Someone ordered a package w/ signature requirement while out of the country.

[sytk-0]

Someone ordered an expensive item from my eBay store that required signature confirmation. The item is sitting in their post office and they're telling me that they're outside of the country (US) and that they can't pick it up. Is the post office going to send the package back to my house? It's quite heavy, 60+ LBS. 

He's requesting that I make the post office just drop it off & ignore the signature requirement, is this a scam? Or should I try to get the post office to drop it off? I've never ran into a situation before, can anyone with more insight help me here?

[lamber9347]

Did your listing state you were shipping using signature required? I looked at a few of your listings and don't see that specified anywhere but may have missed it. I believe sales over $750 are all signature required but none of yours seem to be much over one hundred. Forget being away from home, anyone who works will not be home to sign for a delivery, so signature required needs to be advertised to let the buyer know. Maybe the buyer can have a neighbor take possession until they return? You should try to work this out with your buyer and help where you can. Best of luck to you.... 

[gwens*4saleitems*]

I would think that your customer/buyer should have gone to the post office with a "hold all mail" order. (especially since they are out of town/country).  It is still possible that the buyer can contact the post office with a Hold Mail order .... maybe!?!?

If they don't pick up this package within a designated time allotment, the post office will "return to sender as undeliverable".

I don't believe this is a scam since the package should be returned to sender if not picked up.

[slippinjimmy]

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@sytk-0 wrote:

Someone ordered an expensive item from my eBay store that required signature confirmation. The item is sitting in their post office and they're telling me that they're outside of the country (US) and that they can't pick it up. Is the post office going to send the package back to my house? It's quite heavy, 60+ LBS. 

He's requesting that I make the post office just drop it off & ignore the signature requirement, is this a scam? Or should I try to get the post office to drop it off? I've never ran into a situation before, can anyone with more insight help me here?

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In the past (not sure if it's still possible) the named recipient can provide a letter of authorization to a third party who can do the pick-up.

No one can say if it's a scam or not, did the original listing indicate that a signature was required? Looking at your recent sales I only see one item that might have needed a signature and that was in August? Was this a combined sale of multiple items? The only time a signature is required by eBay is for orders over $750.

[12345jamesstamps]

Signature confirmation should be written and not electronic. There are 2 types of signatures one can ask for from my post office so be careful in the future when you ask for it. Since buyer is out of the country and no one can sign for it buyer must be single and has no family to sign for it...no friends or anyone nearby to sign for it. I find that hard to believe. Does buyer have lots of positive feedback?  

[12345jamesstamps]

I don't list signature required on some of my expensive lots and do confirmation lots of times when I post it in a real post office where I walk in person. It is considered an extra touch by the seller to do a signature confirmation so item will be delivered and usually at the cost of the seller for free. I would never let a neighbor sign for me...key word here is "expensive".  Buyer stated they were out of the country and not like working 9-5. Signature required does not need to be advertised to let the buyer know..the seller can let buyer know once it is mailed is what I do and I have never had a problem with that over the years.

[slippinjimmy]

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@12345jamesstamps wrote:

Signature confirmation should be written and not electronic. There are 2 types of signatures one can ask for from my post office so be careful in the future when you ask for it. Since buyer is out of the country and no one can sign for it buyer must be single and has no family to sign for it...no friends or anyone nearby to sign for it. I find that hard to believe. Does buyer have lots of positive feedback?  

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Friends or family can only sign if it's at the door with the carrier, once it goes back to the post office only the named recipient  can pick up unless the other person has written authority.

I suspect (see my previous post) that the OP added the signature requirement without informing the buyer.

[lamber9347]

I don't know what the policy is on this platform for signature required. I do know that sellers aren't allowed to make changes to a transaction without consent from the buyer. While I fully understand why a seller would want to place SR on an 'expensive' sale, that is still something that should be advertised in advance to a buyer. I had a similar experience just with a seller shipping via UPS, listing stated USPS, because at that time they wouldn't deliver without a signature (not an expensive item either) and the closest UPS office to my home was only open during the hours we both worked (this was pre covid). Item was returned to seller, and I still received a full refund. 

Again, I don't know what eBay's policy is on this, perhaps you are correct, but it seems that a buyer could put up a fight if an item were returned because they were at work. I know in this thread the buyer is out of the country but I'm responding to your comment that you do this often.  

[12345jamesstamps]

The buyer can leave in building and state on the receipt of first attempt delivery(paper) or a piece of paper  that a neighbor in building will sign and can ring their door bell to receive iton their mailbox... Attempt 1st delivery(paper) has to be signed by the original buyer for a neighbor to pick it up for 2nd delivery or 3rd delivery. Buyer has to sign 1st attempt for someone to sign for it in building for 2nd or 3rd attempt.

I do signature required on orders over $50...and use real stamps by the way...and tell the buyer after item has been mailed...and do not say it on my items for sale. I have done this for years...Most sellers do signature required on their own...and most are under $750.

[dhbookds]

He's requesting that I make the post office just drop it off & ignore the signature requirement, is this a scam? Or should I try to get the post office to drop it off? I've never ran into a situation before, can anyone with more insight help me here?

I wouldn't do it.....he can do a hold mail request with the PO via the internet.........I did it when I got sick out of state.........I would suggest that to him and say, per Ebay rules, he has to sign for it.......

[12345jamesstamps]

Using UPS is not a good source since they are not nearby for everyone ...even for me...seller first mistake to you in the past. But I have had to go there to get a few packages...I drive a motorcycle...and they are open Saturdays and I don't work 6 days a week...lucky me I guess. Most buyers send a "thank you' to me when estimated item will be delivered for signature confirmation email by me which is at my cost by the way. I can't imagine anyone getting upset knowing what day item will be mail vs. general mail and extra cost of knowing is free. Everyone loves free.

[a_c_green]

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@sytk-0 wrote:

He's requesting that I make the post office just drop it off & ignore the signature requirement, is this a scam? Or should I try to get the post office to drop it off? I've never ran into a situation before, can anyone with more insight help me here?

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I would be curious to know why he would want the package dropped off if he's out of the country.

More to the point, he can arrange on-line via USPS.com to have his mail held at the post office while he's away; he doesn't need to hand over the Mail Hold paperwork in person anymore. He can sign for the package when he picks up his held mail.

Finally, he can also set up a USPS Electronic Signature Online (again via his free account at USPS.com), specifically for cases where a Signature Confirmation package is arriving but the recipient will not be there in person. That permits the carrier to leave the package without having to collect a signature. More information on this is under the Account Preferences section on USPS.com. Look for the heading under Account Management of "USPS ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE ONLINE" for more details and a link to the signup.

Ref: https://ivs-sign.usps.com/enroll.html 

[calicorecordsandcds]

Do not do his request.  He can request the post office to hold it or he can send a representative to the post office to get it.  It is a  simple work around.

[lakefor94]

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@lamber9347 wrote:

Did your listing state you were shipping using signature required? I looked at a few of your listings and don't see that specified anywhere but may have missed it. I believe sales over $750 are all signature required but none of yours seem to be much over one hundred. Forget being away from home, anyone who works will not be home to sign for a delivery, so signature required needs to be advertised to let the buyer know. Maybe the buyer can have a neighbor take possession until they return? You should try to work this out with your buyer and help where you can. Best of luck to you.... 

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To the OP.  You added sig required for a reason. What was the reason? I would probably stick with my original, gut feeling, if I required a sig. 

@lamber9347 

I dont advertise signature required on any listings. I make a game time decision after vetting, on quite a few orders under $750. I just let the buyer know and provide the tracking so they can be aware and make arrangements if needed. If a buyer balked about the signature, I would recall as fast as I could. Have not had that happen yet. 

When they are over $750, I send the same note only I tell them eBay requires the sig. Just pass the blame.....  happens like this in most cases.

[m60driver]

Well you must have another account as you have sold nothing recently that would require signature confirmation nor that would cost $60 to ship.  But if you had such an item on another account and it was clearly stated in the listing that a signature would be required on delivery then it is the buyer's responsibility to pick up the item at the post office and the buyer's responsibility to arrange for pickup if traveling out of the country.  I would not contact the post office on the buyer's behalf as it is the buyer's responsibility to arrange for delays in pickup.  The buyer should call the post office and discuss the options with the postmaster.  By the way, if the person fails to pickup the item and it is returned to you then you can refund less all your incurred costs.