Buyer bought 3 items, has filed 2 INR's, given me a Neg, on 3rd, but I can't refund?

[boston_music_collectables_etc]

Dec. 22, I saw that someone had bought ("BIN") 3 $200 items & paid for all 3 at once. It seemed odd to me, b/c 2 of the items were BIN or best offer, & I thought I had priced them somewhat high-ish.  And the buyer had no history of buying expensive items like these (French Christofle silver).

I mailed all 3 in the same package, as they paid for all 3 with the same paypal payment to get the combined shipping. But I mailed from the Post Office, & now can't find the receipt or tracking #.

Jan. 13, they give me a NEG. for one of the items--"did not receive!!!! please contact me asap" (always a good way to resolve a problem, not). Then they filed 2 INR's on the other 2 items, but not on the one they gave me a Neg. for (?). I was apologetic, & offered to refund. They don't seem to want a refund, just the items. We've gone back & forth with messages thru the resolution center several times.

However I have tried to refund them several times, but can't. Can't refund either of the cases thru the resolution center--it says to contact paypal. Paypal has put a hold on the $600 for the 3 items. I called paypal today--the guy didn't seem to know anything, but he kept trying to tell me there was only one case open on ebay for all 3 items.

I called ebay again today--I had called several days ago, & they told me to call paypal. Today the ebay rep. told me the only way to refund the buyer was to add funds to my paypal account, & refund the buyer thru "friends & family". That seems like one of the screwiest ideas I've ever heard.

OR: I can just let ebay resolve it in a day or 2 & refund the buyer from my paypal account (or can they, if there's a paypal hold on the $$?); in which case I'll get 2 or 3.............strikes? I can't remember the term, but she said they last for a year. Plus probably 2 more Negs. from the buyer.

I've been selling on ebay for 15 years, & have 706,  100% positive Feedbacks. It looks like my ability to sell on ebay is going to be trashed. Honestly, I'm so fed up with the stress of selling expensive items on ebay, I don't know if I care. Has anyone heard of this, not being able to refund the buyer?

Oh yeah, I googled the buyer, they are apparently a real estate rental agent with a lot of bad feedback on Zillow. FWIW.

[chrysylys]

You shipped a $600 order with no way to verify delivery?

[omegared718]

Another example of how clueless ebay CS are. Cant believe all the horror stories about their CS from here and how they are still in business.  You have no protection by sending anything with friends and family.   The use for the F&F is fees arent taken out of the amount that is sent. On the flip side its pretty much final and there are virtually no protections against fraud. You can do that then your buyer can make a claim and will get a double refund. I  would never send anything to a complete stranger using F&F.

[dtexley3]

You may be able to go the PO and get the tracking # based on the addresses.  Someone else said there was a way to do it on the USPS site.  The buyer may be trying to scam you because they saw that you did not enter the tracking information into eBay.  Otherwise with the tracking info you can file a lost package claim with USPS and get some money back from the insurance.

[boston_music_collectables_etc]

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@omegared718 wrote:

Another example of how clueless ebay CS are. Cant believe all the horror stories about their CS from here and how they are still in business.  You have no protection by sending anything with friends and family.   The use for the F&F is fees arent taken out of the amount that is sent. On the flip side its pretty much final and there are virtually no protections against fraud. You can do that then your buyer can make a claim and will get a double refund. I  would never send anything to a complete stranger using F&F.

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"You can do that then your buyer can make a claim and will get a double refund. I  would never send anything to a complete stranger using F&F."

That's what I think--it sounds nuts. BTW, if ebay settles these claims, they will take the $$ out of money the buyer paid to my paypal account, right? And not charge it to my credit card account I have on files for selling fees?

Also, how bad are these seller strikes that last for a year? That I'll get for not resolving the INR cases myself? (Which I can't do b/c I can't refund the buyer thru ebay)?

[dtexley3]

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@boston_music_collectables_etc wrote:

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Also, how bad are these seller strikes that last for a year? That I'll get for not resolving the INR cases myself? (Which I can't do b/c I can't refund the buyer thru ebay)?

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They are bad, if you are not going to try to get the tracking info, or if you are short on time, you need to call CS and state clearly that you are trying to refund a member on an Item Not Received claim and the system is not allowing it.  You may have to call several times before you get someone with a clue. DO NOT let these time out!

[doubledz-a2z]

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@chrysylys wrote:

You shipped a $600 order with no way to verify delivery?

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I thought tracking was automatic now.  OP can not find the receipt?  Something is not right here. 

Friends and Family would not be via an ebay purchase but then buyer would not be able to claim INR. Sounds like perhaps an off ebay sale?  Am I missing something here?   And ebay no longer allows buyer search to be seen unless it is via their feedback.

[doubledz-a2z]

And why is OP in such a hurry to refund $600?

[dtexley3]

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@doubledz-a2z wrote:

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@chrysylys wrote:

You shipped a $600 order with no way to verify delivery?

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I thought tracking was automatic now.  OP can not find the receipt?  Something is not right here. 

Friends and Family would not be via an ebay purchase but then buyer would not be able to claim INR. Sounds like perhaps an off ebay sale?  Am I missing something here?   And ebay no longer allows buyer search to be seen unless it is via their feedback.

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OP stated they bought the label at the post office.  They should have entered the tracking # manually but did not.  Now they have INR claims, coincidence?  I think not.

[lookng2015]

If you're pretty sure you still have the receipt 'somewhere" and didn't throw it away, I'd be turning the place upside down until I found it.

Oh, and did you purchase USPS insurance? And how did you pay for the postage/insurance?

[doubledz-a2z]

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@dtexley3 wrote:

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OP stated they bought the label at the post office.  They should have entered the tracking # manually but did not.  Now they have INR claims, coincidence?  I think not.

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There should still be tracking for the package.   She could revive it from the post office.  Too quick to want to refund so I still think an important piece is missing.

[creoleorchid]

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@doubledz-a2z wrote:
And why is OP in such a hurry to refund $600?

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My thought exactly. 

[200roses]

I am sorry, your situation looks dire, why don't you try the post office and check if you can regenerate the receipt . that might be easier if you paid with a credit card. give it a shot tomorrow. Let us know tomorrow how that worked out

[boston_music_collectables_etc]

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@200roses wrote:
I am sorry, your situation looks dire, why don't you try the post office and check if you can regenerate the receipt . that might be easier if you paid with a credit card. give it a shot tomorrow. Let us know tomorrow how that worked out

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No dice with getting any help from the P.O. And I didn't buy insurance. I admit all that is really lame, & not my usual practice. 99.9% of the time I print the labels thru paypal shipping, but my printer was down.

Amazingly, the buyer hasn't yet escalated. I called ebay CS today again & actually got a helpful human. However he also told me that told me "the only way for me to refund the buyer was to add funds to my paypal account, & refund the buyer thru "friends & family". Then he says the Hold on the $600+ $$ for the buyers items would be lifted. Would It? I'm already out the items, I don't want to be out an extra $600 of my own money.

OR: He suggested asking the buyer to drop the 2 cases. He said then the Paypal HOLD on the funds would be released (would it?), & I could refund the buyer. The buyer & I have been communicating well recently; they might (?) go for it.

As for people asking "why I'm in such a hurry" to refund the buyer: UUmmm.......it's been almost a month, I can't even prove I mailed the items, they've already given me one Neg. & opened 2 cases. The only alternative is to wait for the buyer to escalate; should I do that? I'm hoping to get out of this w/o getting 2 more Negs., or seller strikes.

[darlmontoy0]

Do NOT send the refund via friend and family