INR case, tracking shows delivered - Money on hold for 4-5 Business Days??

[nuclearomen]

I had a buyer open a INR case yesterday. This buyer purchased the same item twice, one one day another the following day. Both items were sent via USPS Priority Mail and shows as delivered (first package on 12th, 2nd package on the 14th). Buyer also left feedback for the item opened INR case on as "A+ Seller".... 

On the case, buyer says they received one but not the other, they were away, further, say they "don't think they got the other" - again, tracking shows as delivered. I enter the tracking into the case, and explain tracking shows delivered for the item case opened + the 2nd item with tracking # in the comments. These kind of claims were always an open and shut case, tracking shows delivered, case closed in seller favor.  

I call ebay and they tell me case can't close, even though they agree ebay will hold my money for 4-5 biz days for the case to close. Kinda absurd for INR case where the tracking is proof buyer received the item(s). 

tyler@ebay  velvet@ebay  why exactly can ebay not close this case and they hold my money for 4-5 days + another day to re-process those funds + another day to be paid out = A week - for a INR case where the tracking clearly shows as delivered + buyer feedback. 

I wrote in the case to buyer that tracking shows and they acknowledged tracking shows delivered and that my obligation was completed. Their issue is with USPS and possible mail theft in which they need to file a report with USPS and their local police dept  if in fact they didn't get packages/mail that was delivered while they were away. 

[mo2g2gs]

Same here, ebay still holding my money,  I shipped an item that was delivered 7 days early 3000+miles away. Buyer opened an INR case DEMANDING A REFUND, I replied with all tracking information(delivered 9/3 at the mailbox on the front porch, it was large and heavy) including this: USPS Carriers use a handheld Mobile Delivery Device (MDD) to scan and transmit package tracking data. MDDs use a cellular network and Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to obtain real-time delivery tracking and location information.

Buyers final response: The package has finally arrived today  thanks 

Yet, ebay is still holding my funds?????

[coffeebean832]

@nuclearomen A buyer filed an INR over the weekend claiming their mail carrier "LIED" about delivering it. The package was delivered over a week ago. eBay said I have until Sept 11th to resolve. Over the weekend I uploaded tracking and added a comment through the request.

Because Monday was a holiday, the third business day is Thursday the 9th, and the fourth business day when I can supposedly escalate is Friday the 10th. The case still says I need to resolve by the 11th.

I'll keep you posted- I know you're on the edge of your seat.

[nuclearomen]

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@coffeebean832 wrote:

@nuclearomen A buyer filed an INR over the weekend claiming their mail carrier "LIED" about delivering it. The package was delivered over a week ago. eBay said I have until Sept 11th to resolve. Over the weekend I uploaded tracking and added a comment through the request.

Because Monday was a holiday, the third business day is Thursday the 9th, and the fourth business day when I can supposedly escalate is Friday the 10th. The case still says I need to resolve by the 11th.

I'll keep you posted- I know you're on the edge of your seat.

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yes, because of the time when buyer opens INR case will determine how long ebay keeps your money for something that should be closed immediately. Mine was opened on a Friday, so I in total had to wait 6 days...for nothing, it was closed and my money returned. 

Buyer can say anything, but fact remains tracking confirms delivery and sellers obligation was completed. It's up to the buyer to file claim of theft with USPS and Police Dept.   

[coffeebean832]

@nuclearomen- Well I'm not going to find out how it would have turned out with the whole- escalate on the 10th even though eBay says resolve by the 11th. The buyer found the package in the bushes and closed the INR.

Interesting that the new timelines were not announced in the Fall Seller Update released today.

[nuclearomen]

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@coffeebean832 wrote:

@nuclearomen- Well I'm not going to find out how it would have turned out with the whole- escalate on the 10th even though eBay says resolve by the 11th. The buyer found the package in the bushes and closed the INR.

Interesting that the new timelines were not announced in the Fall Seller Update released today.

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Oh, found in the "bushes" huh...lol, SURE it was

...Fall update released today? I haven't been paying attention to announcements or anything else, sales are slow lately so I've been more less not doing anything. 

[imapaqrat]

I was told the same thing from eBay Customer support. They elaborated that eBay found buyers felt slighted when their INR case were close in only a day.  So eBay waits the 4 to 5 business days to placate the buyer.

So eBay wins, at the expense of seller's fund being on hold for 4 to 5 business days. Mine happened on a Friday, so my funds were on hold for almost a week, then I had to wait a day for the funds to transfer, then wait another weekend for the funds to hit my bank account. Almost 10 days, my funds on hold, when I did everything right as the seller.  There has to be a better way!!

I told the customer support person that eBay needs to change the system so the funds can be release once eBay knows the seller isn't at fault; then eBay can wait as long as they want to close the case in the seller's favor.

Of course there is no incentive for eBay to do that, since they get to keep the seller's  money for free.

[imapaqrat]

Anybody find it at all strange that back when PayPal was holding the funds, eBay would close the case right away if tracking showed delivered.

Now the eBay holds the funds and they have a financial incentive to keep those funds, they've decided to wait 3 to 4 business days.

I guess it's not strange . . . more like an obvious money grab. I guess taking away eBay bucks wasn't enough.

[nuclearomen]

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@imapaqrat wrote:

I was told the same thing from eBay Customer support. They elaborated that eBay found buyers felt slighted when their INR case were close in only a day.  So eBay waits the 4 to 5 business days to placate the buyer.

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the reason is that they placed INR where tracking confirms delivery into the same system process as a INR where tracking confirms item was not delivered - leaving the case open for 4-5 biz days for seller/buyer to try and reach a resolve before ebay is asked to step in. This can easily be changed for the system to allow case to be closed when tracking is confirmed item delivered. 

[5190dorothea]

YOU MUST ADD THE TRACKING NUMBER

[nuclearomen]

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@5190dorothea wrote:

YOU MUST ADD THE TRACKING NUMBER

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 lol, yeah, did that. This case was resolved, ebay returned the money to me and case closed, but as mentioned through this thread, there is not way for the case to close, must wait 4-5 biz days for the system to allow it to be closed. 

[simply-the-best-for-you]

I realize this is an old thread, but Khoros, please don't close as I am a Community Mentor & this is still totally valid & was a surprise to me, when I ran into it this week.   I think we need to spread the word on this, so here's my experience from this week in Oct 2022.   I really want to point out that as @nuclearomen  & @coffeebean832  asked about, you MUST now CALL or ESCALATE to have an INR case closed or else it will take 30 days.  I WAS aware that there was a new routine (IDK that it's even policy as I couldn't find it in the help pages) that it now takes a few days to close the case, not immediately, but I had no idea *I* had to do something to make it happen.  I assumed that right after my "Respond By" date, it would happen automatically.  It does NOT. 

IDK how this thread & info escaped me, but it did until this week when I had an INR (opened POST delivery scan).  Here's the timeline:  

10/2 - INR case opened.  Buyer mentions the Delivery Scan but sez she did not receive pkg.   Just a note that there's no question buyer is telling the truth, she's a regular & in fact, had another order 1 day later, which she DID receive & noted that in the case, so no one is trying to scam here. 

10/2 - I upload tracking showing Delivery Scan & that is entered into the case.  

10/7 - is my respond by date.   

10/11 - " Respond By" date is long gone & nothing has happened.   I had to post to find out why they hadn't closed it.   I WAS aware that we now had to wait a few days, that they no longer closed the cases immediately, but I was NOT aware that I had to escalate or call to get it closed.  

@wastingtime101  was so helpful to point me to this thread & I called & got it closed.  Oddly, after I got of the phone with them, I immediately got an email that the funds were put on HOLD, which was very odd, as they hadn't been put on hold back on 10/2.  Then a few minutes later, an email that the case was closed in my favor.  No email that the funds had been released, but when I looked at my Payments page, it had been released.  

Seems like a lot of rigamarole to go through for something that used to close immediately when there was a Delivered Scan.  If I hadn't escalated, it would have taken 30 days to close (according to the published info).  Until I read here, I was hesitant to call b/c escalation = bad, I always thought.  It's been drilled into my head as a seller, to never escalate a case LOL.  

All's well that ends well, except the buyer still doesn't have her pkg & I wasted time & effort making phone calls for something that should have been a slam dunk.  

[nuclearomen]

@simply-the-best-for-you 

the case I had the buyer closed few hours later, but when I called ebay they just said "no need to worry, your protected, tracking shows delivered and we'll close the case out in your favor in a few days (i don't remember the time they said, 72 hrs or something like that). Never said I had to call back to get it closed... but then you wind up calling them anyways usually. 

For INR where item was actually not received, such as still in transit, idk what they do, use to be they extended time to seller but now have no idea. But having INR opened before seller send it etc... it dumb. 

Side note, when a buyer says INR, and you call USPS have a case opened...another option is to contact the local post office item delivered through, give them tracking, they can tell you exactly where the package was scanned via their GPS - I just had them do it yesterday for a package my wife said came for her but wasn't anywhere in sight...called the office here, they told me exactly where and what time the package was scanned even told me what my yard looks like. Turns out the package was picked up by her son...it was his, my wife thought it was her amazon order ...lol... but learned something - didn't know USPS scanners had GPS on them and that data is stored for every scan they make. If buyer says they didn't get package, you have that GPS looked up and tell you exactly where package was scanned "delivered"

[kh-vince]

Hi everyone,

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

Thank you for understanding.