eBay

bigdeals.etc · ‎10-25-2018

A buyer of mine bought an item on Sunday 10/21. It was shipped out on 10/22. On 10/24 the buyer files a SNAD return (Doesn't match description).

On the comment they said that when they were placing the order, they were shown an ETA of 10/26 and claims after they paid, the ETA got pushed to 10/30. They say that "new ETA" is after the day they need the item. But I checked the tracking in USPS.com and miraculously (I'm sure because of my quick shipping ) they show their estimated delivery date is 10/25, which is one day before the buyer's claimed initial ETA.

A few breakdowns here. Why are buyers able to file SNADs (or returns at all) before item scans as delivered? Did the ETA really get pushed back, or is this a classic case of buyer waited 2 business days before seeing/buying? If it did get pushed back, is this a result of some current hurricane? And if so, will I be protected from defects here?

myboardid · ‎10-25-2018

It doesn't matter to eBay why they are filing the SNAD, eBay will not change it or deny it, and you will have to accept the return. You don't get a defect for it, but you do still get it recorded as a SNAD return on your account, and too many of those will result in higher fees.

You should tell him that if he looks on his purchase details page, the ETA will still be the 26th, that when a person goes back to the original listing eBay will show them a new date based on the current time if they purchased then. Let them know that tracking shows an arrival time of 10/25.

However, all he is doing is setting up a free return for the item he is going to use for this party. I'm sure he planned to return it before he even bought it.

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Successful and experienced seller since 1997, over 70,000 feedback, boardie since the boards were begun.

ersatz_sobriquet · ‎10-25-2018

Ebay hasn't written stop programming for filing snads before arrival because sellers protections are at the bottom of their priority list. Wait...are we even on their priority list at all? Not really come to think of it.

I believe ebay's ETA programming is so seriously flawed that I have 4 day handling on my listings to make sure ebay can't force me into guarantteed delivery. I played with my handling time until that over optimistic delivery date disappeared from my listings.

helloandgoodmorning · ‎10-25-2018

@bigdeals.etc wrote:
Why are buyers able to file SNADs (or returns at all) before item scans as delivered?

Not all sellers ship with tracking, and even if there is tracking that doesn't mean it received a scan when it was delivered.

@bigdeals.etc wrote:
On the comment they said that when they were placing the order, they were shown an ETA of 10/26 and claims after they paid, the ETA got pushed to 10/30.

Did the ETA really get pushed back, or is this a classic case of buyer waited 2 business days before seeing/buying?

The buyer can see the original ETA on the order details page accessed from their purchase history. Clicking on the listing will show a different ETA based on purchasing today so a lot of times buyers think that means the ETA was pushed out even though the order details page shows it didn't move. I get buyers who are confused about that sometimes

@bigdeals.etc wrote:
If it did get pushed back, is this a result of some current hurricane? And if so, will I be protected from defects here?

If it was pushed back that's possible depending on where it traveled during shipment, but according to the dates provided it is on schedule for delivery today and wasn't pushed back at all.

Are you part of the Guaranteed Delivery program? Call CS and point out that the buyer filed a SNAD instead of a GD claim. I don't know if they'll do anything about it but I would give it a shot. Under GD you would be protected from a defect and negative feedback and eBay would cover the cost of the return shipping label.

If you're not part of GD then you'll have to suck it up like any other SNAD but you could report the buyer for misuse of the MBG. If the buyer's set on returning the item ask them to mark the package as refused so you don't have to worry about return shipping costs as long as it was sent USPS First Class or Priority.

Good night and good luck

myboardid · ‎10-25-2018

@helloandgoodmorning wrote:
If the buyer's set on returning the item ask them to mark the package as refused so you don't have to worry about return shipping costs as long as it was sent USPS First Class or Priority.

If you do that, it could be weeks before you get your pckage back. sometimes refusals never come back.

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Successful and experienced seller since 1997, over 70,000 feedback, boardie since the boards were begun.

lewisburggold · ‎10-25-2018

There is a lot of times that the buyer has the item before the scan registers to the tracking. Not saying this is the case but it does happen. Best regards

helloandgoodmorning · ‎10-25-2018

@myboardid wrote:
@helloandgoodmorning wrote:
If the buyer's set on returning the item ask them to mark the package as refused so you don't have to worry about return shipping costs as long as it was sent USPS First Class or Priority.
If you do that, it could be weeks before you get your pckage back. sometimes refusals never come back.

I guess I've been lucky then (knock wood).

Since it's on track to be delivered a day before the estimate and not a real SNAD the OP can always appeal to eBay after the item comes back and get a credit for the return ship cost.

Good night and good luck

penguins_dont_fly · ‎10-25-2018

@bigdeals.etc

Apropos of nothing ... just an observation ...

If you accepted the return immediately on 10/24 when they opened it ... The clock would be ticking on their deadline to use the return label (10/31 or 11/1 depending on the time) ...

penguins_dont_fly is a Volunteer Community Mentor
Buying and Selling since 2013

castlemagicmemories · ‎10-25-2018

Buyers are able to file SNADs before item is received as the description may be inaccurate and they have discovered that through zooming the pictures. They may not have noticed the issues if they were not stated in the description; but they may have noticed after the fact of buying in spite of non disclosure in the description.

However in your case it sounds as if the delivery date is a problem and the buyer is simply not sure they will receive the item in time.

Sorry you are in this situation.

monster-deals · ‎10-25-2018

@penguins_dont_fly wrote:
@bigdeals.etc

Apropos of nothing ... just an observation ...

If you accepted the return immediately on 10/24 when they opened it ... The clock would be ticking on their deadline to use the return label (10/31 or 11/1 depending on the time) ...

I've dodged a couple returns by doing that and calling and having it closed while still in transit.

Even when the rules are stacked against, you sometimes come out ahead by playing to the letter.

skatefool · ‎10-25-2018

How does a buyer physically inspect an item that hasn't yet arrived?

castlemagicmemories · ‎10-25-2018

@skatefool

@skatefool wrote:
How does a buyer physically inspect an item that hasn't yet arrived?

To repeat my previous post,

in reply to 10-25-2018 08:41:05 AM

Buyers are able to file SNADs before item is received as the description may be inaccurate and they have discovered that through zooming the pictures. They may not have noticed the issues if they were not stated in the description; but they may have noticed after the fact of buying in spite of non disclosure in the description.

Hope this helps!

castlemagicmemories · ‎10-25-2018

@skatefool

@skatefool wrote:
How does a buyer physically inspect an item that hasn't yet arrived?

To repeat my previous post,

in reply to 10-25-2018 08:41:05 AM

Buyers are able to file SNADs before item is received as the description may be inaccurate and they have discovered that through zooming the pictures. They may not have noticed the issues if they were not stated in the description; but they may have noticed after the fact of buying in spite of non disclosure in the description.

So in other words, they don't have to physically inspect the item as the damage may be seen in pictures, although hard to see, with no damage stated in the description, a true SNAD. You can say that this is the buyer's fault because they bought before noticing, but actually the seller is responsible for full disclosure of condition and flaws but that did not happen.

The OP has a different situation in that the buyer states they won't receive the item in time. Hope this helps!

missjen831 · ‎10-25-2018

@castlemagicmemories wrote:
@skatefool

@skatefool wrote:
How does a buyer physically inspect an item that hasn't yet arrived?
To repeat my previous post,

castlemagicmemories
Re: Buyer files SNAD before receiving the item
in reply to bigdeals.etc 10-25-2018 08:41:05 AM

Buyers are able to file SNADs before item is received as the description may be inaccurate and they have discovered that through zooming the pictures. They may not have noticed the issues if they were not stated in the description; but they may have noticed after the fact of buying in spite of non disclosure in the description.

Hope this helps!

Well the problem with this is that 1) the buyer should be doing their due diligence before they place a bid or commit to buy. Failure to do that doesn’t justify requesting a SNAD return before they’ve received the item. And 2) eBay doesn’t consider the sellers pictures as proof of anything so how can they allow a buyer to decide that an item is SNAD based on pictures and description only, before they’ve even received it? There’s really no defending this policy. eBay should not allow a return to be opened before the buyer has received the item unless they are going to start using an unbiased system, take the sellers pictures and item description into consideration and stop automatically siding with the buyer.

And by allowing this, they are kind of doing a disservice to the buyer don’t you think? The buyer is given 5 business days to ship the item back. Most buyers who request a return prematurely end up having the return closed against them when they fail to ship the item back in time.

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**Formerly known as MissJen316**

beardedbovine · ‎10-25-2018

@castlemagicmemories wrote:
Buyers are able to file SNADs before item is received as the description may be inaccurate and they have discovered that through zooming the pictures. They may not have noticed the issues if they were not stated in the description; but they may have noticed after the fact of buying in spite of non disclosure in the description.

I thought this was a joke until it was repeated - twice.

Photos don't mean that much and eBay would never set this policy because the buyer may re-examine photos while the item is in transit. There's no reason the buyer couldn't wait a couple of days and file once it's delivered.

The reason buyers can open before delivery was posted above - sometimes there isn't tracking to support delivery. I shipped an item this month that was never scanned after the initial acceptance but the buyer still received it. What if the item arrived and the package was the victim of a USPS forklife? Lack of a delivery scan shouldn't prevent that buyer from opening a claim and THAT's why the ability exists.