eBay

soulive · ‎01-01-2020

hey everyone,

just want to share an experience I just had, not sure if this is common. I sold an item about 2 weeks ago and i shipped it to this address. The tracking number stated that the item arrived at the destination state 3 days since i shipped it and have been at the post office of that state with an "available for pickup" for days now (and still is).

I contacted the buyer and ask if they requested that the item be held at a PO, buyer said no. Today i decided to google search the buyer's shipping address and saw multiple google reviews stating that the shipping address is scam and many ebay seller have fallen victims. The reviews claims that the buyer refuse to pickup or would say they didnt get the item delivered and would file claim for refund. Then buyer would go to pick it up later at PO for free.

Is there anything I can do to protect myself or is this a life lesson to google the shipping address before shipping?

coco9619 · ‎01-01-2020

eBay considers Available for pickup, Return to sender, Address unknown, No such number, No such zone, or any other delivery problem to be the buyer's problem: It's Delivered.

We have no bahamas today.

disneyshopper · ‎01-01-2020

It's possible that the address is a freight forwarder/reshipper, being used by some scammers. ebay considers the package as "delivered" once the package shows it is available for pickup, so sellers should not be refunding if buyers are filing Item Not Received cases. They just need to go pickup the item.

disneyshopper
Volunteer Community Member

soulive · ‎01-01-2020

It doesn't show as delivered, here is a screenshot: it's weird it was available for pickup for a few days and then now changed status to "arrived at Post Office"

this*old*attic · ‎01-01-2020

Buyer is busy and requested a formal hold rather than letting it get sent back?

this*old*attic · ‎01-01-2020

Or the carrier tried an in person delivery again and just scanned it with a different code upon returning to the office?

soulive · ‎01-02-2020

I contacted buyer and they said they didn't request any hold.

gracieallen01 · ‎01-02-2020

@soulive wrote:
hey everyone,

just want to share an experience I just had, not sure if this is common. I sold an item about 2 weeks ago and i shipped it to this address. The tracking number stated that the item arrived at the destination state 3 days since i shipped it and have been at the post office of that state with an "available for pickup" for days now (and still is).

I contacted the buyer and ask if they requested that the item be held at a PO, buyer said no. Today i decided to google search the buyer's shipping address and saw multiple google reviews stating that the shipping address is scam and many ebay seller have fallen victims. The reviews claims that the buyer refuse to pickup or would say they didnt get the item delivered and would file claim for refund. Then buyer would go to pick it up later at PO for free.

Is there anything I can do to protect myself or is this a life lesson to google the shipping address before shipping?

Perhaps some of both. You might want to consider recalling the package, considering the reviews you state you have found. I don't know if you could then cancel for 'Problem with Address' or not, but if the item is expensive, you wouldn't be out the item.

Using google maps for an address lookup can be a great help.

Not saying 'NO' doesn't mean 'YES'.

The foolishness of one's actions or words is determined by the number of witnesses.

Perhaps if Brains were described as an APP, many people would use them more often.

Respect, like money, is only of 'worth' when it is earned - with all due respect, it can not be ordained, legislated or coerced. Anonymous

soulive · ‎01-03-2020

Omg you're right, the address is a freight forwarder/reshipper business....

lagarto_electronico · ‎01-03-2020

I've had scammers from the Ukraine, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico pull the same stunt. The address appears to be a US residential address, but it is really a freight forwarding address out of the country.

In my experience, the buyer will claim the item never arrived and force a refund. I can't speak to your situation though. Please keep us updated.

If it is a cell phone, even if you report the IMEI as stolen and get it black-listed, it may even still be used in areas like the Ukraine (depending on the carrier) as black-lists are sometimes regional.

Isn't eBay wonderful.

soulive · ‎01-17-2020

by some miracle the package was marked as "delivered" to this forwarder's address in the US.

i was able to get the money from Paypal's hold so we will see how this plays out. I am not sure if i am out of the woods yet.

lesson: check address and dont ship to a forwarder's address...

pjcdn2005 · ‎01-17-2020

It’s really not a miracle as packages get delivered to forwarders addresses all the time, The buyer cannot win an inr if you shipped to the payment address and tracking shows the item as having been delivered.

a_c_green · ‎01-17-2020

@soulive wrote:
by some miracle the package was marked as "delivered" to this forwarder's address in the US.

i was able to get the money from Paypal's hold so we will see how this plays out. I am not sure if i am out of the woods yet.

lesson: check address and dont ship to a forwarder's address...

It's not a "miracle;" that is how tracking normally works. Your shipping/delivery obligation is complete as soon as the item is scanned as Delivered in the City and ZIP of the address received with the payment. It doesn't matter whether the address is business or residential, freight forwarder or not.