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Sellers Who Don't Ship, Then Refund
I have encountered sellers who list product then don't ship - or create a shipping label, which apparently eBay considers "shipped" and then don't actually give it to the shipper (ship it).
Usually these sellers have high percentages of good feedback.
After some time and messages back and forth, the order is cancelled and a refund is issued - so I can't give negative feedback.
If this is a scam how does it work? They aren't getting huge interest on my $30! Or are they just incompetent? Or they sold out / sold locally and don't want to admit it?
15 comments
kh-vince
·1 year agoHi everyone,
Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.
Thank you for understanding.
stand77biz
·1 year agoSo as a BUYER one's best strategy is to IGNORE the final date, and do not file a INR claim. Then say a week later if nothing has "happened" CALL ebay and inquire.
soh.maryl
·3 years agoThere is something beyond my understanding here: If you initiate an INR case, which can be done one day after the last estimated delivery date, the seller should not be able to cancel, AFAIK.
You initiate the case, wait 3 days, then return to the case and ask eBay to step in. That seller then receives a defect.
onefootflipper
·3 years agoThis isn't so much of a scam as it is sellers trying to get around the terrifying results of cancelling for item out of stock.
From talking to other sellers I know that many will just print a label and throw it away or specifically ship the wrong item and deal with it later than cancel for out of stock.
qeqo_0
·3 years ago? You initiate the case, the seller refunds . That seller then [doesn't] receives a defect.
inhawaii
·3 years agoMaybe that's their way of getting out of a OOS (out of stock) defect?
Create a label/tracking number, not ship the item, THEN refund the buyer.
Could that be a way to avoid a OOS defect?
ittybitnot
·3 years agoCreate a label/tracking number, not ship the item, THEN refund the buyer.
Could that be a way to avoid a OOS defect?
@inhawaii
I think you may be on to something. Historically, speaking punishment for OOS cancellations have been quite severe. On the other hand, the consequences for INR complaints were rather mild, i.e. eBay extending your estimated delivery dates was about it. It didn't land you in final value fee punishment camp. So long as you refunded, no red donuts either.
That is likely why we have the new "metric" for INRs which has resulted in more severe sanctions. From reading here, international sellers have often lost their selling privileges altogether for "very high" in this newly revamped metric, where apparently THEY ALL COUNT regardless of the outcome, just like SNAD. Buyers using the 'contact seller' flow are inadvertently opening cases, when they are simply asking the seller a question about the shipping or tracking.
soh.maryl
·3 years agoIt is not necessary for there to be messages back and forth although doing so is not breaking any rules.
IMHO, however, it just prolongs the process. Why not simply open the item not received case and then go from there?
mmurley8j8q
OP3 years agoI believe some sellers use a shipping label number after they've generated a shipping label but haven't shipped as a delaying tactic (for what ever reason).
eBay apparently considers a shipping label number as proof of shipping until it's really obvious. So, when it's been "shipping label created" in the shipper's tracking system for so long it's obvious to me I initiate a "item not received case". Then the seller cancels the order and I get a refund.
Obviously they never had the item (or never shipped it). And these are "buy it now" purchases.
If they're just incompetent it's just a pain. Or they're selling things they don't have and figuring some percentage of buyers will just forget and they'll profit?
sumsum70
·3 years agoPurely hypothetical reply below, I wouldn't know if this actually happens or not:
Those sellers must be amateurs. A real pro would have their label scanned so you would think it was really shipped, then cancel and refund once you believed it was truly lost. Then you wouldn't want to leave negative FB.
Given the "feedback left" example below, would you rather have a 54% chance of getting negative FB, or solve the dilemma in an alternate way?
But honestly, you probably encountered sellers who list stuff they don't really have in inventory. That happens a lot here, especially with the proliferation of chinese junk sellers who claim stuff like "100% USA shipping" in their ads and photos.
mmurley8j8q
OP3 years agoLikely true.
Unavailable member
·3 years agoMy guess is those sellers decided not to deal with you after all the messages back and forth.
This time to ask questions is before you buy, not after.
When buyers start asking questions after purchase it tells the seller the buyer may be a potential problem, canceling the order and refunding is their way of handling the situation.
No scam involved.
albertabrightalberta
·3 years agoWhat I gathered from @mmurley8j8q 's OP is that the questions were about when or if the item would be shipped since payment was made and/or the label was generated but tracking wasn't showing movement.
I don't see anything in the OP or in the feedback left for others that it's a problem buyer.
@mmurley8j8q
If the sellers are canceling the orders and claiming "buyer requested," you need to report those sellers.
mmurley8j8q
OP3 years agoYou'd be incorrect ebooksdiva.
I only ask "has this shipped?" after (1) they've passed their own ship date with no update or (2) a label has been created but it's been at least 4 days without the shipper receiving the item.
That's the only question I ask after purchase.
I am currently waiting on a 1 August purchased item the shipper said (eBay shipping status) "will ship by 4 August for delivery by 5-10 August."
I didn't ask if it had shipped until 4 August.
Seller's status are 3.4K items sold with 97.6% positive feedback.
albertabrightalberta
·3 years agoFYI, for a high volume seller, 97% feedback isn't good! It takes a lot of negs to get that low.