eBay

thecarpmonger · ‎01-03-2020

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.

chapeau-noir · ‎01-03-2020

Those are some nice pans.

“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.”
— Alice Walker

#freedomtoread
#readbannedbooks

ittybitnot · ‎01-03-2020

It's either a GSP screwup or a fraudulant buyer, but GSP is responsible

Technically speaking, the GSP is NOT responsible for SNAD claims other than "INR" or "Damaged in Shipment".
The "wrong item sent" SNAD in this case is going to be an interesting game for the seller to keep from being thrown under the eBay bus.

moondogblues · ‎01-03-2020

They are nice pans, and not cheap ones either.

moondogblues · ‎01-03-2020

Wouldn't this qualify as INR? The buyer didn't get the records.

wint_5631 · ‎01-03-2020

No because they did get something

chapeau-noir · ‎01-03-2020

I'd bet my jalapeno cornbread made in those nifty pans that GSP screwed up in repacking - one of the biggest reasons I won't use the program (of course the buyer would remove the bubble wrap in order to show what they got). I'd wonder where the original order went.

“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.”
— Alice Walker

#freedomtoread
#readbannedbooks

thecarpmonger · ‎01-04-2020

Just a quick update for everyone. I messaged the buyer and they provided better pictures of the box they received. It was definitely the box I sent out, but it appears to have been repackaged at some point. I told the buyer to get in contact with ebay and see what can be done. I called ebay myself, but when I asked to speak to a GSP specialist they redirected me to Pitney Bowes. They also suggested that the buyer should open a claim, but I'm confused as to how exactly the blame for this problem can be placed upon the GSP if the buyer opens a claim through ebay.

ittybitnot · ‎01-04-2020

They also suggested that the buyer should open a claim, but I'm confused as to how exactly the blame for this problem can be placed upon the GSP if the buyer opens a claim through ebay.

From my observation, when the buyer files a claim, it is going to 'end up in your lap' . Even after all these years neither eBay nor PayPal can, or will initally acknowledge, the transaction involved the GSP. You will have to get on the phone and try to convince someone that it was a GSP sale.

In addition, the GSP only covers INR and damaged in shipment claims. This SNAD "wrong item sent" may be an additional problem for you. Let us know how this turns out.

coco9619 · ‎01-04-2020

@thecarpmonger wrote:
Just a quick update for everyone. I messaged the buyer and they provided better pictures of the box they received. It was definitely the box I sent out, but it appears to have been repackaged at some point.

[eBay] also suggested that the buyer should open a claim, but I'm confused as to how exactly the blame for this problem can be placed upon the GSP if the buyer opens a claim through ebay.

GSP adds a sticker @thecarpmonger to alert that it opened and resealed your package. So if there's no sticker, it likely was not repackaged.

But it does happen, and @Anonymous has said in "eBay Global Shipping Center shippped [sic] my buyer the wrong item !!!" for example:

@Anonymous wrote:

[I] can confirm that once the buyer has opened a Return Request
the seller can ask eBay to step in to make a decision immediately
for a swapped item like this and we will be able to get the case closed without any harm to the seller's account. It is always clear that an item was shipped via the Global Shipping Program and any damage, loss or mixups would be covered by our third party program. I'm going to get this case reviewed for appropriate action immediately! While these situations are very rare, in the future don't hesitate to reach out to customer service yourself to have this reviewed should you run into a similar issue again.

We have no bahamas today.

myangelandmyprincess · ‎01-04-2020

When I had one of these that was what had to happen. The buyer opened a request and I called eBay they closed it in my favor but issued the buyer a refund from them through that process

“Birth certificates show that you were born. Death certificates show that you died. Photographs show that you have lived.” -Unknown

gramophone-georg · ‎01-04-2020

@thecarpmonger wrote:
Just a quick update for everyone. I messaged the buyer and they provided better pictures of the box they received. It was definitely the box I sent out, but it appears to have been repackaged at some point. I told the buyer to get in contact with ebay and see what can be done. I called ebay myself, but when I asked to speak to a GSP specialist they redirected me to Pitney Bowes. They also suggested that the buyer should open a claim, but I'm confused as to how exactly the blame for this problem can be placed upon the GSP if the buyer opens a claim through ebay.

I see that the original label to KY was Media Mail, correct for sound recordings. The weight of the package should be quite different too.

Hope eBay takes care of this for you... knowing eBay, it will be a battle no matter what "policy" says.

"We have no idea what you sent to KY."... yeah, you do, look at the original MEDIA MAIL label that I purchased through YOU and compare the weights...🙄

Chaos is NOT an "industry standard".

Anonymous · ‎01-06-2020

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.

Hi @thecarpmonger, we protect you when your buyer receives a completely different item through the Global Shipping Program. Your buyer just needs to open a return request and then either you or they could contact Customer Service to have action taken on the case right away. Our third party shipper would refund he buyer and you would be protected from any negative impact to your selling account.

coffeebean832 · ‎01-06-2020

@Anonymous wrote:
...and you would be protected from any negative impact to your selling account.

Including removing the mark from the seller's service metrics for the SNAD claim?

lagarto_electronico · ‎01-08-2020

"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.)"

A scammer wouldn't have to go out and buy $50 worth of pans if they already owned the pans. Such a scam wouldn't involve actually mailing their own property back overseas. It would only require photos to fool eBay to get money back.

For all we know the same buyer bought $50 worth of pans from a different seller and sent them a picture of that box open with collectable records inside of it.

thecarpmonger · ‎01-10-2020

Hey everybody! I just wanted to provide a final update on the situation. The buyer opened a return request for the item a couple of days ago. I then called up customer service and told them that the mishap must've happened during the global shipping process and that I should be protected against refunding the buyer. They then told me they would sent the return request to eBay Germany (as this is where the buyer is based) for further evaluation.

Received an email this morning from eBay Germany detailing that the mishap did indeed happen during the global shipping process and that "eBay will therefore refund the buyer the full purchase price as well as the original shipping costs. This refund will come directly from [them] and is not at [my] expense."

In short, everything worked out fine! I want to thank everyone who provided help, including those who posted the witty banter!