Posting abroad via a third party courier

[the_book_seekers]

I haven't done this for a while and just want to check something. I'm UK only for posting but someone from China has won an auction. I thought my settings would prevent this, but at some point ebay seems to have changed their rules. I seem to remember having a country blocked stopped anyone registered in that country from buying, now it seems the rule seems to be anyone with their primary postage address in that country is blocked. Meaning buyers can change their primary postage address to get round UK only posting. Am I correct in this and when was this changed if I am?

Also I seem to remember a buyer purchasing from abroad generated a long number/reference within the address - I can't remember what it was called. I'm not seeing this with this purchase - I have the address of the third party courier to post to, but it appears as a regular UK address with nothing added. Has ebay stopped issuing these things or should there be something?

[**peaseblossom**]

I haven't seen the unqiue code thingy for a long time so I assume it's no longer in use.   As long as you send to the address supplied via ebay you will be covered.

[the_book_seekers]

Thank you.  I have toyed with cancelling the order as ebay's policies seem to be putting me in a position I don't want to be in. Another choice as to how I run my business being taken away from me. At the moment I'm going to send it tracked and hope this doesn't become a regular thing.

[sml192]

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@the_book_seekers wrote:

Thank you.  I have toyed with cancelling the order as ebay's policies seem to be putting me in a position I don't want to be in. Another choice as to how I run my business being taken away from me. At the moment I'm going to send it tracked and hope this doesn't become a regular thing.

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If the buyer has provided the address for a freight forwarder at checkout then you are only responsible for delvery to that address and once forwarded to the buyer they are no longer covered by eBay's Money Back Guarantee under any circumstances.

[the_book_seekers]

I understand that, but my preference is not to sell outside the UK at all. It's like having a backdoor Global Shipping Programme.

[landjlynn]

I totally understand your frustration.  I have everywhere in the world blocked apart from the UK, but foreign buyers still get through by using a UK courier.   I write on my listing that my responsibility ends when the parcel is received by the UK courier, and the overseas buyer SHOULD be aware that this is Ebay policy.  However, it doesn't stop me worrying that they'll come back with a problem that will cause me hassle, especially as most tend not to leave feedback or acknowledge receipt in another way.  

[sunflowers4me59]

I have everywhere blocked but had people bidding. I put that if they are abroad and buy, I will cancel sale  (even though its a shipping freight), and have done when they ignore me. I don't want a return from overseas.

[the_book_seekers]

I've had a number of buyers ask me about posting abroad and I've always said no, which they have respected. This particular buyer didn't ask and just went ahead. 

[the_book_seekers]

I have thought about cancelling the sale, and probably would've done if this was a BIN, but as this is an auction I don't want to be accused of cancelling it because I didn't make enough money. 

[sml192]

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@sunflowers4me59 wrote:

I have everywhere blocked but had people bidding. I put that if they are abroad and buy, I will cancel sale  (even though its a shipping freight), and have done when they ignore me. I don't want a return from overseas.

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If they are using a freight forwarder then they are not entitled to any return under eBay's Money Back Guarantee, so in that regard you are actually better protected than with any other type of sale, although they can of course still do a chargeback.

[insidethe93]

Best to do what's best for YOU.

Don't second-guess what you fear someone else might say. Even if they say something unpleasant, you'd know it wasn't true. You're here for yourself, not to have one's good nature taken advantage of.

That the buyer went ahead and bought without checking with you might be telling. If they're one of the small minority that are wrong'uns, there may be no pleasing them. You could have hassle all the way, maybe end up with bad feedback if they're that way inclined. And they could return to do it again (under the same account or another one).

[1956glyn]

I also have everywhere blocked apart from the Uk and this has happened to me a few times.    I personally think it is wrong that foreign buyers have this loop hole to get round my blocks.   I just make sure that the items sent tracked.    These buyers rarely ever contact me and they never tend to leave feedback 😞     

[sunflowers4me59]

I cancel with " something wrong with address" because there is something wrong, they ignored me when I say I don't post anything overseas even via freight.

[pegr-834437]

Correct me if I'm wrong but its not a loophole is it?

You just state you wont ship outside of the UK and eBay holds this, the buyer gets the item shipped to somewhere in Essex most of the time and then that's your part of the deal done. Its the buyer who then has an agreement with the freight forwarding company from Essex to wherever in the world, any issues you then provide the same service you'd give Jenny Smith from Dundee, INAD its a return label from within the UK or a message to say this is how you turn it on or whatever. 

The user being in Argentina or China is not blocked its just you have blocked shipping to those countries.

[sml192]

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@pegr-834437 wrote:

Correct me if I'm wrong but its not a loophole is it?

You just state you wont ship outside of the UK and eBay holds this, the buyer gets the item shipped to somewhere in Essex most of the time and then that's your part of the deal done. Its the buyer who then has an agreement with the freight forwarding company from Essex to wherever in the world, any issues you then provide the same service you'd give Jenny Smith from Dundee, INAD its a return label from within the UK or a message to say this is how you turn it on or whatever. 

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If the buyer is using a freight forwarder then, even if the item is not as described, they aren't covered by eBay's Money Back Guarantee so an INAD return request could be refused.  If the seller was to accept the return request then, as you say, it would need to be returned from within the UK.

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@pegr-834437 wrote:

The user being in Argentina or China is not blocked its just you have blocked shipping to those countries.

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Yes, that is correct as blocking someone solely on the basis of where they are from could be seen as discriminatory.

[the_book_seekers]

I blocked non UK countries on logistical and practicality grounds - nothing to do with ethnicity. 

[sml192]

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@the_book_seekers wrote:

I blocked non UK countries on logistical and practicality grounds - nothing to do with ethnicity. 

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I wasn't trying to suggest that anyone here was blocking buyers based on their ethnicity, merely pointing out why eBay won't allow a sale to be blocked based purely on the buyer's registered address.

There are definitely logistical and practical grounds for not wishing to send to an overseas address (having to set different rates for each country, customs paperwork/issues, dealing with returns from overseas, etc.), which is perfectly fine, but what grounds are there for not sending to a UK address?

[the_book_seekers]

I'm content with selling to UK only and have been so for a number of years. That is/was my choice.

[1956glyn]

On the rare occasions my items have been left with a shipping company they have been left on biffa bins etc

Nothing in the tracking pictures to show its actually a proper premises or even a business sign. 

I am not discriminatory at all.    

 I do not cancel any purchases where a forwarding company is used and the buyer is registered abroad but they do make me slightly nervous.    I do not like the way shipping/forward companies can be used to get around my blocks.      That was my point.   I am fully aware of my Ebay protection.

I have also never sold through the GSP....my choice

[the_book_seekers]

Exactly. I did check the one my buyer is using and it appears to be a proper company with a presence online. If it had been what you describe then I would've cancelled.