Item "undeliverable as addressed" to buyer - how to proceed?

[defcon_comics]

I shipped an item to  a buyer and the item was listed as "Undeliverable" and the status shows the item being returned to me. I reached out to the buyer to inquire and they apologized and it looks like they left the PO box out of their address on paypal. The buyer still wants the item but I am unsure on how to proceed. The shipping did cost a bit and am not at fault here, I was just curious on how to go about it. Old Ebay posts state to send an invoice via paypal for a new shipping label but with Paypal not really involved with how I get paid anymore, I'm completely clueless here. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[azaz_8302]

Ask the buyer for their PayPal email address -- you can write email addresses, phone numbers, etc. in plain sight in eBay messages after a transaction is paid -- and send a PayPal invoice for postage.

[rosszonebricks]

Personally, I'd wait until the item is received back.  Refund the purchase cost minus shipping and fees, and say if they still want the item they can repurchase it with the correct address once you re-list it.

Of course, also being up front with the buyer that these will be your next steps before they happen will keep it a positive experience for everyone.

I disagree with the above on requesting their PayPal and invoicing them for the second shipping cost.  ALWAYS keep everything related to the eBay sale IN eBay.

[defcon_comics]

I did reply to them keeping them in the loop with how I will proceed. I'm more concerned with the recourse they may have depending on which method we use. If I issue a refund minus shipping and ebay fees (and state in the description that is what I'm doing) I feel that the buyer could still potentially dispute it. But at the same time, if I go through paypal and request an invoice for a new shipping label, they could potentially dispute that too.....  the most official way would be for them to "request a refund" but then I have to eat the shipping cost on their mistake...bleh....

[chapeau-noir]

I personally would just send a Paypal invoice for the shipping amount and ship it back out again.  Your buyer is in the loop and it's just a mistake - my feeling is that it is better to run things in a positive fashion than in a negative fashion trying to avoid this possible dispute and that possible dispute.

[reallynicestamps]

EBay regards an Undeliverable shipment as the end of the transaction.

From their point of view, the seller owes the buyer nothing.

Zip. Nada. Rien du tout.

So if there were a Dispute, showing the tracking number with the Undeliverable notation, would end it in your favour.

And the loser of a Dispute cannot leave feedback.

When you get it back, return only the actual purchase price, minus your costs (shipping and fees).

I'm amazed that someone literate enough to buy online is not capable of giving their actual address to the seller.

[defcon_comics]

The buyer reached out to me and requested a new shipping invoice when I get the item back. I figure that I can just send the invoice through paypal, send them the tracking and call it good. The emails that they send me requesting this should probably be good enough if ebay comes sniffing right?

[chapeau-noir]

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@defcon_comics wrote:

The buyer reached out to me and requested a new shipping invoice when I get the item back. I figure that I can just send the invoice through paypal, send them the tracking and call it good. The emails that they send me requesting this should probably be good enough if ebay comes sniffing right?

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Well, keep them but I doubt eBay is going to bother with this.  When you ship you can even print the label through the original transaction using the 'orders' tab and then going to 'shipping labels' in the side bar. Click the down arrow next to 'actions' and then 'print another label.'  That keeps everything in the same basic transaction.

[aeparts1]

When you get the item back, refund the buyer. Then block them so they can't bid on your items. Relist the item, with luck it will sell for more $$ the second time around.  Don't get too worried about it, stuff happens.