Buyer ‘forgot’ to change address when they moved

[meeshespieces]

Hello All, This is my first issue. I’ve been a seller for over two years now. I have a buyer who messaged me after her items had been shipped saying that she forgot to change her address when she moved, but hoped her package would be forwarded. Sold 8/24/23, received msg 9/2/23. 
I sent her all the tracking information & told her to let me know if I could help. 
Fast forward to 9/14/23, I received the package back & messaged her for her new address. See pics for details, She either doesn’t see or ignores my messages and creates a case with USPS. After I told her I had her package. 9/21/23, she asks for help again, I respond asking for new address, no response! Today, she asks AGAIN, for help. I responded again, and sent her screenshots of the previous messages.

 I’m at a loss. I don’t have the money to return her items, but I am willing to reship them. 
I need suggestions. Am I responsible for the cost or is she? What do I do with this.. it’s driving me nuts lol 

please help 😅

[robbie31415]

You should never cancel a shipped transaction.

If it gets delivered, it doesn't matter if they open a paypal or CC dispute. They are protected by seller protection.

[femmefan1946]

You are right.

The cancellation would be AFTER getting the returned parcel, and checking for any damage in transit.

Might even be worth photographing the returned parcel before opening it. (Photograph the contents if you like, but those could have been switched between  arrival and photography, and so meaningless.)

And if it does get delivered, the tracking should show that ,which protects the seller  from INR claims.

[stephenmorgan]

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@femmefan1946 wrote:

@soh.maryl It may be different in the USA, but Canada Post will not forward parcels even when the customer has paid for a Change of Address service, which costs $30 for three months.

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$30, wow!  It is like $1.10 in the US if you do it online.  In person at the USPS I do not think they charge anything.

[robbie31415]

No you never cancel period.

You partial refund minus original shipping and return shipping if applicable.

There is no reason to cancel the transaction after costs were paid to ship it.

Ebay has protected me on this.

[meeshespieces]

I was thinking she may be up to something, so I checked her feedback & it was all positive, surprisingly! 
However, at this point, she’s not getting anything from me. 
She also gave me an email that doesn’t work, so I’m done! 
Blocking is my best bet I guess. 

[meeshespieces]

So happy it worked out for you! 

She says she can’t read any of my messages and gave me an email that doesn’t work either, so I think I will just refund my earnings on the order and block her. It’s ridiculous at this point.

[meeshespieces]

The tracking still shows ‘in transit’

It does state that the mail forward was expired and ‘return to sender processed’ on Sept. 9th! It’s October 1st! That was the last tracking update.

9/3 Arrival at Unit

9/5 Out for delivery 6:10 am

9/5 Forward Expired

9/9 Return to sender processed

that’s it..

I received it back on.. the 14th I think.

[meeshespieces]

Maybe I will record a video!

[meeshespieces]

Unfortunately I can’t get your link to work, but I’ll check into the policy again.

 Thank you : )

[janet9988 · Accepted solution]

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@itsjustasprain wrote:

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@4pawsup* wrote:

@soh.maryl  Hello 

I do not want to give you bad information but i know there are certain things that the USPS will not forward.

I will check to see what that is and get back to you. Unless someone out there knows already.

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I think this question has already been handled anyway - but I can add from recent experience in my selling account that an Ebay package I shipped to a buyer address (not a freight forwarder) did get forwarded to another address for delivery. Apparently the buyer did have a forwarding order in effect.

If you have a free Informed Delivery account with the USPS I believe you can set up a forwarding order on-line. Not sure of the details for that but its definitely quicker than filling out a paper form at the post office.

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You will lose an item not received claim if the package is NOT delivered to the address shown on the order  details page.  Always write Do Not Forward on packages.

[meeshespieces]

Well shoot. I guess I’ll have to refund her. I’m definitely going to record the opening of the package to make sure there aren’t any hi jinx 

I appreciate your time and effort, helping me with this issue! 

[a_c_green]

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@janet9988 wrote:

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@itsjustasprain wrote:

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@4pawsup* wrote:

@soh.maryl  Hello 

I do not want to give you bad information but i know there are certain things that the USPS will not forward.

I will check to see what that is and get back to you. Unless someone out there knows already.

---

I think this question has already been handled anyway - but I can add from recent experience in my selling account that an Ebay package I shipped to a buyer address (not a freight forwarder) did get forwarded to another address for delivery. Apparently the buyer did have a forwarding order in effect.

If you have a free Informed Delivery account with the USPS I believe you can set up a forwarding order on-line. Not sure of the details for that but its definitely quicker than filling out a paper form at the post office.

---

You will lose an item not received claim if the package is NOT delivered to the address shown on the order  details page.  Always write Do Not Forward on packages.

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A package that has been forwarded from the original delivery address is not eligible for an INR refund.

[janet9988]

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@a_c_green wrote:

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@janet9988 wrote:

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@itsjustasprain wrote:

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@4pawsup* wrote:

@soh.maryl  Hello 

I do not want to give you bad information but i know there are certain things that the USPS will not forward.

I will check to see what that is and get back to you. Unless someone out there knows already.

---

I think this question has already been handled anyway - but I can add from recent experience in my selling account that an Ebay package I shipped to a buyer address (not a freight forwarder) did get forwarded to another address for delivery. Apparently the buyer did have a forwarding order in effect.

If you have a free Informed Delivery account with the USPS I believe you can set up a forwarding order on-line. Not sure of the details for that but its definitely quicker than filling out a paper form at the post office.

---

You will lose an item not received claim if the package is NOT delivered to the address shown on the order  details page.  Always write Do Not Forward on packages.

---

A package that has been forwarded from the original delivery address is not eligible for an INR refund.

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It will not show delivered to thew order details page if forwarded.

  A buyer using 3rd party shipping DOES show delivered to the 3rd party site on the order details page.

Then THAT party ships with a different tracking number.

It is 2 different things.

AND if I am wrong then EBAY needs to update their page.

[albertabrightalberta]

@janet9988 

This is a case in which the buyer provided an invalid (obsolete) address. The buyer no longer lives at the address so the seller is protected in this case.

Tracking even refers to the expired forwarding order. Forwarding orders are valid for 1 year so it's been a while since the buyer moved and should have updated her address.

If I were @meeshespieces , I'd refund the amount of the purchase price. If it was free shipping, deduct the shipping cost from the refund as well as FVF. 

[meeshespieces]

Thank you. I think I will be refunding the item amount- (purchase price minus fees & shipping). 

She had the chance during checkout to update her address and didn’t. 
Plus if forwarding lasts a year, that’s MORE than enough time to update your shipping address. 

I don’t like that I have to refund her anything, but I’d rather not have a case open with eBay and have to pay back shipping or whatever else..

If it were my fault, I would’ve already processed a refund, but she has ignored my attempts to help her receive her items!

it all seems a bit odd to be honest.

she can’t even provide an accurate email address!