eBay

threequarterperformance · ‎01-19-2019

So this is a first for me. After years of selling on eBay.

A few days ago I sold a very expensive jar of face cream to a buyer for $170.00. There were no messages, questions or best offers. It sold through buy it now. I shipped it the next day priority with signature confirmation.

24 hours later I get a message almost illegible and with bad spelling. The message reads more or less about the type of face cream I sold. I told the buyer that I had already shipped the item and it’s on it’s way. That they will receive the exact item in the photo.

Now im getting messages claiming it was falsely listed and that I didn’t type certain words into my listing title. So I respond saying that if it is indeed the wrong product at the fault of my own I will accept a free return. And off they go with nasty messages....

I head over to a PC to see this characters “feedback left for others” unfortunately the eBay app doesn’t allow viewing of this. I counted multiple negatives, strange positives that could be misconstrued as blaming other sellers for the death of her dog. There were a few false positives left by other sellers with power seller status, at their risk to basically warn others. Threats and supposedly the buyer called police. She claims many of her purchases are “counterfeit”

So here I am kicking myself. For not reviewing this feedback prior to shipping. If she is not scamming me I’m sure this will result in my first negative.

So she continues to message me and wants her money back NOW! She doesn’t want to have to go to the post office to return it when it arrives. So basically she’s requesting a refund before it gets there!

After seeing it tracked into Manhattan (I’m in Queens) I decided to go online and request the package get intercepted back. It qualified but hasn’t had any updates besides bouncing around to other distribution centers.

I wanted to be relieved that I avoided this nightmare but now I fear a failure through the interception.

My question to other sellers is - What is the success rate of intercepted packages? Has anyone used this last minute?

Will ebay be kind to possibly remove the negative coming my way?

I’ve lost sleep and extra money from this nightmare. My fear is that she will recieve it and either open it rendering it of no value or return a counterfeit item in its place. It’s marketed at a value of over $300.00.

escuintla · ‎01-19-2019

It all depends on where the package is. The bad thing is that priority mail sometimes is so effective that there's no time for recall.

But, the only time I called back an item, last year, I made it possible.

I sold an item worth $540 but after the bidding, the buyer asked me weird questions as method of payment, if he could pay via check, cash, etc. After a few calls to CS, out of nowhere I got a check. I cashed it, shipped the item right away, but23 days later my wife noticed a charge back on our bank account. He canceled the check.

So, in one of those events, after 2 days, the package was still, a miracle, in San Francisco going to Orange county. I live in San Jose. So, I paid the same amount that I paid to ship it to get it back. All in and all out $34 I lost in that adventure.

But I got it back.

check the tracking.

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If you haven't paid for your item, you're a winning bidder, not a buyer!
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ittybitnot · ‎01-19-2019

First, I would respectfully suggest that you don't conduct business on ebay with fear of negative feedback. Those red donuts don't count against your seller metrics anymore, so threats of negs sort of has "lost its punch" so to speak.

I have never recalled a package, so I don't know how it works. Why did you do this? Did the buyer actually file an ebay claim prior to the arrival of the merchandise?

Remember these words:

Dear buyer,

I am sorry your are not happy with your purchase. Please return for a full refund.

Sincerely,

You

turquoisetulips · ‎01-19-2019

@threequarterperformance wrote:
So this is a first for me. After years of selling on eBay.
A few days ago I sold a very expensive jar of face cream to a buyer for $170.00. There were no messages, questions or best offers. It sold through buy it now. I shipped it the next day priority with signature confirmation.
24 hours later I get a message almost illegible and with bad spelling. The message reads more or less about the type of face cream I sold. I told the buyer that I had already shipped the item and it’s on it’s way. That they will receive the exact item in the photo.
Now im getting messages claiming it was falsely listed and that I didn’t type certain words into my listing title. So I respond saying that if it is indeed the wrong product at the fault of my own I will accept a free return. And off they go with nasty messages....
I head over to a PC to see this characters “feedback left for others” unfortunately the eBay app doesn’t allow viewing of this. I counted multiple negatives, strange positives that could be misconstrued as blaming other sellers for the death of her dog. There were a few false positives left by other sellers with power seller status, at their risk to basically warn others. Threats and supposedly the buyer called police. She claims many of her purchases are “counterfeit”
So here I am kicking myself. For not reviewing this feedback prior to shipping. If she is not scamming me I’m sure this will result in my first negative.
So she continues to message me and wants her money back NOW! She doesn’t want to have to go to the post office to return it when it arrives. So basically she’s requesting a refund before it gets there!
After seeing it tracked into Manhattan (I’m in Queens) I decided to go online and request the package get intercepted back. It qualified but hasn’t had any updates besides bouncing around to other distribution centers.
I wanted to be relieved that I avoided this nightmare but now I fear a failure through the interception.
My question to other sellers is - What is the success rate of intercepted packages? Has anyone used this last minute?
Will ebay be kind to possibly remove the negative coming my way?
I’ve lost sleep and extra money from this nightmare. My fear is that she will recieve it and either open it rendering it of no value or return a counterfeit item in its place. It’s marketed at a value of over $300.00.

I've never had to recall a package and I don't think I ever will . If this were me I would have just allowed the order to be delivered as usual with the instructions to the buyer to simply return it unused for a full refund . The person you're dealing with doesn't sound like someone playing with a full deck . If she's using the excuse she doesn't want to go to the post office to pick it up ,, well that's just too bad . Never ever issue a refund unless you have the item back in your hands in its original condition. I wouldn't worry too much about getting a negative . Tulips

turquoisetulips · ‎01-19-2019

P.S . For a buyer to blame a e bay seller for the death of her dog is very peculiar . I don't think you'd have any problems getting a negative removed from this one . Tulips

a_c_green · ‎01-19-2019

Couple of things: first, you don't need Signature Confirmation on sales of less than $750; Delivery Confirmation gets you all the Seller protection you need against an INR dispute, and the extra hassle of having to sign for the item in person can be a pain for some buyers (especially those who don't read descriptions; I know you did state in the description that SigCon would be used).

Second, you don't get charged for the interception unless it is successful, and the cost can include Priority postage for it to be returned to you. It's not clear to me whether your package was actually intercepted or if it's still just bouncing around on its way to the buyer, but if later tracking indicates that it is indeed on its way back to you, great; just tell the buyer that you will refund as soon as it arrives.

I think this gets a little sticky here, because technically it was your idea to intercept it, not the buyer's, so if she decides to file an Item Not Received dispute in order to get her refund, she may win that, and you'd have to hope that the USPS holds up their end, and actually gets the item back to you at some point thereafter.

From what you say of her behavior and feedback left for others, she may make a career out of bullying sellers into refunds while keeping the merch. Your listing states No Returns, though that is not the same as No Refunds, and could cause you to lose the product as well as the payment for it if you don't request the item back first. Good luck, and keep us informed on your progress.

rainbowcolorz · ‎01-19-2019

@a_c_green wrote:

I think this gets a little sticky here, because technically it was your idea to intercept it, not the buyer's, so if she decides to file an Item Not Received dispute in order to get her refund, she may win that, and you'd have to hope that the USPS holds up their end, and actually gets the item back to you at some point thereafter.

From the OP's post about what her buyer demanded: "So she continues to message me and wants her money back NOW! She doesn’t want to have to go to the post office to return it when it arrives. So basically she’s requesting a refund before it gets there! "

If a buyer is demanding her money back before the item arrives and says she doesn't want to go to the P.O. to return it ..... isn't that more or less giving the seller the right to intercept the item??

I believe if I ever saw that message from a buyer, and I could do it, I'd intercept the package, to save her the trouble of having to sign for it and then go to the P.O. to return it, or refuse it or whatever.

ed8108 · ‎01-19-2019

Based upon buyer feedback left for others, & other information supplied, in my opinion ebay should seriously consider revoking her buying privileges.

rainbowcolorz · ‎01-19-2019

@ed8108 wrote:
Based upon buyer feedback left for others, & other information supplied, in my opinion ebay should seriously consider revoking her buying privileges.

Yep. That is definitely not someone I'd ever want buying from me. Even IF there's a remote possibility she will be happy with my item. Not worth the stress.

sam9876 · ‎01-19-2019

Why did you buy Signature Confirmation?

jennzet-0 · ‎01-19-2019

From the OP she is concerned the buyer is going to open it and then return it, making the product no longer sellable on ebay.

jennzet-0 · ‎01-19-2019

Yes, but what happens if the buyer opens it. How can the seller prove it. Ebay will make the OP refund no matter what comes back.

Since the buyer sounds a bit unhinged, for a $170 product I would also have tried to intercept it.

siayan · ‎01-19-2019

I would try to keep calm and not tell the buyer about the intercept. See what way it goes and go from there. If it gets returned to you I would call CS and they should see it your way. I would tell the buyer if she doesn't want it to not sign for it. If it get signed for it is anyone's guess which way this buyer will go but it will be wait and see.

____________________________________________________________________
Prov 20:14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

siayan · ‎01-19-2019

Also I would keep communication to a minimum. Just the facts.

____________________________________________________________________
Prov 20:14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

calntom · ‎01-19-2019

I hope your intercept works. If the package reaches this buyer, it will not end well for you.

Best of luck.

tunicaslot · ‎01-19-2019

Tagging - I see many new IDs on the boards - I think it reflects more on the volatility on these boards and regular posters are making new IDs to remain anonymous while still trying to help out the other Ebay sellers and buyers that come here with problems. It doesn't mean they are new to the boards.

Pertaining to the OP - I too would have intercepted the package especially due to the $$ amt and the fact that if the buyer opens it - it can no longer be resold. We never know a buyers ID with a Buy It Now to check their feedback until after the item sold - the only time checking feedback is helpful is when you are running an auction or have Best Offer on your listings. If someone with bad feedback does a Buy it now - you really don't have a choice but to mail the item. To cancel the transaction will get you a defect for OOS so you're in a Catch 22.

Keep all correspondence in Ebay messages - as stated - watch the tracking and see if indeed the package is being returned to you. I would definitely call Ebay and talk to a rep so they may read the messages and the feedback this buyer has left as with recalling the package - you may still have earned a defect - but maybe the rep will see the circumstances and head that off. Go back and definitely report the buyer thru the link so Ebay has knowledge of it since you can't see what a rep on the phone is writing about your conversation.

Come back and let us know how you made out in case we ever have a seller with a similar problem. And just because I'm curious how it will end!