posted on June 19, 2007 09:18:00 AM new
I received the following message via ask seller a question this morning. Anybody ever hear of this before?
You would be shipping to Houston, Texas, if I win this auction. The postal employees in Houston, Texas have a practice of stealing all insured Ebay packages to sell to local pawn shops. They mark their paperwork äddressee not at home, could not deliver, returned to sender. This makes it impossible for you to collect on your postal insurance. I have lost already eight Ebay shipments to me via Post Office, therefore I request Ebay shippers to use UPS-Ground instead of USPS. UPS-ground is the same price. If I win tonight, would you ship via UPS-ground to insure delivery of the item to me?
posted on June 19, 2007 10:04:47 AM new
If the addressee is not at home to sign for the package, a notice is left by the carrier in the mailbox and the package is returned to the PO. The package can be picked up at the PO or an attempt to deliver it will be done the next day. I think a week or more has to elapse before the package is returned to the sender. This statement does not make any sense.
buyhigh
posted on June 19, 2007 10:54:26 AM new
I think what she is saying is that the postal carrier will make up those sheets at home,slap it on the package and bring them back to the post office without attempting to deliver them.
Some of the carriers are contract workers and they are young folks who also sell on Ebay.
The problem these days is many sellers cant find anything worthwhile to sell,one contract worker told me he sells tickets,T shirts on Ebay and few get bids.
So if they are stealing ebay insured packages,they can resell on Ebay or turn over to pawn shops,it is all possible.
*
Lets all stop whining !
*
posted on June 19, 2007 11:13:43 AM new
I'm about 200 miles from Houston and ship there. Never had this problem. However, if a customer wants to pay extra for me to ship a certain way, I will try and do it for them.
posted on June 19, 2007 11:52:22 AM new
Houston is a big city,this type of behavior is not statewide or citywide ,so if this is happening to her,she should report to the post office
You can also call the 800 number and report missing packages and they will relay the message to the local postal station supervisor.
*
Lets all stop whining !
*
[ edited by hwahwa on Jun 19, 2007 11:53 AM ]
I'm just speculating here, but if the carriers know that some carriers have been held up and as a result mail is going missing, perhaps some packages have vanished with a little help from less-than-scrupulous posties.
posted on June 19, 2007 12:15:48 PM new
a. IF you do choose to ship to this buyer using THEIR terms, be sure that the UPS charge is actually the same or cheaper before you commit.
b. Judging from her comments I would not use any form of delivery to her that did not require a signature upon delivery. Since SOD incurs extra charges, inform her of that up front. Maybe she will just go away. If you ship regular UPS or FedEx ground, they will not require a sig before leaving the package on a door step and she may claim non- delivery.
c. This sounds like trouble from the get go. I personal would respond with a no way, no how and then block the bidder.
d. Inform the potential bidder that she should have filed riffling reports with her local post office and this type of activity would have been stopped already.
And yes, I do and have shipped to Houston and have never had any problems. How does the bidders feedback look? She sounds more like the thief instead of the victim.
posted on June 19, 2007 12:22:50 PM new
Fluffy's reply came in while I was posting my reply. Ok, maybe your potential bidder is not a nutcase but I still stick with my earlier comments about requiring a signature on delivery.
If the bidder's area is subject to theft, I don't see how the delivery option would make the chances of it being stolen any less unless you a carrier that would require a signature before they handed off the package.
posted on June 19, 2007 12:35:38 PM new
So according to this potential bidder, postal carriers are stealing but not ups guys?
Per fluffy's link, it is the mailboxes of apartment buildings (envelopes, not packages) or carriers being held up (not necessarily postal, could happen to fed ex dhl ups etc).
So if the carriers aren't safe and the mailboxes aren't safe, just leave it by the door and it will be fine because the neighbors would never steal like that.
posted on June 19, 2007 12:35:56 PM new
This is a no brainer. Go ahead and ship via UPS. Just make sure that you have the proper shipping costs. You may find that it is actually cheaper in most cases than USPS, unless you are shipping worthless sports cards.
Also, ship with your own shipping account or the UPS open account. Do not use the buyers shipping account!
posted on June 19, 2007 12:39:32 PM new
and yes I have shipped many packages to Houston without a problem.
I think the person who sent you that question is highly impressionable and paranoid. I would recommend that they do not shop on eBaY if they are so concerned about the item arriving.
They shouldn't shop anywhere else on the web either.
or from a catalog.
or from the home shopping network.
and never over the phone.
Should probably ask all friends and relatives to hold off on the Christmas and birthday packages, too.
posted on June 19, 2007 01:08:20 PM new
The back story aside, the buyer asked you to ship via UPS. Big deal (unless UPS is incredibly inconvenient for you).
We usually ship large items UPS, and smaller items USPS. No problem switching, and there is a complicated relationship between distance, size, weight, and cost. FWIW, it usually comes out close, and if it's not, get some more money.
I personally would use SOD, but would pay for it myself, since it's for my benefit.
I guess eBay sellers are getting really crotchety if asking for UPS shipping gets a buyer banned.
posted on June 19, 2007 01:39:23 PM new
Crotchety?? No. A little less willing to listen to their sob stories, Yes. My policy as of 1/1/07, Life thows curves, get over and quit expecting me to support your whiney existence! (Why do I feel like I am channeling Fluffy???)
Closest UPS or FedEx shipping office in my area is 8 miles away. At even the best gas prices, that is at least a $5 add-on in car expenses for me and my time is worth something too even if those buyers do not think so.
FedEx had 60% of my orders before the gas increases, lower sell through on ebay, lower profit margins, yadaydad. Now I am much less willing to cater to an annoying customer that I will likely not see again. Everything now goes USPS. USPS visits my front door everyday and closest office is 1 mile away.
Non-whiney customers and repeat business get my best customer service now.
Who is listening to their sob stories? All you need to read is that they want shipping by UPS. If it's because their cousin works there, or they think that USPS is run by the CIA, or that they'll win the lottery if they ship by UPS and throw salt over their shoulder, who cares?
posted on June 19, 2007 03:39:34 PM new
When I first moved to Houston,I lived in an apt complex with 100 units,it was starting to go south,I mean the complex.
Mailboxes were being plied open and mail stolen,and the mailman asked me if I would help them by reporting any suspicious activities.
(They know I get a lot of mail,back then Ebay bidders paid with checks or money orders and I am always home ).
They did not find anyone,but I open a mail box with the post office so I dont have to use my apt mail box.
But packages from UPS,FED EXP are still being delivered to the leasing office when I am not home,and the leasing office starts having problem as some tenants claim they are not getting their package.
Then someone in the post office could be stealing my mail,one piece is some drafts from my credit card issuer,you know the kind that they sent to you urging you to use it for paying off your bills.
Some one use 3 drafts to pay his credit card issuer,for amount of 900,910,955 dollars.
Drafts are presented to my credit card company for payment,and my credit card security dept called me and asked if I wrote those drafts,I asked how do you know it is not me,and they said,we checked,you dont do business with Providian capital .
You should ask this lady what kind of precaution she has for mail theft?
If she lives in an apt comlex and UPS packages are delivered to the leasing office,it could be stolen there.
Leave it at the door,thats asking for trouble
One day I was leaving my apt when USPS comes to deliver an EMS package and the man asked me to use my apt key to open the door so he knows I live there instead of just someone standing around waiting to steal the package!
*
Lets all stop whining !
*
[ edited by hwahwa on Jun 19, 2007 03:42 PM ]
posted on June 19, 2007 05:35:17 PM new
Thanks, Whew, that makes more sense. I once had a credit card bill in Mexico for over 1 million, but that was in pesos!! (Around $200)
posted on June 19, 2007 06:20:53 PM new
I informed the potential buyer that I would ship UPS, but since there isn't an office close by, that there would be an extra charge for box (I usually ship Priority in eBay boxes) and travel. That potential buyer hasn't bid yet, and less than an hour till auction ends.
posted on June 19, 2007 06:34:13 PM new
sorry,it should be $900,$910,$955.
MBNA is the one which sent these drafts out to its cardmembers.When the first draft came back to them,they know the other two will soon follow,they have seen this pattern before.
*
Lets all stop whining !
*
posted on June 19, 2007 06:41:00 PM new
1-800-PICK-UPS
Does UPS charge a pickup fee?
I know Fed exp air will pick up free but not Fed Exp ground.
If you have a mail box etc outfit near you,you can drop off your package there if it is stamped.
*
Lets all stop whining !
*
posted on June 19, 2007 06:51:55 PM new
yes,it was years ago,before MBNA was taken over by BAC.
But MBNA is still operating as MNNA.
*
Lets all stop whining !
*
posted on June 19, 2007 06:58:57 PM new
"But MBNA is still operating as MNNA"
Hmm, I did n't know that I was a stockholder of MBNA (KRB sticker symbol) and my shares were converted to BAC. I also have several accounts which used to be with MBNA and they are now listed as BAC accounts. What is MNNA??
posted on June 19, 2007 07:24:58 PM new
MBNA is still MBNA,you may see BAC mentioned somewhere on your statement and you can now access your MBNA account online via BAC online banking.
MBNA is a good brand name too good to throw it away.
As for synergy,I have not seen any,nor do I care.
*
Lets all stop whining !
*
posted on June 19, 2007 07:37:59 PM new
Obviously the buyer is concerned so I agree with your decision to send by UPS at her request.
She will probably love that you understood her concern. She will probably become one of your best repeat customers and maybe she will tell two friends etc...about this great person on EBay who has neat stuff and they should check the Seller out and buy from them!
posted on June 19, 2007 07:51:25 PM new
[i]Obviously the buyer is concerned so I agree with your decision to send by UPS at her request.
She will probably love that you understood her concern. She will probably become one of your best repeat customers and maybe she will tell two friends etc...about this great person on EBay who has neat stuff and they should check the Seller out and buy from them![/i]
posted on June 19, 2007 08:28:02 PM new
I was very fond of MBNA, but my statements do not say MBNA on them anywhere and when I accidently sent things to the old address, I was told in no uncertain words that all items are to be addressed to BAC, that MBNA was no longer in existence. I am going to do some more research on this.
