Locked
Discussions in this board are limited to the original poster and Community Mentors
Buyer sent a return to a different state and eBay won't help
Summary: coopnel shared a frustrating experience with a buyer on eBay regarding the return of a wool suit. Despite notifying the buyer about a move from Arizona to Oregon and requesting the return to a new address, the buyer sent it to the old address. As a result, coopnel lost the item and the money since eBay sided with the buyer due to the address on file. lady_madonna suggested checking if the return address was updated in eBay and contacting previous residents to retrieve the package, arguing that neither the buyer nor eBay were at fault since they followed protocol.
I purchased a wool suit for over $300. It unfortunately didn't fit and I sold it for $150 after it being on the site for a couple months, already losing money, but that's what it took to sell it. Whatever. After I tried it on the day I got it and determined it didn't fit, it was stored in the original box and inside a plastic sleeve for close to 2 months until it was shipped to the buyer. I checked it before it was sent and there were no issues. I've sold many items on eBay over a decade, always do this, and have never had an issue or complaint. Four days after he received it, he claimed it had moth holes in the sleeve, which it didn't when I sold it and couldn't since it was sealed in plastic and packed inside a box. I asked for proof and he showed a very grainy, close-up picture. There were holes but they looked like when someone tears off a tag, which the sleeve had a tag since it was brand new. But you honestly couldn't even tell it was the sleeve that had holes. It was just a close-up photo of the fabric. When I asked for more pictures, they rudely declined to provide any and said that we both "have a good reputation on eBay" and said not to mess that up for either of us. Shady. I didn't allow returns but said I would agree to a return so I could just resell it, and asked him to ship it back to me. I had moved from Arizona to Oregon for personal reasons so the return shipping address was now different. I asked the buyer to send it to my new address in Oregon since I couldn't get it in Arizona and they rudely asked personal questions about why my address changed. I told them I had to move and asked to send it to my new address or else I wouldn't receive it and couldn't resell it. They said that was "weird," and escalated it to customer service, who decided it should be returned and refunded. Whatever, as long as I received it, no harm. However, even though I told the buyer that I no longer live at the previous address, which is halfway across the country, the buyer still shipped it there. Because eBay had "proof of shipping and delivery" to an incorrect address, they allowed it. Now, I don't even have the suit anymore to resell. It's lost somewhere in Arizona. eBay closed the case and didn't consider my appeal, so I'm out $300 and lost the suit. I've messaged the buyer and opened a case but apparently eBay sided with them and won't help me out at all. All of their emails are just lip service that they "tried their best" and the buyer followed the process. I clearly said in my messages to the buyer that I didn't live at that address and gave the correct address to send it to before it was ever returned. eBay's response when I asked what to do was to "ask an old neighbor" in Arizona. Apparently his photos of the "damage" mattered more than my photos from the listing that showed that there was no damage. And apparently me never having this issue during my decade on eBay and having a perfect 100% rating doesn't even give me a chance to appeal and talk to someone to resolve the issue for me. Any recommendations to have eBay help me get the suit back? Or refund me for them losing it?
disneyshopper
Mentor3 weeks agoHow long ago did you move from Arizona to Oregon? If it was less than a year ago, the forwarding order that you filed with USPS should still be valid, and they should forward the package to your new address.
You need to update your return address.
https://accountsettings.ebay.com/uas/addresses
There are FIVE addresses to edit/change.
lady_madonna
Mentor3 weeks ago · Edited@coopnel
You stated "I had moved from Arizona to Oregon for personal reasons so the return shipping address was now different"
When you moved, did you change your return shipping address on Ebay as soon as you moved? Did you file a forwarding order with the Post Office?
The buyer was required to return the item to the return shipping address you had on file with Ebay, not an address you provided in a message, in order to comply with Ebay's Money Back Guarantee for buyers.
Ebay had "proof of shipping and delivery" to an correct address if you did not change it, so they allowed the return and issued the refund.
Can you contact the residents at your previous address in Arizona to inquire if they received the package containing the returned item?
Neither the buyer nor Ebay did anything wrong.