Buyer Gives Incorrect Shipping Address

[handmadegiftsboutique]

When a buyer purchases merchandise and pays for it we the sellers ship it out only if the address the buyer gives is the address we are to use.

When the buyer requests the seller to send the merchandise to a different address we must cancel the order.

The problem I run into is that when cancelling an order the choices given do not include the reason for cancellation as being the shipping address given is now incorrect or that the buyer changed the shipping address. 

I picked a reason that did not apply because there is no other option given and now I have a defect that I would like to have removed.  The reason I picked was out of stock or damaged which neither applied to the transaction at all.  How can a seller have other options listed for cancelling an order?

[fbusoni]

@handmadegiftsboutique 

"The problem I run into is that when cancelling an order the choices given do not include the reason for cancellation as being the shipping address given is now incorrect or that the buyer changed the shipping address. "

I am surprised to hear this.   

You do not see as one of the options "problem with shipping address"?

I've had a buyer ask to ship to a different address a few times, and I have always asked the buyer to initiate the cancellation.  I explain that eBay policy forbids me from altering the address on the order.

I would humbly recommend that you do the same.

eBay has a record of the messages that you exchange with the buyer, so they can see that your request was reasonable and appropriate.

In my experience, if the buyer refuses to cancel, THEN you can initiate the cancellation and you will not be penalized.  

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@fbusoni wrote: ... In my experience, if the buyer refuses to cancel, THEN you can initiate the cancellation and you will not be penalized.  

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Buyer has the option to cancel only within one hour after the transaction.  The seller should skip that step and go straight to your advised process of canceling due to "problem with buyer's address."  That choice gives no defect point, regardless of the circumstances.

[fbusoni]

@nobody*s_perfect 

Thanks... any idea why OP has no option to select "problem with buyer's address"? 

[handmadegiftsboutique]

I didn't know there was an advised process of cancelling I will have to look for it.    Next time I will contact the buyer and tell them that I have to cancel the order because the shipping address was changed.  I guess I expected the process of cancelling would automatically notify the buyer why the order was cancelled.  I received a message stating that he had not cancelled the order and couldn't understand what happened. 

This happened back in June 2024.  I sent a message to the buyer this morning why the order had been cancelled.

[handmadegiftsboutique]

What is OP?  Can we cancel without choosing a reason?

[handmadegiftsboutique]

Maybe that option of "problem with shipping address" has been added since all this took place.  I am glad it does exist now.  Thank you for all your thoughts they are appreciated.

[fern*wood]

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@handmadegiftsboutique wrote:

When a buyer purchases merchandise and pays for it we the sellers ship it out only if the address the buyer gives is the address we are to use.

When the buyer requests the seller to send the merchandise to a different address we must cancel the order.

The problem I run into is that when cancelling an order the choices given do not include the reason for cancellation as being the shipping address given is now incorrect or that the buyer changed the shipping address. 

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If you were looking for that specific reason, you won't find it, but there has always been the catch-all reason of problem with the address.  Never go near the out of stock reason for anything that is not your fault or responsibility. 

Yes, you needed to contact your buyer after they contacted you with a different address to explain what you were doing and tell them they could repurchase with the correct address?   They could have used the official cancellation request themselves only up until they paid (within 4 days I think), but since they already paid that wouldn't be possible in your situation so you needed to cancel using the proper reason.

[handmadegiftsboutique]

Thank you to all that gave me good advise.  I had ASSUMED!!!!! that the system would work better when an order was cancelled.

Yes maybe that option of a different address being given after the purchase took place as been added since June 22, 2024.  What has made me upset with the system is I have ONE DEFECT that I am not allowed to appeal about because my evaluation is Top Rated and has been such for quite awhile.  I do hope word gets back to whoever does that evaluation and they correct the choices available to sellers if it hasn't been changed already.  I obviously also hope this defect is eliminated.

I did find a message (that was archived) from the buyer that said he did not know why the order had been cancelled and included in this message that he wanted the merchandise sent to a different address.  I did send him a message just recently stating why the order was cancelled and I put a red flag on that message which is in my messages now.

Thanks again.