Tracking Number Scam & Aggressive Seller Who's Refusing to Cooperate, Am I Protected?
Hi everyone,
Forgive me because this is going to be a long post and I'm extremely stressed at the moment. I recently made a purchase for 3 sealed vinyl records, a Snoop Dogg one, a 2Pac one, and a Dr. Dre one, from a seller who's labeled as a Top Rated Seller. However, ever since I made the purchase on March 31st, I've had nothing but issues. Upon making the purchase, I received a message that stated:
"your items are being shipped in separate packages, and will arrive to you in three different shipments...from different warehouses. just wanted to give you a heads up. so, you will probably receive one early this week. and then the next two staggered in quick succession."
On April 2nd, my order updated and there was only one tracking number provided for all 3 items in the order, contradictory to what I was messaged upon purchasing. I asked, "I noticed that there is only one tracking number for the order. If there were multiple packages like you said, can you provide all the tracking numbers so I can see when they are arriving so I can be sure I'm home when they're delivered? Thanks"
I immediately received a response which stated, "i will send them along when i have them, yes. when i punched in the one for the one that was sent out...the snoop one, it populated the other three. ugh. not to worry. when i have the tracking numbers sent over i will send them along."
Okay, I wanted to assume good intention, but upon receiving the package on April 4, it was supposed to be a new, unopened original pressing of a vinyl record, but it was actually something that was re-sealed and the LP inside was extremely scratched up. Unfortunately I don't have a video of me opening it, but I took it to my local record store because something didn't seem right and we opened it there so I have an eyewitness that the LP inside wasn't what was advertised. Immediately I file a request to return the item and cancel the other 2 that haven't been shipped because I no longer trust that the other 2 items are new and unopened records.
Again, I receive an immediate response stating, "But instead of blowing up the order, can we not agree that this is an unfortunate incident, that probably will not happen with the other two items, and soldier on? Just because someone pulled the wool over my eyes here on this item, doesn't mean it cannot be replaced...or that the other ones are similar. This happens, unfortunately. Can I suggest instead of a return and refund...that we proceed with the others...and if those are suitable, then perhaps I can simply replace the original Snoop and take back the other offending item in a switch...?"
Still assuming good intention, I agree to wait until the 2Pac and Dr. Dre albums ship, and then deal with the Snoop one upon receiving the other two. On April 5, I receive an update for the 2Pac vinyl: "tracking for California Love is as follows XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX" (the X's represent the tracking number)
I clarify - "Thanks for the update on 2Pac! Was the Dr. Dre single part of this shipment too? Or no since you just said 2Pac?" The seller responds: "2Pac will be arriving Friday, at the latest Saturday. Onward!" with absolutely no mention of the Dr. Dre album despite me asking.
On April 11, the 2Pac is delivered in perfect shape, however I follow up and ask again, "Just wondering though, where is the copy of Let Me Ride / Nuthin But a G Thang that I ordered? Any updates would be appreciated, thank you!" The seller immediately responds, "should be along soon. we'll get there.Thanks for your patience here!I will keep you updated."
I'm really losing patience here, but since the 2Pac at least arrived as described, I do feel somewhat better. Fast forward to April 16th and I'm getting nervous, and then I receive an update from eBay from my initial return stating that if I do not have the Snoop album scanned to be sent back by April 18th, the return case will close. I message the seller that morning, and this is where things really start to go south. Again, I ask the seller where my Dr. Dre album is, in addition to asking if the seller could provide pictures of the Snoop album I'd be exchanging for since the seller offered to perform an exchange for the defective copy they had sent me. I also ask if I do not send the Snoop back by April 18th, will I no longer have the ability to be refunded if I do not agree to the exchange. The response I received is follows:
"hey there...so, a snafu on my end. and the dr. dre had to be sent back because it wasn't up to snuff, and i asked them to get another in the mail. so, just waiting on that to arrive. too...again, if i am answering you...and speaking with you...there is nothing to worry about. we will get there. it just might take time. so, this "deadline" is only a thing if you have to force my hand and get ebay to force a refund. that isn't the case here. i am working with you, not against you. so, again...you have nothing to worry about. like i said, if you aren't fully satisfied, then you just tell me. i will refund you. simple. but we have one out of three done. so, let's try for two. let's do this. let me send you return postage in the mail. i will get that out to you today. you send me back the snoop dogg using my postage. i will get the replacement to you overnighted once I receive it back. and then once that happens, the let it ride should be here and we'll be three for three. if you and i are communicating, then ebay only needs to be involved if there is a problem. i am not going to give you a problem. and i don't want any negative repercussions to my account or our transaction. so, i will make good on this, even if with a few hiccups.so...is that good...can i send you return postage for the snoop dogg, and we'll go from there?"
I'm sick of taking time as it has already been 3 weeks since I placed my order and one LP arrived in a condition that was not advertised, one LP arrived, and the other has no timetable on when it is going to ship. I reiterate and ask again if pictures of the Snoop album could be provided, and I finally receive pictures however they appear photoshopped. I asked the seller if they could provide additional photos of the corners so I can see if there's the possibility the album has been re-shrinkwrapped again, and I receive an overly aggressive:
"can we just get this done?i will send you the return postage for Snoop tomorrow. I do not need more homework. things were going just fine, and then, again, you go right back to suspicion... i have enough to do. will send you the postage tomorrow. the item will arrive. you will see that it is fine and pristine."
I reply: "No, I don't agree to that. Since you're failing to honor my simple requests which are all perfectly reasonable since you have failed to send me one of the three items I've ordered and sent me an item that was not as described. I want you cancel the Dr. Dre single and refund me for the Snoop album which I will be sending back using eBay's label tomorrow. If you do not agree to this, I will get eBay involved since you have given me no reason to believe I am going to be receiving the other 2 items I ordered.
The seller states: "so...the pictures are not good enough.those are a fraud too? what in the world? seriously. did someone screw you over on ebay? what? what in the world made you like this...non trusting? this makes absolutely no sense."
At this point, I reach out to eBay customer service and speak with someone on the phone and we review all the messages and the customer service representative tells me I should send the Snoop album back immediately (which I send the next day on April 17th) and she opens an "item not received" case for the Dr. Dre on my behalf. While I'm on the call, I send the seller a message: "I will be sending the item back tomorrow with the label eBay provided ending in XXXXX. I no longer want to move forward with the exchange since you are not providing adequate pictures of the exchange item you offered. Also, since I never received the Dr. Dre single and based off your messages, I still have no idea when I'll be receiving it, a case has been opened to address a resolution (refund) for that item as well."
Currently, the Snoop album is in transit and expected to be delivered tomorrow and it says that a refund should be processed within 3 days of delivery. Regarding the Dr. Dre album I never received, the seller simply reposted the tracking number that was originally updated on April 2nd for only the Snoop album. There are multiple messages where the seller says that the Dr. Dre album has not shipped and I still need to be patient. Is there any way that I won't get my $1200 back that this seller has? I'm really getting nervous even though I've done nothing wrong. The seller is not being responsive anymore and I'm afraid that I won't get my money back for the Dr. Dre album because the tracking number assigned to it shows delivered, even though the seller admitted that there should have been 3 separate tracking numbers and it updated for all 3 items in the order. It seems like this seller is drop shipping or is selling items that they don't actually have means of obtaining and unfortunately it's feeling like I fell for the scam despite their positive feedback. Am I going to be protected? Any advice or insight would be greatly appreciated because I'm really stressed at the moment. Thank you for reading.
kitschy*loot
·2 years agoNever try to do an exchange on eBay as it almost never goes well... I would have opened a not as described case on that first record right away, which should have nothing to do with the other two records and only would if your seller is vengeful.
I don't know what your seller's initial intentions were, but clearly they are selling things they don't have on hand which often leads to problems. A lot of book sellers do this and never even see what the buyer is going to get, and of course they often times get raggedy books that were listed as brand new.
Since the seller was giving the runaround with the tracking numbers and then put the same number for more than one item; I would assume they were up to something from the start. Opening a INR case on an item that says delivered will usually result in you losing and losing any appeal.
This seems like something you really need to reach out to eBay on Facebook about. I believe this is the link.
https://www.facebook.com/eBayForBusiness
annk1961
OP2 years agoThank you for the reply - I had opened a not as described case for the first one and that's how I got the return label. But unfortunately I wasn't the one that opened the item not received case for the item I didn't get - that was actually opened by an eBay support member while I was on the phone with them, but then I started reading about how as long as the tracking says delivered (Even though it's not for the album that was delivered), I don't think I'll win that case. I will definitely be reaching out to the link you submitted too, thank you so much.