eBay money back guarantee, was denied, by eBay, for an item not received--buyer beware
I bought an item that was sent through the USPS ground advantage with delivery confirmation. On July 19th, I received notification that the item was delivered and within 30 minutes went to my mailbox to retrieve the package. When I opened my mailbox, there was no package inside. My mailbox is located within a neighborhood cluster type of mailbox with 36 individual residential mailboxes. Discovering that the package was missing, I immediately went back home and contacted the USPS postal office regarding my missing package. I spoke to a supervisor, who took my information and stated that he would have the carrier look for the package. Within 45 minutes, I received contact back and was notified that the package was missing and to file a claim as it was misdelivered.
The following day, I filed an item not received claim, with eBay, and I sent a message to the seller. The seller immediately filed a claim with the USPS for the missing package and the $100.00 insurance.
Within 48 hours eBay denied my claim, stating that the USPS records shows the package was delivered. I appealed that decision and lost the appeal, in less than 24 hours, on the same grounds. I have spoken to live eBay agents several times, in their Customer Service and Escalations Departments and eBay will not reverse the decision. This is not in accordance with their money back guarantee policy, for an item not received.
I have been both a buyer and seller on eBay since 2010, and I have a small store. I was not asking eBay to penalize the seller, by removing the funds from them, for the missing package but to credit my account the amount that I paid for an item, that I didn't receive. They will not reverse their decision.
The seller will not respond to my messages, as eBay suggested that I contact them regarding the insurance claim. So, it appears that the seller will now receive an extra $100.00 from the USPS insurance for an item that I paid for and I didn't receive!
This is not the same eBay that it once was, when aligned with Paypal. Back then, both the buyer and seller were much better protected and their customer services, were not outsourced, and so much better. They are taking the stance that the USPS, never makes any delivery mistakes and penalizing a buyer when a mistake does happen. Of course, the seller is not bothered because they make an extra $100.00, from the USPS insurance. I will never purchase another item on eBay and as for selling, I have learned that the rules have also changed and eBay only offers a very limited protection as well.
12345jamesstamps
·1 year agoThe seller may not be saying the truth about any of this.
Item shipped and delivered...which has tracking.
'insurance'...was that automatic or seller stated it.
Is this a seller with multiple positive feedbacks and not new as a seller?
Did the seller write the address which was hard to read?
Tracking from beginning to end will tell a little more of what actually is going on.
kathiec
·1 year agoI was not asking eBay to penalize the seller, by removing the funds from them, for the missing package but to credit my account the amount that I paid for an item, that I didn't receive. They will not reverse their decision.
That's not how the Money Back Guarantee works. If the case had been decided in your favor the refund would absolutely have come from the seller. Why should eBay refund you for something that's not their fault? Since you say USPS has admitted fault here it seems you should be going after them for your refund.
ittybitnot
·1 year agoSince you say USPS has admitted fault here it seems you should be going after them for your refund.
@kathiec
While what you say makes sense, historically speaking eBay has always held the seller responsible for the behavior of the "carrier". Not that it is proper, but always been that way. The advice to a seller in this position was always "if the carrier you chose is not doing a good job, that use something or someone else. It has, in essence never been eBay's fault, and too bad to be you (seller) if all that is available to you is USPS and they are doing a lousy job.
Fast forward a few years, the system is now basically all automated/bot driven. A scan of "delivered" is good, even if it was misdelivered, or another case of the fake tracking scam. The bot can't tell the difference, CS (outsourced foreign call center reps) is useless, and ebay still relies on their "denial" scenario to protect themselves when they can.
Of course, the OP could file a return request for Not as Described, but that indeed would hurt the seller for sure.
It seems to me, if the social media reps will not assist the OP, their only other option is a credit card chargeback using the evidence provided by the USPS. The seller could perhaps use the same for evidence in a USPS insurance claim. This is just part of the push for automation and AI, with very few humans left who are allowed to help.
coleleahaz
OP1 year agoThank you for your input. Why should I be charged for something that, through no fault of mine, I didn't receive? The responsibility is on eBay since they offer the "Money Back Guarantee" if an item is not received through a purchase on their site.
I am not able to go after the USPS because the seller immediately filed the claim with them for the $100.00 insurance, when I filed the claim with eBay.
eze-right1
·1 year agoDoes your mailbox have a lock? If not, then it was probably stolen. Folk these days will do ANYTHING.
coleleahaz
OP1 year agoYes, the mailbox has a lock and when I went to retrieve the package shortly after the alleged delivery, there were no signs of a forced entry. One piece of junk mail.
ittybitnot
·1 year ago@coleleahaz
You need to find out if that parcel was indeed addressed and intended for you. You may have to pay a visit to your Post Office with the order details and tracking information. Try and get a written statement from them attesting to the fact the parcel WAS NOT DELIVERED TO YOU. It doesn't matter where it was delivered, only that it was not to you. Your "seller" is not likely going to collect any USPS 'insurance' money since the tracking says "delivered".
There are often plenty of "tells" available in advance of finding obtaining that information. Where is your seller registered (country)? The only place you will be able to see that is on the classic feedback page. We can see easily by clicking on the number with the star on posts on the forums, yours is (537*). From a listing it is not so easy, as eBay has added more steps to get there. A seller with a ZERO rating will not be displayed by normal means (come back if you need assistance). If this activity was done on purpose by the seller, you often can tell a lot by selecting the "most recent" feedback, and reading the negatives received. You can also observe what sort of products the seller has been offering. For example, an ID that has been selling used children's clothes for a couple of years, suddenly offering the latest smart phones and/or other high end items would be a cause for concern.
This same scenario happens almost daily here. It has been going on for over a decade. There are ways to recover your money, but they usually don't involve the regular eBay Customer Service you get in a call back or chat, and no matter what avenue you decide to pursue claiming item not received will get you nowhere. Think FRAUD/Shipped to Wrong Address/fake tracking scam.
Please read the 'accepted answer' in this post to familiarize yourself with possible choices. Come back if you have any questions before proceeding.
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Seller-is-a-Liar-and-Cheat/m-p/35108131#M522799
Note that there have been at least 30 more similar complaints since the above ^^^^^ was posted.
Here is a current one that is ongoing:
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/I-think-I-am-being-scammed/m-p/35218025#M2599836
coleleahaz
OP1 year agoI have done my homework. I do have documentation from the USPS branch office stating that there was a mis delivery and I did not receive the package. To eBay it doesn't matter, if the USPS scans it as delivered than "it was delivered." To eBay it doesn't matter if it was put in the wrong mailbox, just that it was recorded as "delivered." Thank you again for your response.
ittybitnot
·1 year agoI do have documentation from the USPS branch office stating that there was a mis delivery and I did not receive the package.
@coleleahaz
Thank you for that information. If that is the case I would use the option to contact eBay via one of their social media platforms. You will be able to upload your documentation via that portal.
https://www.facebook.com/eBay/ (use the blue message button)
OR direct message through one of these:
https://www.instagram.com/ebayforsellers/
https://x.com/askebay
Good luck, and let us know how it turns out.
coleleahaz
OP1 year agoThank you again.
soh.maryl
·1 year agoIf tracking shows delivered, your claim of item not received will be denied.
Your best bet at this point is to do a chargeback on your credit card.
Sorry that this happened to you.
powell-collectibles
·1 year agoI don’t get it – is there an indication somewhere that this was some sort of fake tracking number Scam? I really wish you would just stop telling folks to go for a chargeback or INAD when the seller didn’t do anything wrong, given the information that we have.
coleleahaz
OP1 year agoThank you for your reply. No indication of a fake tracking number scam. I have documentation from the USPS stating that it was a mis delivery. There could have been a credit from eBay for the purchase amount to my account. I agree that the seller should not be held liable in rare cases like this. However, for the seller to ignore my messages and file quickly with the USPS to cash in on the insurance as well being paid for the item is not right.....
coleleahaz
OP1 year agoThank you for your response. I have already started that process. It is frustrating that eBay failed to honor their money back guarantee for "an item not received." FYI, in my 15+ years with eBay, this is the first time that this has happened to me.
kensgiftshop
·1 year ago@coleleahaz
Did you ask USPS if the package was addressed to you?
It could e the fake tracking scam.
coleleahaz
OP1 year agoThank you for your reply.
Yes, the tracking info shows it was to my address.