping program only for international and still get bidders from countries that are not part of the program. I have no idea how or why ebay allows them to bid on auctions like mine.

And, here's another trick international bidders use to get past ebay, particularly Latin American bidders. They register their international ebay account with a US shipping address. That address is a "friend" who forwards their packages to their foreign address.

You might think that wouldn't be a problem, but since the US address is not verified to their foreign paypal account, the seller is on the hook if anything goes wrong or if the buyer claims they didn't receive it.

Even if you have proof of delivery to the US address, ebay will rule in the buyers favor because it's not a verified address tied to their paypal account.

Again, the only real solution you have to avoid these unwanted bidders is to set your paypal account to only accept payment from US verified accounts.

Out of curiosity, what is the problem with international bidders if they pay via paypal and are willing to pay extra for shipping? Do they often claim non-delivery, and get refunds?

The tracking is not as reliable, and customs can disappear packages for weeks or even months sometimes.

It hasn't discouraged me from shipping Internationally, but the higher risks are obviously there.

Sending a collectible lighter (ie Zippo) to anywhere in Asia is pretty much a 50/50 proposition.

If ANYTHING goes wrong, the seller is on the hook.

The only 100% safe way to ship overseas would be to use something like FedEx international, and that would also need to go to a verified paypal address. Most international bidders would balk at $50 shipping fees though.

Not to mention, many countries have customs tax and will hold the package in customs until the buyer pays. But guess what, a package held in customs is a non-delivery as far as ebay is concerned.

If ebay would go back to the days where all you needed to do is prove you shipped it - no delivery confirmation or verified addressed needed - then I'm sure you'd see more people willing to ship internationally since the risk would be shifted to the buyer.

As it stands, it's not worth my time or the risk involved.

Yeah, I don't ship everywhere internationally either. I've shipped to Japan successfully every time, and will ship to Singapore and Hong Kong if asked, as I've had no issues with those areas (except for one big package that got held up in Hong Kong customs for about a month, but eventually arrived at it's destination), but have blocked out mainland China and most of the rest of Asia.

I have plenty of other countries x'd out including bigger ones like Russia, Italy, Spain and Brazil..........though I have specific customers in several of those I will make bidding or buying exceptions for, who have been very reliable and understanding through the years.

I use the eBay international shipping program. I don't think I've sold a single item to an international buyer who has been willing to use it.

I had one issue with a seller who agreed to ship to me after I asked her about her "May ship to Canada" listing.

She changed her mind however when payment was shipped but did refund me??

The only bold heading from anyone is 707. He/they have their "Will not ship to Canada" bolded in red, which makes it as clear as day, no need to ask.

Others, like I have mentioned, with the "May ship to Canada" have written below in their description, "U.S. only". I don't understand that? Why not just say that to begin with and it will save everyone a lot of time. :mad:

I assume you are talking about other countries besides Canada? The only time I had to pay customs, it was paid at the Post Office, not a Customs/border crossing.

I ship something to Erlanger, Kentucky almost every day. I believe International buyers have come to believe it's the only way they are going to be able to get what they want. I don't blame them for being upset about the extra costs, but as a seller I got tired of losing items and money in foreign countries.

I'm sure that's what he meant. There's tons of stories from Ebay sellers out there, of packages being left at foreign Post Offices to collect tax, and then the buyers filing "did not receive" notices through Ebay because they don't want to pay the tax on it.

Even read several of Ebay refunding the buyer before item is returned, and the seller never receiving the item back.

Either it had been picked up after the claim was made, or the foreign post office never returned the package from whence it came.

You'd have to ask them. As I said, I can't speak for other sellers.




It doesn't matter where the tax is paid. If the buyer doesn't pay it, the package won't be delivered to the buyer and as far as ebay is concerned, it's a non delivery. Buyer files a claim, gets their money refunded, and the seller is out the merchandise.