Item Not Received Case - How to Protect Yourself as a Seller?

[hseeker64]

Long-time eBayer here and am very frustrated and need some guidance: Here's a summary -

Shipped expensive item via USPS Priority Mail with Signature Confirmation

Delivery shows Item was signed for and received (but shows different town name for final delivery)

The next day, Buyer says item not Received - wanted me to contact carrier

USPS in Buyer's local office explains their post office delivers to three different towns (that's why the discrepancy) - Assures me that the package was geomapped to exact correct address of buyer - Sends me proof of Delivery (just a generic form that shows the signature of recipient and recipient's chicken scratch of the address) but no full address is on this form.

eBay claims I cannot prove the item was sent to the right address - so literally 30 minutes after telling me I have 3 days to get more proof - they close the case in favor of the buyer so I am out the money and the product.

Here are my questions: Why is it so hard to get proof of exact address location of a package delivered through USPS? (they would not send me anything other than this generic proof of delivery form with no full delivery address on it). And nowhere on their website can you see the full address during the tracking process...

I tried to "reprint" the label for this item through eBay, but since it has been delivered, the label is no longer available to reprint. But can't eBay research that and match the tracking number to the address on the label that was printed?

What more as a seller could I have done? I drop off a lot of packages at my local post office, so I don't get usually have them scanned in.

What options are available once a case is closed?

[bonjourami]

Wow,sorry that happened to you. USPS will never give you the exact address that the pkg was delivered to, they have privacy criteria too that they must follow.Have you tried to appeal with that statement they gave you? Your best bet is to go to Ebay for Business on Facebook, use the message link, they are very good with responding there. Good luck.

[oldschool718]

Its worth it to wait on line get the receipt.  also in the future notice ebay gives you the option to download the shipping labels to your files before printing, this way you can have it on file for situations like this.  good luck !

[dolcetreasures]

This can be a big problem, I’ve noticed that when an item gets shipped to an Arlington Lakes or a Golden Gate address in Florida the delivery scan shows “delivered Naples FL”. Same is true for Doral and several other towns that will show “delivered to Miami”. Does that mean a buyer can claim non-delivery? 

[hseeker64]

Thank you for the replies... Upon appeal, eBay did find in my favor - thank goodness. I had forgotten about using the eBay Facebook page - I have heard many eBayers say they have good luck on there. I was just totally baffled by having to "prove" I sent it to the right address when utilizing eBay's shipping labels (and how hard that was trying to find that proof!). I will definitely get the receipts (and/or download the labels) for higher-priced items next time.

[bonjourami]

Thats great!

[greatmidwestcoin]

The USPS WILL provide you the exact GPS location of where the delivery scan was made. You take those coordinates and plug them into Google Maps and it will drill down to the color of the delivery address's front door or mailbox. All you have to do is ask. If they refuse, open a ticket online for delivery issue noting the tracking number, and request confirmation that it was delivered to the correct address. Do not take no for an answer, just because you encounter a lazy employee. Go up the food chain. If you need help, message me here.

And as far as eBay is concerned, once the item shows a delivery scan, end of the story.  Of course, all of the above has just been my personal experience in dealing with these issues.  I actually had a Postmaster write me a letter recently confirming the tracking delivery location which I forwarded to eBay, in a not received claim on an expensive coin.

Others here may have had different experiences.

Good luck!

[real_solid_gold]

I suggest buying all your shipping labels through the eBay system.  Then keep a digital pdf of every label you print as well.  That way you'll always have an image of every label you used and it will show what addy goes along with what specific tracking number.