Frustrating lask of "Help"

[highlander639]

I am becoming more, and more frustrated with the lack of help for sellers on this platform. I have been a seller here for over 20 years, and I have been pushed to the brink. I am the point I am considering looking for another site, as the current situation is just beyond belief.

I have been buying out retiring watchmakers for decades, and selling on EBay. The MAJORITY of my items for sale is unique. MOST are used watchmaker tools, in a wide variety of conditions, so I politely ask buyers to LOOK at all the pictures, AND ask questions BEFORE bidding which works most of the time... BUT... not always.

The current issue is with a tool that the buyer declares id unusable due to wear. He sends me pictures of the tool showing the area of concern... THE SAME AREA PICTURED IN THE LISTING as proof of his concern. Because I am tired of fighting with EBay over the occasional return on a NO RETURN AUCTION, I decide to accept the return because I don't need the drama... and guess where I am?

After sending the label, the customer sends the item and a few days later I receive a notification that the item has been delivered, and to refund the customer.... guess what??? The item has NOT been delivered... AS THE TRACKING IN THEIR EMAIL SHOWS! So here is the fun part... I try to call customer service... the computer asks what my problem is... then tells me I can get an answer on line... THEN HANGS UP! I try a second time saying "AGENT" about a dozen times before it HANGS UP AGAIN. NOW I try the chat to get to a warm body... NOPE!

I understand that EBAY does not give a S**T about me as a small seller with only 200-250 listings a month, but this is insane! I have until tomorrow to refund, on an item that I have NOT seen yet, or EBay will TAKE MY MONEY, and then CALL IT A DEFECT when they should used the TRACKING NUMBER instead of their guess as to when the item has ACTUALLY been returned.

Advise?

[ittybitnot]

After sending the label, the customer sends the item and a few days later I receive a notification that the item has been delivered, and to refund the customer.... guess what??? The item has NOT been delivered... AS THE TRACKING IN THEIR EMAIL SHOWS! 

@highlander639 

Who is the carrier for the return?  USPS? FedEx? etc.?  

What to you mean "tracking as their email shows"?  Whose email?  eBay message?  Information in the case?  

Is this an expensive item?  If so: 

TO WHAT CITY/STATE did you ship this product? 


Basically, your first step is to determine if the "return" was indeed intended for you in the first place, or it was simply misdelivered.  A buyer does not have to use the label that you provided, or they can use it and simply tweak the addresses to send it to any old address in  your Zip Code instead to you to satisfy the eBay bot program the return has been made. 

Let us know more, and we can direct you to the best next steps.  

[highlander639]

The carrier, and label that I provided are USPS. The Email telling me to refund, shows the USPS tracking number as a link that shows it being delayed. it was only a $50 sale, so I accepted the return to avoid this drama... OOPS!

It was originally sent to St Paul, MN where the USPS is showing delays due to weather.

What is REALLY FRUSTRATING is the fact that I'm not sure that even GOD himself could get someone on the phone to help, and that the loyalty EBay shows to sellers is virtually  ZERO!

[pls-consignments]

Possibly a glitch, which isn't the first time, nor will it be the last. However, since the item is in the carrier's hands heading back to you, you can at least get your item back, or reimbursed by USPS for a lost package. Your frustration is clearly with eBay CS.... and all we can tell you is... get in line. It is eBay's front line to administer damage control and prevent loss.

Therefore, reaching an understanding and reasonable human will be difficult, like most other publicly-owned companies. You need to lower your bar of expectations as compared to 20 yrs ago.   BTW, if you do get through to an agent, don't expect a resolution as long as your item is still in transit. 

[gurlcat]

Believe it or not, you will get much better help by contacting eBay via social media, manned by English-fluent American employees with more access and power than the overseas phone reps.  Go to the link below, and click the blue 'Message' button.  State your username and the item number, then describe the situation brieflly.  Don't include how frustrated you are, how you couldn't reach anyone by phone, how many years you've been a seller, etc.  Just say you're being promted to issue a refund on a supposedly delivered return, but that you haven't received the package and even the tracking in the return file shows the item is still in transit.  They will be able to look up the details and either override the prompt or explain to you why the package is now considered 'delivered.'

 
Don't wait one more minute to do this, do it NOW.  It can take hours or sometimes even a day or more to get a response, and you have only one day.

https://www.facebook.com/ebay 

[12345jamesstamps]

I would just do the refund and chalk it up as a bad sale and block the buyer.

Understandable, there is a lack of customer service as do other companies have the 'same policy'.

Item not received...not sure why it matters item not received yet...what if it is a rock?...eBay will still give the refund to the buyer. Doesn't matter when or what is returned...it's usually going to be a refund.

Would I let another bad sale keep me from selling items? Nope.

[adamcartwright]

@gurlcat @highlander639 

eBay's X account -- Ask eBay -- responds quickly.

Just DM that you're a seller with an issue, and they'll respond to have you verify your account before discussing particulars.

[fbusoni]

@highlander639 

I had this exact issue a few weeks ago with a returned book.  

The return scan was done at the post office, and then it took 48 hours for the book to be put in my mailbox.

I trusted the system and refunded once I got the message (two days before the book was in my hands), assuming that there would be a slight delay.

Even still, I believe you have a few days from receipt of that email to actually process a refund.  Has that time elapsed for you?

[evelyb30]

The OP's main mistake was trying to call customer service.  Phone "help" isn't and doesn't.   The script kiddies in the Philippines or whatever can only work from what they're given, and say whatever to get you off of the phone.  I don't have an X account (and never will) but the faster they get to a US-based CS rep the better.  

[highlander639]

I have one more day.

My problem is that EBay thinks it's acceptable to not be able to get ANY HELP AS A SELLER!

[ittybitnot]

and that the loyalty EBay shows to sellers is virtually  ZERO!

@highlander639 

Here are the choices for actual seller help: 

https://www.facebook.com/eBay/ (use the blue message button)

OR one of these:

https://www.instagram.com/ebayforsellers/

https://x.com/askebay

It is unfortunate that the tracking says both "delivered" AND "still in transit".   I don't know how long it has been, but eBay will tell you sometimes to refund "since you should have gotten it by now"  even with no tracking movement or delivery scan.  All a buyer has to do is put it in the mail and get an acceptance scan to prove they sent it back. 

I would still be paying a visit to my local Post Office, and have someone in charge take a look at the tracking associated with this return.  I had one the other day that showed "delivered" in Wisconsin two days before my buyer even paid for the product.  She lived in TN, and that is where I sent the merchandise.  My local postmaster could see on the USPS Intranet that indeed the parcel was delivered to TN that morning, and if I ran into any "drama" she would be glad to give me a letter/documentation attesting to the TN delivery.
USPS is known to recycle tracking numbers, but NOT a week later.   I was glad I no longer sell on eBay. 

[profitweb]

Thanks! All good tips.

[profitweb]

I would NOT refund until it is returned. Is it at least in transit?!

Try emailing customerhelp@ebay.com 

Be sure to include:
- ORDER #
- Return ID
- Return Tracking #

If the return shipment's tracking number is on the eBay Return Request, I wouldn't worry. When it gets to the day when "ask eBay to step in", they will see the return hasn't been delivered yet.

If the tracking # IS NOT on the RETURN REQUEST, next time make sure it is.

I suggest ALWAYS using eBay's return request system and provide the return label through that. It's the only defense against unfair feedback (to get it removed), ability to report buyers who abuse returns, and OFFICIAL return shipment tracking. Before I learned that, I couldn't get unfair feedback removed by eBay. And, if you refund on time, you will not get any defects put on your account, against  you.

I pay $350/month membership just for eBay's concierge support. They pickup the phone and respond to emails. 50% of the time they don't take the time to investigate and I have to craft an email with hyperlinks to the item #'s I previously provided, which I find frustrating at $350/month and the 20 minutes of service I ask for. It should be standard service for all sellers.

I feel your pain

[profitweb]

I wonder why they just don't use these forums instead of being on social media.

It would be more useful here, to search and find (so we wouldn't need to get answers directly, could reference others).

[gurlcat]

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@highlander639 wrote:

I have one more day.

My problem is that EBay thinks it's acceptable to not be able to get ANY HELP AS A SELLER!

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Have you posted your situation to the Facebook or other social media message board yet?