Return Buyer with inconsistent names and shipping address

[orchidz321]

I listed two units of the same item, and sold one unit to Buyer (let's pretend Buyer's handle is Buyer123; I don't know if this is a real handle, but if it is, it is not the handle of my Buyer). The title indicated it was for one unit, and the listing indicated the same, while the photos pictured both items to show the condition of both items, one of which buyers might receive if not ordering both. So Buyer123 purchased one. I shipped, and tracking shows it has since been delivered. I followed up with Buyer123 to see if Buyer received the item, but heard nothing back. Today I received payment from Buyer123 for the other available item. Since two prior purchasers requested I cancel the transaction because they did not read the listing header and simply assumed they would get both items based on the picture, I thought that Buyer123 maybe made the same mistake and wanted to purchase the other item as a set. 

Then, when preparing to print the shipping label, I saw inconsistencies between the first purchase and the second one. Buyer123 is still the handle on both transactions, but Buyer's name and address are different in the second transaction. To illustrate, I have reproduced the PayPal Purchase Summary for the two transactions with differing information in bold (again, all information below is fictitious).

First Transaction PayPal Summary:

Paid by eBay - Sue Smith (Buyer123) Shipped to Sue Smith "Address"

543 21 Street

Little City, IL 00000

United States

Second Transaction PayPal Summary:

Paid by eBay - Jane Doe (Buyer123) Shipped to Sue Smith "Address"

678 9th Ave.

Little City, IL 00000-1234

United States

I normally do not research my buyers, but I do when I see inconsistencies like this. I found that Sue Smith's address actually matches the second transaction (with Jane Doe's name as the buyer), and not the first transaction. Even more odd to me is that it is not the recipient's name that changes, but the name associated with Buyer123.

I have had a similar situation a few years ago and then the buyer left bad feedback after I refunded the order saying I was discriminating against them even though the address was not confirmed.

Any recommendations on what I should do? I don't consider myself a "sophisticated" ebayer, more of an incidental ebayer. I appreciate any input.

[donsdetour]

Sounds like work and home address for the user or family, maybe partner..

So what did the second say if anything to the message you sent it is one item not two??

[orchidz321]

Thanks, donsdetour. I just didn't want any unexpected surprises that would impact my seller score or the funds since I really need them right now (everything has been paid in full). 

I haven't gotten a response from either message--the initial sale asking if they received it, and the second one asking if they received the original one since I noticed they were ordering the same thing again.

[pburn]

@orchidz321 

At the checkout screen, buyers can add or select any address they'd like, and that's where you ship the item.

I see something I like among your listings, so I buy one for myself. I tell a co-worker about it and she sounds interested, so, since I got her name in the office Christmas drawing, I buy another one and have it sent to her house.

Whatever address the buyer enters at checkout is where you ship the item.

[orchidz321]

Thanks, pburn, although I'm not sure that's the situation here. The changed name did not coincide with the changed address. Instead the buyer name associated with the account changed (which I've never seen before), but second transaction it was sent to the same person I sent it to in the first transaction just with a different address. Donsdetour seems to make more sense, but I'm still skeptical since I've never seen the name associated with an account change between orders and I didn't know you could have two names associated with an account (member ID). I have had instances of return buyers having it sent to a different recipient and address than buyer.

See below:

First Transaction PayPal Summary:

Paid by eBay - Sue Smith (Buyer123) Shipped to Sue Smith "Address"

543 21 Street

Little City, IL 00000

United States

Second Transaction PayPal Summary:

Paid by eBay - Jane Doe (Buyer123) Shipped to Sue Smith "Address"

678 9th Ave.

Little City, IL 00000-1234

United States

If I don't hear anything back from Buyer to the contrary, I'll just go ahead and ship Monday since I have seller protection. I appreciate the feedback. 🙂

[a_c_green]

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@orchidz321 wrote:

Any recommendations on what I should do? I don't consider myself a "sophisticated" ebayer, more of an incidental ebayer. I appreciate any input.

---

Okay, first of all, don't show two items in the photo unless they're being sold as one lot of two items. If you're selling them separately, just show a photo of one, and you can set up your listing to show that there are two available for purchase. Be sure that your photo(s) are representative of both items. (Easy enough if they're new items; be careful if you are selling used examples.)

Next, don't contact a buyer to ask if they received the item. That is what you have tracking for. Asking them simply gives them the idea that you don't know where it is. 

Finally, a buyer can have their item shipped anywhere; it does not have to be to their eBay address (which is the address you see in the Shipping form before payment is received). You ship to the address received with the payment. It doesn't matter if that involves a different recipient name and/or address.