Ebay keeps promising to refund me.2 months later still havent received it

[bettysbatsintheattic]

Here's what happened.I sold 180 records back in Dec. They got lost, customer opened a case.I opened lost package with post office.Post office couldn't find it,So they closed the case.That day I refunded the buyer.I opened insurance claim.2 days later, package tracks in route.Insurance claim denied, because package is in route ( although the only place it trackeded to was the last scan which was my own post office the day I dropped it off So it looked like it never left here The whole time.7 weeks later package gets delivered.Buyer blows me off.EBay keeps blowing me off.I'm out the records and the shipping.Any suggestions on how to get my money?

[caldreamer]

Sorry, but when package gets delivered late "after customer has been refunded" you don't have any options for getting paid.    If the customer was "honest" they would have contacted you and offered to pay (but the fact that they are avoiding shows they have no integrity).

Personally, I think this is a horrible policy (very unfair to the Seller) and should be changed (but I don't make the rules).

[wastingtime101]

---

@bettysbatsintheattic wrote:

7 weeks later package gets delivered.

---

When there's an item not received claim and you refund the buyer, you have a window of 30 days to file an appeal if tracking confirms delivery in that time. 7 weeks later is well past that window.

Your only recourse is to ask the buyer to repay. Ask for their email so you can send an invoice through PayPal. Hopefully you have a buyer willing to work with you. Good luck @bettysbatsintheattic.

[mam98031]

If you voluntarily refunded your buyer, then you have no ability to appeal the case.  

You need to send your buyer a polite and professional email letting them know you are aware that they have received the package now.  Ask them to provide you with their PayPal account so you can invoice them for the order because Ebay doesn't have a tool like that for sellers.  Let them know that you will also notify the Postmaster to close the insurance claim for the items because you have not received the item and you certainly don't want to participate in a Federal crime by using USPS in committing a fraud.

Now I know the insurance claim is no longer open, but it is unlikely your buyer does.  Sometimes you need to kind of stretch the truth in order to not completely alienate someone or create more problems.

But if they write back and tell you that they have no intention to pay you.  Then stay polite and professional and let them know that you will be notifying Ebay of their abuse of the claims system, the Postmaster for using USPS to help perpetrate a fraud and a police report.  But always stay professional.  

If you end up going this direction, let me know as I can provide you with some links that will be helpful to you.

[fashunu4eeuh]

Sadly, eBay does not reimburse sellers for such losses. If customer service told you differently, they weren’t truthful in making such a statement. 

One way to deal with lost revenue is to self insure. I add a few cents to every transaction, that gets set aside for possible shrinkage. When a loss occurs, i tap into those funds.

I agree with another poster, there must be a better way to handle the “late delivery after refunding” problem. Thankfully, most buyers are honest. But for those who are not, right now there is little that can be done to recover the loss. (Small claims court might work for some.)

[wastingtime101]

---

@wastingtime101 wrote:

---

When there's an item not received claim and you refund the buyer, you have a window of 30 days to file an appeal if tracking confirms delivery in that time. 7 weeks later is well past that window.

---

To everybody saying you can't appeal an INR when you voluntarily refund. As of 2021 that changed in an unpublished policy. What I wrote above about being able to appeal if the package is delivered within 30 days of the refund is accurate. (link)

The last report I got from a seller I helped was 4 months ago and they said this was still in effect when they asked eBay to appeal.

Having said that, it unfortunately does not help the OP. Delivery 7 weeks after refunding is well past the 30 day timeframe.

[mam98031]

Excellent information, thank you.  I'm trying to find out if this is still an unpublished rule.

[dhbookds]

@wastingtime101 

Thanks for posting that link........I'd lost my link to that post.......

[bettysbatsintheattic]

My buyer said to me if they should up, she would pay too! I first wrote her, asked if any damage, sorry so late, glad they finally arrive etc... No response, they asked again nicely for payment, this was off the very same thread/ message where she said she'd pay me if they showed up,. Nothing no response.I wishing Krama on this one, not only did I sell these too cheap, I got nothing now.I'm not a new seller either, thought I was doing everything by the book.

[stainlessenginecovers]

@wastingtime101 Since the buyer would already have been refunded, when a Seller appeals, eBay pays out of their pocket since they can't go back to the buyer to say 'give the refund back'???

[silverstatetreasureboxes]

@bettysbatsintheattic 

Betty, I'm still going thru this situation only on the buyer end. My order has been stuck in Guam since the 24th of January and its not moving. Poster @wastingtime101 has been helping me and I opened two cases with no solution. 

     Seller has refunded me in full but I still intend to pay for item if it ever arrives safely. I agree that ebay should have a easy way for a buyer to pay seller after reimbursement has been made instead of going thru PayPal.

    I luckily still have my PayPal but some folks have ditched their accounts, so what happens then?

    Take care.

[buyselljack2016]

Then we revert to eBay as it was at the turn of the century, and snail mail that seller a USPS money order 😊

[luckythewinner]

---

@bettysbatsintheattic wrote:

7 weeks later package gets delivered.Buyer blows me off.EBay keeps blowing me off.I'm out the records and the shipping.Any suggestions on how to get my money?

---

The carrier that you hired to deliver the item failed to deliver it in the time that you promised your buyer you would deliver it. Just because it was not your fault does not mean you are not responsible for failing to live up to your agreement with the buyer. 

eBay is not going to refund you for a post office mistake. Sorry. 

The buyer did not agree to a two month delay. 

[silverstatetreasureboxes]

@buyselljack2016 

I was actually thinking about that as well. I will honor my commitment with this seller, I just couldn't do that to someone by not paying.

[wastingtime101]

---

@stainlessenginecovers wrote:

@wastingtime101 Since the buyer would already have been refunded, when a Seller appeals, eBay pays out of their pocket since they can't go back to the buyer to say 'give the refund back'???

---

Yes. I always suggest working with the buyer first to see if they will either repay if they want to keep the item or refuse the package if they no longer want it. Many buyers are honest. If they ghost you then filing an eBay appeal is a backup option.

@silverstatetreasureboxeswrote:

I agree that ebay should have a easy way for a buyer to pay seller after reimbursement has been made instead of going thru PayPal.

    I luckily still have my PayPal but some folks have ditched their accounts, so what happens then?

---

Buyer does not need PayPal. If seller has PayPal they can send an invoice through PayPal which buyer can pay with a CC, no need for a PayPal account.

Seller can create a new eBay listing as local pickup only, buyer purchases, seller marks as picked up - no shipping involved.

Services like Venmo, etc. Old fashioned paper check. Lots of options.