Timelines for INR case

[ajs_coins_and_alchemy]

Estimated delivery 13th, this occured on 17th. USPS GA.

-Buyer messages me about item not received (stuck at regional distro in their city)

-1 hour later, buyer opens INR (because I didn't respond fast enough? That's disappointing)

-I filed with USPS for the mail search

-I uploaded tracking into the case.

Normally a case opened by a buyer tells you "You have to respond by X date". (The date when afterwards EBay can step in). The advice has always been upload the tracking into the case. Apparently, since this is considered a "response" to the case, it says "the item not received case is pending buyer action". It no longer provides a "respond by X date", at least not that I can find...

As of now, at what point can the buyer ask EBay to step in? What is my timeline? Of course I want to wait as long as possible to give USPS a chance to find the package as it's unlikely to be lost, but I don't want to risk an uncooperative buyer who forces the refund from EBay where I lose my fees and get a ding on my account for closed w/o seller resolution...

If my memory serves correctly, a new scan on the package would allow the case to be pushed out in time. 

-So whats the timeline as of now w/o new tracking update/scan?

-What's the timeline w/ a new tracking update/scan?

-Does a missing mail search "tracking update" count as tracking update/scan?

[kensgiftshop]

The buyer can ask Ebay to step in on the 4th day.

If tracking shows recent movement, they could put the case on hold for a few days.

[ajs_coins_and_alchemy]

Ok, so same rules apply, but its frustrating that they don't leave that date visible on the case as I believe they do with other cases.

Case on hold due to shipment progress, automatically done, or not?

Does mail search update satisfy that threshhold?

[12345jamesstamps]

Ha...you have one...I have three where tracking is not updated...and items are on vacation in these city hubs.

Something going on...got one stuck in Florida and 2 in Virginia through USPS. Buyers have not contacted me and I will wait until they do. Maybe my buyers received items already...I don't know.

One is Priority Mail delayed days ago. 

INR...if you have funds on hold you have to do something...no funds on hold I wouldn't worry too much.

I never saw an open claim like you have and hope I don't get 3...at hundreds of dollars my buyers paid.

I always tell buyer estimated date of delivery when I mail it. And if I see something strange like this week with USPS deliveries....I won't contact the buyers until they contact me.

[12345jamesstamps]

Are any funds on hold?

[ajs_coins_and_alchemy]

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@12345jamesstamps wrote:

Ha...you have one...I have three where tracking is not updated...and items are on vacation in these city hubs.

Something going on...got one stuck in Florida and 2 in Virginia through USPS. Buyers have not contacted me and I will wait until they do. Maybe my buyers received items already...I don't know.

One is Priority Mail delayed days ago. 

INR...if you have funds on hold you have to do something...no funds on hold I wouldn't worry too much.

I never saw an open claim like you have and hope I don't get 3...at hundreds of dollars my buyers paid.

I always tell buyer estimated date of delivery when I mail it. And if I see something strange like this week with USPS deliveries....I won't contact the buyers until they contact me.

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I have 2 currently to my knowledge, only one INR filed. This doesn't happen too often but buyers usually message me and don't file INRs. This one, while they did message me, turned out to be a bit impatient. I did get back to them in under 2 hrs but that wasn't good enough.

Same on every front. I let the buyer reach out to me 99% of the time. If the buyer is quiet and patient I don't want to disrupt that and poke the bear.

No funds on hold. INR is for $150 order. (Other MIA pkg w/o INR is $25) I could easily eat both if it came to it ... I mean it is GA so it has $100 insurance for whatever that's worth, could lead to an EBAY refund and then delivery after (so no insurance payout) ... too many what-ifs ... but in any case I don't want to eat this out of principle. If this buyer gets impatient and forces it thru ebay, I'll just get irritated.

[kensgiftshop]

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@ajs_coins_and_alchemy wrote:

Ok, so same rules apply, but its frustrating that they don't leave that date visible on the case as I believe they do with other cases.

Case on hold due to shipment progress, automatically done, or not?

Does mail search update satisfy that threshhold?

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Not unless it gets found and delivered.

[lakefor94]

I asked on another thread about contacting eBay and asking for an extension for delivery if tracking shows any movement or updates?  One would think the package search update would suffice as updated tracking?

Do sellers still contact eBay and ask for extensions or is this a thing of the past?

Or is it intelligently automated to check for recent tracking entries?

[ajs_coins_and_alchemy]

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@kensgiftshop wrote:

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@ajs_coins_and_alchemy wrote:

Ok, so same rules apply, but its frustrating that they don't leave that date visible on the case as I believe they do with other cases.

Case on hold due to shipment progress, automatically done, or not?

Does mail search update satisfy that threshhold?

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Not unless it gets found and delivered.

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Delivery goes towards satisifying closure of INR, of course. I was asking about a "hold". I'm guessing the first part of your response then applies, package must have a physical scan update to be grounds for a case-hold? I'm guessing a missing mail search (which does provide it's own tracking update) does not qualify as an update in the requirements for a "hold".

[ajs_coins_and_alchemy]

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@lakefor94 wrote:

I asked on another thread about contacting eBay and asking for an extension for delivery if tracking shows any movement or updates?  One would think the package search update would suffice as updated tracking?

Do sellers still contact eBay and ask for extensions or is this a thing of the past?

Or is it intelligently automated to check for recent tracking entries?

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I could not have expressed my own remaining questions any more clearly than you just have, thank you!!

[12345jamesstamps]

No funds on hold is a good thing.

I normally don't check tracking on my items...but someone here mentioned a while back about tracking problems. And sure enough, my 3 shipments could or could not be sitting in a city hub. And using the USPS site isn't helping at this point either.

I can't eat mine...$300.+ purchases....luckily I have that on the side...but its for drinks out with the boys...ha

[ajs_coins_and_alchemy]

Ahhh I hear ya 🤣 I think in general it's good most buyers are patient and willing to work with you, and most are honest and would pay you or ship items back if they had already been refunded ... but I suppose the frustrating thing is you may get a buyer who is impatient and forces the refund, gets the item and ghosts you. Leaving you out of money & item & insurance claims. Maybe EBay would grace the seller in that case, who knows.

I've never had too many issues w/ USPS... occasional delays, but I think everything is culminating for me right now with shipping delays and (other) PITA buyers ... I'm just getting a good old batch of frustrations. I'll dig myself through and get to the other side. Greener grass & Good buyers are just on the other side!

[yuzuha]

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@lakefor94 wrote:

I asked on another thread about contacting eBay and asking for an extension for delivery if tracking shows any movement or updates?  One would think the package search update would suffice as updated tracking?

Do sellers still contact eBay and ask for extensions or is this a thing of the past?

Or is it intelligently automated to check for recent tracking entries?

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It's automated, in my experience. I had a whole bunch of INRs opened during the Christmas 2020 fiasco and all of them were automatically extended because the tracking showed recent movement. I didn't have to do a thing on my end.

[qeqo_0 · Accepted solution]

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@ajs_coins_and_alchemy wrote:

Estimated delivery 13th, this occured on 17th. USPS GA.

-Buyer messages me about item not received (stuck at regional distro in their city)

-1 hour later, buyer opens INR (because I didn't respond fast enough? That's disappointing)

-I filed with USPS for the mail search

-I uploaded tracking into the case. 

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The buyer must wait until Thanksgiving (yes, on the public holiday) to ask eBay to step in: Which is not the 4th day.

The INR was started on Friday. The 3 business days are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Then either buyer or seller can ask eBay to step in starting the next day, regardless it's a weekend or holiday. 

trinton@ebay wrote:

Hi @mam98031, if a seller has already provided tracking to the order they won't need to do so again through the item not received request.

If tracking has shown movement, we will continue to provide extensions for delivery until such a time that it becomes clear the item has been lost in transit. I can't provide specific details here, as the details of the tracking would determine what is a reasonable extension for that particular situation, but in general, we will provide 10-15 additional days for delivery if there has been a tracking update within the last 7 days domestically, or within the last 10 days for international shipments. 

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At the moment eBay is asked to step in, the automatic decision to extend for delivery is decided.

Also, it wasn't necessary to upload tracking into the INR if the order already has tracking.

[ajs_coins_and_alchemy]

@qeqo_0 

Wow, ok, *mind blown* I forgot it's after 3 business days and not 3 calendar days. That's SUPER helpful, thank you!!!!

I know I've heard the need or lack thereof for tracking update. Ive heard do it, I've heard you don't need to, I've heard supposedly some EBay team members said you don't need to but it doesnt hurt so do it anyway. (Doesn't hurt, right? 🤷‍♂️)

Also super key right there to hear a tracking update in past 7 days should lead to a (decent) extension. Last specific pkg scan update was 11/9 and last generic label update was 11/13 ("In Transit to Next Facility"). Although by Thanksgiving that would be more than 7 days past anyway.

I was talking to mam & asking her questions recently on a thread, we went back on forth on the topic a bit, but I was asking about trace vs missing mail search benefits and such and is it worth filing one over the other... Don't tell mam 😉 (just kidding) but I filed both a trace & a missing mail search because why not? I don't believe (unless someone will tell me otherwise) that there is any harm, and I just "threw the kitchen sink" at this one because frankly I do not trust my buyer. Normally I can trust my buyer and have good communication with them and trust them to be patient and work with me but in this situation I definitely am wary of my buyer trying to force a refund impatiently. Thankfully I have til Thanksgiving 🦃, thanks for pointing that tidbit out!! 😁