Sold, shipped item to eBay provided label, item being returned for 'No Such Address'
About a week ago I shipped an item to a buyer via USPS Ground Advantage. It was shipped to the label provided by eBay.
I see now that after several attempts at delivery the tracking shows as 'No such number' Returning to Sender.
The buyer emailed me asking me to ship it to the correct address.
My question is, why would I be on the hook for the second shipment?
When I got to Google maps for the address that printed on the label its a wooded lot, a number between two valid numbers, possibly a rented garage but no residence or mail box for that address.
Its the label that eBay provided though?
25 comments
kibble-net
·7 months agoI've had this happen a couple of times. What I do is ask the buyer to PayPal me the cost of re-shipping, and provide a valid address. In my experiences, they've been more than happy to do this.
If your buyer doesn't want the item re-shipped, then refund them and deduct the cost of shipping from the refund. Easy peasy.
If for some reason they leave you bad feedback, I'm pretty sure you can get it removed as per ebay's feedback removal policy. (Of course, standard disclaimer - your mileage may vary - and you may want to double check with ebay about this policy.)
dhbookds
·7 months ago@reelworks
I've never seen anyone have to pay return shipping on a no good address......... I have seen items returned with a good address that, for some reason, wasn't delivered. When a package is returned to me, I've asked my PO to check the address and if it shows good, they send it back thru at no cost to me.
broto_64
·7 months agoHere's my situation, by the time I figure out how much my trouble was worth plus the costs of shipping and everything else that buyer may get a 50% refund and with that I already know they're not going to pay to have it reshipped so what's the point?
Get the item back, go radio silence, wait 6 months, relist.
Or just no refund, which is usually the way these go.
If a buyer appears truly sorry and it looks like it may have been an honest mistake I might refund / reship on my terms (just pay the postage) if that's what they want...
This particular thread doesn't appear to be of anything normal happening.
The return for incorrect/insufficient address isn't too unusual, but what is going on now with the package train and airplane hopping all around the country is rather interesting.
Is it a case of disgruntled employees jumping through metrics-avoidance hoops, playing hot potato!?
reelworks
OP7 months agoAnother update on the same package, it showed it was back at the buyers PO and out for delivery, it showed out for delivery for a week, then it showed in transit to Los Angeles, then to San Jose, then to Austin, TX. Its not showing its in San Jose. Its shown NO SUCH ADDRESS three times each time back at the buyer's PO. Its not been returned to me and the buyer has not responded to my last message saying he needs to correct his address at eBay and to notify his PO of the era since at the time the package was showing still at his local PO, but a day later it showed as being 1,000 miles away in TX?
The package is roughly the size of a medium Flat rate box with a 14 lb item in it bunded in shrink wrap and the whole box was shrink wrapped so it couldn't be accidentally opened or torn. I do that to anything heavy. Opening them requires a sharp knife to cut the 5mil shrink wrap that cannot be torn by hand.
I find it odd that the buyer has been silent ever since the fourth email and even odder that the tracking seems to be random and has never come back here, just all over the country. Its said 'On its way back' for weeks. Showing its last locatio as CA. It was originally sent to an address in Oregon which appeared on Google to be a heavily wooded, older neighborhood that borders a camp ground and park.
bgt_masters_of_tiki_d
·8 months agoI just had the same thing happen to me. Buyer filed an INR because the package was on its way back for insufficient address. I messaged ebay looking to get the case closed because tracking indicated it was attempted delivery and returned to sender. Ebay refused to close case and told me to wait the 3 days to contact them and since tracking indicated attempted delivery I'd win the INR.
Anyone that read my other thread where I got a strike for not acting soon enough for an INR would understand my concern. After 3 days I contacted ebay (luckily before the buyer did) and the case was closed in my favor. The next day the case was appealed and found in their favor. A few minutes later the rep overruled the other rep and I won an appeal. This places is crazy sometimes.
reelworks
OP8 months agoIts been over a week since the PO failed to deliver it, it looks like they tried a second time and failed again. The tracking on it has since bounced all over the country going from WA, to CA, to IL, back to NM, to NY, back to WA, and lately back in CA. Not sure what's up with all that but a package I shipped to an address 100 miles away north of me went to Philly, PA, VA, DE, NJ, NY, back to PA, back to NJ, to GA, and back up to NJ before being delivered 11 days later. That was Priority Mail going to a business address in the same state.
A package shipped to me from Cocoa Beach, FL went through Fort Worth, Houston, Chicago, Philly, then to Teterboro, NJ, back to Philly, before being delivered in NJ two weeks later and that was a padded envelope. There's always been few random odd tracking cases but lately its every other package takes a tour of the country before getting delivered. A good many never show any tracking until after they've been delivered.
toomuchstuffagain35
·8 months agoJust as an FYI, I had a parcel RTS no such address months ago and that's where the tracking stopped. Buyer never got it, I never got it. Who knows what happened.
As the buyer gave me the vibe that they were honest I did end up refunding the item price as a gesture of goodwill.
Maybe it's gone into some usps limbo, maybe it will suddenly turn up on my doorstep.
toomuchstuffagain35
·8 months agoUpdate: 3 months later it gets delivered back to me and now the tracking has updated but there's zero tracking between December 4th and Jan 31st. Go figure.
reelworks
OP8 months agoThe package is close 8 lbs, outgoing shipping through eBay came to a few pennies under $19.
All I can do is wait to see if it shows up.
I'm just not sure what to tell the buyer at this point. Its already more trouble than it was worth.
I also think there may be some language barrier issues as well.
I'm leaning toward just not communicating anything to the buyer till or if it comes back. The buyer don't have any negative fb, but they only have two in all and those are more than a year old.
Now I've got another one saying the same thing in another state, similar message, same tracking, Address does not exist message on the tracking after 6 days saying the package is being returned. that one was a similar sized package to a low fb buyer with a name I can't pronounce and a barely intelligible email about 'I entered the wrong address and would like to pay to have it returned to the right address'.
mamacassidy
·8 months agoIt sounds like these are being shipped to freight forwarders and the buyers didn't put in the correct address when they entered it on their ebay accounts.
In any case, the advice you've been given is the same: wait for item to be returned, refund purchase price minus any shipping cost or fees. Then let them re-purchase it from a new listing (with the correct address) or block them to avoid the hassle.
If they happen to open an INR (item not received) case, just input the tracking number into the case, and you'll be covered.
mamacassidy
·8 months ago@reelworks
I don't think what the person on the phone said is correct. According to usps.com, this package should be delivered back to you at no additional cost to you:
Ground Advantage packages are delivered in 2-5 days1 and USPS Tracking® service is included in the price. See more details on service features, ways to pay for and print postage, and other benefits below.
reelworks
OP8 months agoThe google address shows a heavily wooded area with a garage as the possible address but no buildings with that address number. It looks to me like that address is the wooded lot between two addresses, or maybe the garage if its separate from the nearby house. Since the item was a boat part, and the google map pic shows a boat that would use that part in that garage driveway, I'm guessing that's the intended address.
The buyer emailed saying they 'entered the wrong address by mistake' and is willing to pay for shipping but is looking for some off ebay address to pay.
Since its a low feedback buyer I'm more than a bit leery of any such deal.
stuff4divas
·8 months ago@reelworks if the buyer wants it reshipped, they have to correct the address on their ebay account or change it when they check out.
duffy4444
·8 months ago@reelworks:
NEVER, EVER take any aspect of a sale or resale off of eBay, especially a payment. That's a free and quick ride to getting your account permanently suspended.
Cheers, Duffy
rokkworks
·8 months agoI’ve recently had this issue.
First, verify with the buyer if the address on file is correct.
- I did this by taking a screenshot of the address the buyer has on eBay as provided in the Order Details, of the sale. I sent the screenshot to the buyer via messages.
- if the buyer claims it is his address, and the address is legit (check the address using the usps address checker), you wait until the item comes back to you, and ask your local post office to resend the package, as it was returned in error - they should do this for free. Note: The usps might catch their error and turn the package around and deliver to the buyer (this is what happened in my case).
IF the buyer says this isn’t my address, then it was their responsibility to put in the right address and when you get the package back, you have to make a decision whether you want to charge them for re-shipping or not. Either way he’ll have to enter the correct address to Ebay before you reship, obviously.
There are further nuances to this, but start there.
- just a note - Google maps has inaccuracies - I’ve looked up known addresses and had it show me weird stuff.
reelworks
OP8 months agoI called the post office to see if I could get an explanation and was told that the item will be returned and I'll likely have to pick it up at the PO with a postage due for the return cost since it was shipped to an invalid address. It cost me $21 to ship, so it looks like I may be on the hook for an additional $21 to reclaim it.
The buyer has not offered a correct address and I've not yet replied to the buyer. I was debating on just forwarding it over to eBay.
I'm not too keen on forking over cash to reclaim something that I already sold.
If the seller is indeed legit, I have no problem shipping it to them if they pay all costs but I somehow doubt the item is worth triple the shipping cost by the time they do get it.
It'll likely be 5 days before it gets back here, its on the opposite coast.
rokkworks
·8 months agoBummer.
Sounds like the worse case scenario.
What does their “feedback left for others†look like?
babyers88
·8 months agoregardless of what usps told you over the phone, it is not normal practice for them to charge a fee for NSA (no such address), but they could.... reason being carrier mistakes happen all the time and they know it.
you can just refund them now and when it gets returned relist it.
provided you are not able to simply just do a full refund from the sold/shipped items page which effectively 00.00's out the sale, then you could reach out to ebay customer service, explain the address was erroneous and see if they will close the case with no ding to you.
momtoabeautifuldaughter
·7 months agoI have never once been on the hook for postage for an invalid address.
oaktoncardinal
·8 months agoWhere is the USPS ADDRESS CHECKER ? I have looked on the USPS site repeatedly looking for such a tool. Can you provide a link?
THX - this would be a great tool to have available.
rokkworks
·8 months agoSorry, late to answer you …
here ya go - https://tools.usps.com/zip-code-lookup.htm
it’s actually called the Zip Code lookup.
I see that if you put in an invalid address it cannot give the “plus 4†on the zip code.
in other words, if the zip code field after checking shows (Beverly Hills used as example)
“90210- “ with no 4 digits, it’s not a valid address.
mamacassidy
·8 months agoYou are not on the hook to re-send it. Technically, you don't have to do anything. The money-back guarantee is voided if the item is returned to you in this manner.
However, most sellers here would recommend refunding the buyer the item price minus any shipping cost and fees.
And if they want the item shipped to them, relist it and have them purchase it again. (Although, if it were me, I'd just block them. I find this type of thing to be an annoyance and a waste of my time, so I don't let them have a second chance).
caldreamer
·8 months agoIf customer wants item reshipped to correct address, they need to pay for it. When item gets returned to you refund "purchase price ONLY" and explain shipping money went to USPS. Relist this item and have customer repurchase item.
Or you could add to your "block list" if you suspect customer may create problems for you in the future.
klhmdg
·8 months agoYou are not "on the hook" for a 2nd shipment.
Policy states you dont even have to refund at all BUT most sellers will refund the item price.
If you offer free shipping you will need to refund the total price. I cant see your sale on this account so I dont know if you have free shipping or not.
Then relist the item and the buyer can repurchase with a correct address.
eBay doesnt verify the shipping address on labels - the buyer needs to put the correct address.
Never change an address. No matter the sob story. Either ship to the address provided or cancel the sale.
mtgraves7984
·8 months agoMy question is, why would I be on the hook for the second shipment?
@reelworks
You won't. When returned, you can cancel the order citing 'Problems with buyer's address' and can relist the item for your buyer to repurchase, should they choose to. It's up to the buyer to put the correct address on the order.