Odd Seller Behavior After I.N.R. Case Closed.

[mynameislong]

I'm not certain if this is the appropriate location for this but it does involve a buying experience.

For context, An item I purchased was not delivered on its latest delivery estimate, July 15th.  I opened up an Item Not Received case and eBay gave the seller until July 21st to refund.  The seller did not do so, so eBay intervened and refunded my money that evening.

Now this evening, I received email notification that an Item has shipped.  I view the order details of this shipped item.  In addition to the original purchase order, for the item that was never received, I see four  shipments.  All shipments were created around 8:00am July 25th, all requiring a signature.  Each has a unique tracking number, but its for the same exact item.  Also, odd is that one of the shipping labels was created in a city 600 miles away from the seller's city.  One of those shipments is apparently on its way. 

The listing does indicated that I was refunded and the I.N.R. is closed.   I intend on refusing these packages if they ever make their way to me.

I cannot make heads or tails on what might be going on.   If this is some strange delayed clerical error, I would think this would have happened to others. Has anyone else experience something like this?

There is the intrusive part in my mind thinking that this may be some form of retaliation if the seller some how felt wronged by the whole ordeal. 

[titipeo]

Retaliation, on their own dime, sounds a bit extreme. Was the item expensive, seller located in China?

The only thing I can think of on top of my head is that seller was drop shipping from another location (Amazon, Walmart, etc) and the item was out of stock or on back order. Your eBay expected delivery date passed, INR filed, refund sent, item is back in stock, order is packaged, notified and shipped to the delivery address. Seller forgot to cancel order. 

As for refusing to accept the package, that's your call. Those are the problems with drop shipping, when items are out of stock. 

[mynameislong]

The seller did not exhibit the most sensible behavior with the way they handled/communicated with regards to my transaction, and it appears they behaved the same towards other buyers from their recent feedback.

The items in question are GPUs ~$750 and the seller's page indicates they are located in the US.

I haven't considered the possibility that the seller would actually ship the item, given the debacle with the INR.  I'll likely contact the seller at some point to see if they are willing to clarify this time around. 

[janet9988]

I would let the item be delivered and then ask the seller if they would like the item returned on their dime.

[reallynicestamps]

I'm with @janet9988 on this one.

He was unwilling to take responsibility when he should have refunded, perhaps he will learn to take responsibility when it costs him money.

There is a common law rule that an unrequested item delivered is a gift from the sender requiring no further action on the part of the recipient.

[qeqo_0]

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@mynameislong wrote:

I see four  shipments.  All shipments were created around 8:00am July 25th, all requiring a signature.  Each has a unique tracking number, but its for the same exact item.  Also, odd is that one of the shipping labels was created in a city 600 miles away from the seller's city.  One of those shipments is apparently on its way. 

The items in question are GPUs ~$750 and the seller's page indicates they are located in the US. 

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You'll be receiving junk ... all requiring a signature. Look at the weight and dimensions, if available on the tracking pages. One option @mynameislong is to leave them unclaimed, without signature, to be returned to sender.

[albertabrightalberta]

I'd wait for them to arrive, sign for them, open the packages and if they're worth anything, contact the seller to ask if they want the items. If so, tell the seller to send a prepaid return shipping label and if you don't receive it within x-number of days, you'll dispose of the items.

^^^ That isn't even something you're obligated to do but that's how I'd handle it.

[mudshark61369]

@mynameislong,

You need to check the feedback profile page of any seller you intend to buy from, no matter what their feedback percentage is. Your seller is not very experienced and only recently started listing expensive items, which probably triggered eBay to place a 21 day hold on their payments, which has been extended because of the first negative they received some time in the last 180 days.  The seller probably thought they had gotten past the point of having holds placed on their funds, but the sudden listing of expensive items would cause ebay to reinstate it.  

[megafo_8472]

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@qeqo_0 wrote:

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@mynameislong wrote:

I see four  shipments.  All shipments were created around 8:00am July 25th, all requiring a signature.  Each has a unique tracking number, but its for the same exact item.  Also, odd is that one of the shipping labels was created in a city 600 miles away from the seller's city.  One of those shipments is apparently on its way. 

The items in question are GPUs ~$750 and the seller's page indicates they are located in the US. 

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You'll be receiving junk ... all requiring a signature. Look at the weight and dimensions, if available on the tracking pages. One option @mynameislong is to leave them unclaimed, without signature, to be returned to sender.

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ROFL! The seller MIGHT wind up getting charged for return shipping by the carrier (IF the packages have his return address). That's what happened to one person who shipped a bunch of figure by media mail, USPS smacked him HARD! His local post office also insists on inspecting ALL packages he brings in to ship.

[ms.rodriguez*]

IF they get charged for the return shipping, that is THEIR problem for not doing things correctly. It would be a loss for the tax deduction purposes for them assuming that they are in the USA and pay their taxes.  I don't know what the tax situation is for foreign sellers.

I am thinking that this is a drop shipper and a seller in China.  Chances are that the items are crap.  I would accept the packages if I still needed those GPU (whatever they are) and inspect them carefully and if they are legit and I still need them , then I would contact the seller and arrange to pay them.   If they are garbage, I would email the seller to send a return shipping label within 2 weeks or the items will go into the trash.

[an-36344]

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@mynameislong wrote:

Now this evening, I received email notification that an Item has shipped. 

I view the order details of this shipped item.  In addition to the original purchase order, for the item that was never received, I see four  shipments. 

All shipments were created around 8:00am July 25th, all requiring a signature.  Each has a unique tracking number, but its for the same exact item.  Also, odd is that one of the shipping labels was created in a city 600 miles away from the seller's city.  One of those shipments is apparently on its way. 

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Your seller is hoping to trick you to sign for delivery

-- thinking they can get their money back from eBay with a proof of delivery

-- even though eBay has already taken your money back from the seller and refunded you.

Have you checked the tracking for the weight (if UPS or FedEx) or dimensions (FedEx shows dimensions)

-- to see if it could be the size and weight of a GPU @mynameislong or even a dead GPU?

[mynameislong · Accepted solution]

Thank you everyone for your insights, they have been helpful in expanding my perspective on selling and buying. 

As it turns out the tracking numbers show that the items that were shipped were delivered to different cities/states.  My guess is that the seller sold/sent items to other people but used my closed transaction to create the labels.  I suppose there can be a disconnect between eBay and the carrier, where eBay assumes that the address is that of the buyer for the transaction (a good assumption) and the address the seller decides to put on the label.

Anyways, I have no idea why the seller decided to do things this way. But, I am relieved that I have no further part in (fingers crossed) in their activities. 

Everyone provided very useful information with the limited and odd information provided. But I will mark this as the "Best Answer" to update everything, and close off this thread. 

[reallynicestamps]

One option @mynameislong is to leave them unclaimed, without signature, to be returned to sender.

BUT

If a buyer refuses or does not claim a shipment, eBay considers it Undeliverable, and does not require the seller to refund anything, not a penny.

I realize this does not affect this specific problem, but Buyers must be very careful about refusing shipments if they want a refund on unwanted purchases.

[xadexane]

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@reallynicestamps wrote:

One option @mynameislong is to leave them unclaimed, without signature, to be returned to sender.

BUT

If a buyer refuses or does not claim a shipment, eBay considers it Undeliverable, and does not require the seller to refund anything, not a penny.

I realize this does not affect this specific problem, but Buyers must be very careful about refusing shipments if they want a refund on unwanted purchases. 

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We was explained that the seller might trying to get a signature delivered,

1. in hopes that them might still get a refund from eBay,

2. even the buyer already gotten refund and the INR case was closed,

3. so leaving the signature unclaimed would be a wise plan to thwart the seller's plans.