eBay

estella5624 · ‎07-07-2017

I have received a message from a buyer letting me know that their item was received damaged. The buyer says the box is damaged and the plates are shattered.

I am receiving conflicting information on how to deal with this. Does the buyer need to send the product back to me? An Ebay representative told me to have the buyer return the item by selecting "Arrived Damged" from the drop down menu and that Ebay will send the buyer a shpping label. Others are telling me that pictures will suffice.

Does anybody have some advice on how to handle this and what the process is for filing a claims with USPS?

odditiesandantiquities1 · ‎07-08-2017

@ersatz_sobriquet wrote:
@ellis61 wrote:
@ersatz_sobriquet wrote:

Then you wait...and wait...and wait...

@ersatz_sobriquet
I wanted to complement your post. You gave an excellent and accurate overview of the process.

The only thing I would add is that USPS has a reputation for long waits to settle insurance claims that I have not experienced ... and, so, it is not necessarily true. For example, with my most recent claim (about 4 weeks ago), I had a check in hand within 72 hours.
I'm very glad to hear that because I am filing a claim today after not having filed one for several years!

Ersatz_sobriquet, great response to the OP. What really concerns me is the info she received from CS. That could cause a lot of financial headaches for sellers and buyers alike.

fishzlot · ‎07-08-2017

Wouldn't we then be levied a defect for not as described? I don't want to get a defect every time I file a USPS insurance claim.

fishzlot · ‎07-08-2017

Great post. Thanks. I sell books in one Ebay store and breakable type stuff in my second store. The USPS is smashing the daylights out of so much stuff. No matter how much bubble wrap I use, the boxes and contents get smashed. Especially at the New Jersey regional shipping center. In NJ, the postal workers jump up and down on boxes. Stack on boxes clearly labeled "fragile," etc. They're destructive idiots at that center. I always wondered why only one of three claims was paid.

kattinsanity · ‎07-08-2017

the definition of "not as described" is a lot different between the seller and the buyer. Ebay knows that. As long as you accept the return or refund with no hassles to the buyer you won't get a defect. It's when you fight the buyer you end up with a unresolved case defect.

I just sold a VERY small $$ item and the buyer filed a not as described case saying it didn't look anything like the pictured item in the listing. It was a small short rod for a mini rotisserie and was very well pictured up close. The $$ weren't worth my time or energy so I just refunded. I did NOT get a defect for the not as described.

estella5624 · ‎07-12-2017

Unfortnately, the buyer will not send the pictures Ebay or the USPS needs. She has sent pictures, but none of them show all four plates damaged.

I have spoken with two Ebay service reps. They both looked at the pictures and tell me they are not sufficient for a refund on all four plates. The buyer opened a return request, but has not responded to two requests asking her to send one picture that demonstrates the damage to all four plates. Her last message was to tell me that if she doesn't get a full refund she will return the plates at my expense?? In the meantime, I have issued a refund for two plates.

Question: The Ebay customer service rep asked me if I thought the buyer was trying to "pull one over", or something to that effect. Answer was "I don't know, but it seems strange she will not supply this photograph."

The customer service rep also told I may want to go ahead and file a claim with USPS and that either the buyer or I can escalate this refund before July 14th.

Question: What are the pros and cons of asking Ebay to get involved before July 14th?

labs118 · ‎07-12-2017

Here is the link for USPS insurance

https://www.usps.com/help/claims.htm

USPS says pictures will help they don't say they are a must
I would file the online claim myself and not add the pictures at this time

Per @Anonymous they have a way to help sellers that have a buyer who will not cooperate with an insurance claim

Trinton how would this seller proceed now?

Anonymous · ‎07-12-2017

@estella5624 wrote:

I have received a message from a buyer letting me know that their item was received damaged. The buyer says the box is damaged and the plates are shattered.

I am receiving conflicting information on how to deal with this. Does the buyer need to send the product back to me? An Ebay representative told me to have the buyer return the item by selecting "Arrived Damged" from the drop down menu and that Ebay will send the buyer a shpping label. Others are telling me that pictures will suffice.

Does anybody have some advice on how to handle this and what the process is for filing a claims with USPS?

Hey @estella5624, happy to clarify next steps for you. I wanted to first clarify that considering the item material and the damage, this would likely be considered hazardous to ship back. In relationship to an insurance claim, if you would like to pursue coverage through your courier we would ask that you refund the buyer as soon as possible. Insurance investigations can take quite some time and they are ultimately for your protection. The buyer would need to have their concerns resolved by their seller.

If for some reason the buyer does not cooperate with the investigation and your claim is denied for that reason, we have protection options for you at that time. I cannot speak for your courier or the specific insurance claim, but I have heard that photos are commonly enough for the investigation. You will need to contact USPS for more details on this.

estella5624 · ‎07-12-2017

Thanks for the advice.

I have refunded the buyer for the purchase price of the two plates that the Ebay respresentative and I see in the pictures she sent. I am waiting on photos that indicate all four plates hae been damaged. The buyer has not responded to my request.

I will again as the buyer to send a photograph. I will also file a claim with USPS in the morning.

estella5624 · ‎07-12-2017

Thanks for taking the time to post this link for me.

I will file the claim in the morning.

lecroy3 · ‎07-13-2017

Put yourself in the buyer's shoes. You purchase a set of 4 plates. Two are broken in transit. What good are two plates? Whenever a portion of a set is damaged, I refund in full. When filing a claim I send an image of my Ebay order details, PayPal full refund and any damage images the buyer sends. The new USPS claim format doesn't separate item cost and shipping. You just enter total refund requested. USPS dropped the ball (or package) so why should the buyer pay. It's disappointing enough receiving a damaged item. JMHO

starroute-us · ‎07-13-2017

Trinton,
I can not understand why you state, " I wanted to first clarify that considering the item material and the damage, this would likely be considered hazardous to ship back"

Folks sell broken pottery/ plates etc for crafter, they are shipped daily. I have sold many myself.

partial*eclipse · ‎07-13-2017

@labs118 wrote:
... USPS says pictures will help they don't say they are a must
I would file the online claim myself and not add the pictures at this time ...

@labs118

Why not add the pictures? Seems like a "Can't hurt, might help" situation to me.

There have definitely been posts from sellers who got prompt payments for their claims after submitting them with attached pictures. I doubt there's even any back-and-forth second chance to submit them to USPS as part of the claim if you don't do it as part of the initial filing.

labs118 · ‎07-13-2017

@partial*eclipse

minds are allowed to think 2 different ways
Maybe I need to drink coffe and stop posting

estella5624 · ‎07-13-2017

Thank you.

When I spoke with an Ebay customer service representative, she asked me if I thought the buyer was not being completely honest. Truthfully, I don't know.

I do know that when I first asked for pictures the buyer said she had thrown the plates in the garbage. Since then I have requested one photograph indicating all four plates are damaged. Though she has sent other photographs, she won't send it and instead tells me that she will be returning the plates to Ebay at my expense???

I know this is not a lot of money and some will argue that it is not worth my time. I understand this position. However, I look at the community boards regularly and often see sellers upset with Ebay over these types of issues. Some even say that Ebay is full of buyers that are scammers.

But, the quality of the Ebay marketplace depends not only on the policies and procedures that Ebay puts in place, but also on the willingness of sellers to require buyers to play a responsible role. I choose to run my business with this in mind.

So hopefully, if this buyer is a scammer and even if I lose, she may think twice before doing this to somebody else.

estella5624 · ‎07-21-2017

@Anonymous wrote:

@estella5624 wrote:

I have received a message from a buyer letting me know that their item was received damaged. The buyer says the box is damaged and the plates are shattered.

I am receiving conflicting information on how to deal with this. Does the buyer need to send the product back to me? An Ebay representative told me to have the buyer return the item by selecting "Arrived Damged" from the drop down menu and that Ebay will send the buyer a shpping label. Others are telling me that pictures will suffice.

Does anybody have some advice on how to handle this and what the process is for filing a claims with USPS?

Hey @estella5624, happy to clarify next steps for you. I wanted to first clarify that considering the item material and the damage, this would likely be considered hazardous to ship back. In relationship to an insurance claim, if you would like to pursue coverage through your courier we would ask that you refund the buyer as soon as possible. Insurance investigations can take quite some time and they are ultimately for your protection. The buyer would need to have their concerns resolved by their seller.

If for some reason the buyer does not cooperate with the investigation and your claim is denied for that reason, we have protection options for you at that time. I cannot speak for your courier or the specific insurance claim, but I have heard that photos are commonly enough for the investigation. You will need to contact USPS for more details on this.

I received a message from Ebay today indicating indicating the case was decided in the buyer's favor. This was done despite the case being put on hold on July 15th for 5 days while Ebay awaits photos from the buyer. The buyer never submitted photos.

In addition, the Resolution Center indicates that a return request was initiated today, July 21, 2017.

I spoke with a customer service representative at Ebay this morning and was told that a return label has been issued to the buyer and that I will need to wait to escalate this case until after I receive the plates.

I have been asked in previous conversations with an Ebay customer service representative if I thought this was fraud. I would not respond affirmatively at that time.

On July 7, 2017, the buyer increased the quantity on this listing from one to five. This is the same day the same buyer received the plates I sent her.

The customer service representative I spoke with this morning tells me that this fact is not and will not be taken into consideration when decisions are made.

I have a full schedule today. Monday I will file a report with the police department in Lake Elsinore, CA and the United States Postal Service.

Why did Ebay decide in the buyer's favor when the buyer clearly did not do as she was requested?

And what should I do now?