Another day and another bidder who doesn't read listing....

[alltoomuchrightnow]

My second post in this section in the last day!
I sold a collectable.. I put in bold black type on listing, Post UK only and Please do not bid if not from UK.
Auction just ended.. buyer is from Oslo. He also has zero feedback ...
I have agreed to post only if International Signed For. I will not risk regular airmail.
Would you in my shoes? Would this be safe enough? It's likely the postage is going to cost more than what's he's paid for the item..but what can I do. He took that risk to bid. If I'm honouring this and going against my listing, it's only fair he pays the postage that I choose, right?
Also I can't get to post office for several days.. i can't invoice him as I have no idea what it's going to be... so i'm going to have to wrap it all up arent I..take it to post office for exact quote and then invoice him. Then back to post office to mail, if he pays up.
Sigh....

Winning bid was approx £27 , it's a smallish wooden box with metal instruments inside

Not light but not overly heavy

You can check the Royal Mail website for postage cost and them send an invoice.

Can you not weigh it at home & get a price from Royal Mail online?

Either that, or package it up, weigh it & go through the motions of buying the postage through PayPal - you will get to see the price before you have to commit to pay.

I sent one of FIL's collectable Dinky Toys over to Australia - it was absolutely fine & the Buyer was exceeding grateful .

but i can't weigh it here that's the problem. I don't send collectables abroad. I know to send it UK would be about £5.20

well he'll have to wait a few days.. i want to know the exact amount.. I don't have a problem as such with sending abroad but it is collectable and he has zero feedback so i hope he wont try anything on

I weigh my parcels on the kitchen scales.

I would only send it if he pays by bank transfer. If he pays by paypal and them claims not delivered they will refund him. And even if you send international signed for, ime they often don't get a signature which then means he will be refunded.

If he agrees to bank transfer he's probably legit and airmail should be fine.

you will need to physically change your settings to stop bidders from abroad - just writing it in the listing doesn't prevent folk bidding

I agree - weigh on kitchen scales and get the price online from RM

Yes I weigh my parcels on the kitchen scales and them go on the Royal Mail website and look up the appropriate parcel cost. It's a bit of a slog working out the right one from all the weights, sizes and services but I'm sure you'll get there.

Then change your settings.

I agree, weigh look up & and then invoice. Let him know first that you will only send signed for. International signed for is an extra £5.30 for Europe and you might need a customs sticker. If you invoice for around £10 you should cover it and if it is less you can refund the excess. I send overseas but if my items were fragile or collectables I can see why you might not want to. Just make sure it is really well packed.

norwegian post is very reliable but it is not in EU so will need custom sticker

you need to block overseas bidders on settings not on listings

Don't understand it...have changed my settings and I have had
three winning bids from outside of UK. One who I have explained
the postage too...more than the item is worth, and they are now
thinking about whether to pay me, it has been nearly a week.

So cheesed of because he only won the bid by an extra 50p..grrr
could have sold it to someone in the UK and have my money by now, instead of two visits to my local post office to confirm how much to
send it to Australia.

Anyone know why this is happening?

When I list stuff on the mobile site it gives the option of accepting overseas buyers or something, I'm sure it does. It's something you have to specifically select on each listing, I think.

Alice - open an unpaid item dispute - then if they don't pay in 4 days you can offer to underbidder or relist. And add them to your blocked bidder list.

he seems genuinely an ok guy and knows it will be expensive and he expects a custom fee too. So he's happy, he says, to pay the full amount for international signed for.. fingers crossed..

didn't realise it wasn't EU though

if you have sent an invoice and he hasn't paid then you will need to open an unpaid dispute to get the final fees back. Waiting indefinitely will not make him pay.

i can't send an invoice till i get to the post office. annoying as it means two trips.. thats two lots of petrol two lots of parking fees.. i can't weigh it here. i don't have own home..am staying somewhere temp (reg homeless) and desperately need the dosh , ebay sales are to help me start a new life

International signed for isn't tracked. Send it airsure. (Sorry if I'm repeating, I just skimmed over the thread).

Airsure? not heard of. will look into. Am surprised Int' SF isnt tracked.. it's so expensive... that's pretty bad!

It's trackable up to the point where it leaves the uk. Some postal services do track it, but some don't. It is a bit more expensive but guaranteed delivery within 3 or 5 days.

Is his the only bid?

If not, you can tell him you won't post internationally as stated ask him to agree to cancel and offer it to an under bidder as a second chance offer.

Also set your auctions to block overseas bidders. You can do this in your preference page in 'my ebay'.

he has zero feedback. he says he will pay whatever the postage is.. so fingers crossed. If he pays then i have no problem with sending it...

(as long as there's no quibbling!) i will only charge what post office say. i wont make money out of postage