INAD return, partial tracking, wrong return address

[buqs8847]

I bought a brand new figure from an ebay seller for $470usd(price will be relevant soon), when it arrived the head was displaced inside the box and had damage all over it so I requested a return using the item not as described reason.
Everything was going smoothly, the seller gave me an address and asked for the cheapest possible shipping stating "they had to cover the round trip cost and cover repairs for the damaged item", and also they asked me to write "low value import" on the item(which I assumed they wanted because it was now a damaged item and hence worth less). So I met all their directions, and sent the return back in the morning.

Go forward a couple hours and the seller starts blowing up my inbox telling me they sent me the wrong return address, and asking me to try intercept the package to which I oblige and spend an hour on the phone with the post office and of course they couldn't intercept it. This is where ebay themself gets involved, acknowledges that the return address the seller messaged me conflicted with their address on file and tells me that as long as tracking says delivered to the address the seller provided me I will get my refund.

So yesterday I look at the tracking and the item has arrived in their country...Except underneath that it says "this is only a partially tracked item, you will recieve no more tracking updates". I messaged ebay with this info and the lady who replied said that since there is development in the tracking info in the last 7 days she has put the case on hold for 10days to allow for the off chance that the item somehow ends up with usps who might commence tracking apparently.

The ebay lady said at the end of her message "after the 10 day hold expires and if there is no update on the tracking, we escalate the case based on the information available. Rest assured I left sufficient documentation in your account regarding this transaction.".

None of this would be happening if it were not for the sellers mistakes, the seller is a business so I assumed he would know what he was doing and how to handle a simple return, I followed literally everything the seller asked me to do. I REALLY wanted him to get his item back. Also the seller went from being extremely communicative to instantly ghosting me when ebay staff got involved.

Where do I stand? Is my refund 100% gone? Thank you.

[buqs8847]

Also the only reason the item is not fully tracked is because of the shipping method the seller requested, and they gave me the wrong address so they cannot even manually confirm when the item arrives because it is arriving to some random dude in America....

[12345jamesstamps]

The return address usually is on the package and in the sale of the item on eBay and that is the address you would use. I don't know what address was used but not using the correct address and sending it to anyone really doesn't help for a refund.

I think it is the buyer's mistake not matching the address with the item purchased on eBay and even just looking at the package that has an address which you received is on the package.

I also find it rather strange buying something so expensive from another country as a new buyer on eBay.

Sellers do not answer emails every day...so I wouldn't say the seller ghosted you.

Some sellers are off on Saturdays-Sundays...you mention a "business"...so sending an email on a late Friday or early Monday will likely not get a reply as well.

Customer service can't do anything other than talk. They cannot do this or that. 

[buqs8847]

The return address on the package was some weird address with no complex/street number etc. The post lady told me she could not use it to return the item so I had to ask the seller directly for an address and they gave me one. Ebay has proof of all of this in the message logs between the seller and I. The item was a rare figure that I could not get anywhere else.

The address I sent the item back to was them literally saying "This is my warehouse, send the item back to this address" etc.

And the seller went from constantly messaging me to not replying for 2 days.

[12345jamesstamps]

Is this a freight forwarding package to you?....and then sent back to the warehouse before the seller's address?

Google the address(s) to see if one is a commercial building and the other one is maybe the business address.

[titipeo]

Have you google both addresses, what does it say?

Separately, I don't want to get your hopes up, but eBay customer service reps have been known to tell you what you want to hear to get you of the phone. Make sure that every communication you have with them always indicate the message exchange between seller/buyer and that seller was the one providing the return address. 

[buqs8847]

Nah they just made a mistake. I just looked up the "warehouse" and it was just some random house.

Bottom line is I asked the seller for a return address, they gave me one, and I used it.

[buqs8847]

If a seller sent you an address and said "this is my warehouse, return the item to this address" most people would probably trust that the seller wasn't sending them a completely wrong address. Ebay can see this message exchange and know what I say is true.

Ebay has even acknowledged to me that the seller messed up there.

I followed the instructions the seller sent me exactly... How is that my fault

[titipeo]

I didn't say it was your fault, please re-read my comment, I said that eBay customer service reps are known to tell you what you want to hear in order to apeace you and get you off the phone and move on to the next person. 

[bonjourami]

Did you open an actual item not as described case?

[buqs8847]

Yes I did.

[buqs8847]

Sorry, you misunderstood. The "how is that my fault" was directed at 12345jamesstamps comment saying I was to blame for not matching the addresses. I read that its quite common for the bigger Chinese sellers to have a Chinese address where they operate from and an American address they use for returns etc. I just assumed this must be one of those sellers.

[robbie31415]

I Personally do not return to the address on the label.

Nor do I return to an address messaged to me.

Ebay provides the return address when you file a return.

All cases go based on that address.  now you can argue they sent to an address messaged, but its extra work.

Always go based on what eBay has in the system.

[zgnisaer · Accepted solution]

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@buqs8847 wrote:

The return was accepted and since it was a INAD case the seller had to pay for the return shipping and they got to choose the shipping method etc.

However 2 days ago I got a message on the tracking saying "this is not a fully tracked parcel, this will be the last tracking update you receive."

This was due to the fact that the seller opted for the cheapest possible shipping they could and marked my expensive item as a "low value import". 

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You will still get a full refund @buqs8847 even if the horribly disfigured wrecking furball never arrives back at the seller's fake return address. 

But you may have to learn that to eBay with a private message here, as regular CS don't know how eBay works.

[buqs8847]

Thank you so much. The information you provided helped me solve this case.