How to handle buyer that first said did not receive and now says "parts" missing

[noelani]

I sold a Samsung Galaxy phone on July 26 and mailed it immediately after payment received.  Tracking show it was delivered on July 30 and "left with individual".  On August 15 buyer sent message that he had not received package.  I looked up the address and it is one of those mail service places.  I sent him an email and politely asked if he had checked with the people that run the service to see what happened and inquired why he had waited two weeks to pick up the package as he had told me it was for a gift and had requested that I not include an invoice?  Now he has requested a refund stating that it is "missing parts".  I am guessing that he never found what happened to phone and is lying about there being missing parts.  Any suggestions as to how to respond?  Thanks!

[ittybitnot]

If your buyer has entered an ebay "request", you need to respond in the resolution center.  Accept the return, and have ebay send a shipping label.  If you don't do this,  ebay is going to take over. They have the option of refunding the buyer (from your proceeds) and letting the buyer keep the item. 

Of course, there is no guarantee you will get your item back, but they only have to show "delivery" of something (anything)  to your zipcode.  Was the address you sent it to a "freight forwarder" by any chance?  That may explain the delay in the user filing the claim. 

If something else is "not right" with this, you will notice a tracking number entered that is NOT the ebay label given to the buyer for the return. 

[mtgraves7984]

If your buyer has opened a Return citing 'Not As Described', your best option is to approve the Return and send a return shipping label. When it comes back to you, refund the buyer. Sorry this happened to you. 

[fashunu4eeuh]

If the buyer had the package forwarded to him at an alternate address, then he loses his buyer protection as soon as the package left the service place. And regardless, since the package has tracking showing delivery, he becomes ineligible to file an Item Not Received case anyway. So he may be hoping to get a free item by going the other route, to a Not As Described claim, which he is ineligible for if the package was forwarded. Has he officially opened a NAD case? Did he open it on eBay or PayPal? Just need a little more info.

[noelani]

I don't think he has filed a NAD, just requested a refund.  In the message from eBay where the reason for return is it says "missing parts or pieces" but there is also the note form buyer that says "I didn't get the item from I ordered it" ???  I was sort of uncomfortable from the beginning as buyer only had 16 feedback.  He asked a lot of questions that would have been answered by reading the description of the phone.  Then he stated phone was for a gift and asked that I not include an invoice.  When he waited two weeks to contact me about not receiving phone I thought it odd since it was supposedly a gift.  The address had the number 39-91525 after the street name so I thought it might be a large condo or apartment complex, but when I looked it up on line it is one of those mailbox places.  Tracking info show package was delivered and "left with individual".  I suggested that he ask the people in charge about the package who might have accepted the package.  His answer to me on August 15 was "I couldn't accept it but am still waiting and making still trying to find out what happened".  Now after another two weeks he has filed a claim with eBay stating the phone was "missing pieces or parts".  I think it is likely that since he did not try to pick up the package for two weeks that it sort of "walked away".  Now he is trying to get a refund for a phone that was actually delivered so he can't claim he didn't receive it.  It bothers me that I will have to send him a label that he probably won't use.

[noelani]

You got me thinking with your comment about forwarding!  I went back and looked at the address again on google maps and I think it is a forwarding service.  Right on the back of a van in the picture of the business it says they forward to Jamaica!  That explains why his command of English is a bit off and why he did not want an invoice!  I am going to call eBay customer service and see if they can help.  $40 is not a huge deal but I hate being taken.

[ittybitnot]

  In the message from eBay where the reason for return is it says "missing parts or pieces" but there is also the note form buyer that says "I didn't get the item from I ordered it" ???  I

"Missing parts or pieces" is an item not described claim.  What the buyer writes in the comments does not matter, and will not be considered as evidence of anything by eBay anymore.  He could write I have three pet elephants, and a broken foot and it will never be read.  Accept the return, and send the label. 

and I think it is a forwarding service.,,,

Used to be that shipping to a forwarding service voided the buyer money back guarantee for items not as described.  That is no longer the case.  You need to provide proof to ebay that the parcel was actually forwarded and the freight forwarder will not give you that information.  eBay has stated that simply using a freight forwarder address does not indicate the item was actually sent someplace else.  After all (eBay spin) the buyer could be an employee there, and ordered it for himself,  OR  the buyer just has his stuff sent there and will pick it up in person.  

The only redeeming feature of a SNAD claim to a forwarder address is that you only need to front the label to the domestic address of the forwarder.  It is up to the buyer to return it to you.  They have been given extended times now, so don't expect anything to happen in a hurry. 

Though shipping to freight forwarders is not in and of itself a really bad thing, the services have been getting a bad rep of late with criminals that use the service.  Understand, that it is not just international buyers that are the crooks here.  It can happen with domestic sales as well. 

Typically, a below board "buyer" using a forwarder will just buy a cheap trinket online in the US and have it sent to an address in your zipcode.  Libraries and KFC restaurants are popular destinations.  The ebay label will not be used, but any D/confirmation is A OK with ebay. This satisfies the "return delivery confirmation" requirement by for the buyer's  case.   You will have to provide proof of this event by documentation by the USPS that the item was not delivered to your address.   That documentation may or not be easily obtained either, and will depend on your local P.O. 

Again, accept the return, have ebay send the label, and sit back and wait. 
Good luck, and let us know how it goes. 

[aldente28]

Technically, the buyer requested a return, not a refund. Since it is an INAD return, you have two options:

(a) Accept the return and refund as appropriate when you receive it, or

(b) deny the return, in which case ebay will refund the buyer (with your money) and allow them to keep the item.

I recommend option a.

Also reading ebay's Money Back Guarantee.

[fashunu4eeuh]

.

[noelani]

Thanks for the info.  I will send the label and see what happens!  

[fashunu4eeuh]

Hi @ittybitnot 

The Money Back Guarantee policy on the eBay USA site still lists forwarded packages as ineligible for the benefit. Has eBay changed the practice to accept forwarded packages into the MBG, but failed to update the policy? It wouldn't be the first time, but it certainly creates unnecessary confusion.

@noelani please accept my apologies for the outdated advice. I defer to @ittybitnot. Forwarded packages are apparently now eligible for the Money Back Guarantee.

[ittybitnot]

 Forwarded packages are apparently now eligible for the Money Back Guarantee.

Not necessarily "eligible"  or not for the MBG, but the use of a forwarder address alone does not negate eligibility, even though circumstances/timelines make it obvious to all (except eBay CS) . Apparently, eBay has put the responsibility on the seller to PROVE the parcel was actually forwarded, which the forwarding company won't provide.  

Sellers are now told to send the return label (to the forwarder address) for a SNAD claim.   At least it is better than the GSP where the seller must front the money for return postage from "somehereistan"....

@fashunu4eeuh 

[dhbookds]

The trick on "the send the label" is that the label will be "from" the forwarder address (where you sent it)..........NOT from the recipient address and if that is in some other country.......they won't be able to use it..........  you won't be charged for the label if it's not used..........

[noelani]

Update--The plot thickens!  After sending the shipping label I did receive a reply from buyer in response to my email questioning him about what was "missing" from the phone.  His reply was "There's no option that I can select that I never receive it cause all now I haven't and I been calling and no one can give me an answer".  To me that seems that he is admitting he filed a false claim?  

[dhbookds]

to me it sounds like a new/non English speaking buyer........where is he registered?  (go to his feedback page)........