International Buyer Received Different Item than what I sent

[thecarpmonger]

Hello. About a month ago, I sent out a box of 45 records to a buyer overseas. The buyer sent me a message this morning saying that they did not receive the records, but rather two pans. They also sent me some pictures of the outside of the box I sent and the pans inside, which I've added to the post. The package clearly looks like the one I sent. Additionally, according to eBay, the item is still in transit.

I'm very confused as to what to do next as this has never happened to me before. Should I contact my local post office or have the buyer contact theirs? Is this a potential scam? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

[crescentstation]

I had this happen once years ago on a UPS shipment. I shipped model cars and my customer received a box (not the same box) of sales brochures with my customs paperwork attached. I worked through UPS at my end to get my refund of over $1,500. So, I'd start at your Post Office and go from there. You should also have the Buyer send you photos of the outside of the box, in case there are any revealing markings. And, had the box been opened at the point your Buyer received it?

[nevermore_antiques_and_books]

Sounds like a scam to me, buyer probably took records out and put the pans in themself so they could take a picture as "proof"

[mebuck1234]

You shipped to Erlanger KY Did this get shipped through ebay GSP. I think they're responsible for this type of issue though I may be wrong.

[thecarpmonger]

Yeah, this was sent through the Global Shipping Program

[pink.fish.rule]

Then you need to call ebay NOW and tell the CSR this is a GSP shipment.

[bluelinemetalsllc]

I'm having a hard time believing that those two pans clanked around inside that large box and A. arrived intact (cast iron can indeed break) and B. didn't damage the inside of the box, which looks pretty pristine. Especially since this was sent overseas. My scam meter is going off. Not sure there is much you can do about though. 

[myangelandmyprincess]

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@bluelinemetalsllc wrote:

I'm having a hard time believing that those two pans clanked around inside that large box and A. arrived intact (cast iron can indeed break) and B. didn't damage the inside of the box, which looks pretty pristine. Especially since this was sent overseas. My scam meter is going off. Not sure there is much you can do about though. 

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At the very least it seems there should be apparent scratches on the cast iron. I store all mine on top of each other and they even scratch up like that without being transported in box for shipping... 

luckily since this is gsp the seller should be covered since they are only responsible for getting the item to Kentucky. Blues have stated that if the item is not what’s in the box they won’t forward it so it would need to have been records when they GSP got it.  The op needs to call and let them know to see if they can get this closed in their favor 

[pink.fish.rule]

Key words "should be" as long as the buyer doesn't file with PayPal and as long as the OP gets the CSR to undertstand this is a GSP issue not the seller's.

[myangelandmyprincess]

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@pink.fish.rule wrote:
Key words "should be" as long as the buyer doesn't file with PayPal and as long as the OP gets the CSR to undertstand this is a GSP issue not the seller's.

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Oh definitely.  ANd the seller is still supposed to be protected if the buyer files with PayPal but I have yet to see a seller confirm it happened for them.   Of course in this case the buyer would need to pay to ship back heavy cast iron so maybe filing with PayPal wouldn’t be worth it. 

[luckythewinner]

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@bluelinemetalsllc wrote:

I'm having a hard time believing that those two pans clanked around inside that large box and A. arrived intact (cast iron can indeed break) and B. didn't damage the inside of the box, which looks pretty pristine. Especially since this was sent overseas. My scam meter is going off. Not sure there is much you can do about though. 

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If I received pans instead of vinyl records, I would remove the packing material before I took the pictures in order to get a clear picture of the contents. So I would not assume the pans were "clanking around".

But that being said, I am equally torn between (a) my scam meter going off and (b) the possibility of GSP incompetence.

[tools*]

That's $50 worth of American-made cast iron ready for some tasty corn bread. Were the records worth that much?

(Looks like a GSP repackaging screw-up to me.)

[wint_5631]

I'm betting this is a GSP screw up.

[dtexley3]

DEFINATELY contact eBay and make sure to repeat "this order was shipped via GSP, please connect me with a GSP specialist".   It's either a GSP screwup or a fraudulant buyer, but GSP is responsible.  Notify the buyer the shipment was sent via GSP and GSP is reponsible for their issue and they should contact eBay regarding the GSP issue.

If they file on Paypal, it's still a GSP issue there, you need to again state "this order was shipped via GSP, please connect me with a GSP specialist" and Paypal is supposed to be responsible for working with the GSP partner on the issue.

[pjcdn2005]

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@myangelandmyprincess wrote:

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@pink.fish.rule wrote:
Key words "should be" as long as the buyer doesn't file with PayPal and as long as the OP gets the CSR to undertstand this is a GSP issue not the seller's.

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Oh definitely.  ANd the seller is still supposed to be protected if the buyer files with PayPal but I have yet to see a seller confirm it happened for them.   Of course in this case the buyer would need to pay to ship back heavy cast iron so maybe filing with PayPal wouldn’t be worth it. 

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It should work the same way whether filed with ebay or Paypal.  If it is deemed a gsp mistake, the buyer wouldn't have to ship back the item.  I agree though that filing a gsp claim through PP has been problematic lately.