HELP! Mailed package to wrong buyer.
I’m not even sure how this happened. Last week I mailed 2 packages on the same day. One received acceptance scans and delivery scans, the other did not. This morning I got a message from buyer #1 that she had received two packages, hers and a mystery package intended for buyer#2. She is happy to work with me to get the second package back to me but I’m not sure how to send her a shipping label. When I go into my shipping labels I am only seeing one label created for package #1, so I’m guessing I must have accidentally printed it out twice? And slapped the 2nd label on package #2? And I already notified buyer #2 of my error and offered a full refund. How can I send buyer#1 a shipping label?
17 comments
a_happyhoarder
·11 months agoI wrap and label my packages one at a time and put them one at a time on my landing so this doesn't happen to me.
Yet, it still happens!
Rarely! But enough to keep me on my toes when shipping multiple items.
Usually the buyer who received the wrong item will message me and I will send them a prepaid label and ask them to ship it to the other buyer. Then I give them a partial refund on their purchase for the trouble.
chubbycatcollectibles
·11 months agoThis might help. When I have done this, I contact both buyers and ask them if I send them a label will they mail out the items. I printed a label to pdf and email them the label. It saves time and money if the buyers are nice enough to oblige.
inhawaii
·11 months agoThe buyer thay did not receive anything, was that a item you have more of? If so apologize and send them another one RIGHT AWAY. Worry about getting the other one back later.
kath.layn
OP11 months agoNo, most of my things are one-of-a-kind. But I did reach out right away and offered a full refund if she doesn’t want to wait.
kath.layn
OP11 months agoThanks for the kind words and suggestions. Most of the suggestions I already have in place. Haven’t missed-shipped a package ever, I don’t think. This is an outlier. I’m blaming my inattention on the fact that the tenant in my one rental (that I need the income from to exist) moved out unexpectedly leaving crayon artwork on every wall, roaches in every drawer, beer caps all over the lawn and unpaid utility bills. So am I a bit distracted? Yeah. But I’ll get through it.
itsjustasprain
·11 months agoI suspect that what may have happened is that after you print the Shipping label you then press the Back button to get back for the next sold item - but once you print the label (I assume from the popup Print window that comes up showing the label) you have to hit the Back button twice and not just once.
The popup Print window puts a new entry on your browser history. Pressing the Back button once will take you back to the pre-purchase form of the Shipping page you just completed for your first item. You have to press it twice before you reach the Sold page and can look for the next item to ship. Otherwise you risk buying another copy of the first label and putting that on your second package. Been there - done that - got the T-shirt!
albertabrightalberta
·11 months ago@kath.layn
As much as we read about dishonest buyers and sellers, your experience shows that there are more good people out there than it sometimes seems when we read these boards.
Buyer #1 was honest enough to let you know they got something extra in error.
Buyer #2 is understanding and patient.
And as the seller, you're to be commended for wanting to do the right thing.
Normally, I'm hesitant to ask a buyer to ship an item directly to another buyer but based on all the above, I would certainly trust buyer #1 to forward the package directly to buyer #2.
You can purchase a discounted label from Paypal/shipstation or you can purchase from USPS.com. Forward the PDF to buyer 1 to attach to buyer 2's package.
babyers88
·11 months agoa couple tips to avoid this in the future
1. when weighing the package, write a little note of what it is on the package and the same on a piece of paper with dims and weight
2. when you print the label, write what it is for on the backside
can be shorthand of whatever you will recognize
doing that prevents mixups or repeat labels
hotwheelsbum
·11 months agoLooking at your past sales going back a week or so, which sale was this mistake was made on? If it was one of those $5-$10 sales, best bet would be to just Refund the money for Buyer #2, and tell Buyer #1 just keep it. Why keep wasting money by buying $8 worth of postage again to get a $5-$10 item back. Even those $15-$20 sales, what did you actually have invested in them? $3 maybe. Would it be worth it to spend all this time and money getting that $20 sale back, selling it again for $20, only to finally make $4 off it after the expense paying more $$$ to get it back? Something to think about. I don't really see anything in your past week or so sales to make it worthwhile paying more $$$ to get it back over this simple mistake. Just refund Buyer 2, tell Buyer 1 to keep it, and work on other more profitable listings.
bdmh-enterprises
·11 months agoIf this is one of the many items you have that the shipping is more than the item price, it's almost certainly not worth paying again to ship it back to you.
If you think it's worth getting back, you can buy an online label elsewhere and send the buyer a copy they can print. It's okay to exchange emails after a sale to facilitate this.
kath.layn
OP11 months agoI hear ya. But I sell one-of-a-kind vintage items that are often heavy. In my 12 years doing this, my buyers are often willing to pay the shipping to get a hard-to-find-item.
soh.maryl
·11 months agoOK, so I guess you will be taking bdmh-enterprises' excellent suggestion, then?
meme6253
·11 months agoI find it best to work on only one order at a time, & double check everything, To avoid these types of problems before they occur.
bashort
·11 months agoIf buyer #1 has a printer you can go to pirate ship and purchase a label then send buyer #1 either a pdf or a link to where they can print it. If you do not have pirate ship it is free and very handy.
If buyer #2 is cooperative you could have buyer 1 send the item to buyer #2 otherwise refund.
We have played the switched packages game a few times in the past but we now follow a routine that has worked well so far and no switched or wrong items for several years.
bonanza125
·11 months agoYes what you did was printed out the same label twice and buyer #1 received both packages. How much is the package which you mistakenly shipped to the buyer #1 accidently worth? Is it worth having them return it.
kath.layn
OP11 months agoThe package is worth about $60 plus shipping, and I really want to get it to the original buyer as it is flatware that matches her set.
bdmh-enterprises
·11 months agoIn this case you could get a label from buyer 1 to buyer 2.