eBay

ageofreason66 · ‎10-04-2019

Apparently, this is a well-known/played scam practice: A buyer takes advantage of a zip code discrepancy where an adjacent zip code Post Office serves more than one zip code. I have been assured by two USPS employees who were kind enough to spend a good amount of time on the phone with me AND give me their first and last names that according to their records AND the known zip code issue, the package was duly delivered to the correct address in 97218 (even though the delivery zip shows as 97213). They both also said they would be glad to speak to an eBay rep directly to explain exactly how this happens ON A DAILY BASIS. (Yay, USPS in Portland!) So I have offered all of this information (TWICE), including the names of the two employees and the direct line to the 97213 Post Office. He seems to refuse to call them himself. At least he hasn't acknowledged the info... (I guess I should be thankful that as an eBay seller for 15+ years, this is only the second attempt to scam me. This particular type is new to me though. If I lose, it won't put me out on the street. But it will hurt like hell.)

So he files an INR, even though it shows as delivered. He waited for a week before first contacting me, saying he didn't receive it. I didn't realize he was actually based in the UK. He had the package (item value $500) delivered to what Post Office employees told me is one of seven third party re-shippers they serve in the Portland area near the airport that receive hundreds of packages everyday. (It looks like he buys cameras cheap here, uses a re-shipper to avoid customs, then re-sells them in the UK for a profit.)

So eBay will see our exchanges and is scheduled to step in on 10/11. Aside from having a 100% rating and being a member/seller for 15+ years, is there anything else I can or should do in the meantime to strengthen my case?

ageofreason66 · ‎10-05-2019

No one?

fab_finds4u · ‎10-05-2019

Was the INR filed on eBay or PayPal? I'm assuming eBay so the answer is geard to that. Did you ship it to the address in the PayPal payment? Did you ship it within your handling time and it was delivered on time? Did you upload the tracking # on eBay? eBay accepts the city or the first three digits in the zip code for proof of delivery and you should win if all of the above are true. There's more that can be helpful but I need to look it up to give you the link . BBL with it.

https://www.postalpinzipcodes.com/Post-Office-Usa-United-States-Portland-Zip-Code-97213-Postal-Code

This explains that a single zipcode can represent an area, and the specific zip code of 97213 covers your area. USPS can tell exactly from GPS where it was actually delivered. Their internal tracking tool shows more than the tracking tool the public sees.

itsjustasprain · ‎10-05-2019

@fab_finds4u wrote:
eBay accepts the city or the first three digits in the zip code for proof of delivery

This is the first Ive heard of the verification working like that. I always understood that the delivery had to match the City AND the ZIP code in full with the address that you get with the payment. Matching only the 1st 3 digits would not count. Has that changed?

fab_finds4u · ‎10-05-2019

eBay MBG doesn't cover items that are re-shipped to the buyer.

Not covered

Items shipped to another address after original delivery

To find this statement go to the money-back-guarantee link below, and then click on Learn More. Then click on Read our full policy. Look for "What's covered. " Go there and look until you see "What's not covered. "

https://pages.ebay.com/ebay-money-back-guarantee/

eunster1313 · ‎10-05-2019

If you read all the multiple reply's the blues make in this thread I don't

think you will have much success with them enforcing that policy.

eBay Policy ChangeSeller Protection Change when Buyer uses a Freight Forwarder

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/eBay-Policy-Change-Seller-Protection-Change-when-Buyer-uses-a/...

modulok! · ‎10-05-2019

Yes according to what the blue said in that thread...wait for it...the buyer might work at the reshipper and thus there was no reshipping going on. I kid you not that is what the blue actually said. Pay no mind that the buyer is registered in a different country because...wait for it again...the buyer MIGHT work at the reshipper. Unbelievable. I guess behind every written Ebay policy there is an unwritten gotcha loophole. Wouldn't expect anything less from this place.

eunster1313 · ‎10-05-2019

Different re-shipper but similar situation.

itsjustasprain · ‎10-05-2019

@modulok! wrote:
Yes according to what the blue said in that thread...wait for it...the buyer might work at the reshipper and thus there was no reshipping going on. I kid you not that is what the blue actually said. Pay no mind that the buyer is registered in a different country because...wait for it again...the buyer MIGHT work at the reshipper. Unbelievable. I guess behind every written Ebay policy there is an unwritten gotcha loophole. Wouldn't expect anything less from this place.

I think this topic is going off track. This is not a MBG issue or something to do with reshipping - or not yet anyway. The buyer is claiming Item not received and the tracking shows it delivered to a different Zip code. We know that it is probably a different Zip used by a large business or a big building. The only question right now is if the seller is going to lose an INR dispute because the delivery Zip code is slightly different than what was with the payment.

eunster1313 · ‎10-05-2019

(I think this topic is going off track. This is not a MBG issue or something to do with reshipping - or not yet anyway. The buyer is claiming Item not received and the tracking shows it delivered to a different Zip code.)

An INR Dispute or Case is a MBG issue.

eBay Money Back Guarantee policy

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy...

The OP issue is a re-shipper issue.

(I didn't realize he was actually based in the UK. He had the package (item value $500) delivered to what Post Office employees told me is one of seven third party re-shippers they serve in the Portland area near the airport that receive hundreds of packages everyday.)

There is nothing illegal about it, but many re-shippers have multiple zip codes that they have assigned to them buy USPS to use for items going to the same facility or warehouse. It's not as uncommon as you might think to have your item %100 percent delivered to the re-shipper and have the zip code not match.

ageofreason66 · ‎10-07-2019

Thank you. So far this reply gives me a small amount of hope. The dispute is via eBay (INR). It WAS shipped to the address in PayPal. But the delivery address shows as 97213. (Again, TWO USPS employees assure me there is no 6800 block in 97213 and that it could not possibly have been delivered anywhere else. And that they get these claims often, adding that English as a second language is often an issue.)

The buyer has not responded to my last two inquiries as to whether they tried contacting the Post Office themselves. The last communication I got was a request for a refund.

(Btw, I only mentioned that they were based in the UK, matter-of-factly. I have no issue with capitalism in action. I only found out after my FV fees were oddly higher than usual.)

ageofreason66 · ‎10-07-2019

Btw, thanks for this link. It may be helpful in my case.

ageofreason66 · ‎10-11-2019

Thanks to all who contributed here. I am happy to report that the case was indeed closed in my favor, and quite swiftly I might add. Lesson learned here. Going forward I will have no qualms about cancelling a sale if there are red flags

ageofreason66 · ‎10-15-2019

The plot thickens! I got a notice that the case was closed IN MY FAVOR on October 10th, then on the 14th THEY REVERSED IT. EBAY JUST COST ME $500!!!!!! WHY would they do this???