Buyer wants to change STREET address after purchase, same state & zip.

[generaluser3]

Buyer purchased and paid right away.  Then immediately sent an ebay message saying: My address is . . . and it was a different street address from paypal, although the State and zip code are the same.

Buyer has 2 purchases in the past month, and the rest are older feedback.  The name and username are the same on ebay and paypal.

I responded right away to say I can only mail to the Paypal address, and to please change their address.

But now, after reading a similar problem on this forum today, I see that I should CANCEL the purchase due to Problem With Address.

Is that correct?  It's painful, as sales are so slow right now.

Rhetorical question:  If someone knows their address is wrong on Paypal, why wouldn't they change it right away, rather than sending this kind of message after purchasing???

[a_c_green]

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@generaluser3 wrote:

Rhetorical question:  If someone knows their address is wrong on Paypal, why wouldn't they change it right away, rather than sending this kind of message after purchasing???

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I believe it's because while the payment is coming from PayPal, the selected Ship To: address is stored in eBay. He should have selected the address he wanted before sending his payment. If you look in your eBay user profile, you should find the area where you can store alternate Ship To: addresses (such as for shipping to your office instead of your home, or to relatives, etc.). Go to your My eBay page, find My Account, and look at the section for Addresses.

[generaluser3]

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@a_c_green wrote:

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@generaluser3 wrote:

Rhetorical question:  If someone knows their address is wrong on Paypal, why wouldn't they change it right away, rather than sending this kind of message after purchasing???

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I believe it's because while the payment is coming from PayPal, the selected Ship To: address is stored in eBay. He should have selected the address he wanted before sending his payment. If you look in your eBay user profile, you should find the area where you can store alternate Ship To: addresses (such as for shipping to your office instead of your home, or to relatives, etc.). Go to your My eBay page, find My Account, and look at the section for Addresses.

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Thank you, @a_c_green, that does make sense and is a very plausible and non-paranoia scenario. 

Do you have an opinion re my primary question?  Is that correct, that I need to cancel the order, stating Problem with address?  If so, do I then receive my fees back from ebay and paypal?

I know I've read this kind of problem addressed a multitude of times on this forum, but it's odd that when it happens to you (me), suddenly the memory goes blankish.

[a_c_green]

Welllll... a tracking status of Delivered needs only to show the same City and ZIP as that received with the payment, so changing the street address alone should go undetected, in terms of whether an Item Not Received dispute would be found in your favor. 

It's definitely a gray area, though. If the dollar amount in question was low enough that you'd be willing to risk eating the loss, then I'd go ahead and change it for the guy, just this once. But if it's a big-ticket and/or high-scam item, then no, I'd cancel due to Problem with Address, and invite the buyer to get his act together before repaying. The choice is yours.

[generaluser3]

Thank you again for your response, @a_c_green!

I've been looking up and down the forums for this same scenario, just the STREET address being changed, but no luck on this exact thing.   I was hoping the knowledgeable and seasoned sellers (like yourself) would share their opinions on what they would do in this circumstance, but I realize this topic is somewhat of a yawner, since it seems to come up so often (kind of like, Does it help to videotape sending/receiving packages; Answer, No).

Thank you also for explaining the gray area.  My inclination initially was to Cancel Due to Problem with Buyer's Address, but now I'm wondering if I should just mail it, since it's just a STREET address change.  It's not a big ticket item, and it's not high-scam, but in this "famine" selling environment for us at this time, it would be a lot to lose and would be a very sad thing to happen, should there be a problem.

I know I'm way overthinking this . . .

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@a_c_green wrote:

Welllll... a tracking status of Delivered needs only to show the same City and ZIP as that received with the payment, so changing the street address alone should go undetected, in terms of whether an Item Not Received dispute would be found in your favor. 

It's definitely a gray area, though. If the dollar amount in question was low enough that you'd be willing to risk eating the loss, then I'd go ahead and change it for the guy, just this once. But if it's a big-ticket and/or high-scam item, then no, I'd cancel due to Problem with Address, and invite the buyer to get his act together before repaying. The choice is yours.

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[nobody*s_perfect]

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@generaluser3 wrote: ... I responded right away to say I can only mail to the Paypal address, and to please change their address.

Nothing the buyer does after paying will affect the address that was attached to their payment at the time of purchase.

Since the ZIP Code is the same for both addresses, I would print out the label, and then use Wite-out on the street address and use a Sharpie to write in the new street address.  Or type out the new street address, print it and tape it over the old street address. If the label prints out with a ZIP+4, you should delete the extra 4 digits, too.

[scga912]

Depends on the item.

A $500+ item in a high-scam category even to the same town - NO.  Cancel and relist for re-purchase.

$30 Christmas plates (that the guy wanted shipped to his dad's house about a mile away so his wife wouldn't see them) not a problem.  I'll change the address (same city & ZIP) without hesitation and not require my buyer any extra work.

$325 Antique tea set to a totally different town 5 hours away from the payment addy from a 2 feedback buyer?  Not gonna do it.

You'd actually be covered with the city/zip match, but for me it's about the item/value

[hitechworldtrading]

It is really hard to believe they dont sort out these site problems.

Shipping should only be to address specified. There should be option "I need to change address" for the buyer, and clear information.

These buyers often are not evil minded and the requests are genuine though but its weirdo to always also check the paypal and I dont at all its such a slacking. So I only use on ebay (the address).

Its effectively whatever theye put on ebay has zero authority could be "Next brown bin" as only the paypal data is relevant.

They should effectively make clear to buyer what they submit at time of confirming purchase is bninding, and pass this data to paypal.

As on Aliexpress, you need to confirm or choose different (the address) for each purchase. As well to confirm card address as it could fail for processing if billing address incorrect.

They also have their coriousities, such as I havent been able to change my default card and I moved country but recently I can google complete the new, populate card number. Name + Surname in both fields thogh, sometimes only name and surname separate.

Hlaf baked things cobbled together all over the internet

[redfashiongurl]

I've had this a few times. I contacted CS about it and they said I could go ahead and edit the Ship To address as per the buyer's request as long as the buyer requested it through eBay's messaging. I use eBay shipping labels so they give you a warning about editing the address, but as long as eBay has a record of their request in Messages, you're fine. I got a few gift requests and one forwarding address after the buyer moved.

[generaluser3]

Thank you for your responses, @nobody*s perfect @scga912 @hitechworldtrading!

I had to smile at some of your examples.  Well, this is definitely not high-end as your 1st and 3rd examples, but more like your middle example.

After vacillating ad nauseam, and wasting my time rather than listing more stuff, I've (pretty much) decided that I'm going to cancel due to problem with buyer's address.  He hasn't responded to my message I sent hours ago, and although he could be out and about, of course, not tethered to the computer, I think I'll stick to the straight and narrow. 

I do realize that if he changed his address at this point, it wouldn't help and wouldn't have any effect on this transaction. 

In other threads, posters have said to cancel due to problem with buyer's address, and then Block.  I'm not sure whether I'll block or not, and will try not to spend too much time mulling that one over.  🙂

Thank you very much again for everyone's help!  

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@scga912 wrote:

Depends on the item.

A $500+ item in a high-scam category even to the same town - NO.  Cancel and relist for re-purchase.

$30 Christmas plates (that the guy wanted shipped to his dad's house about a mile away so his wife wouldn't see them) not a problem.  I'll change the address (same city & ZIP) without hesitation and not require my buyer any extra work.

$325 Antique tea set to a totally different town 5 hours away from the payment addy from a 2 feedback buyer?  Not gonna do it.

You'd actually be covered with the city/zip match, but for me it's about the item/value

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[missjen831]

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@redfashiongurl wrote:
I've had this a few times. I contacted CS about it and they said I could go ahead and edit the Ship To address as per the buyer's request as long as the buyer requested it through eBay's messaging. I use eBay shipping labels so they give you a warning about editing the address, but as long as eBay has a record of their request in Messages, you're fine. I got a few gift requests and one forwarding address after the buyer moved.

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@redfashiongurl The only problem with this is....and what customer service won’t tell you.....is that while eBay MIGHG cover you if the buyer files a INR, PayPal will NOT. They will NOT accept an eBay message as proof of anything. So you would lose a PayPal case and a chargeback 

[generaluser3]

@scga912 wrote:  You'd actually be covered with the city/zip match, but for me it's about the item/value.

@a_c_green wrote:  Welllll... a tracking status of Delivered needs only to show the same City and ZIP as that received with the payment, so changing the street address alone should go undetected, in terms of whether an Item Not Received dispute would be found in your favor. 

So @missjen831, does this comport with your understanding?

Just trying to understand this.  No, I'm not still vacillating.  Well, okay, just a little ...

[scga912]

@generaluser3

PayPal goes by the City / ZIP match which has to match with the address City/ZIP provided with payment.

Think about the counter postage purchaser.  All PP or eBay knows is the City/ZIP delivery.  They don't see the address the seller puts on the label - they get the tracking number which the seller manually uploads.

You'd actually be covered if you shipped it.

[missjen831]

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@generaluser3 wrote:

@scga912 wrote:  You'd actually be covered with the city/zip match, but for me it's about the item/value.

@a_c_green wrote:  Welllll... a tracking status of Delivered needs only to show the same City and ZIP as that received with the payment, so changing the street address alone should go undetected, in terms of whether an Item Not Received dispute would be found in your favor. 

So @missjen831, does this comport with your understanding?

Just trying to understand this.  No, I'm not still vacillating.  Well, okay, just a little ...

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Yes. Only the city & state must match. The reason I said what I said earlier is---that poster seemed to be speaking of situations when the buyer wants the address changed entirely-not just the street address but different street address, city, state and zip. ebay customer service tells you to go ahead and honor the buyers request & that ebay will cover you if its documented in an ebay message. What they do not tell you is that paypal will NOT cover you if the buyer files a INR with them or a credit card chargeback. I hope I didn't cause any confusion, I just thought it was important to make it clear that ebay protects you against an ebay case only & you are NOT covered if theres a paypal case or chargeback. There have been a lot of issues with customer service telling sellers to ship to an entirely different address under the promise that ebay has them covered and the the seller gets hit with a PP case and is shocked because they call ebay & were told they were covered.

[a_c_green]

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@missjen831 wrote: 
Only the city & state must match.

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ITYM City and ZIP, right?