eBay

randysauto01 · ‎11-16-2021

So while I sell a lot of used auto parts on ebay, we very rarely make purchases. A gentleman who used to work for us, opened up his own auto shop, and asked if I could source a used engine for him, as not many were available via the network we usually sell and source parts through.

I found one, placed the order on October 7th, when provided the tracking number, it showed it was to be delivered on Oct 14th. Great, timing should work out perfect!

Oct 14th tracking shows it arrived at the terminal closest to us, 90 miles away, I thought cool, it will be here tomorrow. Nope, I waited until Oct 19th before I sent the seller a message.

I explained how I to sold used auto parts, and was all to familiar with shipping delays, especially on LTL freight, and assured I was aware how it is to have an impatient customer, but that the customer who's vehicle needed the engine, was getting more and more upset with the shop that ordered it, and would he kindly look into it.

Seller messaged me the next day, and said he spent an hour and a half trying to get through to the carrier, when he did they informed him it was set to be delivered from the terminal 90 miles away, on Oct 21st. Nope. Didn't happen.

Messaged him again on the 22nd, he again called the carrier, and this time the carrier said they weren't even sure it made it to the terminal that was 90 miles away, and could be potentially lost.

My friend was able to buy some more time with his customer while we tried to figure out where the engine was.

The seller and I exchanged messages for several days afterwards, ultimately on Nov 2nd, he said if it hadn't arrived, he would issue a credit and open a claim. To which I agreed would be a good idea, but to follow up with me if he found out it was indeed at the terminal 90 miles away, I would drive there and pick it up myself.

I heard nothing more after that, the customer who's vehicle needed the engine, came down to the shop where it was at, and took his vehicle back after hours.

We own the only tow truck company around, and we didn't tow it, so we assume he made it home.

On 11/5 the engine was finally delivered.

The shop has been trying since then to get a hold of the customer, but they aren't returning any of the many phone calls.

We are a small community, and with our business, we know every shop around and had asked them if they got a call for a quote to repair this particular of vehicle to let us know. That was the bosses idea, thinking that some how or another, this guy was going to need an engine still.

Never happened.

I messaged the seller and explained this all to him, and asked how he would like to proceed. He was very apologetic and said he would arrange freight, and when he got it back, he would credit us, minus the cost of return freight.

That is where I take issue. My response to him was that while I understand we have no control once a shipper takes possession, there is a reasonable expectation that a sale can be lost when there is a substantial amount of time for a part to arrive, and that is through no fault of ours. I bought time, again and again, made up excuses over and over. And the customer finally had enough.

Obviously there are avenues that can be taken that would force him to either pay for the return shipping, or refund and not ship it back.

But I've dealt with those situations, I'm trying to do this the right way, and let him make the right choice.

Any thoughts or input on this situation?

stainlessenginecovers · ‎11-16-2021

Problem is that even Walmart states that 'once the product is delivered to the carrier; it is between the buyer and carrier any issues'

Now, they never make customers eat it. But they could.

I have a similar dilemma;

Bought twin Jet Ski Motors for our boat; newly rebuilt with 2 year no fault warranty (I'm in NV, motors come from FLA). 10 minutes into the water (after waiting 8 wks for these motors) and blam; 1 of them dies. Shop took care of it, shipped back to FLA. 10 wks later, I pick up boat. The shop tells me 'I did this work for free this time, next time, it won't be. Labor is not included.

Really? So if motor blows up (fault of builder, just like last time) 10 minutes after putting in water again, I get to eat it???

Not sure there's much I can do as I'm not into courts and all that.

So, in your case; you can try to get them to eat the freight cost, but their take could be 'you ordered something that has to be shipped, you need to pay any incurred costs that happen with that shipment.. otherwise, don't buy stuff that needs to be shipped.

Here's WM's statement on their website about 'shipping'....

Products will be shipped to an address designated by you, if applicable, so long as such address is complete and complies with the shipping restrictions contained on the Walmart Sites. All transactions are made pursuant to a shipping contract, and, as a result, risk of loss and title for Products pass to you upon delivery of the Products to the carrier.

eleanor*rigby · ‎11-16-2021

@randysauto01 wrote:
Obviously there are avenues that can be taken that would force him to either pay for the return shipping, or refund and not ship it back.
But I've dealt with those situations, I'm trying to do this the right way, and let him make the right choice.
Any thoughts or input on this situation?

I'm not sure to which "avenues" you are referring or what you mean by "trying to do this the right way, and let him make the right choice."

What is it you want from this seller?

If you want him to take back the item and pay for return shipping, just file a SNAD based on late delivery.
If you want to keep the item but have him "reimburse" you for your time and effort--and a disgruntled customer--ask for a partial refund.

By no means (as you know), should you accept his offer to refund you when he gets the item back. It doesn't work that way--nor should you be responsible for the return shipping, if that's the way you decide to go.

I've read your posts before, and you sound like a really good guy who wants to run an honest business and do the right thing. You should expect the same courtesy from the people with whom you do business.

Best of luck!

randysauto01 · ‎11-16-2021

Any of our shipments that we send out LTL (engines, transmissions, doors, etc) all have stated in the listing free shipping to a business, and in our terms and conditions for shipping, we state that to qualify for free shipping the item must go to a business and the business must have either a forklift or a loading dock to unload upon arrival.

75% of the time, when a purchase is made, I google it and of course, its going to a residence. I then send the customer a message pointing this out, and offer them the option of picking up at a terminal to avoid the residential delivery and liftgate fee's associated with it not going to a business.

So they will send me a message with the name of a business for it to go to, I google and confirm its a business, send a follow up message clarifying that they have the ability to unload, once I get confirmation, I ship it.

I get invoices daily for shipments after they have been delivered, about 1/3 the time, I get billed anywhere from $50-$125 for the carrier using a liftgate, which is of course a contradiction to what the customer confirmed.

I reached out to ebay about getting reimbursed for the extra charges, especially in light of the fact that I had a message via ebay platform, confirming that no liftgate was needed.

Of course, we know the result of that, I just had to eat it.

That was back in my early days of selling, when I thought ebay cared. I know better now.

I just don't see how I should be out $350 in return shipping after the item was basically lost for nearly 2 weeks, and being told it was only 90 miles away.

I'm fully aware poop happens, I just don't see how after as long as it took, I should be on the hook.

stainlessenginecovers · ‎11-16-2021

and you shouldn't be (if this person were to do the 'right' thing); but I'm just saying they can waiver either way.

eleanor*rigby · ‎11-16-2021

@randysauto01 wrote:
I just don't see how I should be out $350 in return shipping after the item was basically lost for nearly 2 weeks, and being told it was only 90 miles away.
I'm fully aware poop happens, I just don't see how after as long as it took, I should be on the hook.

You won't be out anything. The delivery date is part of the item listing, and the seller didn't get it to you on time. That's a SNAD filing.

Shipping switcheroo

From the above-linked thread, from a "blue" (Community Team member).

" . . . an item would be eligible for eBay Money Back Guarantee protection if it arrives later than the latest estimated delivery date and the buyer no longer wishes to keep the item. While we can protect a seller for late delivery misses as a part of their seller performance if the item was shipped within their stated handling time, even when the shipment occurs within the stated handling time, the buyer would have the option to return the item if it was received after the latest estimated delivery date. There are times when a buyer needs the item before a specific date, and if it does not arrive on time, it does not meet the expectations set in the listing.

An example would be when a buyer needs an item for a wedding gift, the estimated delivery date is the day before the wedding, but the item arrives the day after the wedding. The buyer may have gone out and purchased a different gift locally and the item they bought online is no longer needed. This would be considered a valid return reason as the description of the delivery date proved to be inaccurate."

randysauto01 · ‎11-16-2021

Is there a way to go back and double check when the date was supposed to be. I was going off of memory on that part, all other dates mentioned are a known fact, as I double checked the dates of the messages. But I would be 99% positive if I had known it was going to be that long, I would have made sure my customer let their customer know.

Really frustrating when I was tracking it, and saw that it was sitting at a terminal 90 miles away (supposedly according to the tracking) that it took that long to get here. And then to have the seller say that YRC could no longer confirm they knew where it really was, makes me think he never contacted them.

To add another layer of suspicion on the validity of his "alleged" conversations with the carrier directly, he told me he booked the shipment through a freight broker called SAV.

Ironically SAV is also a broker that I use as they are integrated into our selling platform used for our brick and mortar locations. I've been using them for 15 years, and whenever I've had an issue with a shipment booked with them, they are the ones I call, I let them deal with the actual carrier they contracted to handle my freight.

But to your original point, before I go about an SNAD or INAD, I would like to double check the exact date that was advertised. As much as I don't want to do one, if its the only way to get my point across to him, I will have to.

eleanor*rigby · ‎11-16-2021

@randysauto01 wrote:
Is there a way to go back and double check when the date was supposed to be. I was going off of memory on that part, all other dates mentioned are a known fact, as I double checked the dates of the messages. But I would be 99% positive if I had known it was going to be that long, I would have made sure my customer let their customer know.

The best [read: most accurate] place to check your original estimated delivery date (EDD) is from the email eBay sent when you submitted your order. I've found that eBay has a sneaky way of moving the EDD out farther and farther based on the actual movement of the package if you check the "order details" or whatnot, but they can't change that email once it's been delivered to your inbox.

If you find yourself in similar circumstances with future purchases, where timely delivery is imperative for customer satisfaction, print out the item listing or the order page or whatever, or keep a snippet/screenshot of it--anything eBay can't update.

randysauto01 · ‎11-17-2021

I've never deleted any message...from anyone. I went in and looked specifically at messages from ebay, and see no notification of purchase. All I usually get is a red number up in the top right hand corner where the bell notification is, same spot that notifies me of new messages, new orders.

I went into my purchase history, and found the purchase, I clicked on every tab that would open. Only thing it shows is the tracking number and when it was delivered.

I went into pay pal, found the transaction, but it showed nothing about delivery dates.

I did come across where it told me I only had until Nov 7th to return the item, which sucks, since it didn't show up until Nov. 5th.

I assumed the MBG wouldn't kick in until the delivery date.

luckythewinner · ‎11-17-2021

@randysauto01 wrote:
Any thoughts or input on this situation?

My thoughts:

Next time you order an online engine for a customer:

negotiate a firm delivery deadline with the seller, and agree on what happen if it is late
negotiate a firm delivery deadline with the customer, and agree on what happen if it is late
get a deposit upfront

stainlessenginecovers · ‎11-17-2021

The 30 days is SUPPOSE to start on delivery

(also, I missed the fact this was an ebay purchase so much of my advice doesn't pertain)

I think you should do the ebay for business facebook thing.

randysauto01 · ‎11-17-2021

Luckily I won't ever be doing this again. It was only done because the shop owner worked for us for 10 years. The engine was fully paid for by the customer who owned the vehicle. However, after taking their car back after business hours, they did the dreaded chargeback and of course, they won, as we all know, there is nothing that we can do about that situation.