item not recieved claim filed by buyer after delivery was made

[lygerr]

Most of the answers i got are for older ebay policies it seems, so i can't easily find an answer to how to handle it. the buyer messaged me a few hours after the delivery confirmation was sent through USPS, they say they never got their package. I responded by telling them to check neighbors, check their box, ask family, look around, etc. if none of that results in the package found go to the post office and ask them to investigate the delivery. The buyer filed a INR half a day later and said their "family and neighbors didn't get it either".

I checked the delivery address and it is a international shipping depot so they're already lying to me. While working through the INR filing and responding to the customer to keep doing the things I mentioned the buyer requested a refund so they "can buy another of the item", sorry but i don't have another one, i'm not a corporation with millions of items in stock. The buyer also sent me positive feedback, which is not something a buyer with an INR would do. As well they are responding with words like "Thanks Dearie please send refund". It's obviously a scammer, but the INR only gives 3 options respond to buyer>update tracking>send refund. Obviously i'm not sending a refund, you can't update the tracking and I have already responded to the buyer with common sensical approaches to a INR. 

Should I ask ebay to intervene? There's not really any way to escalate the claim other than those 3 options plus "ask ebay to intervene" option which as a seller i cringe at the thought. I'm already annoyed that I'm getting a dot on my seller status within ebay for the fake filing, not to mention yet another hold of my funds while I deal with the scammer.

The buyer had 0 reviews in the last year, possibly even a hacked account.

[kensgiftshop]

Click Update Tracking number and enter the tracking number showing it was delivered and the case should close in your favor soon.

[rosszonebricks]

If the Buyer filed INR, your next step is to upload the tracking information that indicates the package is Delivered. And.... that's it.    Case will close in your favor, winner winner chicken dinner.

[lygerr]

i don't see where i can do that, when i click the link to "update tracking information" it goes to a new page where the tracking info auto generated when i printed the ebay shipping label created all the tracking info, which is greyed out and not editable. basically the tracking info is already in the system and shows delivered.

The only real options I have are to wait the 3 days and let ebay intervene, or just go ahead and ask them to intervene. As a seller who's already had an issue with a "defective item" claim that was not defective and released by the buyer(after i spent hours walking them through the things they should have already known), i was told basically to never ask ebay for help by the community, so i'm trying to adhere to that advice.

[caldreamer]

EBAY automated refund system stinks.   I cannot believe because you "responded to buyer" that you are "locked out' of entering tracking# to prove item reached its destination (freight forwarder).   

Normally, I would advise to never ask EBAY to "step in" because it never goes well for the Seller.   But in this case I don't see that you have any other way to enter your tracking# to prove item reached its destination.

I hope everything goes well for you...

[lygerr]

To me it seems like ebay continually changes its practices to keep people on their toes and always guessing. The issue in this case is if you are like me and print labels through ebay all the tracking and evidence of delivery is already in their system. However they don't automatically rule in the sellers favor just because the tracking shows delivered anymore, instead they give this rather obtuse claim page where you can't do anything besides ask ebay to intervene.

I think in this case the buyer is just hoping i get scared into issuing a refund, but i'm not.

After my last response to the buyer I no longer even see the "ask ebay to intervene" option even available. Instead i have to wait 6 days, not 3, because weekends apparently don't count to escalate the case to an actual person. Seems to me more like ebay wants every excuse they can to hold our funds for as long as possible even after already basically stealing from us by charging fees on taxes that we never even see. In some cases losing 20% of our net proceeds to ebay and now they want to hold my money after i already paid for shipping costs(net negative until funds are released and actually sent, in some cases this can be weeks to months).

[dolcetreasures]

eBay needs to drop any and all protections for any and all buyers using freight services under any circumstances. If the buyer chooses to go that route anyway, all the risk should fall on them. 

[ltldpr]

If trying to enter the tracking from a different device doesn't resolve the grayed out issue, and trying a different browser doesn't either, I would suggest you contact eBay via social media. The folks who monitor eBay's social media are actual employees.

I would take screenshots of the grayed out areas that you are describing that prevent you from entering tracking so you can show them what you're facing.

I've copy/pasted the below info from a post by another eBay member. Also, whichever option you choose, you'll be asked to log into your eBay account via a link and that's to verify that your account belongs to you, not a scammer. I've used the Facebook option and was assisted with my issue. 

However, I do not know if they work weekends, so you might be stuck until Monday, which might be too late.

Paste begins now:

Here are your options for contacting Ebay Customer Service.  Please be aware that for social media CS, you send them a Private Message and briefly explain what your problem or issue is.  Feel free to leave your Name, address, phone number and/or your email address in this message.  It is private and secure and it may help to speed up the response for you.

https://twitter.com/askebay

https://www.facebook.com/eBay/

https://www.instagram.com/ebayforsellers/

[slippinjimmy]

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@lygerr wrote:

i don't see where i can do that, when i click the link to "update tracking information" it goes to a new page where the tracking info auto generated when i printed the ebay shipping label created all the tracking info, which is greyed out and not editable. basically the tracking info is already in the system and shows delivered.

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Since the tracking is auto populated then you don't need to do anything.

If the buyer escalates the request to a claim eBay will close it in your favor. If the buyer does not escalate it will eventually time out, eBay will close it and that is the end of the story.

I do not know why sometimes the tracking is auto-populated and other time it is not but that really doesn't matter.

Personally I would not escalate, there is always a chance that eBay will screw up and close it in the buyers favor...you don't want that to happen.

[inhawaii]

If the tracking is already populated, fine.

If it will let you comment, you can simply say "Tracking shows it was delivered on ..."

Ebay should close the case in your favor in a few days,

[kensgiftshop]

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@dolcetreasures wrote:

eBay needs to drop any and all protections for any and all buyers using freight services under any circumstances. If the buyer chooses to go that route anyway, all the risk should fall on them. 

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They can't do that because the buyer might work there or live close by and have their orders shipped there.

[slippinjimmy]

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@dolcetreasures wrote:

eBay needs to drop any and all protections for any and all buyers using freight services under any circumstances. If the buyer chooses to go that route anyway, all the risk should fall on them. 

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They do for Not Received if tracking shows delivered to the forwarder.

I suspect these Not Received cases arise from buyers who are new to forwarder use, eBay shows the item as delivered and that is what they see. They do not understand that it is delivered to the forwarder and will then be shipped to them.

In most situations Not As Described cases also do not qualify for Buyer Protection (there are a few exceptions).

[lygerr]

That's true, but the wording this buyer used made it sound like they were pretending this is their home and thought i wouldn't bother to even check the address.