International buyer

[VulcanWoman]

I have someone from the Canary Islands having problems paying for an item I'm selling, I'm in the UK and allow international shipping, they say Ebay doesn't include the Canary Islands as part of their international shipping program, which maybe right but this is fine because the buyer is willing to pay me for the postage anyway. Now what about me asking the buyer for their email address so I can send them an invoice for the item sold plus the P&P cost?

[VulcanWoman]

The buyer is saying I have the item protected by the Global Shipping Program and it won't let them pay. The buyer really wants the item and has up'd the offer from £60 to £100, I'm getting suspicious now, does this sound dodgy?

[VulcanWoman]

Buyer wants me to create a new ad without the Global Shipping Program attached.

[summerwinterton]

No - what you are suggesting is an off eBay sale which is not permitted. And I do think they sound dodgy. I would block them tbh. Anyone offering above the odds should be avoided - got scam written all over it. I bet they will ask you to send it untracked next. Unless they pay by bank transfer I would avoid at all costs.

[VulcanWoman]

Thanks for your reply. I contacted Ebay and they advised me to tell him to contact them, which I did. Then it all went radio silence. Checked My Ebay today and someone else has bought my item. So I'm glad about that. I'm still not sure what the heck it all was, even though Spain is included in the Ebay's Global Shipping Program, the Spanish Canary Islands isn't. They were willing to pay for the higher tracked postage but still, something wasn't right, they up'd the offer really high thinking I'd be blinded by the £££ signs and let my guard down.

Just for another time, you mentioned bank transfer, is it not best to keep it all through PayPal.

[summerwinterton]

No - if you think a buyer is dodgy bank transfer is completely safe, and if someone collects cash only. And make sure anything you post is adequately insured and tracked too. Then enter tracking info to the eBay transaction.

[VulcanWoman]

Ok, thanks for the info.