Buyer Return Items with Incomplete Address

[rnparts2013]

First, I do NOT accept returns. I am selling my personal clothes in excellent condition with clear measurements, but this buyer bought 4 dresses anyway, tried on, thought 2 were too small on her, wanted to return them. I granted return, just not to cause any problem. But this buyer obviously has problem following rules and instructions.

In the return instruction the return address is: RN Parts, 915 Doyle Rd #303-205  Deltona FL 32725

The buyer returned items today with the address: 915 Doyle Rd Deltona FL 32725

There's really just slight chance this can be delivered to me because this is my business address, it's a business plaza with more than 20 businesses all together, without a suite number the package becomes almost un-deliverable. There will be 2 possibilities: 1 the package will be returned to buyer; 2 the package will be possibly delivered to the first business the mailman stops (it happened before). What should I do?

What worries me is this mistake is not detectable with just a tracking number. USPS system only shows this package to be delivered to FL 32725. If it's delivered somewhere else, I will lose $65 worth of clothing and have to refund her. 

[tracdea1]

I'm curious. If you have "No returns", did this person open a NAD case? Because if that's how this went through ebay, the address should have been on the label as your account is set for returns. If she did not go through eBay's return process (or in this case Resolution process), how would ebay even know if it was delivered or not? There's no way ebay can force a return if an official case or request is not opened.

[tracdea1]

Something does not make sense. A buyer cannot manipulate an ebay generated shipping label to exclude a suite number. Are you sure she opened a case or request?

Edit (I saw previous explanation to this question)

Why would the buyer use her own label when you accepted the return and ebay generates a label to use? Do you think maybe she is trying to scam you? I do. Protocol was completely jacked in this case, from beginning to end. Huge red flags.

[rnparts2013]

No, she did not open a NAD case, she claimed "Does not fit" and open a return request. To avoid problems I granted the request. eBay provided her return address in the detailed return request, she did not use a label from eBay.

[rnparts2013]

I have doubts, but I am not certain. This buyer is also an active seller, so I believe she knows what she's doing. To me, it's feel like she's that kind of person who doesn't care about anyone else let along rules and regulations.

Since I don't accept returns, I made sure all my descriptions, photos, measurements are accurate. She bought dresses knowing the measurements. I believe she's using me as a free dressing room service, but who knows.

[myboardid]

Suggestion since you have the tracking number:

Go to the USPS website tracking and sign up to get emails when the package is scanned.  It will tell you when it is going to arrive.  Contact the businesses, especially those on the first floor and let them know the package is coming and what the issue is with the address.  Frankly, I would wait for the carrier to come by on his/her delivery and speak to him directly.  I might consider trying to grab him the day before it is to be delivered and explain it to him.  If you are pro-active, you can probably prevent the package from disappearing or being returned to the buyer. 

[rnparts2013]

LOL, thanks for the idea, if only you know how big this place is and how many different businesses are here, and how many packages are in and out of this plaza per day, more importantly, who would care enough to watch out for me. USPS update on the tracking is not that accurate, post man comes here usually from 10am to 4pm, each day is different.

The worst is the buyer didn't put my name or my business name on the label. If she did, things would be a lot easier. I have a unique name, sure it would be great help when I ask someone to look out for the package.

[tracdea1]

You said she did not use the provided label. That tells me that she is gaming the system. If the package does make it to your suite by some small favor, I am willing to guess the dresses are not in the package. And since she is also a seller, she knows how to slither around the rules and policies. Using a different label with the wrong address is classic. Let ebay know by reporting her.

[fun_healthy_life]

Be careful. I got screwed by Ebay today. I approved an INAD return and buyer also did not use the return label provided and bought one at post office. I think she forgot to put down my apartment number. The item is being returned to her as of last week and she only gave me the tracking number today through a message. She asked for refund but I told her I didn't get the item back yet and to contact post office since it says "incomplete address: being returned to sender". Buyer asked Ebay to step in and Ebay gave her a full refund within 20 minutes. Ebay told me I had to prove that the label buyer created was incomplete, which is beyond ridiculous. You might be ok and can appeal if you have a picture of the label your buyer used. I might be out of luck, since my buyer got her refund and is now getting the item returned to her as well.

[lja440]

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@rnparts2013 wrote:

I don't think whether I should use business address is relevant to the discussion here. It's the most convenient address to use as my home address is in rural area with more than 2000 ft of driveway through the woods, Post Office, UPS, FedEx never drove down to deliver packages, or they deliver to the wrong address. Suite number is quite common in shipping addresses, just like an apartment number, I have never had problem before. 

As this case is buyer's remorse, I don't know if label is pre-paid, it's paid by buyer. My return address is as shown above.

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I am a rural mail carrier and travel driveways that long and longer daily, one I hate because it makes a third world countries roads look like the autobahn.  Also it is not the only house there, there are 6 mailboxes in a gang at the entrance to these driveways. There are actually 8 houses. I deliver packages to ONE HOUSE all the others if it is too large for the mailbox they get a 3849 because NONE of them ABSOLUTLY NONE have house numbers on them. The one I deliver to provided a number on a cardboard box on the porch it is gone now but at the time they promised to get real numbers up when they finished the porch (its been over a year).

If you are not getting delivery or things are miss-delivered then stand back and take a look.

Is the house numbered well? Can you see this from the mailbox or street?

Is you drive clear and do you have ample room to turn around. NOTE: Most days when I start out I CAN NOT see out the back of my Jeep and can barely see my side mirror.

If you have pets is it safe for the carrier to get out. Rural means not only dogs but I often push my way through milk cows, grumpy geese and the occasional loose pig.  

[rnparts2013]

I happen to have the picture the buyer sent to me, and it is just the incomplete address with no name, no suite number. I am sorry to hear what happen to you, it's unfair. You should ask to speak to a supervisor and tell her/him it's sufficient enough evidence if USPS states incomplete address, USPS is governmental agency. Maybe worth the try.

[hegre_51]

@rnparts2013 

forgive me if it has already been suggested, but have you tried filing a package intercept and correcting the address that way?

[rnparts2013]

Yes, I have tried. The USPS system won't let me. I don't know why, it just said system could not process it.

[rnparts2013]

Update: I think I figured out why I could not intercept the package. USPS requires to have recipient's first and last name filled out before the original address. The buyer didn't put any name on the return label, just a plain address, no my name, no my company's name.

[dtexley3]

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@fun_healthy_life wrote:

Be careful. I got screwed by Ebay today. I approved an INAD return and buyer also did not use the return label provided and bought one at post office. I think she forgot to put down my apartment number. The item is being returned to her as of last week and she only gave me the tracking number today through a message. She asked for refund but I told her I didn't get the item back yet and to contact post office since it says "incomplete address: being returned to sender". Buyer asked Ebay to step in and Ebay gave her a full refund within 20 minutes. Ebay told me I had to prove that the label buyer created was incomplete, which is beyond ridiculous. You might be ok and can appeal if you have a picture of the label your buyer used. I might be out of luck, since my buyer got her refund and is now getting the item returned to her as well.

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@fun_healthy_life Call and appeal.  The automated system should not have sent the buyer a refund since it was NOT delivered to you.  A human can review the tracking and see that.  But YOU have to appeal.

brian@ebay Should the buyer have been refunded by the system when the return was not delivered to the seller?  It may have eventually received a delivered scan when it was sent back to the buyer would that have caused the buyer to be refunded? We've always been told that a refund will be issued based on the item being delivered in the seller's zipcode and in this case it would not have been.

[fun_healthy_life]

So I did call Ebay and spoke to a rep and supervisor. They said as long as the delivery attempt was made it counts. The tracking said “out for delivery” and that counts according to ebay as an attempt even though the mail carrier just took it back to the post office because the address was missing an apartment and he could not deliver it. All ebay cared about was that “out for delivery” and nothing else after that said insufficient / incomplete address and they refunded buyer in 20 minutes. Ridiculous...