09-27-2021 10:29 PM
I sold an item for $665. It's my first sale on eBay. I've been checking in on the tracking number to make sure everything's going smoothly. it was supposedly delivered on the 23rd but I guess the buyer wasn't there to sign it, so they rescheduled it for delivery "on the next day" and that's it.
Here's the last few updates:
After that there's nothing. It's been five days already. The thing is, I don't get payed until it's marked as delivered. Is this a possible scam? Should I worry at all?
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09-28-2021 04:02 AM - edited 09-28-2021 04:06 AM
Possibly but don't panic at the moment. A lot of things could have happened. Buyer could have been in an accident, died, had a family emergency or something else that pulled him/her away. From the tracking perspective are you looking at the tracking information in the eBay order link or are you checking it directly from USPS tracking? Often they are not the same since eBay does not directly interface with the USPS system to display the order tracking. For some odd reason they prefer to import the information from USPS into eBay and that process does not always work.
I am not sure what class of postage you used to ship the item but it appears you had a signature requirement on the package. Google the actual shipping address and see what is at that location. Is it a house, business or something else? USPS will usually attempt to deliver a package for xx number if days after which it will be returned to sender. (Now I have Elvis song stuck in my head).
https://faq.usps.com/s/article/What-are-the-Second-and-Final-Notice-and-Return-Dates-for-Redelivery
Depending on what day you shipped the package and the class of postage you used the following gives you the timeline for opening a missing mail request with the post office.
09-27-2021 10:41 PM
Should you worry? Possibly. Did the first one you sold for $5 less make it to the destination and did you get positive feedback from that buyer?
There is no doubt in my mind that you are a target for scammers since you have such a low feedback score (13) and are listing expensive gaming items.
It will be interesting to read the upcoming comments from other sellers on this question.
09-27-2021 11:07 PM
Might be ok, hard to tell yet. Good thing you had it signature. Hope you insured it.
Scammers target sellers with low feedback because they see you as an easy target, you don't know how things work yet. Not to say this is a scam, it might be ok. Just a word of advice though, stop selling expensive items until you get some feedback up first. Sell some cheaper items you can afford to lose first.
Video cards are a high scammer item. I would have bought one from you! lol But I sure wouldn't buy one for that kind of money from a seller with 0 feedback as a seller. Hope it works out.
09-28-2021 04:02 AM - edited 09-28-2021 04:06 AM
Possibly but don't panic at the moment. A lot of things could have happened. Buyer could have been in an accident, died, had a family emergency or something else that pulled him/her away. From the tracking perspective are you looking at the tracking information in the eBay order link or are you checking it directly from USPS tracking? Often they are not the same since eBay does not directly interface with the USPS system to display the order tracking. For some odd reason they prefer to import the information from USPS into eBay and that process does not always work.
I am not sure what class of postage you used to ship the item but it appears you had a signature requirement on the package. Google the actual shipping address and see what is at that location. Is it a house, business or something else? USPS will usually attempt to deliver a package for xx number if days after which it will be returned to sender. (Now I have Elvis song stuck in my head).
https://faq.usps.com/s/article/What-are-the-Second-and-Final-Notice-and-Return-Dates-for-Redelivery
Depending on what day you shipped the package and the class of postage you used the following gives you the timeline for opening a missing mail request with the post office.
09-28-2021 02:50 PM
I did have it insured
09-28-2021 02:53 PM
I checked the USPS website and here's what it said:
"Your item was returned to the Post Office for address verification on September 23, 2021 at 7:12 pm in SEATTLE, WA ##### because of an incomplete address. Your item will go out for delivery on the next business day if the address can be verified."
I printed the label straight from eBay, so I don't know how the address can be incomplete.
09-28-2021 03:07 PM
I don't know if you can intercept it, but if you can, you should and when you get it back, cancel the order using problem with the address.
09-28-2021 03:52 PM
@artgen-94 That is odd that ebay would print a label that was incomplete. That sounds like good news they took it back until they can verify the addy. It may be on it's way back to you right now, just no tracking.
I didn't mean to make it sound like you got scammed, I just meant you have to be wary.
The majority of sales go without a hitch and this one just looks like it was a mix up in the addy.
09-28-2021 04:07 PM
Try Googling the address and see what you get keep the info handy. If you have enough information you could actually call the post office in Seattle and see if you can talk to somebody about what the problem with the address may be letting them know your Google search results. If there are indeed problems with the address you may want to see what their course of action is if they cannot deliver the package.
If they start the return process back to you I would let the buyer know that USPS was not able to deliver to the address they have associated with their account and that the package is on its way back to you. Upon receipt you should probably work to refund the buyer less the cost of the postage and the fees. Work that through an official eBay process but do not cancel the sale due to a problem with the buyers address or eBay will refund the buyer 100% including your postage cost which I am assuming you would like to recover.
09-28-2021 04:44 PM
Businesses get mail all the time. I wonder why PO didn't deliver or what the problem was? Is it a big business like a store or something where there could be many employees?
09-29-2021 05:45 AM
Often they are not the same since eBay does not directly interface with the USPS system to display the order tracking. For some odd reason they prefer to import the information from USPS into eBay and that process does not always work.
Because they use Pitney Bowes, they have an option to download tracking info in batches, including delivery info. If they hit the USPS via an API for a tracking # lookup every time someone loaded their sold or purchase pages or even clicked on the tracking number, it would flood the USPS servers.
09-29-2021 03:40 PM
Good point and I would have not problem with that if the information in eBay was correct and in sync with the USPS tracking information but often it is not. But I suppose USPS already has enough problems without adding to the fray.
I am actually surprised it handles the interface for the label creation as well as it does.
09-29-2021 07:48 PM
@dbfolks166mt wrote:Try Googling the address and see what you get keep the info handy.
This is weird. I remember you posted a pic of the apartment building and there were several comments after that including one of mine. In my emails I see several about this thread but when I click on the links to come here it says "Access Denied" and now looking at this thread your picture and those comments are all gone.
Did a bunch of posts get removed? Do you see your pic or those posts and it's just me? Or do you think the boards are glitching this badly?
09-29-2021 08:21 PM
Can always call or talk with USPS to find out what's up, but it's probably fine.
Heck, earlier this month (9/1) I had a package marked "Out For Delivery" and then "Return to Sender." Was coming from Florida to California, but no movement or anything received for over a week. On 9/10, "Delivered Individual Picked Up At PO."
Perhaps Return To Sender was a misclick and it was supposed to be waiting at post office or something.
09-29-2021 08:42 PM
Does it really work to call USPS? I've tried a couple times and it just rings and rings. Never had anyone answer.