posted on October 8, 2001 03:54:50 PM new
Throwing my mail away! I am in the U.S, and I buy things from UK all the time, I pay by concealed cash. Today I just got a 3rd UK seller who filed NPBA for a payment they did not receive. I mailed out 3 payment on the Midlake post office on the afternoon of 15th, 4 days after the US got attacked. The post people there assured me the mail will be delivered but they must have lied.
This is upsetting me for the all three UK Sellers do not belleve me . I also have several packages from overseas sellers to UK stores that was mailed to the US around that time that also did not arrive. I did receive packaged rom UK that was mailed the week after the bombing, as well as UK sellers recieving payments that was mailed a week after, but anything before that didn't .
I do not understand why they throw my mail away? Mail planes was not used in the attack and there is no passengers on a mail plane. It just mail people being lazy and throwing stuff away. I talk to the 1-880-ask-usps hotline and they told me it might have went seamail and not airmail if it went out near the 11th attack. I talked to the Midlake post office and the idiot laughed and told me it was delivered. Now all 3 seller will file FVF which means I am going to be kicked out in ebays. I have a perfect feedback and this is truly upsetting me.
I was actually concered and scared to send the payment 4 days after the world trade center, but those 3 UK seller TOS wanted the payment within 10 days from the US!! I can resend a payment, but those 3 seller will get me nuked in 8 days anyway, as they all pretty much said it better arrive in 8 days or else!
Now US did some air attack yesterday and today and post people will probably be paranoid to deliver mail to our allies in the UK. So my new payment will probably be thrown away anyway, and will not arrive in 8 days. Any kind of advice that will help for me to survive in Ebays would be most appreciated.
posted on October 8, 2001 04:29:49 PM new
I do not think they are throwing your mail away, someone has found out you put cash in the envelopes. Not all PO employees are honest, any more than in any other profession. JMHO.
posted on October 8, 2001 04:38:05 PM new
Maybe it was sent by sea instead of air. I know that a bunch of air mail was sent by sea just after the Sept 11 tragedy. It was only for a few days, but you may have just caught that. If it went by sea it could take anywhere from 3 weeks to 4 months to get there.
I read this somewhere, but cannot remember where. If I can find it again I will post it.
But sending cash that far is a bit risky to say the least.
posted on October 8, 2001 05:03:28 PM new
When you send cash, you are basically opening yourself up to any dishonest person who handles that mail. The seller could also say they never received it even if they had, and you would have to way to prove otherwise.
To say nothing of a dishonest buyer who could claim to have sent cash, since there would be no check number or Money Order number to "trace".
posted on October 8, 2001 05:32:36 PM new
ultraman187 -
Tell the sellers that most US air traffic was shut down for several days after the terrorists attacked, and during that time some mail that would normally have gone by plane went on trucks to the ports and some even went onto ships. This will take longer than usual, and there is nothing you can do about it.
Also, the extra security checks of packages are slowing down packages and letters going between some countries.
To be honest, 20 days for air mail to the UK is not excessively long. I had a payment to Ireland take 3 weeks to get there, but the package coming back only took 5 days (!).
posted on October 8, 2001 09:20:13 PM new
Hi
First if I were you I would send cash registered mail not just drop it into the mail box. ..........Second, I think people should be a little more understanding and not be so stricked about payment arriving on exactly the 10th day. Once you give it to the Post Office it is out of your hands, and with all the problems around the world why can't your sellers show a little more understanding for unforeseen problems that may occur.
I have a buyer from Portugal who sent me payment on August 25th, my auction closed on Aug. 22nd, ...they tell me it takes a long time to come from Portugal. So I am being understanding and waiting patiently, but at the same time I did
file for a Non-Paying Bidder Alert just to cover myself, so if payment does not arrive I can still file for my credit. But in the mean time I will wait since the buyer said, payment was sent. I Think we need to be a little more understanding in certain situations, and your buyers are not being considerate and understanding.
Maybe if you pay them threw Bidpay they will be happy to know that the check will be coming and not leave you a NPB complaint..... Do you think if you did that they would be satisfied to know that their money is coming. This is the
only thing I can think to do at this time that may help you.
posted on October 8, 2001 10:13:13 PM new
Three weeks after the Sept 11th events the mail system is still screwed up. I've had 3 packages last week take a week to get from L.A. to the east coast. I also bought something from HI and it's been 5 days since it was mailed and nothing yet. I would not not give up on them just yet. Give it another week. In the future DO NOT send Cash.
posted on October 8, 2001 10:24:18 PM new
Hi I wanted to mention this, since these were UK sellers, all stated in their TOS no money order as they wanted in US Dollars, which I cant blame them, for when I get UK bidders, they always send US dollars. Can you actually register mail to UK? Can you even buy postral money order to UK?
posted on October 8, 2001 10:34:30 PM new
Hi,I had a cash sale from australia,,i told them to please not send cash..but.they did .waited 3 weeks nothing..they resent it got it the 2nd time..took a long time..very risky..one thing
*Never* put anything about ebay on the outside of the envelope especially if you are sending cash RED FLAG..
Even before 9-11 i waited 6 days for a 3 day priority mail packet from California to Oregon..what you save by sending cash cannot be worth all this..i would in the future email the seller before bidding & state you need at least 15 days or more since the mail system is slow..
& keep their reply until transaction closed..
I imagine you have kept in close touch with them i would keep these emails to forward to ebay as your proof..most npb don't keep in touch & offer to resend payment.also USUALLY don't have recent excellent feedback.....good luck to you
posted on October 9, 2001 05:37:59 AM new
Try to find international sellers who take Paypal.
I require all my international bidders to pay with Paypal or Billpoint.
This saves time and gives you decent insurance against CASH never arriving.
I would never send cash you know even flat mail gets X-Rayed at times, those little metal magnetic strips in US currency show up clear as day on X-Ray machines.
posted on October 9, 2001 01:00:11 PM new
Yep, I've got 3 sellers from canada, 2 of the auctions closed 3 weeks ago, 1 closed 2 weeks ago. They have all been in contact with me, so they don't impress me as deadbeats. I'm going to be patient and wait it out. It's not their fault...
posted on October 9, 2001 01:16:01 PM new
I'm a Canadian seller, and I still have mail that I sent the US 6, 10th & 11th Sept. that has still not arrived, everyone is being very patient. Mail sent since then has been more or less on time. I have had a lot of buyers send cash from the UK, one sent $40 in a very thin envelope, and you could clearly see the notes, no paper to cover them, and not even a return address on the envelope. She was very lucky that it arrived. I encourage most of my International buyers to use Paypal, and some use Bidpay, although I think that is expensive, so I don't offer it.
posted on October 9, 2001 01:16:44 PM new
You can register mail to most countries, but be advised this slows things down WAY more. That piece of mail has to be checked in and signed for EVERY time someone handles it.
Registered mail has boarding preference for commercial planes, but it is not a fast service
posted on October 10, 2001 02:44:21 AM new
Mail did not go by air until Sept. 17. From what I could gather Priority Mail did not move until that day. I am sure the sellers in the UK will understand the problems we were having. I have a rule when it comes to bidding. I back out of an auction if their auction has music on it. If the TOS is long, if the mailing fee is to high, I will not buy from International buyers, and if a payment has to arrive a certain time after the end auctiion. I know that ebay is a business for many sellers, but they have to remember that ebay isn't the first priority of buyers and they have to be a little leanient. This is just my opinion.
