Item Not Received case with incomplete address

[bigte92]

Hi everybody, just a question. A buyer with no feedback bought an item of mine (I wish you could block 0 feedback buyers but that's another story). The item was returned to me for an incomplete address and the buyer asked me to send it again after he told me his apartment number. I said I would but I'd need more money to ship it again. He never responded and opened an item not received case.

I have no issue giving a refund but there's no option to give a partial refund by subtracting shipping since I offered free shipping (don't know if that has any effect).

Anyway, with this being my first case of this type, my question is would there be any benefit to waiting for eBay to step in or is it in my best interest to just send the refund? Asking because I'm unsure how either resolution would affect my account.

[dhbookds]

kyle@ebay   @wastingtime101 

sorry, I didn't see the later answers............ 

[albertabrightalberta]

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@bigte92 wrote:

Hi everybody, just a question. A buyer with no feedback bought an item of mine (I wish you could block 0 feedback buyers but that's another story). The item was returned to me for an incomplete address and the buyer asked me to send it again after he told me his apartment number. I said I would but I'd need more money to ship it again. He never responded and opened an item not received case.

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If he opened INR, you should respond with the tracking number and add the comment showing that the address was invalid/incorrect. When buyers supply an invalid or incomplete address, they lose buyer protection for INR. 

Once you submit the tracking, your funds will be released in 3 days.

Although you aren't obligated to issue a refund, I believe the right thing to do is to issue a refund after deducting shipping cost and fees. You shouldn't lose money for the buyer's error but you also shouldn't profit from an item you received back.

[wastingtime101]

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@dhbookds wrote:

The op says The item was returned to me for an incomplete address  so it wasn't delivered, it was returned to him because of incomplete address.........  

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Delivery attempt is what counts.

Delivered, available for pickup, notice left, no access, mail receptacle blocked, no mail receptacle, RTS for bad address, package refused, etc - all qualify as delivery attempt. As long as the carrier attempts delivery to the address on record with tracking confirmation, seller is covered.

[pburn]

So, there's no moral/ethical implication in having a package returned for an incomplete address and keeping the buyer's money, just because eBay's MBG allows it? That speaks volumes.

[wastingtime101]

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@pburn wrote:

If, however, a seller's choices are (1) refunding 100% of the buyer's payment (if there's free shipping) or (2) not refunding at all (if the buyer used an incorrect address), that seems to be a dilemma. 

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Those are the only monetary choices through the INR claim. Whether shipping was free or not isn't a factor; the refund is all or none.

But once the INR is closed (or before the INR is opened), seller has the option of volunteering a partial refund.

[wastingtime101]

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@pburn wrote:

So, there's no moral/ethical implication in having a package returned for an incomplete address and keeping the buyer's money, just because eBay's MBG allows it? That speaks volumes.

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I can't speak for anybody other than myself. I always work with the buyer and either arrange re-shipping or a partial refund less non-recoverable shipping/fees.

What other sellers do is up to them, but eBay policy will not force a refund under the MBG when the buyer provides an incomplete/invalid address.

[albertabrightalberta]

kyle@ebay 

In order to avoid confusion with conflicting "solutions," is it possible for you to remove your post #22 since the answer given (as a solution) is based on your misunderstanding of the OP's question? 

Your inference in answering was question was based on your assumption that the buyer returned an item after receiving it but that's not what actually happened and in this case, the OP is within his rights to issue a partial refund based on the buyer's loss of MBG. 

[dhbookds]

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@pburn wrote:

@dhbookds wrote:

kyle@ebay 

I have another question on the question of incorrect address provided by the buyer........doesn't that void the guarantee?  So can't a seller not refund at all........and what would be the consequences if any?

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I'll be interested in the response to this question. I think you're interpreting it correctly. Perhaps this discussion is really one more of a moral or ethical question than an eBay policy question. 

If, however, a seller's choices are (1) refunding 100% of the buyer's payment (if there's free shipping) or (2) not refunding at all (if the buyer used an incorrect address), that seems to be a dilemma. 

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yes, that's what I was getting at........but Wasting (as usual, thanks) points out what he does and that would seem to cover it.......

Frankly, I'd like to see an easier solution from ebay.........rather than the seller have to escalate, win a case, etc........I don't have alot of hope for that.......

[sapphire_studio]

Yeah this is my understanding of the scenario as well. He did not understand the question being asked and answered it wrong causing even more confusion. Later in the thread he agrees that they're not entitled to a refund at all and that a partial refund makes sense

I think the solution @wastingtime101 provided makes the most sense. Close the INR first in your favor by adding the tracking number. THEN voluneer a partial refund minus the original shipping. I think I would be more satisfied with the seller (if I was the buyer) if I realized I had lost my money back guarantee myself for my own actions and that the seller was voluntarily refunding me at least most of it.

[pburn]

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@albertabrightalberta wrote:

kyle@ebay 

In order to avoid confusion with conflicting "solutions," is it possible for you to remove your post #22 since the answer given (as a solution) is based on your misunderstanding of the OP's question? 

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@albertabrightalberta 

He wasn't responding to the OP's question, he was responding to my question. His reply was in line with the scenario I presented regarding whether a seller can withhold the actual cost of shipping if the item listing offered "free shipping." His response was germane to the question I posed.

I don't see where that answer was chosen as a "solution." Can you identify that for me?

[wastingtime101]

General reply directed at no one:

I think Kyle just missed this part of pburn's post:

"If a seller has free shipping for an item and gets a package returned because of an incorrect address"

Because if he had seen that part about the address his answer would have been different. He could edit the post and add an addendum that addresses the scenario of a buyer providing an incorrect address if he wanted to. We all miss reading things in others' posts sometimes. 🤷

[pburn]

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@wastingtime101 wrote:

General reply directed at no one:

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Here's a great way to post a "[g]eneral reply directed at no one." It's below the last post on the thread.

[dnasilver]

So all the comments that claim eBay does not monitor these pages were wrong. There are numerous comments claiming some side company runs this forum. 

It is great to know that eBay is controlling the content and it has not been outsourced. Thank you for confirming and thanks to pburn for clarifying.

[pburn]

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@dnasilver wrote:

So all the comments that claim eBay does not monitor these pages were wrong. There are numerous comments claiming some side company runs this forum. 

It is great to know that eBay is controlling the content and it has not been outsourced. Thank you for confirming and thanks to pburn for clarifying.

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Unfortunately, you seem to have misconstrued the explanation to your question.

eBay does not actively monitor these discussions. The Community Team members respond when they've been @mentioned by a member in a post. Moderators from Khoros do not actively monitor these discussions, nor do they control them.

They respond to members' reports of posts and threads. Neither eBay's Community Team nor Khoros moderators actively monitor this Community.

[bigte92]

I updated the tracking information on the 29th and nothing has happened with the case despite it saying "Resolve by Feb 1, 2023". Is there something else I need to do or am I waiting on the buyer for something?