Another issue I need help with . . .

[shepar58]

I have an order I sent out.  I shipped to the Ebay given address. The package shows it is being returned to me as "no such address". I emailed the buyer and gave them the address provided by Ebay. The buyer replied the zip code is incorrect. So I say "Ok , I will ship with the corrected zip code as soon as it is returned to me." I went back to my shipping program and entered the address with the corrected zip code given by the buyer. The shipping program rejects the address zip code given by the buyer (15025) and automatically changes it to the address zip code (15237) code given by Ebay.  The 15237 zip code is for Pittsburg PA (the order city and state) the 15025 is for Clairton PA which is about a half hour from Pittsburg. 

I e-mailed the buyer to let them know I was having an issue with the address and asked them to send me the complete address and have not heard back from them.  On the other platforms I sell or on my website I would have cancelled the order due to the address difficulties but with Ebays metrics I am not sure how to handle it here on Ebay? 

Any help from the experienced Ebay sellers would be very appreciated. 

Thanks so much. 

[powell-collectibles]

If you are intent on shipping, the item to the address that the buyer provided to you – with the changed ZIP Code – first thing I would do is check to see if his address truly does belong to that new ZIP Code. Otherwise, you are just compounding the problem.

I’ve changed delivery addresses on eBay orders before – it is doable. But, I’ve never tried to change a ZIP Code. If I did, I just don’t recall. I’d think that is a seller protection feature, plus a buyer protection feature.

So, if you still want to go ahead, you would need to print the label elsewhere, or go into the post office to do it. If you do it at the post office, you lose that eBay discount.

If this is a relatively inexpensive item, and you want to go through the extra work, I’d say go ahead and ship it with the changed ZIP Code. An expensive item?  I wouldn’t do it.  Actually, I probably wouldn’t do it at all – I don’t wanna deal with having to print the label elsewhere, upload the tracking manually, etc. I would let the buyer know that it isn’t going to work, because he has a ZIP Code wrong in the system. Then, I would cancel because of a problem with the buyers address. Let him know that he’s free to purchase again, but you can’t ship it out unless he first fixes the address issue.

[stainlessenginecovers]

If you did not edit the original shipping label and purchased the label on ebay, you will be covered should the buyer file a Not Received case as it showed delivery was 'attempted. 

More than likely, it will then show 'delivered' even if it's to you and it will show the 'original city/zip' and the INR case would be closed in your favor.

You CAN cancel any future order from this buyer by simply using 'problem with address'

You can also 'block' the buyer from doing any future purchases by adding them to your 'blocked buyer list'. 

[shepar58]

I don't want to be mean to the buyer by blocking them but at the same time I don't want issues like this either. Do I cancel this order or try shipping with the un-accepted zip code? Since it is going to show that it was delivered back to me and a INR would be in my favor how do I make sure the buyer gets their money back? Is there a way to cancel the sale without hitting my metrics? I used shipping easy for the shipping on this package as I was having issues with the Ebay labels not scanning on pickup. It also makes it easier as it is the program I use on all orders. 

Also, is there any way to set Ebay sales to my shipping easy program so that they pull through automatically. All other sales  go to the shipping program automatically except Ebay?

USPS Tracking number 9434611206240495737463

Looks like it will be delivered back to me today so I really need to take care of this so the funds go back to buyer is needed. 

[broto_64]

I would google both the original address and the one with the new zip code and see what actually comes up.

[shepar58]

That is just it,  I did check and the zip code the buyer is giving does not belong to  the address given on the order. The address zip code on the order is the correct zip code for the address in Pittsburg PA? The same address also exist for the zip code given by the buyer but it is in Clairton PA. The address about a half hour apart? This is why I am not sure how to handle this? Should I try shipping to the zip code with the corrected city, or ship to the given address with the corrected zip code or not ship at all?  It is not a large sale on about 50.00 but still I don't want anyone to be out their money if they don't receive the item. I am just not sure what to do here or how this will effect my over-all selling metrics as I have only been selling maybe 3 weeks or so on Ebay. 

[klhmdg]

@shepar58  -

Because you offer "free shipping" you are out the cost of shipping and have to refund the whole amount.

eBay does NOT require you to refund at all since the buyer supplied an incorrect address.

Most sellers refund the cost of the item. Yours is more difficult because of the Free Shipping.

I would refund the buyer and add them to my blocked list, especially since you are taking a hit on the shipping. You dont want the buyer to do this to you many times and you lose $ every time.

[stainlessenginecovers]

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@shepar58 wrote:

I don't want to be mean to the buyer by blocking them but at the same time I don't want issues like this either. Do I cancel this order or try shipping with the un-accepted zip code? Since it is going to show that it was delivered back to me and a INR would be in my favor how do I make sure the buyer gets their money back? Is there a way to cancel the sale without hitting my metrics? I used shipping easy for the shipping on this package as I was having issues with the Ebay labels not scanning on pickup. It also makes it easier as it is the program I use on all orders. 

Also, is there any way to set Ebay sales to my shipping easy program so that they pull through automatically. All other sales  go to the shipping program automatically except Ebay?

USPS Tracking number 9434611206240495737463

Looks like it will be delivered back to me today so I really need to take care of this so the funds go back to buyer is needed. 

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1st; you cannot 'cancel' an order that you already shipped. 

2nd; you are not being 'mean'; you are running a business. 

Take that address with zip to the post office and find out what they can tell you; or go to usps website and attempt to purchase a label there using (but do NOT yet, proceed)

1.) the original address/zip

2.) the 'new' address with zip

and see what happens. 

If proven the buyer is the problem then:

Buyer should 'repurchase' the item because without it you cannot 'print' another label (you would have to purchase a label from another entity). You can create a listing with just the 'shipping cost' (and remember, ebay you 15% fee, so you should list for $11.50 if you need $10 to pay for shipping label, as example)

[broto_64]

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@shepar58 wrote:

That is just it,  I did check and the zip code the buyer is giving does not belong to  the address given on the order. The address zip code on the order is the correct zip code for the address in Pittsburg PA? The same address also exist for the zip code given by the buyer but it is in Clairton PA. The address about a half hour apart? This is why I am not sure how to handle this? Should I try shipping to the zip code with the corrected city, or ship to the given address with the corrected zip code or not ship at all?  It is not a large sale on about 50.00 but still I don't want anyone to be out their money if they don't receive the item. I am just not sure what to do here or how this will effect my over-all selling metrics as I have only been selling maybe 3 weeks or so on Ebay. 

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So there IS an address in Clairton that matches the zip code and you could ship to that?
Or it does not match?

[shepar58]

Losing the shipping cost is normal in this industry. I would not charge a buyer for the shipping on an item they did not receive regardless of who is at fault on the issue. Anytime I have had this issue in the past on other channels I issue a full refund if I cannot safely get the item to the buyer. To be honest, I think most of the time the mail is at fault, not the buyer or seller.  I don't know how to issue a refund on here? Nor do I know how it will effect selling metrics? As I said before I have only been selling on Ebay for about 3 weeks. Thought about it before but just never sold on Ebay. This is the second issue in 3 week I have come across and astonishingly it is the same item purchase. It is a discontinued item I have made 25 sales and out of the 25 the 2 sales that have an issue are for the same item that is discontinued. Crazy! I just need to either get this package to this buyer somehow or get their money back to them! As I said, any other channel (where a seller seems to have much more control of the sale) I would have just issued a refund on the sale after the zip codes did not match.  I am asking what to do in this situation so that I do not get metric'd and the buyer does not lose either? 

[shepar58]

Yes, there is a matching address in Clairton PA that matched that zip code but the buyer listed the address in Pittsburg PA which is an half hour from the Pittsburg addressed listed on the order. Same street name and house number in both cities. 

[redlinear]

If you shipped through eBay to the address provided, you are covered.
However, while trying to be nice....HOW did you change the zip code?  
If using eBay's shipping, you cannot change the zip code

[shepar58]

I do not use Ebay shipping as the labels were not scanning. I use shipping easy.   

The address in Clairton PA zip code 15025 given by the buyer is a million dollar home on Regency Street. Same street  - Regency St and zip code the buyer is providing but not the same city. 

The address given by Ebay is also on Regency Street in Pittsburg PA with the zip code provided by Ebay, 15237. 

I think I just figured it out. The house numbers are NOT the same. There is no 1447 on Regency Street in Pittsburg Pa which is the address and zip code given by Ebay. There IS the exact address in Clairton PA (a suburb of Pittsburg) with the zip code given by the buyer combined with the address given by Ebay.   I image the buyer  must have put Pittsburg as it is the surrounding city. So I guess I will re-ship the item to the Clairton address and hope for the best. If I lose the product it will not be the first time an item has been lost and I issue a refund to the buyer with the hope and prayers they don't neg me.   I just worry about reputation here on Ebay. The forum has me nervous on Ebay reputation and dings on metrics. lol 😁

Thanks everyone for your help. It is really nice to have others to turn to when your at a loss as what to do in a situation. You guys are awesome and I appreciate you very much! 😀

[stainlessenginecovers]

@shepar58 

Refunding is easy and does NOT effect your 'metrics'...

although still not sure why you would want to if you plan on shipping the item again.

Seller Hub

All Orders

Locate Order- far right, drop down click 'refund buyer' 

Use 'other' for reason and refund what you want. 

[powell-collectibles]

Yes, an order can be cancelled after it ships, even after it has received tracking updates.