Package returning to seller after only one attempted delivery and refusing to help,new type of scam?

[ann-iaco]

On the last day of 2022, i've ordered an item from a german seller that was supposed to arrive the 9th of this month.
Having a very busy schedule, i made sure that i was available for that day, however the package was still in travel so there was no delivery during that time.
Later on, i checked ebay's inwebsite tracking method and it showed me that there was a delivery attempt the 11th, however i was not in home that day and there was no notice in my post box about the failed delivery attemped but i wasn't worried at first since it said "a new delivery will take place".

Fast forward to today and almost a week has passed but ebay has given me no updates on the delivery, so i took the shipping code and used one of those tracking websites to see that the package was actually going backwards, returning to the seller for some reason.
That's when i got worried so i sent earlier today a message to the seller asking in the most polite way why the package was going back to him and how i could get help to have the item i had paid for.

A few minutes pass and i put his response in the translator to see what has been probably the shortest yet most shocking response i have received so far in all of these years on ebay:
"I am not your contact person I do not deliver the parcel if you are not at home that is hardly my problem"
I have still not replied to him as this has left me speechless.

Now, his disinterest combined with the fact that the item was "no refunds accepted" plus delivered by DHL who from what i understood will not return the package back to sender unless the sender himself has specified so, has brought me to think that i've fallen in what seems to be a thought out scam.
Soon he will probably receive the package back to his adress but i will still be short of almost 100 euros.

What is the best course of action to take here? I think that by this point the seller will definitely not be cooperative if i ask for another shipping or will try to ask for money outside of ebay, which brings me to think of asking for a refund as the only possible way for me to at least not be scammed of my money but i do not know how to proceed.
Any ebay expert here that can suggest me how to handle this as safely as possible?

[soh.maryl]

Not an eBay expert by far, but I believe I'd start with contacting the carrier for an explanation.

The seller may truly believe the issue is with the carrier.  That doesn't mean rudeness is acceptable, however.  

BTW, that "no refunds accepted" on the seller's part has no standing in the face of eBay's Money Back Guarantee.  Have you read it?  

[ann-iaco]

I have sent a message to DHL's customer service as they are the ones who have handled the shipping and are sending the package back, i have asked them why that is happening and if there is anything i can do to have the package be delivered to me or, if my best option here is to just ask for a refund on Ebay.

Also thanks for reminding me about that not being taken in consideration when applying the eBay Money Back Guarantee policy, i had almost forgotten since it's been a very long time since i've last had problems with the delivery of an item, at least i can say that im definitely a little less worried now.

Though i still have to consider that the more time goes on, the more difficult it becomes to solve the issue in general wether it be getting the item or the money back, so i do hope that i receive a reply from DHL as soon as possible to make things easier in the case my only option is to refund.

[fab_finds4u]

You knew an attempted delivery had been made yet you waited almost a week expecting what?  You  didn't need a notice since you knew the package had arrived by the tracking and a delivery attempt had been made.

Do you know MBG doesn't cover a failed delivery attempt?  You should have called FedEx on the 11th and arranged another delivery, or went to FedEx and picked up your package.

Everything the seller said to you was true. Some people don't  sugar coat the facts. That's  not being rude. It's  not their fault the package was being returned.

Sorry, but I don't  sugar coat the truth as I see it, either, so I guess  you will say I'm rude, too.

[lamber9347]

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@ann-iaco wrote:

<snip> plus delivered by DHL who from what i understood will not return the package back to sender unless the sender himself has specified so, has brought me to think that i've fallen in what seems to be a thought out scam. <snip>

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Where did you read this policy from?

[fab_finds4u]

I meant DHL.  Should have called the carrier when you saw they attempted delivery.

[ann-iaco]

I don't think you are rude however i was not aware that leaving any sort of information was not common place as every single time i was not able to be home to get the package, i've always received some sort of information about its status wether it be a paper notice directly in the box, an email or a phone call/sms.
The only information that confirmed there being a failed delivery attempt was the shipping status that can be check on ebay, which as i said stopped updating the 11th but showed the text "a new delivery attempt will be made", there was nothing indicating that the package was gonna go back to the seller.

Is this the standard? Then why was it not stated anywhere, i had imagined that the package would've been sent to to the nearest postal center, as that's what had happened with all packages i had received prior.
(Which had clearly not happened as even though i had checked only later on, the shipping service's had clearly shown that the item was going back to the seller the day right after the failed delivery, giving me no time at all to rectify especially considering that as i said i had received no notification of this happening anywhere and the ebay inwebsite tracking stating literally the opposite saying that there was gonna be a second delivery attempt.)

To reply also to lamber, what made me think that the seller was trying to scam me is the fact that the DHL website states that the sender can give instructions on what will happen to the parcel, if the delivery attempt fails:
"By means of sender instructions, the sender can specify what should happen to the shipment if it cannot be delivered to the recipient"

Now i understand if the shipping is not covered by Ebay's Money Back Guarantee, however there is undeniable proof that the item has returned to the seller (even if it was stated nowhere that it would've been sent back to him),
so am i just supposed to also let him keep the money?
There's no other solution?

[fab_finds4u]

Yeah, I want to see where DHL says that.

Their website says "Not Home? We'll be back!"

"DHL will automatically return the next working day."

[lamber9347 · Accepted solution]

@ann-iaco Let me begin with this- I am completely on your side and feel badly that you have lost your money. I sympathize with you greatly. That said, many of your expectations are incorrect.

This is a platform for putting sellers and buyers together, that's all. They have nothing to do with shipping or delivery of the item, so eBay has nothing further to do with this. The item delivery failed (for whatever reason) and the seller cannot be forced to reimburse you. That's how online purchasing from an individual can work sometimes. On top of this the seller is in another country, so you cannot pursue anything legal in our courts against them. 

That statement you are reading from the DHL website has nothing to do with scamming. A person shipping an item needs to indicate if the recipient cannot be delivered to, what happens to the package. Some people may opt to have it destroyed, not everything shipped is an expensive eBay item. Perhaps there is another cost if returned to sender. Giving that option to the sender doesn't automatically indicate what you are interpreting it to. 

Online purchasing will continue to increase for everyone, so use this as a lesson for future purchases, whether you do so on this platform or elsewhere online. You are always taking a chance that a delivery may not come through, so ordering from another country is more of a risk than ordering from your neighboring state. Best of luck to you....

[ann-iaco]

I see, i understand, i will be more cautious next time.
How do i close this issue to mark it as solved?

[lamber9347]

A moderator will come along to close this since you are requesting it. 

I also wanted to say that you should consider writing the seller another message. Explain that you did your best to be home and there was only one attempt by DHL for delivery. You could have easily been in the bathroom and don't need another excuse. The seller may sympathize with you and give you a partial refund. Offer the seller to deduct all shipping expenses and fees, and just give you back the remainder. You don't know unless you ask, and here is where a short kindly written message will benefit you. Best of luck to you....

[monster-deals]

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@ann-iaco wrote:

"I am not your contact person I do not deliver the parcel if you are not at home that is hardly my problem"

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They are correct.

[fab_finds4u]

Check the tracking and when it shows delivered back to the seller you can ask the seller to refund minus shipping because the shipping money was spent or ask them to resend it and be prepared to pay shipping.

If that doesn't  work you might try disputing the charge with your payment method.