eBay

i-use-linux · ‎07-23-2022

As expected in my previous post, my seller ignored all communication for 7 shipping days (one week). I first messaged them 5 days (one business week) when I first noticed that the tracking number they provided was still INVALID (9405508205499820401698). And by that I mean, they generated one, but never dropped it off or had it pick up by USPS. I continued to send them a friendly reminder the 6th day and 7th day. For my last and 4th message, I informed them if today (Saturday 23, 2022), that if the item had not been picked up by USPS or dropped off to their nearest USPS, or if I did not receive a refund, that I would be filing a dispute with eBay.

The United States Post Office is now currently closed, nationwide, as it is now 5:00 PM on a Saturday. The tracking number status is the same as it has been this whole time. I have provided them the correct, negative feedback, and am ready to process this, so I may move on and look for someone else to purchase from.

Must I really wait until midnight tonight? Technically, the auction ended at 3:00 AM, last week, so must I wait until 3:00 AM? When it's obviously like it is now, is there not away to speed up this process?

**edit** small mistype.

smabrouk · ‎07-23-2022

@i-use-linux wrote:
As expected in my previous post, my seller ignored all communication for 7 shipping days (one week). I first messaged them 5 days (one business week) when I first noticed that the tracking number they provided was still INVALID (9405508205499820401698). And by that I mean, they generated one, but never dropped it off or had it pick up by USPS. I continued to send them a friendly reminder the 6th day and 7th day. For my last and 4th message, I informed them if today (Saturday 23, 2022), that if the item had not been picked up by USPS or dropped off to their nearest USPS, or if I did not receive a refund, that I would be filing a dispute with eBay.

The United States Post Office is now currently closed, nationwide, as it is now 5:00 PM on a Saturday. The tracking number status is the same as it has been this whole time. I have provided them the correct, negative feedback, and am ready to process this, so I may move on and look for someone else to purchase from.

Must I really wait until midnight tonight? Technically, the auction ended at 3:00 AM, last week, so must I wait until 3:00 AM? When it's obviously like it is now, is there not away to speed up this process?

**edit** small mistype.

It is disappointing to have such experiences with sellers. I have had such experiences in the past and, currently, I am awaiting packages from two (2) such sellers.

Do not file a dispute too early as doing so can work against you. Once opened, do NOT close the dispute NO MATTER WHAT THE SELLER PROMISES YOU. Be very careful with your dispute once opened. Dishonest sellers will make promises to ship once you close the dispute — NEVER TRUST a seller who makes promises to refund or ship once you have opened a dispute on the condition that you close the dispute. Follow all of eBay’s rules to the completion of the dispute — the receipt of a full refund.

Keep in mind that you are covered by the eBay Money Back Guarantee and that it is better to have to wait for your refund than to not receive a refund at all.

If the seller put the package into a USPS mailbox rather than giving it to a postal worker or taking it into a Post Office (on July 23rd) then the package cannot be scanned until it is picked up on July 25th. Waiting until after July 25th to open a dispute would allow for the package being scanned (if it was “shipped” July 23rd or July 24th by being put in a USPS mailbox or given to a shipping store) or delivered to the Post Office on July 25th. Then, of course, you have waited for the one day beyond the last stated delivery date and eliminated the seller’s excuse that this day (July 24th) was on a weekend.

One additional possibility worth mentioning is that the package could have been shipped without having been scanned by USPS. I have experienced this, and being patient allowed me to receive the item that I purchased as well as maintain a good relationship with the seller. Waiting until after July 25th to open a dispute would accommodate this possibility as well.

You should not have posted feedback at this point. It is always better to wait until the completion of a transaction to post feedback no matter what type you choose.

Keep in mind that, once shipped, the seller has no control over the delivery of the package. Some sellers take packages to the Post Office and wait in line so that the package can be scanned (whether they purchase postage online or at the Post Office). However, not all sellers request manual scanning of tracking barcodes at the Post Office. Sellers who use USPS mailboxes or drop-off boxes at the Post Office do not receive receipts for packages having been shipped; those who purchase postage online receive shipping notifications only when the barcode is scanned. Sellers who use shipping stores depend on the store for the shipping of the package. Sellers who put packages outside their homes for USPS pick-up depend on postal workers for the pick-up (and barcode scan) of the package as well as risk the theft of an unguarded package.

Although you have no control over how the seller ships the package, you can receive a full refund for an item which is not received provided you follow the rules for the eBay Money Back Guarantee. Carefully open the dispute and select the option for an item not received and request a full refund; you cannot change the dispute type once you have opened a dispute.

I say this as a buyer — I am not a seller.

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soh.maryl · ‎07-23-2022

It doesn't matter when the auction ended.

What is the last estimated delivery date?

You can open the item not received case the day after that.

About that FB: Why were you in such a hurry to leave it? You had 60 days.

ssateneth · ‎07-23-2022

don't dispute or chargeback. you want to file "item not received" case

i-use-linux · ‎07-23-2022

I pay right way, I leave feedback in equal measure. If it is clear, you're being dishonest, I am not going to sit and let the "check clear" for you to run off and spend. The seller was someone with ZERO feedback, and I took a chance, because we all start out somewhere. And since they have another action going for a $600 generator, if they cannot be trusted with a small $75 order, I think the public should know.

The last day would be today, July 23, 2022. It's not coming. As I said, not only have they ignored all communication, they have not dropped off the package or had it picked up. I presume they generated the tracking number ASAP to make themselves seem legit. Because nearly as soon as I paid, they provided that number, but they never actually shipped it and that's the problem.

The post office they selected is in another state, too. That is to say, they claim the item is coming from Indiana, yet they issued themselves for Michigan. That may have been my first clue something wasn't right. Nevertheless, it's been a week, and while they were quick to generate the tracking number, they never handed the package to USPS.

lamber9347 · ‎07-23-2022

@soh.maryl wrote:
<snip>
About that FB: Why were you in such a hurry to leave it? You had 60 days.

Have a look at the FB they leave for others, 14 are negative or neutral....so far....

i-use-linux · ‎07-23-2022

YES, that's what I meant. I plan on making this as an item not received. My only concern is they, technically, have a tracking number, but it listed it as:

July 16, 2022, 12:17 pm
Shipping Label Created, USPS Awaiting Item
NILES, MI 49120
A shipping label has been prepared for your item at 12:17 pm on July 16, 2022 in NILES, MI 49120. This does not indicate receipt by the USPS or the actual mailing date.

And there has been no update this whole time. They never actually gave the package to the post office.

i-use-linux · ‎07-23-2022

Most of the feedback I leave is positive. I have had the unpleasant experience of a few bad apples, but that does not reflect the whole of eBay. The vast majority of sellers are good folks who are honest.

If you send my item on time, you'll get positive feedback. If you are late, but can explain a delay, and I still get my item, you will, again, get positive feedback. If something happen and right away, you tell me you need to cancel, and you provide me a full refund, I can be understanding, and again, you will get positive feedback. If the package ends up lost (reported as lost), that's not your fault, I'm not going to take it out on you, and you will get positive feedback.

You really have to drop the ball to not get positive feedback in my book. No communication, no package, and I have to go to eBay support to get a refund... Ya, in those circumstances, don't expect a shiny review. It's not rocket science.

terrycece62 · ‎07-23-2022

Yes, you will not be able to file a claim until the estimated delivery date has past

i-use-linux · ‎07-23-2022

OK, so past midnight, I presume. -- It's shame. I knew I was taking a chance with someone who had no feedback, but everyone starts out someplace, and I figure with times the way they are, perhaps they needed the money, and that's why they were selling their stuff up on here. I presumed this was a better alternative than going to Amazon, for example. Oh, well. I cannot say I didn't give someone a chance.

**edit** autocorrect

terrycece62 · ‎07-23-2022

And unfortunately, there are some dishonest sellers out there no question

Your seller has not proved yet which one s/he will be quite yet

Thank goodness buyers have eBay's 100% money back guarantee

And just one more thing if you decide to continue to shop /buy on eBay

Not all sellers will upload the tracking number, it is not a requirement.

Also tracking cannot be updated it happens often post office just does not always scan all packages at every 'hub'

And last delivery date is estimated your package can come a day or two early or later

Good luck

ga-8370 · ‎07-23-2022

@i-use-linux wrote:
If they cannot be trusted with a small $75 order, I think the public should know.

But unfortunately @i-use-linux because you mentioned a case in the feedback, it may not survive.

You can start an Item Not Received refund request one second after midnight Pacific time, the time zone at eBay HQ.

But since this is a weekend, eBay will be treating it as if you filed the dispute during the 24 hours on Monday,

then Tuesday Wednesday Thursday are the 3 business days the seller can get tracking started,

before you can ask eBay to step in on Friday, the day after the 3 business days.

And at the moment of escalation, if eBay sees that the tracking number is moving, they will add 5 or 10 days to allow it to be delivered, so this may take awhile.

i-use-linux · ‎07-23-2022

If the seller actually starts to ship it, that's great. I'll even retract my feedback if I receive my item in working order. That's the whole point of shopping on eBay, to get what you ordered. And if the seller were to suddenly message me out of the blue, claim they were in the hospital (for example), I could be understanding, and chuck up the whole thing as just one of those bad timing moments in life. Life happens.

But as it stands now, that's not looking likely. They have relisted the other item (a $600 gas generator), which implies they're online, they're just ignoring me, and trying to see if they can get another cash grab from someone else. Hints, why I felt the need to fill out the feedback, now, after being ignored for 7 days, and after it became clear, they were not going to actually hand the item over to USPS for shipping.

i-use-linux · ‎07-23-2022

Well, this seller did provide a tracking number. I have been Googling how things work and found a post (elsewhere) that suggest by providing a tracking number, they were able to receive their funds. I'm not sure if that is true or not. In any case, the tracking number was only generated, and the item was never given to USPS.

I honestly, would be surprised if a seller didn't provide a tracking number. I know if I sold something, I would. How else would anyone prove delivery? I would be worried to death as a seller if I shipped anything without something showing the package was sent and delivered. I may not post here often, but I read some of the horror stories on here and on Reddit, for example. Even as a buyer, like, myself, I'd be wonder where my package was and if I was going to get it, without a tracking number. And without a tracking number, if there was a delay, I wouldn't know, and would assume someone had been less than honest. Because I'd have nothing to go by or have any point of reference.

Thankfully, nearly every seller I have dealt with has provided one. The only one or two I can recall who did not, didn't give me anything.