return to sender

[a-lotta-stuff]

OK this is a new one for us -

So 'no such number' means something about the address is wrong and it's being sent back - maybe has to do with the buyer being a member since 'that day' - but not sure what happens now?

We have 'money' on us having to refund - but here's where the new member part comes into play - as we see this, ebay let the lady put in an address that they should have code to stop. They used to tell me if an address was wrong before we shipped to it, why don't they do the same for the 'member' when they enter it signing up.

If anybody refunds we think it should be ebay.

[mtgraves7984]

For what it's worth... the buyer voided MBG protection with the bad address. The next right thing to do would be to issue a refund for the item only (withhold s&h cost) when it's returned to you. Relist and re-sell. Good luck.

[monica-sells]

Your logic is flawed....

if you get your item returned why would ebay pay the refund? makes no sense....

that being said.....

did the customer request a refund? 

did the customer contact you asking where the item is?

if the address is bad, the post office clerk would have flagged it when you dropped it off.....

[wastingtime101]

@a-lotta-stuff 

This is my standard advice for RTS (returned to sender) packages. Take the parts that are relevant to your situation.

You have a few options. You should decide which route you'll be taking and communicate with the buyer, but wait until the item is returned (and delivered) to you before you take any of the following actions.

• You can refund the buyer the item cost minus original shipping and minus a portion of your eBay fees (fee credits are prorated on a partial refund so you won't get back fees on the shipping amount you withhold). Go to your orders page, find the transaction and select "send refund." On the next page enter the amount. After that, relist the item and if you still want to work with this buyer you can tell them to repurchase it with the correct name/address.
• Have the buyer sort out their address issue then pay for re-shipping. Send them an invoice through PayPal or give them your PayPal e-mail. This is post-sale so it's OK to exchange e-mail addresses. It's also OK to ship to a different address because it's technically not tied to the original transaction. You would not purchase the shipping label through eBay or upload tracking to the transaction. You would purchase it from an alternate site like pirateship.com or paypal.com/shipnow and you can send the buyer the new tracking # through e-mail or eBay messages.
• A different way to accomplish buyer payment for re-shipping is to create an eBay listing for the shipping cost (bumping it up to factor in eBay fees) and having the buyer purchase it, entering their correct address at checkout. You could purchase a shipping label through eBay for that transaction.
• You can cancel the transaction "problem with address" which will trigger a full refund to the buyer and your FVF would be credited.
• You can do nothing. The buyer's MBG protection is voided when there's a package delivery attempt. I don't recommend this because even though you'll win an INR (item not received) claim on eBay, there's nothing stopping that buyer from going to their credit card to file a dispute and why deal with all that? I also think handling it before it gets to this stage with a partial refund is the "right" thing to do if you're not going to make reshipping arrangements.
• You might also want to direct the buyer to this page so their address is updated for future purchases: Account Settings: Addresses

[reallynicestamps]

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy...

Whether you get it back or not, you don't owe her a penny.

Any feedback is likely to be removed on request.

And an actual newbie is less likely to know how to open a Claim, which you would win.

Ethically, when it is returned, eventually, which is not a priority for any shipper,  you may want to refund the selling price less your shipping and packaging cost plus any fees.

BTW did you use Google Maps to see what really is there?

I agree about stopping sales to non-existant addresses, to some extent. The postal system can be a little slow to catch up to new housing developments .

[jbbowers12012]

Did you personally google the address?  Just Curious.

[a-lotta-stuff]

Ebay has always let people put in bad addresses, but would tell seller on label page.

Now they still let in bad addresses but stop telling sellers.

And buyer hasn't said a word, we check tracking and noticed.

And I was there when I handed this and the other packages to postman and he scanned straight in. Fred would have told us if problem.

[a-lotta-stuff]

When/if it comes back we will send the 'hey it came back what happened' message. and/or reply to anything they might send.

and no problem refunding in the end.

[a-lotta-stuff]

Just did.

Full address with the nine number zip is located under a highway. Not a highway overpass, a ground level highway.

[a_c_green]

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@a-lotta-stuff wrote:

So 'no such number' means something about the address is wrong and it's being sent back - maybe has to do with the buyer being a member since 'that day' - but not sure what happens now?

---

Generally the address is validated against the USPS database at the time you purchase the label on-line. You can see this happening when the buyer's Ship-To: address in the payment notification has only a 5-digit ZIP, but when the label comes up for printing, it has magically expanded to a full 9-digit ZIP instead. Did you print the label on-line in that manner? (The post office receipt, if you got one, shows only a 5-digit ZIP with the destination, so that will not confirm anything in this regard.)

I would just wait to see what happens next, as the tracking for your package (as seen on USPS.com) shows all kinds of craziness after its arrival at the destination PO: first it's out for delivery at 6:00 a.m. as usual, then five hours later it's scanned as Available for Pickup. Then at 10:00 a.m. the next morning it's scanned as No Such Number, and 90 minutes after that it's marked as Return to Sender. 

I would let the dust settle and see what Monday brings, especially if the buyer has not said anything yet. If it's on the way back to you, you will see further updates to show that. It's not uncommon for someone to scan a package with the wrong reason selected on their touch screen, leading to all kinds of confusion on-line, but eventually it should clear up if later scans occur.

For example, if the package could not be delivered for whatever reason, the carrier can leave a note instead, and the usual directive is for the recipient to come to the PO and collect it, hence the Out for Delivery status that later became Available for Pickup. The next day someone scanned it as No Such Number, possibly lumping it in with other undeliverable stuff, and thus it would get earmarked for return to you, but that's where I think I would wait to see if that really happens. Your buyer may show up at the PO on Monday to collect it instead.

[sextons-sweet-deals]

Do not refund anything until you get the package back. Plain and simple! It may take 2 to 3 weeks easy. You Probably won't be updated on the transit back until it either shows up at your local USPS distribution center or in your mailbox. It's a security thing!

Your comment:  They used to tell me if an address was wrong before we shipped to it, why don't they do the same for the 'member' when they enter it signing up. That was the good old days of only eBay & PayPal. You now have to do your own homework on buyers. 

What does the address look like on Google Map? You have the street view and the satellite view option.