Buyer using a 3rd party in the states.

[loved.22]

I recently sold an item to someone I thought was in the states.  My delivery was not international.

60 days later I was contacted by the buyer stating there was a problem.  They claimed they had covid and just now opened the parcel????  There was a small problem and offered to remedy it but then I realized the buyer was in Russia and the reason they were just getting this was because they had used a third party to take delivery in the states.  I have know idea who handled my item for 60 days? They asked me for money, then more money???  I asked about the 3rd party and kept being told I was the problem.

Since then I have googled the address I shipped to :

There are several entries that come up identifying a foreign buyer using this address for many different orders that are shipped internationally.  Fraud is noted.

The buyer lied to me.  Broke the terms of our contract by using a 3rd party and then claimed they were not bound by the 30 day contracted return policy.

I am new to Ebay and I cannot believe that this continues since once I googled the address I saw clearly that this had been brought up to Ebay several times before.     I am posting this for anyone else that falls prey to this buyer and concerned that Ebay has not done anything to stop this behavior.

[nobody*s_perfect · Accepted solution]

"Broke the terms of our contract by using a 3rd party"

Yes, the buyer used a freight-forwarding service, but that did not break any terms of your contract.

But under eBay's buyer protection policy (AKA the "Money Back Guarantee"), a claim for item "not as described" must be filed within 30 days after the package was scanned as delivered, which in this case applies to the address in Delaware not in Russia. He can't file a valid claim any more which is why he's dealing with you directly.  I recommend that you just don't communicate with him any further.

[powell-memorabilia]

You admit that there was a problem - so you should make it right.  You were ready to be fair UNTIL you realized that the buyer is in Russia?

[laker-dynasty]

You're ignoring a couple of key factors here.

#1 the buyer used a freight forwarding system, which took 2 months to deliver.  

#2 Fraud had been found when researching this freight forwarder.

I don't know how this shook out a few years ago, but I side with the SELLER.  They put the package into the hands of a trusted postal service (USPS)....and wound up being put in a position, 2 months later to trust EVERYONE the freight forwarding company decided to use for delivery, overseas, over the span of those 2 months.  Most would and should have an issue with this.

I also believer your liability as a seller ends when a buyer uses a freight forward/ 3rd party shipper.  It brings in a middle man (vs. a trusted entity). Hope the seller won this claim.  

[ebooksdiva]

This is an ancient thread from 2021 

[kh-stanley1]

Hi everyone,

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

Thank you for understanding.