Buyer put wrong address

[coloradodude]

this buyer messaged me after their item was tracked and delivered to the wrong address (but the address eBay supplied me and the address they had on file) and said “can you send me another one I put the wrong address” and opened an item not received case.

So now some funds are on hold and I’m probably going to get my first negative feedback too. This person is actually blaming me for them not having the right address. They didn’t contact me until after it was delivered!

I had 3 options to respond to the case, message buyer, refund buyer, and something else. None of them were favorable so I responded to the buyer through the eBay message thing. I’ve also been messaging the buyer. They messaged me and admitted immediately in the first two messages to me that they put their old address.

but they’re blaming me saying “I tried to cancel it ebay wouldn’t let me” yeah no way because it was already in the mail when you probably tried. They messaged me after it delivered. So I told them look you shouldn’t have opened a case against me when you made the mistake. I advised them to contact the new homeowners or their old leasing office and tell them they have a package there. I also told them it’s a federal crime to open someone else’s mail so if anything the item should come back to me.

But this person opened a case against me for their own mistake and is probably going to be my first (over 200 items sold) negative feedback. So not sure I’m feeling too hot about paying to ship to them a second time, especially since that won’t be tracked through eBay and may come back as sone mistake on my end when it wasn’t. 

is eBay going to side with me here? I mean I shipped to the address on file. They didn’t reach out to me until it delivered. They’re also asking me for another one and I told them I don’t have another hoodie and they asked me to just give them something. Like what? I did my part and shipped to your address. You should have updated it.

what do I do?

[iamalwaysright]

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@1786davycrockett wrote:

@coloradodude 

Keep in mind that the individuals who now live at the old address have NO obligation to return the item to you, although it would be nice if they did.

Unfortunately, there seems to be an increase in the number of people who have chosen to NOT return items which are shipped to them by accident:  they either keep the items, or dispose of them.

Years ago, I regularly was receiving returns from this type of "error" delivery; but not so much anymore.  Maybe folks were simply more honest then.

But you have no obligation to reship the item (or anything else!) to your buyer, unless your buyer makes an entirely new purchase. 

If the item is actually returned to you, I would refund the buyer for the purchase price, less the shipping charge, and the thirty cents fee which eBay hits us with on every sale -- eBay should refund you the final value fee, as well, after you refund the buyer.

Good luck.

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I think the final value fee is pro rated. You may still be charged eBay fees for the shipping amount you keep and don’t refund.

[reallynicestamps]

EBay should stand behind you in this.

The policy is that when a shipment is Undeliverable, the seller is not required to refund the buyer.

Nothing at all.

Nada.

Bupkiss.

Not even when the purchase is eventually returned-- and Return To Sender/Undeliverable  items are not a priority for any shipper.

Here is some further information I collected from other discussions, including a Response from an eBay rep.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy...

This is the part I'm referring to
 
Exclusions and special coverage when the buyer doesn't receive an item


Items collected by a third party on behalf of the buyer 
Not covered


The buyer arranged their own shipping method, such as a courier pickup 
Not covered


The buyer provided an invalid or incorrect address at checkout 
Not covered
I don't know how to do screenshots.  There is a LOT of information on that page.

 
An ethical seller would refund the payment, less shipping costs, eBay fees, and international payment processing fees.
But it's my belief that eBay will not require any refund.
 
Hi @femmefan1946! You're correct in that a refused package is on the buyer and not the sellers responsibility to refund. As long as tracking shows the package was refused, then we would side with a seller if the buyer opened an Item Not Received claim. 
 
I agree that I would not withhold all the money, but it is up to the seller if they would like to withhold shipping, refund the buyer entirely, or keep it all. If the seller is okay with refunding the buyer entirely and being out the shipping costs, then they can cancel the transaction using the buyer requested option since in essence, they did by refusing the package. If the seller wants to retain the shipping costs, then they can message the buyer a heads up (not a requirement but a nice thing to do) and then refund them partially through this flow here. 
Velvet,


[ladsm10]

I had an issue before where a buyer said wrong address but what I learned also some buyers use that excuse to see if you fall for it for they can get the item for free. 

[kh-shakhib]

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thank you for understanding.