eBay

eriereserve · ‎12-06-2023

Hello - question for the group about appropriateness of insurance claims.

I am a casual, intermittent ebay user that listed an item that sold for ~$600 to a buyer from a new account without feedback. I didn't realize this until after my listing ended, but understand this is my first mistake. I messaged with the buyer letting them know I was hesitant to release the item and considering cancelling the bid but they assured me they were interested in the item, etc.

I shipped the item from USPS Ground Advantage fully insured and signature required. The buyer messaged me after it's marked delivered but stated they didn't receive it. I encourage them to check in with local USPS, neighbors, or the authorities if they believe it was stolen. I also obtain a proof of delivery from USPS which shows it was in fact signed for at their address. The buyer insists they didn't sign for it (i.e. it was given to the wrong person), states that their local USPS branch directed them to file a claim, and asks for my information to file the claim with USPS.

This seems off to me and wanted to ask if this is a common scam on ebay? I obviously want to help if I can, but have no interest in unknowingly participating in a scam. If I refuse to provide information to file the claim, is there any recourse that the buyer or ebay can take against me?

Thank you

marnotom! · ‎12-06-2023

This surely won't be USPS's first rodeo when it comes to insurance claims for lost items that show as delivered in the tracking information. They'll be aware that some sort of scam is a possibility, so let them worry about that part. Seeing as sellers can scam buyers by shipping in a manner that makes it appear that the item to has been delivered to the recipient when it hasn't, I'd say it's in your best interests to cooperate with the claim to your best of your ability.

yng1998 · ‎12-06-2023

You can let this buyer file a claim through ebay. In response to the claim you can provide the tracking number. That should settle the matter as delivered. If the buyer claims that they did receive it but it was damaged you have the emails as proof that they buyer first claimed that it wasn't delivered. Telling the buyer to file a claim through ebay will very likely end the matter and you won't hear from them again.

marnotom! · ‎12-06-2023

@yng1998 wrote:

You can let this buyer file a claim through ebay. In response to the claim you can provide the tracking number. That should settle the matter as delivered. If the buyer claims that they did receive it but it was damaged you have the emails as proof that they buyer first claimed that it wasn't delivered. Telling the buyer to file a claim through ebay will very likely end the matter and you won't hear from them again.

I'm not sure this is the best way to go about this, @yng1998. Depending on how savvy the buyer is, they may already know they won't prevail in an INR claim through eBay and that's they're trying the USPS route instead. And if they do go with an INR claim at the OP's suggestion and are unsuccessful, there's nothing to stop them from filing a SNAD claim afterwards if they're within the time limit to do so, anyway.

I think a suggestion from the seller to go through eBay instead could well be seen as suspicious and a sign of not wanting to cooperate with the USPS claim. I really think @eriereserve would be better off cooperating with the claim and seeing what shakes out.

eriereserve · ‎12-06-2023

That's helpful perspective, thank you both. A few additional details.

1) I believe they already attempted to work with ebay, but given the package was marked as delivered, they were unsuccessful. Ebay has already released the paypal money to me.

2) If they go forward in filing the claim with USPS how would that mechanically work? They told me they would need to submit the sender's information (me). Given I purchased the insurance and if the claim was paid out, wouldn't USPS have to send it to me? Would I then need to manually refund the buyer money through paypal? Again happy to help them out, just want to make sure I understand that correctly.

mtgraves7984 · ‎12-06-2023

I know of a poster who appears very knowledgeable about USPS stuff. Let's see what @nobody*s_perfect thinks...

nobody*s_perfect · ‎12-06-2023

@eriereserve wrote: .... I also obtain a proof of delivery from USPS which shows it was in fact signed for at their address. The buyer insists they didn't sign for it (i.e. it was given to the wrong person), states that their local USPS branch directed them to file a claim, and asks for my information to file the claim with USPS....

Neither USPS nor eBay will honor a loss claim when there is Signature Confirmation or delivery confirmation (except for ebay's $750 threshold). I suspect that the buyer's PO told them to file just to get them out of their hair. I know that a recipient can file an insurance claim for a lost item, but I don't know what USPS requires them to submit, i.e., what the buyer would need from you.

By the way, USPS signature confirmation can be signed for by anybody who answers the door, it doesn't have to be the named addressee. If you want that, it's called Restricted Delivery and costs about an extra $10. So your buyer should also check with other members of their household regarding the missing package.

yng1998 · ‎12-06-2023

Yes, exactly. There was signature confirmation. You can provide the insurance info if you want but this is going nowhere for the buyer. If there wasn't signature confirmation and only tracking available you can provide them proof of the tracking but they will likely open a case against you. In that case providing the tracking will take care of the matter. You could tell your buyer to contact their own post office for proof of the signature. I would imagine that they keep a signature on file and that may solve the mystery for them.

12345jamesstamps · ‎12-06-2023

It might have been a digital signature and not a written signature...if seller doesn't ask for a written signature...what I do at the post office with the clerk is ask for a written signature...cost the same.