Hot Rods selling & payment

I was asked recently if I would sell an item for $200 and agreed to. I sent photos of the item and then sent photos of it packaged and then sealed ready to ship. I got a quote from UPS for shipping but not a written quote. UPS won't provide one until I actually ship because I was told shipping costs change so rapidly that that is no longer policy. I informed the buyer (from this website) of the shipping cost and he said he would send payment AFTER proof of delivery. What would members advise ?
This sounds suspicious and unreasonable to me. Should I mention the handle of the HAMB member here ? Thank you

 

How much is the shipping cost, how long have you had the item for sale?
Edit: if you can give a reasonable estimate off what UPS gives you and relay the buyer (should be accurate, if using a UPS Store) assuming you called the store/center your using gave them weight and dimensions.
Give that price to the buyer, doubt there would be more than 10 bucks different. Tell him ie 200 plus x for shipping.

 

The shiping was $52.61 and the item was posted for sale some time ago and again recently. A few months ago I think and then a week or two past.

 

I listed the item as Peckat

 

I wouldn't send anything until I had my payment. You can turn it around the other way and go to a USPS
location, they will tell you how much it is going to cost to mail it before paying. Or, overestimate what the
rate will be and tell him you will send back the difference, if any.

Or, go to the mailing site discussed here on the Hamb, Pirateship, plug is your info and get an immediate rate to send.
They are much less than other carriers, yet the item ships on the same truck. Kind of like cell phone companies,
cheaper rate, same cell phone tower being used.

Free UPS and USPS shipping software | Pirate Ship

This site will show you comparable prices to ship via other carriers as well.

 

You use a different name to list things in the classifieds? Huh?

 

I don’t know what Peckat is?, but say you mis calculated something and it’s actually 60 bucks to ship.
Would 7 or 8 bucks ruin or make your day if it came or didn’t come?
Now keep in mind the online calculator is at an actual UPS center, not a UPS store. So call the store (if you’re using one) and give them dimensions and weight.

 

Dang, I didn’t think of that.
But bottom line is parts price and shipping should be sent in one payment ahead of time.

 

Thank you Bob. I don't use the HAMB as frequently as I should because I still have trouble navigating here. But I try. Thank you for the shipping software. I will try it. UPS gave me a quote but would not give me a written quote. I just checked the site you mentioned. I will go there after closing here. Thank you. But to clarify, I should NOT send before payment, correct ?

 

Peckat was the title I gave the post to sell my item, a windshield visor / sun shield.

 

I handed the lady at the UPS outlet the parcel and she weighed it and looked at a chart and then gave me a price verbally.

 

Correct. Don’t send anything until you have the total in your account.
If you are saying the buyer only want to pay the parts price, then once you ship it pay the shipping. Tell the buyer to pound sand. Give him a comfortable estimate, if he won’t pay it, keep it listed for sale.

 

That would be a pretty accurate price.

 

"After delivery" to where? After delivery to UPS? It's too late then, as the package is already on it's way, and he can NOT send you payment.
Tell the buyer that if he wants it, send the money up front and take the risk. That's the way it's done. Sending it out before payment lays it all on your shoulders, and the odds are high that you'll not see one penny.

Roger

 

So tell the buyer what you just said, tell him when you get the 252 and change you’ll ship the part.

 

I would not. I was at a post office about two weeks ago and a fellow came in obviously distressed. This was
on a Monday morning, right at opening. He asked the clerk if the packages brought in on Saturday had
left yet. The clerk said no. and the fellow showed his receipt and asked if he could get his package back.
Clerk checked, got the package and gave it to him. He actually went down on his kness, almost crying.
Said he realized he had been scammed. Payment was no good and thought he had lost a valuable
piece of jewelry. Hope it works out for you. Bob

 

Shipping does vary, but not that much in a week or so. Add some in to cover the potential difference then offer a refund if its over.

Option 2, get the buyer to arrange shipping and send you the shipping lables.

 

Sending me the shipping labels sounds like a reasonable solution but just his suggesting sending before payment triggered alarms for me. So to be fair to him, in case I was wrong, I requested opinions here. What does surprise me is no one has inquired who on this site would request shipping before payment. But maybe it is easy to know just by checking items for sale. I still have a bit of trouble navigating here since I don't come here often enough. Thank you for helping everyone who took the time. Very much appreciated.

 

i dont understand the dilemma here?

Buyer pays for goods and shipping upfront via a reliable payment method (Paypal goods and services, bank transfer etc)

If he wants to arrange shipping then all good but needs to either send you shipping labels or arranges a courier that brings labels.

Whichever way you slice it, payment upfront or no deal, simple.

 

That's what I thought. This guy wants the reverse - send it and he will pay or so he says. Strange to even suggest it.

 

I always get shipping costs online, UPS, USPS, Fedex all have calculators. Pack, weigh, get cost, select shipper based on the pricing. Inform buyer of total, wait for payment, THEN print label, deliver to shipper or schedule a pickup.

 

I ship a lot of small items by USPS. Customer pay's shipping charge up front. Nothing leaves my shop until I receive payment . And if by check, it has to clear my bank. I have not had a problem with this system.

 

Don’t send it until he pays period!

 

DO NOT SHIP ANYTHING THAT THE BUYER IS NOT WILLING TO PAY FOR BEFORE YOU SHIP IT! I buy a lot of stuff off Facebook and Ebay and I can tell you from experience NOT to do it.

There is a simple solution. Tell the buyer to send you the money via PAYPAL. That way his money is guaranteed if you send him something thats broken or not as described. I believe some of the higher dollar items require proof of shipment before releasing the money to the seller. Its a VERY EASY process. That way both parties are protected. I've had PayPal refund several times because people tried to cheat me. There will be a small fee depending on the amount of money the purchase is for.
They also have a Friends & Family that transfers money with no cost to either party. Many people try to use it when selling so they avoid the fee. DON"T do that. Your NOT PROTECTED whe you use that.
Anyway, create a Paypal acct in your name so he can send you the money.

Facebook Metapay.......Facebook has something called Metapay. My one experience with them was not a good one. Long story...........I don't use them.

The Paypal thing has worked really well for me. I think both of you will like it if you try it.

 

That's why services like FB marketplace have become so popular. They provide protection for the buyer and seller, but at a cost.

Post an item for sale with the flat rate shipping based only on weight. The buyer pays through the system with the ability to get his money back if there is an issue. The payment is held by FB until the item has been received. If the buyer does not challenge the sale, the seller gets his money, less a percentage.

 

After 40+ years in business I think I have seen everything but surprise a new wrinkle continues to show up. I never ship to a complete stranger without money in hand. I have on occasion sent a repeat customer product without payment trusting them to send the money. I have been stiffed a few times but not for very much money. This dam freight can change every few hours making it difficult to quote. If I can I use a USPS Priority box which has a preset rate. If it's going UPS I always pad the amount a few dollars then refund the extra. Probably not the best idea but as a regular shipper you gotta cover your butt. UPS is crazy, it can cost more to ship my T5 kit 1 state over than to the east or west coast? Truck freight is another world.

 

From where to where? How long has the buyer been on this site?

 

there was a time when you could order items C.O.D.
when the mailman showed up at your door you pay cash or check and sign for it..
'haven't seen that in fifty years.. or more.

 

It can't be said any better than Gary did in post 27. Shipping costs are nuts right now and my experience says that unless you are using one of those fixed price priority mail boxes you had damned well go check before sending anything. I've burned my own butt too many times by giving a quote on somethign without actually carrying it down and checking as the online guesstimates aren't all that accurate.

Pack it up, load it up and take it to the ups store (I've also used Fedex Freight) and actually have them weigh and measure it and get a real quote and then add a reasonable price change cushion to that quote and tell the guy that is what shipping is going to be or be prepared to eat any price change.