Buyer returns over $400 in items, won't provide tracking.
I have a buyer who opened a return for over $400 in items. They then messaged me and said they sent everything by buying their own label from USPS. I then sent them a message and asked for the tracking number so I can look out for the package, they did not answer. I then messaged them again and they still have not answered. Should I be concerned?
51 comments
dogofwar777
·3 years agoI hope everything turns out okay for you. This is one of the mamy reasons I refuse to sell here.
pjcdn2005
·3 years agoYou refuse to sell here because a buyer retuned an item using their own label?
lacemaker3
·3 years agoI'm late to the party here, and I know that @mozartbach1971 has already reported that the package was received with all the returned items, and the buyer has been refunded. So this has turned out well.
I didn't see that anyone has pointed this out yet, and it could be useful for a seller in this situation.
If you have USPS Informed Delivery set up for the return address that you used, and if the package was sent with tracking (as most USPS packages are, although the buyer didn't share the tracking number in this case), then it would have automatically showed up in the Informed Delivery feed, once the package was received and scanned by the post office. In that case, the seller would have been able to see that a package was incoming, and where it had been sent from.
Informed Delivery is only available for non-business accounts/addresses, but I expect that there is something similar available for business addresses, perhaps a paid service. It would be worth looking into.
Fedex and UPS also have similar accounts available, and any packages being sent to an address by them will show up automatically. I just received a large FedEx package, and the company that sent it didn't share the tracking number, but I was able to find it through FedEx Managed Delivery and know when to expect it.
mozartbach1971
OP3 years agoJust a follow up. I received all the items and refunded the buyer.
dbfolks166mt
·3 years agoJust a follow up. I received all the items and refunded the buyer.
Glad to hear everything worked out well for you and appreciate the follow up. Lots of posters initially post but never return so we never know how things turned out.
lakefor94
·3 years agoGlad to hear that.
lakefor94
·3 years agoI read back thru some of the suggestions you received. Some of the posts were pretty far out there. Funny stuff.
coolections
·3 years agoThanks for the update. Now just maybe those sellers who think everything is nothing but a scam on Ebay will chill a little and not keep scaring those you come here.
vintagecraze50
·3 years agoThe buyer should be concerned because they have not uploaded ANY evidence yet that the package was shipped back to you. If you were unscrupulous you could say it never got back to you.
ms.rodriguez*
·3 years agoHowever this turns out, please come back and let us know. I hate it when the posters never return to the post and then we don't know how things resolved themselves.
isaiah53-57
·3 years agoYou should definitely be concerned - I believe with a high degree of surety you are about to be scammed - They dont want to provide you the tracking, because it is likely going to a location in your area, but not YOUR location - This is a common scam(meaning it will fall within the statutes of the Buyer MBG and its easily done by just about anyone who wants to steal your item) - All they need to do is show ebay that something has been returned to your zip code to win the case(can you believe the way they allow their sellers to be so easily hung out to dry??) - Happy Days at ebay! I hope I'm wrong and wish you best of luck...
ms.rodriguez*
·3 years agoI would only worry if the buyer has little or no feedback. Then they might be pulling a scam. I would NOT report anything to ebay. Just give it a few more days. If the item does arrive and all is well and you can resell the item for the same price, give them the refund MINUS the shipping.
mn467462
·3 years agowhats the username of this buyer? so I can add them to my blocked list.
luckythewinner
·3 years agoIMHO that depends entirely upon whether you have refunded them already 🙂
inhawaii
·3 years agoAs a buyer returning something, you can't just SAY it was returned.
You have to SHOW it was returned.
The only way to do that is with a tracking number.
Without a tracking number saying it was returned, they will not get a refund.
Wait it out and see what happens.
vintagecraze50
·3 years agoCorrect. If there is no evidence on the Ebay record of it being returned then technically it was not returned. The buyer is taking that risk by not uploading a tracking number. If they upload a tracking number same zip then the seller can investigate a scam by simply contacting the local PO with that zip and find out where that package ended up. If it ain’t the sellers address, the buyer is in big trouble here. That same zip code scam will land people big time in prison with mail fraud. Don’t try it. Too much evidence can be submitted to stop it and land a customer in jail.
shag182
·3 years agoMy Spidey senses somethings NOT right here. Yeah, ADD this creature to your Block Buyer's List. $400, I, as a buyer, would keep in touch with the seller and provide the tracking number, when I sent it out, and anything the seller needs, etc.
sextons-sweet-deals
·3 years agoyou need to report this eBay now!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go through eBay Facebook
What is probably going to happen is the buyer will send an empty box or envelope to a location near you. Once delivered, eBay says item(s) have delivered and buyer has been refunded.
I don't know all the case details, but if the buyer says they bought their own label is a red flag. They probably figured out that they can upload their own tracking number in the case which you are not able to view or they tampered with the label you provided that could put them in jail.
coolections
·3 years agoThe OP said they never uploaded a tracking number. Also you have no way of knowing if they send an empty box. Please don't go around scaring people with something that rarely ever happens (one in a million).
sextons-sweet-deals
·3 years agoread the first sentence again from the O.P.
I have a buyer who opened a return for over $400 in items. They then messaged me and said they sent everything by buying their own label from USPS.
coolections
·3 years ago@sextons-sweet-deals Correct, and the buyer is allowed to do that if they choose to do so. Nothing at all wrong with that and the OP got their items back.
wastingtime101
·3 years agoThat by itself is not a red flag. On $400 perhaps the buyer wanted an insured label which they can't get through eBay. Or they don't have a printer so they bought postage at the PO. Or they didn't have original packaging and picked up Priority Flat Rate from the PO so they couldn't use the eBay label. Many valid reasons for a buyer to purchase their own return label.
At this stage there's reason to be on alert and monitor the situation, but no reason to be worried yet.
sin-n-dex
·3 years agoIf I were the OP, I'd be worried about being ghosted from the buyer.
You're right that using your own label is not a red flag on it's own, but that in conjunction with being ignored when you ask for the tracking number (on a package you want to track so you can give the buyer their refund), to me is a big red flag.
C.
wastingtime101
·3 years agoIf it turns out to be a scam (which we don't know yet), we have to wait to see what the scam is. There are documents and appeals processes for a reason.
I helped another seller last week that was a victim of the same zip code return scam and they reported back yesterday that they got their $600 credited.
If it's an empty box scam there are processes for that, too.
But until the OP either gets something back in the mail, hears back from the buyer (who could just be busy and not checking eBay every single day - we don't know how long ago buyer said they shipped & OP has waited for tracking), or gets notice that the return was escalated to a case with a forced refund, there's nothing to do. It's a waiting game.
Could be a scam, might not be. Worrying will not help the situation.
If it turns out to be a scam, taking appropriate steps in the right order will help. But at this point no policy has been violated and there's no "preparatory" action to take. As others said, contacting CS will result in the same advice: no reason to report buyer at this stage, just have to wait and see.
Maybe I'm in the minority, but as long as I'm prepared to handle various outcomes, I don't worry about "what ifs" and pile stress on my shoulders when nothing's happened yet. Whether or not the OP knows what actions to take for various scam scenarios, people here do and we can guide them.
So my advice to @mozartbach1971 at this point is is to check all packages daily. We have accounts with USPS, FedEx and UPS that alert us to all incoming packages so we know what's headed this way even if there's no tracking inside a return request. That helps in any situation that's not a same zip code scam.
vintagecraze50
·3 years agoThey wont win a case if there is no tracking showing delivered. They may get themselves in jail if they do a fake delivery using the same zip code scam. Either way, can’t win on this one. If they do eventually upload a tracking and it is a same zip code scam the package can be tracked showing delivered somewhere else other than the sellers registered address for returns.
vintagecraze50
·3 years agoI believe USPS and other carriers have photos of the package with where the package was sent. So if that’s the case the OP WOULD CONTACT PO for that info.
sextons-sweet-deals
·3 years agoRemember that the buyer has not respond with tracking number.
sextons-sweet-deals
·3 years agoPretty much everyone has a printer these days. Cell phones have taken over yet. People these days work from home. Even if you don't have a desktop, you probably have a laptop which all can be connected physically or not to a printer.
The buyer could easily use their work printer, friend's printer, neighbors' printer, or even local library printer.
Sounds like the buyer did not let the case communication playout. That is the red flag.
Hope the O.P. comes back and updates everyone on current status and the outcome of this situation.
lakefor94
·3 years agoThe OP already came back with an update.
chapeau-noir
·3 years agoWhat would contacting eBay on FB do in this case? They'd say the same thing everyone else is saying. Wait and see what arrives in the mail.
I suspect the buyer simply shipped on their own and the package will arrive to the OP. If the buyer wants to pay more to ship their item back than eBay's cheaper return service, that's their business.
house*of*paws
·3 years agoBut eBay's 'return service' isn't cheaper ... at least none of the ones I was offered for a buyer's remorse return.
The shipping label that eBay provides the buyer can cost 2-3 times more than buying a shipping label from PayPal ... especially if the item weighs less than a pound and can be returned via USPS First Class Mail Package.
chapeau-noir
·3 years agoI've paid commercial rates for first class return service.
ETA: I've only returned a few items, though my buyers have never complained about the cost.
isaiah53-57
·3 years agoWhat would contacting eBay do in ANY case?
sextons-sweet-deals
·3 years agoEveryone on here says going through Facebook is better that calling and speaking to someone in a third world country who speaks poor English and is probably reading off script.
chapeau-noir
·3 years agoThat doesn't change the fact that they'd just say the same thing we're saying.
coolections
·3 years agoYou should be fine. Do not issue a refund until after you receive the item back. It is the buyer's responsibility to enter the tracking so they will be the one to lose if the item does not show up.
simba6
·3 years agoNo need to worry. If they purchased the shipping, they have to prove to eBay it was returned. So, they will need a tracking number to give to eBay if they want their money back.
lakefor94
·3 years agoDoes the return case allow for the buyer to enter their own tracking number?
mr_lincoln
·3 years agoHi @mozartbach1971
-The eBay return process has to show the item was returned to you as the Seller via the tracking history on the claim, its that simple.
-Return labels printed outside the eBay process put the Buyer at risk for not being refunded when the Seller receives the items BUT eBay has no record that the Buyer ever shipped them
-At this point, wait to see what if anything you get in the mail and don't message the Buyer again. If the Buyer has a low Feedback count they may not understand how eBay works ...
-If you get the items back in the same condition you shipped them in then you can Refund the Buyer accordingly but they will not get their return shipping costs refunded since they paid out of pocket.
-If you get the items back and refund make sure you add them to your blocked list just BEFORE refunding them: Buyer Management | eBay
-Here is a link to your Seller protections - some may apply depending on what happens next: Seller protections | eBay
kensgiftshop
·3 years agoCheck the return and see what it shows?
Did they upload the tracking number they used?
1tuna
·3 years agoif you had supplied a label for USPS return shipping and the return package got lost after being scanned in then the buyer would still be covered and ebay would make them whole
if a buyer gets a return label with there own funds and chooses not to use yours then the lost package return will be on the buyer
whoever pays for the return label is responsible for a lost return
ebay is NOT going to cover a buyer who lost a return package if they chose not to use a label provided
@mozartbach1971
ittybitnot
·3 years agoShould I be concerned?
@mozartbach1971
Always. Pay particular attention to the time frame when the items are supposed to be returned. eBay does not require a buyer to use the return label that you provide in order to get a refund. You should get a refund for the label if it not used. A buyer is NOT required to give you that tracking number, but should upload it to their case. Eventually, they will at the very least have to prove delivery to get their refund. There are plenty of things that can happen.
The parcel will arrive and all will be good.
The parcel will arrive with only part of the contents or something else entirely. You will be required to refund.
The buyer, when requested by eBay, may produce a 'fake tracking number' that shows 'delivered' to your local Walgreens instead of to you. You will be required to refund, but can appeal if you can obtain written documentation of same from the carrier.
The buyer does not send anything back, and the case will expire.
The buyer files a credit card chargeback instead, and will not be required to return anything. You will be required to refund.
As a TRS seller you may be able to withhold up to 50% for those transactions that qualify if you get a fraudulent return.
femmefan1946
·3 years agoThe buyer files a credit card chargeback instead, and will not be required to return anything. You will be required to refund.
If you challenge this, you may be charged $20 BUT eBay will look at your evidence (the lost Dispute and the lack of Proof of Delivery) and may not accept the chargeback.
Is it worth $20 to challenge?
creativecrisis
·3 years agoI found the following in the eBay policy on returns:
"Send the item back
When your return request is accepted, we'll send an email to your Messages - opens in new window or tab with the subject "Send the item back". Make sure you ship the return by the date in this email to avoid any delays or issues in the refund process.
If you're responsible for purchasing the return shipping label, make sure you use a tracked service and add the tracking number to your return request. If the item being returned has a total cost of $750 or more, it will need to be returned with a signature confirmation.
For more information about who pays for return shipping and how to send the item back, see return shipping for buyers."
It doesn't address what happens when buyers purchase their own shipping label after being issued one by the seller. But it's clear that buyers are supposed to use tracked shipping when returning something.
I think I would just wait to see if you get your items back. You could also consider reporting the buyer for not using the return label you provided and not uploading a tracking number to the return case. It might be helpful to establish this history in case the buyer is trying some kind of return scam.
mn467462
·3 years agoWell they went rogue and didn't use your shipping label you provided for them. So it sounds like they lost $400. Because it never arrived, and there's no proof or evidence they mailed it back to you.
mozartbach1971
OP3 years agoWell they went rogue and didn't use your shipping label you provided for them. So it sounds like they lost $400. Because it never arrived, and there's no proof or evidence they mailed it back to you.
They used their own label. So it's possibly in the mail or arrived and I don't know about it.
lakefor94
·3 years agoLot of buyers don't check eBay messages.
I would just wait and see if anything makes it back to you. A couple of messages to the buyer was enough.
Wait it out.
house*of*paws
·3 years agoA buyer purchasing their own shipping label is NOT ‘going rogue’ as it is consistent with eBay policy to do so. [The label that eBay provides for buyer’s remorse returns is way overpriced … so I’ve always purchased my own.]
The buyer does need to upload the tracking number to their return case, however, for eBay to recognize the return.
ADDENDUM: Keep in mind that if a seller doesn’t refund a buyer after receiving a return (where a tracking number hasn’t been provided) … the buyer would be able to file a chargeback with their credit card company down the line by providing the tracking number at that time.
lakefor94
·3 years agoWhat does the return case status tell you? Does it show as shipped in the return case? Did the buyer enter a tracking number into the return case?
mozartbach1971
OP3 years agoThey said they sent it on their own, not using the Ebay label.
mn467462
·3 years agoThat's not following ebay's policy. So therefore, it's not your concern if you never receive the shipment.