Should I ship or cancel?

[RetroRevolveVintage]

I had a potential buyer reach out via messages today and I've never seen an automated Etys warning before, saying that this could be a scam. The buyer asked if my vintage item would fit a small and if I would go lower since they found it cheaper on depop. Already a red flag in my book, with experience, these folks are rarely happy. After I replied saying it could fit a small, and that I could not go lower, they purchased the item anyway, then immediately messaged to say their address was wrong. Alarm bells are going off now for sure. I said I would cancel and they could reorder, thinking that they wouldn't do so. They reordered and the address has a home street address and a PO Box, which USPS says is invalid. I did read that sometimes these types of addresses are valid. I tried calling their local PO to confirm, but I couldn't get through to a rep 3 times.

Etsy chat was no help, they told me to change the address myself. I thought this would void my seller protection?

On top of all this, Karen check told me that the buyer has only ever left one review and it was for 1 star saying that the sized ring they purchased was "Too large." I am just getting bad vibes all around and am so over Etsy lately, since the last few purchases I've had this year were refunds due to the buyer not knowing their sizing. I've never had this issue before in my 4 years on etsy. I always list measurements but most folks don't own a measuring tape. It's hard to buy clothes online. Would you refund and cancel or ship it out?

[ChillwolfArt]

Hi, I would Refund and Cancel. Too many red flags.

Hope this helps.

[GroundZeroCreations]

Did you go to USPS and enter the address for just the street address and again with just the PO address? I know there is a place on USPS for address verification. I am pretty sure this should do it. 

https://tools.usps.com/zip-code-lookup.htm?byaddress

I have had addresses entered with both and when one of the addresses was legitimate,  I shipped anyway. Another problem is that USPS will not deliver mail to someone that does not have a mail receptacle. So they may think they will get it even if they don't have a mailbox. But if the package should fit into a mailbox, they won't walk it to the door. So no mailbox, no delivery.

Use your gut for your decision.

[RetroRevolveVintage]

Hi, I just tried it and they are both valid

[ThePurplePuppy]

@RetroRevolveVintage 

My address is like that and is valid. We have to have BOTH because USPS will NOT deliver to our home and provides us with a PO Box.  However, UPS will NOT deliver to a PO Box so needs our physical address. So how you send depends on which to use. IF you are shipping USPS use the PO Box--if you are using UPS use the street address.

I always print my labels with both  addresses and have never had a problem with Etsy printing them out.

[BaggieAggie]

Too many red flags for me, so I would cancel. (Cancelling automatically actions the refund, by the way.)

[JJewellerySuppliesUK]

You are at liberty to refuse any sale.  You could say you can't find it if you want to cancel. 

[TBQSC]

Confused!

There is no Karen Check anymore ... how did you actually check the buyer?

Why do you have listed items that say "do not buy"?  If you do not have the item in stock, it cannot be listed for sale.

[RetroRevolveVintage]

Hi, I used what they turned into koalanda.

I let the items that sold in my in-person shop time out. I know I can deactivate them, but it helps with the views to my other items. I paid for the listing, so I figure I might as well let it time out.

[JackisJustVintage]

@RetroRevolveVintage All items that are listed in your shop need to be available and for sale. As for the sale, go with your gut.

[RetroRevolveVintage]

Got it, I have deactivated it.

[JJewellerySuppliesUK]

@TBQSC Check buyers here:  Free Etsy Buyer Check | Koalanda

[TinLizziAntiques]

OP, you have intuition and it's telling you and us that this sale is risky. First, asking you to reduce the price, questions about address, bad review history. Just cancel, in my opinion.

[EccentricHandbags]

• Is it invalid or is it not verified?  They don't mean the same thing.  I have shipped to unverified addresses and never had a problem.  It might be invalid in this case because with a street address and a PO Box it is too much for the system to recognize.  I had this happen once with a name that was too long.  Etsy won't let you print a label for these. Name too long is easy to fix, but this is different.  I think rather than it being a scam this person is very confused about their address, as though maybe they haven't been there long.  I had a PO box once and didn't have to give the street address.  I wouldn't want to try to fix it for them and I would be afraid if I mailed it it would be lost or just come back to me.     

[RetroRevolveVintage]

It says invalid. Yeah, I don't want to fix it either.

[cutebutton]

@EccentricHandbags 

USPS will accept the format that has the PO box on the first line and the street address on the second line.

as I mentioned below people put both if they aren't sure what carrier is going to be used so it is sure to get delivered.

Switching those around should cause no issues.

[FallsAveVintage]

You have to leave out the street address, the box number is the address. Have been through this more than a few times.

I honestly don't see anything wrong but that's just me. You should do what makes you comfortable.

[ThePurplePuppy]

I have printed those labels on both Etsy and Pirateship with both addresses and have never had problem printing.

[TastefulArtisan]

One of my orders going today had both a street address and a PO box. 

Printed just fine. It popped as verified just like dozens and dozens of other labels I've printed so I wouldn't sweat the address.

The rest? Problem on the front, problem on the back.

As others said above, go with your gut. If it feels off, it probably is.

[Jewels2at]

Trust your gut!  Cancel!!!  Why would they put in the wrong address?  When you place an order, Etsy asks you to verify the address.

I still say cancel...just wondering...did they tell you why they put in the wrong address?

[RetroRevolveVintage]

All they said was "Hi! I ordered it, but I need to change my deliver address. It did the wrong PO Box!"

Before, their addy was only PO Box.

[bohemians]

If it were me, I'd cancel it ... to me the address change request on top of the size thing and then request for a discount would make me unsure ...  but if you want to proceed with selling to her ... I would refund this order and tell her to re-purchase with the correct address.

I'm not sure if your seller protection will cover you if you ship it to another address than the one shown on the transaction.

[cutebutton]

@RetroRevolveVintage 

on the PO box and street address issue, people do that if they don't know which carrier you are going to use so it will get delivered.

To make the address valid all you have to do is make sure that the PO box is on the first line and the street address is on the second line.  If those are switched then it shows invalid.  The post office can be weird about how they like addresses to look LOL. 

Also etsy has been putting a pop up on messages to in general warn people about scams.  That message does not in any way indicate that etsy has any reason to think the person is a scammer.  Etsy just wants to make it clear that it is a buyer sending the message not etsy. 

Also I thought Karen check was a thing of the past.  Regardless maybe they didn't like the other purchase.  Doesn't mean they are a scammer.

Honestly all of these things taken in context to me don't send up any red flags really. 

[PinkBirdCottage]

@RetroRevolveVintage I feel your stress and am sorry about that. Etsy is not an easy place to sell and this plays out in stress. Give yourself the night to think it over. Buyer repurchased with correct address. PO Box is just on wrong line. You can correct that without losing seller protection. I have had people request a discount and nothing bad happened when I didn’t give one and they purchased.  This all could be fine. If you ship write a nice note “So glad you ended up purchasing after all” to soften the no discount. It really could all be fine. Breathe 

[funkydreamsmosaics]

If you hadn't done whatever form of karen check you used, what would your answer be?  For all you know, the ring they purchased was too large.

As others have said, having both a PO Box and street address is fine.  

The fact that they were willing to repurchase seems like a good sign to me.  It looks like your items have measurements.  You could always message them with the measurements again asking them to verify it will work for them, as "smalls" can vary.

But if you really feel like something is off, then by all means, cancel.