mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999
I know that sellers like to re-enter that tracking number on an INR and it is often the advice you get on these threads, but it is not and has not been necessary if the tracking had already been uploaded to that transaction previously.
Also while some sellers would tell you that since the tracking shows Delivered, it is game over for the buyer. They can't win. That is not necessarily true. Ebay allows buyers with tracking showing delivered to open an INR for a reason.
Now I know you and I've always known you to be an honest and good seller. But there are others out there that aren't. I've had it happen to me where the seller shipped a little something to another address in my zip code and then attached that tracking number to my order. I of course never got whatever it was they shipped nor did I ever receive what I ordered. This particular seller clearly was unaware that I understand how the system works. I contacted the carrier. Not only was the package that was shipped by them about 35 lbs lighter than what I ordered, the carrier gave me info as to where it actually shipped to. I used that info to WIN the INR I filed against the seller.
With that said, the inability to enter the tracking number is new. I don't know anything about them changing that.
Can one of you help us understand if this is a change or an OOPS on Ebay's part please.
When tracking shows delivered on eBay, then a buyer starts an Item Not Received refund request, there is only a singular outcome when eBay steps in.
Regardless all the reasons why the the buyer did not receive the item even though eBay says tracking shows delivered, eBay has never provided any option to upload a photo or a document into an INR request.
Instead, there are only 2 radios buttons and a comment box. And when the buyer adds comments about mis/non-delivery it's up to the seller to either voluntarily refund, or escalation follows.
Worse, eBay is already poised to automatically close the INR without a refund if tracking shows delivered despite any excruciating circimstances.
Or if the buyer contacts CS and gets agreement to subvert a wrong decision, soon after the bot still reviews and overrules that decision (and says so with a follow-on email message) because tracking shows delivered.
After that, the buyer only might get a refund -- and it's a one-time courtesy refund -- if a human is involved in the appeal.
So barring a possible appeal, it's a fools errand to start an INR when tracking shows delivered on eBay: A singular outcome follows. Hence eBay used to block starting an INR when tracking shows delivered.
@mam98031 wrote:
I know that sellers like to re-enter that tracking number on an INR and it is often the advice you get on these threads, but it is not and has not been necessary if the tracking had already been uploaded to that transaction previously.
Also while some sellers would tell you that since the tracking shows Delivered, it is game over for the buyer. They can't win. That is not necessarily true. Ebay allows buyers with tracking showing delivered to open an INR for a reason.
Now I know you and I've always known you to be an honest and good seller. But there are others out there that aren't. I've had it happen to me where the seller shipped a little something to another address in my zip code and then attached that tracking number to my order. I of course never got whatever it was they shipped nor did I ever receive what I ordered. This particular seller clearly was unaware that I understand how the system works. I contacted the carrier. Not only was the package that was shipped by them about 35 lbs lighter than what I ordered, the carrier gave me info as to where it actually shipped to. I used that info to WIN the INR I filed against the seller.
With that said, the inability to enter the tracking number is new. I don't know anything about them changing that.
Can one of you help us understand if this is a change or an OOPS on Ebay's part please.
Hey @mam98031 thanks for the tag. I'm not seeing any open alerts on this issue, but we'll notify the appropriate teams. In the meantime, whether this change was intentional or not, I would recommend what @inhawaii did and send the tracking in a message through the case. After all, it's never a bad thing to have tracking documented in two different places on a case.
Kyle,
If a seller did as you described @xadexane the seller would lose their Seller Protection on an INR. The tracking number has to be entered BEFORE any INR filed.
This thread is about an INR, buyers have no ability to enter a tracking number nor have they ever had the ability as it would not make sense.
@xadexane wrote:- forcing a real tracking number that cannot be updated in an INR instead
stops this particular gambit. Also recall that eBay only requires that tracking is uploaded before eBay is asked to step in i.e. during an INR, so that policy plays right into the hands of this gambit.
The reason is, just like eBay removed the ability for buyers to upload their own return tracking number that those buyers, and sellers from now on will change their tracking number by contacting eBay case-by-case to reduce the abuse of tracking numbers.
You cannot edit the tracking, but you can enter an additional tracking number. The scam you described above is not prevented with this change. The only difference is the placeholder tracking cannot be revised.
Edit: Placeholder tracking probably can be revised. It's only when tracking shows delivery that you can't revise tracking.
@mam98031 wrote:The tracking number has to be entered BEFORE any INR [is] filed.
That's incorrect, as eBay policy actually says:
If you ship your item within your stated handling time
- The mentioned gambit is: The seller adds a placeholder tracking number for the order.
- So the item was shipped within the stated handling time using the temporary placeholder tracking number.
provide tracking information to the buyer before you or the buyer asks us to step in and help with a request
- The mentioned gambit is: the seller changes the tracking number in the INR to a fake delivered tracking number and clicks to ask eBay to step in
- So the seller provides tracking information showing the item has already been delivered before they ask eBay to step in and help with the INR request
@mam98031 wrote:The reason is, just like eBay removed the ability for buyers to upload their own return tracking number that those buyers, and sellers from now on [can only] change their tracking number by contacting eBay case-by-case to reduce the abuse of tracking numbers.This thread is about an INR, buyers have no ability to enter a tracking number nor have they ever had the ability as it would not make sense.
Visionary [sic] you misread: Buyers can no longer add their own return tracking numbers, so buyers -- and now sellers as well -- must manually contact eBay (and risk review) if they want to change their respective tracking numbers.
I stand corrected, the policy reads :
If a buyer reports that an item hasn't been received
If you ship your item within your stated handling time and provide tracking information to the buyer before you or the buyer asks us to step in and help with a request, you're protected.
It use to read differently, but I'm glad you corrected me as we all need to operate with the correct info.
You stated:
That's incorrect, as eBay policy actually says:
If you ship your item within your stated handling time
- The mentioned gambit is: The seller adds a placeholder tracking number for the order.
- So the item was shipped within the stated handling time using the temporary placeholder tracking number.
I can't find what you wrote above in the Policy as you stated above. Would you mind helping me locate it please.
