Item not received seller preemptively opens case so I can not.

[davenport30]

Ordered a item 2 weeks ago it still has not arrived. The seller generated 2 tracking numbers that both say preshippement. After a week I contacted the seller to find out what was going on with my package that seemed stuck in preshippment. Our locations are close enough together that a week was plenty of time for the package to arrive. Anyway the seller then assures me it's on it's way he spoke with his postmaster and they said it's totally their fault. He said a claim ticket was started and he would let me know something when he knows something. He also wanted me to call a specific post master named Donna she would set me strait. This all seemed shady so I instead called ebay to report what I believed to be shady behavior. The seller then tries to tell me that I will wait off into the future for some unknown determined amount of time for the usps to deem the package lost then he will refund my money. I disagreed with this and let the seller know if it hasn't arrived by the time I can open a case I would like a refund. The day comes where I can then get ebay involved so I go to do that and the seller has already opened a case and by doing so makes it impossible for me to open a case. Please one of you big time ebay sellers or a ebay representative please tell me how this is normal or ok.

[nobody*s_perfect]

What kind of case did the seller open?

[dede394]

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@davenport30 wrote:

The day comes where I can then get ebay involved so I go to do that and the seller has already opened a case and by doing so makes it impossible for me to open a case. Please one of you big time ebay sellers or a ebay representative please tell me how this is normal or ok.

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It doesn't matter @davenport30 whether your seller or you was first to step eBay to clink in on your Item Not Received refund request: If the tracking number was not delivered, eBay will force a refund from your seller.

[ubcensored]

Upon some reading on this pre ship thing,  I learned that if you file,  the seller gets dinged.

 Sellers don't want to get dinged.

 If seller opens it,  no ding.    I also learned there are scans along the shipping route at USPS.  If the seller drops the package into a blue box,  no initial scan.  If seller drops package off at post office, original scan and point of origin is established with date and time.

My first guess would be that the post office has misplaced the package somewhere.  The seller took the initiative to start the process and that sounds like a good thing. At first, telling you to talk to a specific person sounds odd, but, if you've ever spent a great deal of time on phone trees, voice mails, missed calls,  giving you the benefit of not having to start from scratch has it's advantages. 

Let us know how it turns out. 

[mudshark61369]

@davenport30,

"The seller generated 2 tracking numbers that both say preshippement. After a week I contacted the seller to find out what was going on with my package that seemed stuck in preshippment''.

Did you look at the seller's feedback profile before buying from them, to see if they have ever sold anything or have not sold in over a year?  From what you've written about two tracking numbers but no shipment, there is either a problem with their PayPal account or PayPal has placed a hold on their payment.  The last possibility is that they are a scammer to begin with.

  "Our locations are close enough together that a week was plenty of time for the package to arrive. Anyway the seller then assures me it's on it's way he spoke with his postmaster and they said it's totally their fault... The seller then tries to tell me that I will wait off into the future for some unknown determined amount of time for the usps to deem the package lost then he will refund my money".

No post master would admit to USPS fault until a missing package claim found that the item had been received by them, and they could not find it.  They should have given you the Missing Package Claim number so you could check on the progress of the claim.  That is not your problem anyway.  If the last estimated delivery date has passed you can open an Item Not Recieved (INR) dispute.  The seller would have to prove the package was on its way or had been delivered.  If they can't, ask ebay to step in and force them to give a refund.   They are the ones who have to wait until the P.O. locates it or admits the package is lost.  

  "The day comes where I can then get ebay involved so I go to do that and the seller has already opened a case and by doing so makes it impossible for me to open a case".

What kind of case has the seller opened?  There should be a message telling you what it is that the seller is claiming.    If you check your Paypal account and see the payment listed as Completed, then you have paid so it would not be an Unpaid Item dispute.  If you threatened the seller with a negative feedback, it is feedback extortion, but that shouldn't stop you from opening a dispute. 

I would call customer service back, and give them the details calmly, the date you paid, last estimated delivery date.  Payment status if it says Completed, the fact that they gave you 2 tracking #s, but both were stuck in pre-shipment.  Ask the rep to check the messages between you especially the one telling you to wait until the USPS claim closed, but no claim number. The rep can check your messages to verify that info, and should be able to open a dispute for you. 

[davenport30]

First of all I am calm and was calm both times speaking with ebay. Second I am not concerned really about getting my money back. I really wanted to document my experience with this situation as I did not find anyone talking about a situation like this. I am uncertain what kind of claim he has made it does not tell me. But in our last interaction before my claim button was taken away I got the impression he was making it out that somehow I was trying to game ebay buyer protection by asking for a refund before all the sticky business is concluded with the mail service. In this sellers defense and why I have not left bad feedback or naming him is he does have 100% feedback but his feedback number is low. He has been a long time member even longer than me. Like me I don't think he sells much. So I do feel that he is just making noob mistakes and doesn't understand this whole process. The 2 tracking numbers he says he thinks is because he used 2 different computers. A detail I should have perhaps included before. Again odd stuff and excuses. I did read his feedback and someone else got the same item I did arrived no problem good interaction. I do feel bad this has happened to him but none of that is my problem. I feel like he wants to drag this out to what he feels is a safe conclusion where I don't end up with a free item which I would not keep or gladly pay for anyway. I just don't want the clock run out on my claim. Also he has implied twice in our written communications that somehow I am a scammer. A scammer with 2 preshippment only tracking numbers. That I have received the item and just want my cake to so to speak. Very insulting and has no proof the usps even has possession of a package. Another indication he is new to all of this.

[myangelandmyprincess]

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@ubcensored wrote:

Upon some reading on this pre ship thing,  I learned that if you file,  the seller gets dinged.

 Sellers don't want to get dinged.

 If seller opens it,  no ding.    I also learned there are scans along the shipping route at USPS.  If the seller drops the package into a blue box,  no initial scan.  If seller drops package off at post office, original scan and point of origin is established with date and time.

My first guess would be that the post office has misplaced the package somewhere.  The seller took the initiative to start the process and that sounds like a good thing. At first, telling you to talk to a specific person sounds odd, but, if you've ever spent a great deal of time on phone trees, voice mails, missed calls,  giving you the benefit of not having to start from scratch has it's advantages. 

Let us know how it turns out. 

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Whether the buyer or seller opens aka escalates it into a case the seller gets dinged if they lose the case.  Who escalates makes no difference

[myangelandmyprincess]

Ok so it sounds like you opened an item not received request.  On the day you could escalate to a claim the seller had already done it.  This won't hurt you and open case is an open case against the seller it doesn't matter who escalates it the results are the same.  

Does the tracking show any movement in the last few days?   If it doesn't show delivered and it doesn't show any recent movement you should get a refund soon 

[mudshark61369]

@davenport30,

  "In this sellers defense and why I have not left bad feedback or naming him is he does have 100% feedback but his feedback number is low. He has been a long time member even longer than me. Like me I don't think he sells much. So I do feel that he is just making noob mistakes and doesn't understand this whole process." 

The seller's feedback profile info could be important in this matter.   Yuo say they have a 100% rating but few feedback. If they have not sold anything in over a year, even if they have bought items in the last year,  they had a 21 day payment hold placed on the payment you made, by PayPal.  The hold is applied to all new or returning seller's accounts.

If you see this is the case, try messaging them again, tell them if their PayPal account shows your payment is marked as Pending, they should click on the Help button on their paypal account and type Payment Hold into the topic search box.  Then they will get the info needed to complete the transaction.

 "Also he has implied twice in our written communications that somehow I am a scammer."

That is an assumption a seller not familiar with the payment hold makes.  You rightfully contact them about shipping, but because they do not think the payment has cleared, they think you are trying to scam them.

The above having been said, it is also possible the account is a hi-jacked one.  The indications of that are: All but 1 or 2 feedback are over a year old. The one(s) in the last year were for buying.  Little or no feedback for selling, usually accompanied by a low or very good price for an item in a category they have not sold in before.  An extended shipping time frame 14 days or more.

  " I did read his feedback and someone else got the same item I did arrived no problem good interaction".

Is this a common item and was the one you bought a Buy It Now listing? Was the feedback given this year or more tan a year ago? Was the feedback from a very low feedback buyer no star rating or a yellow one?  It could have been left for a false transaction to help suck people in. 

  " I am uncertain what kind of claim he has made it does not tell me. But in our last interaction before my claim button was taken away I got the impression he was making it out that somehow I was trying to game ebay buyer protection".

If you opened a dispute there would not be a button to open another one.  I do not know what kind of dispute they could open.  Actually I doubt that they have opened one, otherwise ebay would have notified you and given the reason for it.  You can always call customer service again and ask if a dispute has been opened against you.

[myangelandmyprincess]

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@mudshark61369 wrote:

@davenport30,

  "In this sellers defense and why I have not left bad feedback or naming him is he does have 100% feedback but his feedback number is low. He has been a long time member even longer than me. Like me I don't think he sells much. So I do feel that he is just making noob mistakes and doesn't understand this whole process." 

The seller's feedback profile info could be important in this matter.   Yuo say they have a 100% rating but few feedback. If they have not sold anything in over a year, even if they have bought items in the last year,  they had a 21 day payment hold placed on the payment you made, by PayPal.  The hold is applied to all new or returning seller's accounts.

If you see this is the case, try messaging them again, tell them if their PayPal account shows your payment is marked as Pending, they should click on the Help button on their paypal account and type Payment Hold into the topic search box.  Then they will get the info needed to complete the transaction.

 "Also he has implied twice in our written communications that somehow I am a scammer."

That is an assumption a seller not familiar with the payment hold makes.  You rightfully contact them about shipping, but because they do not think the payment has cleared, they think you are trying to scam them.

The above having been said, it is also possible the account is a hi-jacked one.  The indications of that are: All but 1 or 2 feedback are over a year old. The one(s) in the last year were for buying.  Little or no feedback for selling, usually accompanied by a low or very good price for an item in a category they have not sold in before.  An extended shipping time frame 14 days or more.

  " I did read his feedback and someone else got the same item I did arrived no problem good interaction".

Is this a common item and was the one you bought a Buy It Now listing? Was the feedback given this year or more tan a year ago? Was the feedback from a very low feedback buyer no star rating or a yellow one?  It could have been left for a false transaction to help suck people in. 

  " I am uncertain what kind of claim he has made it does not tell me. But in our last interaction before my claim button was taken away I got the impression he was making it out that somehow I was trying to game ebay buyer protection".

If you opened a dispute there would not be a button to open another one.  I do not know what kind of dispute they could open.  Actually I doubt that they have opened one, otherwise ebay would have notified you and given the reason for it.  You can always call customer service again and ask if a dispute has been opened against you.

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When a seller escalates a request it will say the seller opened a case.  It often causes a lot of confusion. I'm figuring that's what has happened here