Sending a second shipment to an eIS customer

[brightlightbookseller]

So, we screwed up.  We sold a set of two books, but somehow accidentally packaged up and mailed only one.  Normally we'd just send the second book, but this was to an eIS customer, so it goes through eBay's hub, and I'm guessing they won't just forward on a second package that shows up weeks later with the same name/code, and eBay CS chat just confirmed that to me, though they're going to check on if there's other options.  We want to make this right for our customer, but what options do we have? I know eBay says they're going to get back to me, but I don't know if they'll know all the possible choices we could have, so I figured I'd ask here for my helpful peers to chime in!  Thanks in advance!

Edit: They just handed me over to a different chat rep who says that it will get forwarded on.  Has anyone done that to confirm?  I'd rather look into getting the customer a refund than risk just having the book lost in the aether.

[ebooksdiva · Accepted solution]

Can't you just purchase and print a new label? eBay hub should still have the information on the buyer. 

[brightlightbookseller]

I'm hoping, I just didn't know if they would forward it on still, since the customer only paid for one shipment technically.  I just added an edit where eBay CS says they would do just that, though, so I guess maybe that's the way to go!

[mantle1951]

Who is going to pay for mailing charge from Ebay Hub to Europe or other country? Did Ebay say they would foot the bill? Customer overseas might also have a problem with Customs?? Just a thought.

[ebooksdiva]

If they don't forward it they will do one of two things, send it back to you or resell it themselves, either way if the first part of the order makes it to the buyer and they open a missing parts or pieces, I assume eBay will handle it.  
I am only guessing here since I haven't experienced this myself.

Someone else will chime in if I am wrong or there are other solutions.

[brightlightbookseller]

That was my worry too, but they (eBay CS via chat) claim it's okay, and I have that in writing via the transcript. So I think we're going to try it and see what happens.  I'll report back if I can confirm the customer gets the book!

[ebooksdiva]

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@brightlightbookseller wrote:

That was my worry too, but they (eBay CS via chat) claim it's okay, and I have that in writing via the transcript. So I think we're going to try it and see what happens.  I'll report back if I can confirm the customer gets the book!

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Please do come back and let us know how this plays out.

It would help others if they find themselves in the same situation.

Good luck. 

[stainlessenginecovers]

If you catch it early enough, you can see the 'address' that the customer lives at and mail directly. It will say 'do not ship here' but that is because it's a 'typical EIS' order, but where EIS is shipping to is shown, for a bit. 

[brightlightbookseller]

We don't see that, only the last part of the address, not the full address.  I know it's in New Zealand, but that won't get us close to actually getting it to them.

I set myself a reminder so I can follow up in a few weeks and see what the status is!  Thanks for everyone who chimed in so far!

[tobaccocardyahoo]

My instinct is to do nothing because nothing you can do will get the missing book(s) to the buyer.

If the single volume reaches the hub and is forwarded, the buyer can file an INAD claim and be paid by Ebay and can purchase your book.

If the single volume is refused by the hub when it is inspected, it will be returned to you, you can refund the buyer, and the buyer can place another order for the set.

Anything else is likely to fall through the cracks because this is an error which there is no relevant procedure to correct.

As for what the Customer Service Rep told you, that is less likely to be correct than any of the responses on this thread.

When I screw up, my customer is always the victim, even if I lose money on the sale.

[brightlightbookseller]

To update anyone interested in this, we did just receive confirmation from the buyer that the second package shipped to the eIS Hub arrived just fine! Thanks to everyone who commented!