I understand your frustration, but we are sellers , and professionals.
You cannot be in this business take it too personally. Many buyers are not idiots, just completely clueless, and confused, lack of basic tech. knowledge playing huge role as well.
If you read my post/s you will see that limiting intl. orders only to higher priced (and better tracked) shipping option will solve many problems.
I understand that you selling higher priced items , and this shipping "trick" would be very useful in your case. Serious intl. buyers interested in your product will pay higher shipping price.
About option - 5 friends leaving negs:
Question to start with is: why?
1 . If seller have very honest, and open communication with his customers neg is very hard to get. If you resolve any problem, and buyer's concern within 30 min. you will hardly get neg.
2. Isolated cases are possible, and other customers are not stupid. They will easily see that one neg is nothing comparing to thousands of positive feedback ratings.
3. In an extreme situation like: organized attempt to put your business down (business that feed your family- in many cases), you have to have extreme countermeasures
. I have mine, you should have yours as well.4. Believe me if you think that in such an event when organized attack happens there is no way to find out who, why, and where- you are wrong. There is a way (pretty simple way) to find out who is behind such an evil activity.
In the end , instead of wasting your valuable time on eBay, Paypal wrongdoings -You can concentrate on your standalone web store.
Believe me if you are good seller with very good products, and support services (and I know you are) it will work flawlessly.
Once you reach high number of good customers, you will enjoy working, and selling without even thinking about eBay - even if you have to close your eBay store next day.
Piece of mind
:beer:
