[meteorite-list] Another warning re sales to Italy
dean bessey
themeteoriteshop at yahoo.com
Tue Jul 26 19:33:16 EDT 2016
Well Joachim yes one would normally use common sense and agree with you.
When I stopped sending to Italy 7 or 8 or so years ago I kept track and had 7 of the previous 10 packages to Italy lost in the mail and had to deal with a paypal chargeback (And some negative feedbacks on ebay). I figured that 7 of ten cancelled out the benefit of lost sales so I stopped shipping to Italy.
I never sent another package to Italy until about two years ago when this Davide Urbinati person emailed me wondering why I don't send to Italy and that it as safe to send him stuff. I agreed to the sale and sent him the $300 worth of Bensour via Registered mail with a tracking number.
At the same time I thought "This is silly - blocking all those potential Italian customers from bidding because of a few losses in the mail 5 or 10 years ago. So I unblocked all of Italy and let Italians buy from me again. Over the next several months (Plus Davide Urbinati's theft of my Bensour) three of the four packages that I sent to Italy resulted in a paypal chargeback. And not one of them sent me an email before filing the chargeback with paypal. Like shopping mall owners having to deal with shoplifting you generally just write it off as paypal always refunds the money so I again just blocked Italy from my auctions.
Normally I get maybe 3 or 4 chargebacks a year and I sell thousands of items a year on ebay. So even now I no longer accept bids from people in Italy.
This theft of the $300 worth of Bensour is memorable and a bit of a sore point with me because its the largest ever loss through a paypal chargeback that I have ever had and it was after I made a decision to never send stuff to Italy again. I almost blame Davide Urbinati for the following three losses from ebay sales not related to him for the following 3 ebay chargebacks to other Italy bidders.
So yes your comment that "Italy has more than 60 Million people. Most are honest and kind." should be correct (I really loved Italy the couple times that I have been there and so want to go back) but there is a statistically significant issue with sending mail to Italy. You will find that its not just me but many ebay sellers wont send stuff to Italy so I am not the only ebay seller with an unusual amount of problems with mail to Italy. The only thing that I can figure is that there must be a bunch of mafia gangs preying on mail sellers as I have a very hard time believing that the Italian post office is that bad and loses such a huge amount of mail. I don't know why so many mailed packages to Italy results in losses but for some reason they do.
But for now I don't generally send mail to Italy.
Sincerely
dean
--------------------------------------------
On Tue, 26/7/16, joachim via Meteorite-list <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com> wrote:
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Another warning re sales to Italy
To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
Received: Tuesday, 26 July, 2016, 8:05 PM
Hello,
Italy has more than 60 Million
people. Most are honest and kind. Maybe
you have problems getting money via a lawywer
and a court but it is
the same when I
sell something to the US ( or Japan or to the moon )
To say not to sell something to italy is if I
would say all New
Yorkers or Inhabitants
of california are gangsters. Just check every
person, mail or phone but please do not
generalize in such a way.
Greetings from Germany ( where are also nice
people, thick ones, thin
ones, idiots,
intelligent people and all other kind of humang beings. )
Joachim
Zitat von Michael Blood via Meteorite-list
<meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>:
> Hi Doug,
> I am glad to hear
your dealings with this individual have been
> Positive. I cannot say the same. However,
after denying he refused
> To pay the
shipment (this sounds like a refusal to me:
>
> " So I must pay
110$ for shipment... More other 150 or more for Italian
> custom with fedex..
>
No is impossible pay so much for Henbury.
> Sorry
> Davide"
)
>
>
he finally did send me almost all the
remainder of the shipping
> cost.
> I still will never
sell anything to anyone in Italy again due to all
> the reports on their postal system and on
individuals, including this
> One (see
Bessey post).
>
Again, happy your dealings have been more
positive.
>
Michael
>
> On 7/24/16 4:28 PM, "MexicoDoug"
<mexicodoug at aol.com>
wrote:
>
>> Thanks
Captain B,
>>
>>
As we say, "A bad negotiation is better than a good
fight."
>>
>> 99% your customer is not the one you
thought. That suspicion is
>>
hurting you.
>> You can Google the
customer and find out one by his name has done a
>> couple of
>>
exhibitions for Emilia-Romagna, lectures and belongs to a
local astronomical
>> society, gives
advice on meteorites even including one case where
>> there was a
>>
shipping question in which his reply was to work with the
Seller to resolve
>> it. Try one
more time, maybe a show of goodwill above and beyond what
is
>> required offer to split the $60,
and do it face to face by calling
>> dado_sanna
>> on
Skype ...
>>
>>
Next time just collect shipping costs up front ... rather
than exposing
>> yourself. I feel
for your customer's situation, having been in a
>> similar one
>>
for many years because of the unfortunate state of the local
postal service
>> and the rampant
corruption and pilfering throughout the system. I hope
you
>> will reconsider supporting our
enthusiastic Italian (Brasilian, Russian and
>> Mexican) friends so as to do a part in
giving them access to reputable
>>
meteorite sellers.
>>
>> Although your customer's
expectations were misplaced, it is still a case of
>> misunderstanding that could have been
prevented - even if that
>> meant
two trips
>> to FedEx if it was too
difficult to calculate the shipping cost yourself.
>>
>> In the case
of Italy, ask if they can cough up a shipping address to
a
>> different EU nation to initially
receive the shipment and from
>>
where they can
>> be responsible to
reship to the Italian address. The situation is far
less
>> problematic if the parcel
arriving in Italy originates in the current
>> Eurozone, vs. the US and Canada which
at this moment happen to be
>>
outside the
>> walls surrounding
Byzantium. It will likely get their much faster
>> too, so it
>>
can benefit them.
>>
>> While this may not make sense to many
people who take for granted less
>>
problematical postal services, or don't care about the
little saintly
>> collector, speaking
from personal experience and cravings,
>> sometimes there are
>> specimens that are "must
have" and being told "NO! I don't ship to
>> X" can be
>> a huge depressant.
>>
>> If the
collector is conscientious about their situation, they can
>> just adjust
>> their purchases accordingly and save
up for the moments that are truly
>>
special, and better yet, get a helping hand from other
sympathetic European
>> collectors.
I responded to this thread because too often I had the
>> "We don't
>> ship to X", door slammed in my
face. It never happened with meteorites but
>> was a problem with larger companies.
You did a nice thing, btw, and I don't
>> think you will end up burnt in the end
since the collector had a
>>
misunderstanding and I am sure he will want to correct it in
a positive
>> manner.
>>
>> As for Italy,
firm cash up front, insurance (U-pic or InsurePost), and
check
>> registered FC mail rules on
commercial sales to see what's permitted and
>> what's not ...
>>
>> Kindest
wishes
>> Doug
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Michael Blood <mlblood at cox.net>
>> To: MexicoDoug <mexicodoug at aol.com>;
Meteorite List
>> <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
>> Sent: Sun, Jul 24, 2016 2:31 am
>> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Another
warning re sales to Italy
>>
>> Hi Doug,
>>
Thanks for the kind words. However, I have
saved all
>> The emails and believe
me, there was absolutely no confusion
>> Re shipping - -clarified clearly
(twice) that if Fed EX were
>> less
than $50 I would refund him the difference and if it
>> were more than $50 he would have to
agree to paypal me
>> the
difference.
>>
He stated I should not have put the
"real value" on the shipment -
>> AFTER I had sent it - When Fed Ex
turned out to be more, then
>> He
complained he would have to pay the import fee and
wouldn't
>> Pay any more for the
shipping.
>>
Kind and gentle is always best and I tried
that for several
>> Posts to no avail
whatever.
>> No,
this is a clear cut case of being ripped off. I suspect it
is
>> Our old "friend" as
his approach is nearly identical and his English
>> Is similarly distorted. But whether it
is or not the results are identical.
>> I, too, like to
think people are basically honest and live up to
>> Their commitments and I do deal with
people that way and the vast
>>
Majority of people in the meteorite community are that
way.
>> Also, I
do not believe for a second this is "typical of
Italians" -
>> only two - and
possibly only one - have/has acted this way. Every
>> Country has both the saintly and the
cur.
>> Good to
hear from you, Doug,
>>
Michael
>>
>> On 7/23/16 10:32 PM,
"MexicoDoug" <mexicodoug at aol.com>
wrote:
>>
>>>
Michael,
>>>
>>> How discouraging, as if doing what
you love wasn't already a labor of love.
>>> Your customer appears to be a
dedicated collector, exhibitor, lecturer, and
>>> dealer (involved with meteorites
and as using them as raw materials for
>>> selling trinkets and watch dials,
including to school children). You could
>>> double-check if it is not a
miscommunication from your message exchange
>>> defining who was supposed to pay
for what. The immediate problem was not
>>> Italy, as much as the expensive,
secure shipping cost which you understood
>>> was
>>>
to be paid by him as it sounds like he received the
meteorite and
>>> you have a
>>> tracking receipt.
>>>
>>> Or,
next time you are in Rimini, stop by this hair salon and go
collect if
>>> the
>>> friendly approach doesn't pan
out. Maybe settle for a seafood
>>> risotto. I'd
>>> make an appointment first and
bring a bottle of wine @ (+39)3485447938. He
>>> really doesn't seem like a
scammer!
>>>
>>> Kindest wishes
>>> Doug
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
-----Original Message-----
>>>
From: Michael Farmer via Meteorite-list
>>> <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
>>> To: Michael Blood <mlblood at cox.net>;
Meteorite Mailing List
>>> <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
>>> Sent: Sat, Jul 23, 2016 9:37 pm
>>> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list]
Another warning re sales to Italy
>>>
>>> Why
do people ignore warnings? Italy is notorious for
>>> scams and stolen packages.
>>>
>>> Sent
from my iPad
>>>
>>>> On Jul 23, 2016, at 6:36 PM,
Michael Blood via Meteorite-list
>>>> <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Hi all,
>>>>
>>>> You all may recall
that several years ago multiple
>>>> Dealers warned against sales
to Italy. It seams at
>>>> Least
one buyer was claiming not to have received
>>>> Shipments that were verified,
not to have received
>>>> Money
that was sent him, etc.
>>>>
>>>> Unfortunately, I
failed to head warnings about
>>>> Shipping to Italy. A different
Italian contacted me (Or
>>>> At
least one using a different name and email) and
>>>> I explained even Registered
Mail seems to fail to
>>>>
guarantee delivery in Italy but I somehow allowed
>>>> him to talk me into a Fed Ex
shipment of a specimen.
>>>> I
agreed, providing he send $50 shipping and agree
>>>> to pay any additional amount
Fed Ex might charge.
>>>>
>>>> Perhaps it is the
same fellow from several years ago
>>>> Using a different name (he was
so good at that Art could
>>>>
Not keep him off the list because he would just join
again
>>>> Using a different
name and email). So, beware of:
>>>>
>>>> "Davide Urbinati"
<urbinati.davide at gmail.com>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Even though I
scanned the receipt and sent it to him
>>>> He refused to pay the $59.79
Fed Ex charged me. So, I am
>>>>
Out that $.
>>>>
>>>> Believe me, I will
never ship to Italy again.
>>>>
>>>> Better luck to all
of you,
>>>> Michael
Blood
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
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