Please tell me best way to handle this eBay problem I now somehow have. Thank you 🙏 in advance!

[jewelbiz]

I sold a book here from my 10,000 volume library, book shop 3 days ago.  
This never happened before now.

I can’t find it.  It’s here but where?

 I spent last 2 days searching for it to no avail getting too too much anxiety & fear.

Due to recent knee replacement surgery I was afraid to go up on the ladder to search highest shelves & knee hurts bending down while searching lowest shelves.

 I put an ad into my apartment building’s inner newsletter asking for help searching for this book.  A very nice man just volunteered & did a most through 1 hour 5 minute search 👀 to no avail.  Another lady is due to come 7 P.M. to also search 👀 for book.

Can’t imagine where this book is.  It is here but I don’t know where!

What do I do about this book I did sell but now is missing & can not be sent to my good eBay buyer?  How to best handle my situation?

Thank you in advance.  This never happened to me before now.  A real turning point in my life with my books…

[sfau]

I had that happen with a shirt - never did find it and it has been years!  It was in a lot so I did a pro rata refund with the buyer's permission and gave them free shipping.  Maybe look one more time and then cut your losses? Also, let the buyer know if you find it they would get a private listing to repurchase.

[soh.maryl]

What could you tell the good buyer? Why not tell the buyer exactly what you have posted here:  that you cannot find the book? 

[vintage-camerastuff]

As soon as you cancel the order you will find the book.

[jewelbiz]

Yes it is the Dow book but again I could have put it anywhere that there was an empty space for a book on any shelf not 100% always paying attention being here in my safe living space for 54 years.

[toomuchstuffagain35]

Tell the buyer you KNOW it's 'here' but you can't locate it. Often the buyer will say no rush please keep looking and then it turns up, often in the first place you looked for it.

A late shipping ding is better than an OOS defect.

[from_me_2_you]

Also, if it is at all possible that you may have sold it at an earlier auction, although eBay denies it, sold items do get put back into items for sale. Got me a few months ago, as I remember actually selling an item and seeing it re-listed shortly after.

[dhbookds]

If you had a "first impulse" as to where it is........look there again....around there again........9x out of 10 we find a lost item near where it should be...but behind something/wrapped so not obvious/in a bag to protect it, etc.

And........get a box/space where you put stuff you list!!!

[fashunu4eeuh]

Hi @jewelbiz 

It was brilliant of you to solicit help in looking. Fresh pair of eyes is usually all that is needed. Shows how conscientious you are as a seller. So don’t let this thing get you down. You are a great seller.

Wish you a speedy recovery!

[suzysemporium]

Ask yourself, where haven't you and others looked yet? Sometimes it is in that one place you would never expect to be, so you never look there. I don't know how your shelves and books are set up. Is it possible for the book to be moved/fall behind other books? Fall on the floor? As the first poster suggested some how fall behind the bookcase, or fell and slid under the bookcase? How long ago did you list it? Is it around where you take photos? Did you need to prepackage it and weigh it? Is it still in that area, or the the box/poly mailer you used to prepackage it? Would you have gotten distracted, and carried it to somewhere else outside of the space you have dedicated to selling?

[jewelbiz]

She found it! Will ship it out tomorrow.  It was on a shelf as plain as day but needed man today who searched diligently and didn’t see it.  I searched 2 days and couldn’t find it but this other tenant I almost told to forget about it came and she continued to look on the shelves and found it.

Thank all you wonderful eBay sellers and Maybe buyers helping me today!

Her son is a 10 month old boy I’ll buy a little gift for him.  The man also I’ll buy a little gift for him too.  2 such generous kind helpful New Yorkers.  I feel blessed.
Nikki

[mybigsale]

@jewelbiz 

She found it! Will ship it out tomorrow. 

Congratulations! Reason to celebrate.

[inhawaii]

This has happened to me before.

I explained the situation and apologized to the seller.

i tell the seller that if i find the item, I will send it to them free of charge.

I cancel the sale. Reason: Out of stock.

I usually find the item later.

Good luck!

[ten_o_nine]

@inhawaii 

Oh c'mon, 

You apologized to the seller.

and told the seller that if i find the item

[winterpalace25]

So glad you found it. I hate it when I can't find a book. What I do is study my pictures, estimate the size, and use a bright flashlight.  I find the flashlight makes a huge difference. Again, very happy for you that you found the book.

[inhawaii]

I meant buyer. 😉