Tracked items being reported as undelivered.

Summary: The discussion revolves around issues with tracked items being reported as undelivered. Several participants are involved, with some engaging in back-and-forth exchanges, though the details of their content are unspecified. The dialogue aims to address or perhaps troubleshoot the problems related to item delivery tracking.

I have had two items with USPS tracking that the buyer has reported as never received even though the USPS tracking is indicating that the item was delivered. Buyer opened a case against me, the seller, and ebay is now ruling in favor of the buyer.

I deal in coins and currency.

Clearly, this is wrong as I bought the USPS tracking, item is shown as being delivered, yet ebay is ruling in favor of buyer because it is my responsibility to get the item into the buyers hands. This has occurred routinely with the laughable ESUS tracking system.

As well, the buyer could be lying. I am a 27 year ebay seller and this just seems wrong. I'm searching for other venues to sell on.

Is anyone else experiencing this?

Thank you

freedom-general

6507 View listings

Posted 4 months ago·Last reply 4 months ago

21 comments

inhawaii

·4 months ago

Ebay's most handsome seller.5032 View listings

@freedom-general

#1) Buyer files a INR (item not received) case.

#2) Seller responds to the case with the tracking number that shows "delivered".

The seller will always win.

The buyer will always lose.

If you lost not just one, but two of these cases, you are doing something wrong.

a_c_green

·4 months ago

4200 View listings

@inhawaii wrote:
@freedom-general
#1) Buyer files a INR (item not received) case.
#2) Seller responds to the case with the tracking number that shows "delivered".

I think the "gotcha" in this case (pending some further details from the OP, who I see has already been asked for some) is that an INR case cannot be won with an eBay Standard Envelope number. You can upload that to the case, sure, but you will not/cannot win with it. You will need to refund the buyer in order to settle the claim, and then seek reimbursement from eBay for it.

itsjustasprain

·4 months ago

2353 View listings

@freedom-general wrote:
Clearly, this is wrong as I bought the USPS tracking, item is shown as being delivered, yet ebay is ruling in favor of buyer because it is my responsibility to get the item into the buyers hands. This has occurred routinely with the laughable ESUS tracking system.

@freedom-general : Can you please click the blue Reply button and give us some more details on how you are shipping these items? A lot of folks here are making best guesses but if you can answer the questions being asked then we can probably be a bit more accurate.

kibble-net

·4 months ago

8324 View listings

@freedom-general wrote:
I am a 27 year ebay seller and this just seems wrong. I'm searching for other venues to sell on.
Is anyone else experiencing this?
Thank you

I've been here 27 years as well.

If you respond to the INR case with the tracking info, you win the case.

I've never had the problem you are describing, but if you choose another platform, make sure to familiarize yourself with the policy right away - don't wait another 27 years.

clemowbooks

·4 months ago

34 View listings

@freedom-general

I realize it's only been a couple of hours since you posted, but there are two question here that need answering before anyone can offer useful advice.

Did you immediately respond in the Claim with the Tracking number? (Message 2 et al)
Was this an international sale? (Message 14)

a_c_green

·4 months ago

4200 View listings

@clemowbooks wrote:
Was this an international sale? (Message 14)

In some random viewings of the OP's listings, I was not able to find any listing that offered shipping outside of the U.S.

clemowbooks

·4 months ago

34 View listings

Some "domestic" sales go to freight forwarders, who are shipping overseas.

But of course, delivery to the forwarder ends the seller's responsibility.

Not all overseas buyers realize this, nor do all sellers.

a_c_green

·4 months ago

4200 View listings

@clemowbooks wrote:
Some "domestic" sales go to freight forwarders, who are shipping overseas.
But of course, delivery to the forwarder ends the seller's responsibility.
Not all overseas buyers realize this, nor do all sellers.

Agreed, although even if the freight forwarder did use, say, First Class International Package (which I think would have an ESUS tracking number on it...?), the seller would have no way of knowing what that number was (and yes, it wouldn't matter anyway as he had already fulfilled his delivery obligation).

All he can see is the tracking number that he used to ship to his domestic destination, and if using Ground Advantage as stated in the listing(s), that would not be a tracking number beginning with any letters at all.

a_c_green

·4 months ago

4200 View listings

@freedom-general wrote:
Clearly, this is wrong as I bought the USPS tracking, item is shown as being delivered, yet ebay is ruling in favor of buyer because it is my responsibility to get the item into the buyers hands. This has occurred routinely with the laughable ESUS tracking system.

ESUS? Are you shipping via Ground Advantage as stated in your listings, or are these international shipments? If the latter, to which country were the problem shipments going?

P.S. Okay, after some more looking around, I think I see the problem; you'll need to confirm...

@freedom-general : It appears that although your listings promise free Ground Advantage shipping, you may be using eBay Standard Envelope for your shipping instead. You had some dialogue in the Mentors group a while back on this topic: https://community.ebay.com/t5/Ask-a-Mentor/ESUS-Tracking/td-p/34850207

eSE does not have actual tracking; it uses routing codes based on the buyer's ZIP code only, and an Item Not Received claim for an eSE mailing must be refunded (because the eSE routing code is not a real tracking number, such as is used on Media Mail, Ground Advantage or Priority shipments). Sorting machines along the way will read the routing codes and report the sighting back to eBay, and when the package passes through the destination sort facility, it's assumed that it will be delivered on the next business day (give or take a day). However, again, that delivered status on an eSE shipment is not actual tracking.

If the buyer files an INR claim on an eSE shipment, you will have to refund. You then file a claim with eBay for reimbursement (up to $20). For more details go to this page:

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/shipping-items/setting-shipping-options/ebay-standard-envelope?id=5308

...and scroll down to the subhead for "Filing a claim."

So for starters, if you are listing Ground Advantage as your shipping method, that is what your buyers will be expecting anyway, and if a buyer files an INR claim on a Ground Advantage that is showing as Delivered to the City and ZIP of the address received with the payment, winning that will be a slam-dunk. From what I see of some of your listing prices, you really should be using Ground Advantage anyway; reimbursement for an eSE refund is capped at only $20.

12345jamesstamps

·4 months ago

8865 View listings

I have purchased from sellers who use ESUS and some do not get a scan as 'delivered'...but are delivered.

A few took like a month to receive but they eventually arrived.

As a seller myself, I do not use tracking for anything under $20.

I just use stamps to mail my stamps.

If anything is lost...which is very little...it is probably dishonest buyers.

There is no such thing as 100% honest buyers anywhere.

I ship a lot out to say and maybe an item in 3-4 months might be lost...which is a pretty good track record.

This venue works fine for sending items out without tracking under $20.

luckythewinner

·4 months ago

1162 View listings

@freedom-general wrote:
Clearly, this is wrong as I bought the USPS tracking, item is shown as being delivered, yet ebay is ruling in favor of buyer because it is my responsibility to get the item into the buyers hands. This has occurred routinely with the laughable ESUS tracking system.

Winning a dispute requires more than just having tracking that shows delivery.

There are other criteria and considerations, such as:

the nature of the item
the category
the value of the item
your rating as a seller
your history as a seller
the shipping service you used
when the tracking was uploaded and validated
when the item was delivered
Whether you responded to the case in a timely manner
Whether you provided the tracking details in the case
etc.

Are you sure you met all of the requirements for seller protection?

toomuchstuffagain35

·4 months ago

176 View listings

I don't use that system but supposedly if you have an INR found in the buyer's favour you can file a claim with ebay to be reimbursed.

bonanza125

·4 months ago

8889 View listings

Did you respond to the case with the tracking number or did you just let Ebay rule on the case? If you don't respond you would lose. Yes ESE has a lot of issues and we get a lot of complaints with ESE. My advice use Ground Advantage.

caldreamer

·4 months ago

4057 View listings

Did you respond to EBAY case and provide EBAY with tracking# (proving delivery) before EBAY deadline? If yes, this case would automatically close in your favor.

If tracking could NOT prove delivery before EBAY deadline, you must give the customer a refund. Then if item gets delivered within 30 days "after you gave customer a refund" (EBAY will refund your money).

EBAY does NOT hold sellers responsible for porch pirates.

happiest1657

·4 months ago

2148 View listings

Call ebay customer service, explain everything, they will check your tracking number and close the case in your favor.

albertabrightalberta

·4 months ago

SIGNATURE! NOT DIRECTED TO YOU: I can explain it to you but I can't understand it for you.104 View listings

@happiest1657 wrote:
Call ebay customer service, explain everything, they will check your tracking number and close the case in your favor.

@happiest1657

That's not going to happen if the OP neglected to actually respond to the case and didn't copy and paste the tracking number into the case.

pickapaper

·4 months ago

4724 View listings

@freedom-general

When the buyers opened INR (item not received) claims against you, did you respond to the claims either by entering the tracking number again or if the tracking number is already shown, clicking on it to confirm it?

If tracking showed delivered and you responded to the claims, you should not have lost. If you are "routinely" losing cases like this, you are doing something wrong.

Actually, you do not have to literally "get the item in the buyer's hands"; you do have to show that tracking shows delivered to the address provided by eBay. You are not responsible if porch pirates steal packages.