New possible scam scheme? Estimated delivery date is same as Returns accepted through

[schizo_id]

Hello.

I purchased an item 31 of Jan.

The seller didn't provide tracking number for a long time.

A week ago he finally updated tracking number.

Status is still just "Tracking number provided", so he didn't ship it.

Right after I placed the order I saw this info in purchase history:

Estimated delivery Mar 12

Returns accepted through Apr 12, 2024.

After he provided tracking number I see this in purchase history:

Estimated delivery Friday Apr 12

Returns accepted through Apr 12.

If I go into the order details I still can see old date: Delivery info Arriving by Tue, Mar 12

Now most important part: if I try to file "I didn't recieve an item" request then I see this info: "If you haven't received your item by Apr 12, go to your Purchases and find the item. Then select More actions beside the item and choose I didn't receive it to open a request." Before I saw tracking number here was Mar 12!

According to Ebay money back: https://pages.ebay.com/buyer-protection/m-app-ebp.html

If your item hasn't arrived or isn't as described, go to My eBay. Find the item in your purchase history and select "return" or "item not received" within 30 days of delivery (or estimated delivery date if the item hasn't arrived).

Also found here: https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Why-on-other-actions-others-no-I-did-not-receive-it/td-p/340011...

That means if the item is not as described, or has not arrived by the last return date your Money Back Guarantee (MBG) protections lapsed.

If estimated date updated then why "Returns accepted through" didn't change accordingly?

It seems that I will not be able to file "I didn't recieve an item" request after Mar 12 and need to wait estimated delivery date Apr 12 which is now in coincidence a last date for returning. So at Apr 12 I will not be able to file "I didn't recieve an item" request...

Am I right? How I need to deel with my situation now? Can I somehow contact ebay to force them to change estimated delivery date to an old date or at least to update Returns accepted date to May 12 as per their policy of return window of 1 month?

I have another item which seller didn't ship and didn't provide tracking too, now I'm scared to ask that seller too, because if he ship then estimated delivery date will change too I suppose.

Is it a new kind of scam: don't provide tracking number for a long time, then update it so estimated date updates to the date of "Returns accepted through" so buyers cannot file "I didn't recieve an item" request?

Or this is just some sort of ebay UI bug and I'm just in panic mode now and will be able to file a "I didn't receive item" reqtuest or maybe I'm missing something or just don't understand how returns work?

My plan now is to wait for Mar 12 (old estimated delivery date) and then try to file "I didn't receive item" request. If it fails then I will try to "Report an issue with seller" to ebay and ask ebay what is going on and why estimated date was updated to last return date.

Is there any other way to contact ebay for a buyer now?

Sorry for long post but I tried to provide as many details as I can.

Thank you.

[12345jamesstamps]

Item purchased on Jan 31st. Look at item purchased...and what does it say as "estimated day of delivery"?

This is the date that is important....so you can open an item not received.

Is this item coming from China? March 12th seems like a long time for domestic shipping. Check seller ID...not where item is coming from... Sounds like drop shipping where buyer lives in another country. And maybe item was out of stock where seller gave a new date of delivery.

I don't think estimated date of delivery can change after it was purchased...but I could be wrong.

[lakefor94]

If you want to contact a USA based, eBay employee, use Social Media.

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Message button in upper right on landing page.

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Use direct messaging 

[airsheep]

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@12345jamesstamps wrote:

I don't think estimated date of delivery can change after it was purchased...but I could be wrong.

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This happened to me as well, and I posted about it.  The original estimated delivery date on my item was January 29.  The seller delayed shipping my item, and suddenly the estimated delivery date changed to February 10 in my ebay purchases; not as drastic as OP's problem, but it can and has happened.

[12345jamesstamps]

Jan 29-Feb 10 seems normal...unless you bought something for next day delivery.

An item with an opening tracking number can say Jan 29th shipped....and maybe say running late as Feb 10th or later for possibly delivery. But the item when purchased is the date to go by. Once an item is marked shipped the tracking can keep changing when it is delivered.

I am pretty sure a buyer can open an eBay claim of the actual date of delivery in the sale item which doesn't matter what tracking saids. I just never had that problem to try it. Interesting thoughts.

[schizo_id]

Here some screenshots.

This is what I see from Purchase History:

This is in Order details (here I can see Old Estimated date: Mar 12):

This is if I try to click "I didn't recieve an item" (I remember that here I saw Mar 12 as seller didn't respond for a long time and I for curiocity clicked it):

Seller is top rated with tens of thousands orders. China. No mail forwarding. Direct shipping by the seller. 12 March is a normal estimated date for China post out of my experience for China, but it doesn't matter: the real problem is that Estimated and Returns accepted dates now are same which seems to me as a flaw in ebay logic.

[12345jamesstamps]

So what I am asking is the item purchased...below it will be "estimated date of delivery".

You are showing me tracking which is not what I would go by...

Ordered shipped is not what we are looking for.

Like I just bought something the other day....it states: Est. delivery  Wed. Feb 28 - Fri.Mar 1

But tracking can change every day on tracking.

I can do an item not received on Sat. March 2....no matter what tracking saids....even if it's arriving Mar 10th or so.

Don't look at any tracking...look at item purchased and right below it it will state the Est. delivery.

I get items from the same shipper in Macao, China all the time and only once has tracking ever said "delivered". And I tried to go on China tracking web site....and my computer gave me that "Warning Danger".

And same items do not show tracking from China on eBay except "item shipped'.

Good luck.

[12345jamesstamps]

I didn't realize you were in Kazakhstan. Anyway, I have mailed items to your country and it doesn't take that long of a period for buyers in Kazakhstan to receive them.

I would check eBay ID seller...feedback and such. Sounds like the seller is trying to go out of the return date and refund date.

[schizo_id]

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@12345jamesstamps wrote:

Don't look at any tracking...look at item purchased and right below it it will state the Est. delivery.

But I added above screenshot with this date:

Estimated delivery Friday Apr 12

Returns accepted through Apr 12.

Before tracking was provided Estimated delivery was: Mar 12 and Returns accepted through was Apr 12.

So after tracking number was provided estimated date changed to Apr 12 but Returns date stay same.

You said that "I don't think estimated date of delivery can change after it was purchased...but I could be wrong." so I posted screenshots just to show that it can happen and worse in such a way that you cannot file I didn't receive item" request as est. date and return date are same despite that in order details I can see old est. date.

[schizo_id]

Out of my experience such long dates from China is ok for my country (ebay or aliexpress doesn't matter) despite that we have common border.

But I agree with this

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@12345jamesstamps wrote:

Sounds like the seller is trying to go out of the return date and refund date.

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This is why I started the topic in hope that someone was in such situation or tell me how to contact ebay support as I didn't find straight way on the site to do this.

My plan now is to wait Mar 13 and then I'll try to "Report the seller" to touch somehow ebay as it seems to me the only option to talk to ebay directly as a buyer now. I don't have facebook or twitter as someone suggested to try it maybe I'll finally have a reason to make account there...

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[12345jamesstamps]

H

Here is an item I just purchased....look at the item you bought..

See : Estimated between Wed, Feb 28 and Fri, March 1....

This is what you should look for in purchased item....even before any tracking

[pjcdn2005]

The Order Details is the date that you would use as the estimated delivery date so that mean that you have 30 days after that to file an item not received claim.  I think that the other date is based solely on when the seller mailed the item but that shouldn't affect you so I'm not sure why eBay would even  mention the new date as far as filing a claim.

The estimated delivery date as far as filing a claim does not change. It is always the same date as what you saw the day you made the purchase.

[kensgiftshop]

On the order, the estimated delivery date shouldn't change.

It would change on the tracking because it's based on when it's actually shipped.

[schizo_id]

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@pjcdn2005 wrote:

so I'm not sure why eBay would even  mention the new date as far as filing a claim.

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Yes, so must be... but as you see in screenshot this date has changed in the claim and this is my biggest concern and why I started a topic because I'm in doubt that there will be possibility to do a claim in UI after Mar 12 if I can see at the moment that I must wait Apr 12 in claim request instead of Mar 12. If estimated date changed to something like Mar 20 I still would have a time, but now estimated date is same as "Returns accepted through" so I will not have a possibility to file a claim according ebay money back program.

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@pjcdn2005 wrote:

The estimated delivery date as far as filing a claim does not change. It is always the same date as what you saw the day you made the purchase.

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I have email from ebay after I did purchase. In this email estimated date is 12 Mar:

So estimated date was changed but "Returns accepted through" does not. And before tracking number was added I saw when I was trying to file a claim that I must wait Mar 12 not Apr 12. Of course I don't have screenshot of old claim as I thought that it cannot be changed but I already uploaded here other screenshots with evidences that estimated date changed in purchase history and in claim to 12 Apr but in email and order details it is still Mar 12.

I suppose that if estimated date may change (it shouldn't I'm agree with you) then at least "Returns accepted through" date must be changed accordingly (+ 30 days). I wouldn't start this topic if "Returns accepted through" date was changed too to  May 12 because then I still would have  a window for returns or "item not received" claims. I think my concerns are valid in this situation.

If seller can somehow manipulate in a such way estimated date then there is possibility to cheat the buyer.

[schizo_id]

I think that ebay must not change any date in paid orders.

Because after payment made there is an agreement between buyer, seller and ebay (ebay money back program) based on that info.

Ok even if estimated date can be changed then again please change last returns date accordingly.

In best case, my situation is very confusing and I already spent a lot of time to get clarification.

In worst case, if seller will not send an item I cannot do anything if ebay will answer me that it cannot do anything and I must wait 12 Apr (which is last date for claims) and I will loose money.

Very frustraded.