Another Example of PayPal Always Favoring Buyers

[uscfan]

I sell collectible stamps on eBay from the United States. For international buyers, I offered several shipping options from the cheapest (no tracking) to medium (with tracking information) to expensive (registered mails). The price ranges from $5 to $25. I have specifically stated in my item descriptions that if the buyer chooses less secure method and if the items are lost, then the risks are the buyers to take.

A buyer from China bought a stamp set for $41 and chose the cheapest shipping $5. I even offered the courtesy to upgrade to first-class with tracking, which I paid for $12 (that is, I took $7 loss at this point). The item was sent to China, arrived in China somewhere, but tracking information never showed delivered. After two months it still shows "out to deliver".

Buyer then filed a claim, and PayPal decided in his favor.

For god sake, can someone tell me how a seller like me can protect myself? The buyer chooses a cheaper and less secure shipping method and if anything goes awry, it is the seller's loss to take??? 

[kernowlass]

@uscfan

You agreed to paypals user agreement and in that agreement under 'seller protection' it states that to win a dispute for non receipt you have to prove trackable proof of delivery of the item to the buyer.

So you stating that you won't on your sales doesn't matter really because you have already agreed to paypals user agreement when you opened your account.

You don't have to send trackable of course but if you don't then its at your own risk and not the buyers, as you sadly found out.

After all paypal provides 'buyer and seller' protection and the 'only' way they can know if the buyer received the item or not and who is telling the truth is if the seller provides a valid tracking number.

[uscfan]

Therefore, the buyer can always choose the cheapest shipping method (which is non-tracking) and if anything goes wrong he can go to PayPal and get his money back! That's just great!! 

Even better, the buyer should always demand non-tracking then get his money back anyways!!

[kernowlass]

@uscfan

Only if you offer that option surely??

I only offer 'tracking' which the buyer pays for, I don't offer so the buyer can't select non trackable.

Then I am always covered.

You are the ones that set the terms.

[uscfan]

International first class package costs around $15. No buyers are going to pay for that with an item worth around $30 to $40. 

So, am I supposed NOT to sell anything in that price range to international buyers?

There are buyers willing to take the risks and asked me to send via regular mails. Fortunately for me, the package arrived safely (or at least the buyers did not complain). What happens if in this case the package is lost? Is it still MY fault?

BTW, why does PayPal get to make the call in this kind of disputes? Shouldn't it be the merchant (e.g., eBay) that makes such judgement? 

[kernowlass]

@uscfan

Well if you want to sell internationally then that is up to you.

You can take the risk and I suppose most times you should be ok.

But if you choose to take the risk then you can't blame paypal if you lose a dispute as they can ONLY decide it on a tracking number.