Help! Miami Freight Forwarder says wrong item sent and returning different item

[modulok!]

This is a posting id.

Can anything be done about this or am I just ripped off? $100 action figure with $20 shipping. Item sent to a big freight forwarding company based in Miami that buys the item with their own account (over 38,000 feedbacks in last year) then sends to actual buyer. My item was delivered on 1/5/24 and today 1/17/24 I get a message from Ebay that a return has been automatically approved with the reason: wrong item sent. Attached to the return case is a photo of a completely different item (very cheap item and not the $100 item I sent).

My package weighed 4 pounds 3.2 ounces according to the post office receipt I received when I handed it to the postal clerk at the post office. The item they supposedly received could not have weighed more than 2 pounds total (packaging included).

1/3/24 Item shipped
1/5/24 Item delivered
1/17/24 Return automatically approved for wrong item sent

[mam98031]

If the return was automatically accepted, then you need to check your Site Preferences for returns.  You would have to have it set up to auto approve claims.  Fix that.

If the buyer sent you a pic of something you did not sell or ship, contact Ebay and let them know that right away.  Also tell them about the weight difference.  Get this on record and recorded with Ebay.

I would suggest that you contact Ebay for Business on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter for the better trained CSRs.

Here are your options for contacting Ebay Customer Service.  Please be aware that for social media CS, you send them a Private Message and briefly explain what your problem or issue is.  Feel free to leave your Name, address, phone number and/or your email address in this message.  It is private and secure and it may help to speed up the response for you.

https://twitter.com/askebay

https://www.facebook.com/eBay/

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

Your options will be on the left.  If you use the link below you can only get to the Automated Assistant or Chat box type AGENT in the box and hit enter. You will then get more options.  Not all options are available 24/7.  It will depend on staffing available.  So sometimes you can request a call back and sometimes you can't.  Sometimes you have the Chat option available and other times it won't me.  If it is important to you to use one of those options, just try back later.

If you use a cell phone or other mobile device, you may need to turn off your Spam filter so that Ebay can call you.

If you are a seller outside of the US or Canada, you will need to use the Chat Option.

https://www.ebay.com/help/home

[modulok!]

When I go into my account settings I see nothing in the return preferences that says anything about automatically accept returns.  Anybody know where this setting is?

[siliconalleyelectronics]

Returns that are INAD (item not as described) are automatically accepted regardless of your return preferences. If this forwarder were deliberately trying to steal from you, this wouldn't be the way to do it. Too many reports of misuse of the returns system will get your account banned. More than likely what has happened is someone working in the warehouse made a mistake at some point and this is the result, these things happen. Unfortunately your only real option is to contact them and try to work things out. Otherwise, the return will be delivered and the funds will be automatically removed from your account if you don't refund the balance yourself within 48 hours of delivery in accordance to eBay's policies on INAD returns. If you meet certain criteria such as being top rated and offering free 30 day returns you can also deduct up to 50% of the value from the return amount.

[dbfolks166mt]

     If the receiver actually paid you for the item then they are not a freight forwarder they are simply another seller filling orders. They purchased the item directly from you and you would have no idea where the end buyer was actually located. 

     What was the item number? Did you have it setup to "accept returns"? You need to add the buyer to your BBL there may not be much you can do in this case other than wait for the item to be returned and refund the buyer. 

[ittybitnot]

@modulok!  

Buyers that use freight forwarders forfeit the right to use the Money Back Guarantee. EBay, however, treats it like any other sale. There are added protections for sellers, but it is up to the seller to point out to eBay that a freight forwarder was used. So unless you know to speak up for yourself and who/where to contact eBay for help your situation will not improve. 

I don't think the shipping forwarder actually paid.  It is a buyer outside the US, that uses that address. Does the ID have feedback so you can see their country of registration? Are they still a registered user? If they are a ZERO feedback member use this link to find out:

https://pages.ebay.com/services/forum/feedback-login.html

Contact eBay through one of their social media platforms.

Here is just one of them. Use the blue message button at the top of the page:

https://www.facebook.com/eBayForBusiness

@mam98031  gave you links for two more in message #2, but you need only to use one of these. 

This leads to US reps that are actual employees of eBay, and more knowledgeable about this and do have the authority to help you. Explain you need help with a buyer who used a freight forwarder, and filed a possibly fraudulent claim.

Regular outsourced foreign call center agents you get in a call back or chat, have no authority for the most part, and you cannot rely on anything they say.

[mam98031]

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@modulok! wrote:

When I go into my account settings I see nothing in the return preferences that says anything about automatically accept returns.  Anybody know where this setting is?

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Site Preferences

Selling Preferences

and they Return Preferences on the right.

https://www.ebay.com/uas/selling-pref

[mam98031]

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@siliconalleyelectronics wrote:

Returns that are INAD (item not as described) are automatically accepted regardless of your return preferences. If this forwarder were deliberately trying to steal from you, this wouldn't be the way to do it. Too many reports of misuse of the returns system will get your account banned. More than likely what has happened is someone working in the warehouse made a mistake at some point and this is the result, these things happen. Unfortunately your only real option is to contact them and try to work things out. Otherwise, the return will be delivered and the funds will be automatically removed from your account if you don't refund the balance yourself within 48 hours of delivery in accordance to eBay's policies on INAD returns. If you meet certain criteria such as being top rated and offering free 30 day returns you can also deduct up to 50% of the value from the return amount.

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No they aren't, unless the seller sets up their return preferences to auto accept them.

Don't confuse the ability to open a Request for Return with the actual accepting of the claim by the seller.  Those are two different things.  Sure the buyer can open the Request for Return, then the seller should review it and either accept the return so the buyer can ship it back or send the buyer a message from within the Request if they have questions.

[femmefan1946]

Phone the company and ask if there has been an error.

This does not sound like a criminal fraud. Just a clerical error.

The weight should be the first clue to the clerk you talk too.

Don't do this instead of contacting eBay. Do both and make sure the forwarder understands that this is a problem to be solved not an accusation.

[mam98031]

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@dbfolks166mt wrote:

     If the receiver actually paid you for the item then they are not a freight forwarder they are simply another seller filling orders. They purchased the item directly from you and you would have no idea where the end buyer was actually located. 

     What was the item number? Did you have it setup to "accept returns"? You need to add the buyer to your BBL there may not be much you can do in this case other than wait for the item to be returned and refund the buyer. 

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Or they are a business that does the shopping and purchasing of an item that their customer hired them to buy for them.  I've had businesses like this purchase from me.  These types are typically not a Freight forwarder.

It is unlikely that the OP's buyer was committing Retail Arbitrage.  But I do suppose it is possible.

[mam98031]

"Buyers that use freight forwarders forfeit the right to use the Money Back Guarantee. "  Only after the item is actually shipped off to the buyer from the FF.

[mam98031]

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@femmefan1946 wrote:

Phone the company and ask if there has been an error.

This does not sound like a criminal fraud. Just a clerical error.

The weight should be the first clue to the clerk you talk too.

Don't do this instead of contacting eBay. Do both and make sure the forwarder understands that this is a problem to be solved not an accusation.

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I would suggest emailing them and ask if there has been an error so there is a record of what they say.  Phone calls can be tricky as there is no way to prove what the other party tells you much less what you said.

Well except the OP said the pic they sent with the claim was not what they sold them.

[dbfolks166mt]

@dbfolks166mt wrote:

     If the receiver actually paid you for the item then they are not a freight forwarder they are simply another seller filling orders. They purchased the item directly from you and you would have no idea where the end buyer was actually located. 

     What was the item number? Did you have it setup to "accept returns"? You need to add the buyer to your BBL there may not be much you can do in this case other than wait for the item to be returned and refund the buyer. 

Or they are a business that does the shopping and purchasing of an item that their customer hired them to buy for them.  I've had businesses like this purchase from me.  These types are typically not a Freight forwarder.

It is unlikely that the OP's buyer was committing Retail Arbitrage.  But I do suppose it is possible.

     Tend to agree but trying to figure out the OP's actual situation. Without knowing whether this is an actual freight forwarder situation or if it is something else it's difficult to provide suggestions/advice. 

[mam98031]

I agree with you.

[monster-deals]

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@dbfolks166mt wrote:

     If the receiver actually paid you for the item then they are not a freight forwarder they are simply another seller filling orders.

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You just described a freight forwarder.