eBay

semiexperrt37 · ‎04-23-2019

I will preface this by stating I called twice and received basically the same answer. I sold a widget for $50 at the beginning of the month. The buyer made some INAD claim(bogus claim but that's another story) and I provided a return label through the Return request as I always have.

Fast forward a week or so and I receive a message claiming it had been delivered. All my returns go to a PakMail box service. I go and pick up my returns and go through them and find the return for this item in question is not there. Perplexed I just figured someone else grabbed it by accident and would drop back off at pakmail(happens a lot). Well for safe keeping I go and check the package tracking and low and behold the buyer dropped it off in SF(their location) and it was delivered 3 days later in SF to the same zip code. Well I am GA clear across the country. So somehow the buyer shipped it and it was delivered in the same zip code at sent.

Well I called in about a few other cases where buyers never returned the item and had the cases closed. When I got to this case the reps took a look and refused to close the case stating " I am responsible for having the buyer ship it back to the correct address". I was told that even though I had purchased the label through the ebay return center they dont know if the label is correct and the buyer is only responsible for a scan showing returned to receive a refund. There is no way a seller can do anything other than provide a reciprocal label! In both cases the rep said there was nothing they can do and just wait for the case to close by automation and the buyer to receive a refund(and the item delivered back to him) and then call in and appeal and they would credit me the $50 on appeal as the tracking shows it delivered to the buyers zip code and not mine.

This was a mind numbing conversation and made very little sense to me , but I would like others opinions on this. I can provide tracking for others to see, but was not sure if that is against board rules. Thanks in advance for all info.

dtexley3 · ‎04-23-2019

@Anonymous Another instance of this scam. eBay needs to step up it's game on this one, the delivery zipcode is not the SELLERS zipcode, not refund should be required of the buyer. They should not even have to call CS to attempt to get this cleared up.

Hi @semiexperrt37,

You are not the first to post a story like this lately.

Yes you can post the tracking history as long as you obscure the tracking # and any member ids.

You will need to go to the post office with the tracking number and get a detailed scan history that includes all scan and GPS information. The online tracking history is abbreviated.

You may also need the Postmaster to issue you a letter on USPS letterhead stating that the delivery address for the tracking was not yours. Since this item was returned to the buyer, you may not need this as the delivery zip code is not yours.

Member of the Grumpy Old Man crew

semiexperrt37 · ‎04-23-2019

Thanks so much for the info. The problem is I am some what of a medium volume seller, and I have already spent an hour on this which really cost me more than it is worth already. The reps were of no help at all and just kept advising for me to get a refund on appeal. That does no good for the ebay bottom line, which only hurts sellers in cost down the road. It also does little to curb bad behavior.

I am not that versed in computers skills other than ebay where I spend all my time, and have no ideal on how to to post the tracking history and obscure the Tracking #. The member ID never shows up if you in the tracking history. The worst thing about this is, is I just got a lot of great inventory and I am spending time on this when I should be listing!

I am very friendly with my post master, but that would take more time for this low value item, when ebay should just see the buyer sent it to their own zip code and close the case instead of this whole rodeo!

dtexley3 · ‎04-23-2019

I understand the time and value, but if as sellers we don't take action, nothing will change.

What I forgot to say is when you get the detailed tracking report you should also file a mail fraud complaint. That way if this is a repeat scammer and multiple complaints are made the scammer gets some unexpected visitors to discuss their participation in federal felony crimes.

Member of the Grumpy Old Man crew

green-night · ‎04-23-2019

I had the same thing happen once and here is why : I issued a return label through eBay just like you did. The buyer shipped it and within a day or two it was delivered back to the buyer. The reason: eBay issued a first class return label and the package was over a pound and someone at the PO decided that a FC return label was insufficient (it wasn't) and returned it to the buyer. The buyer must have contacted eBay and complained because the return was suddenly closed by eBay and both myself and the buyer were made whole.

Do you know if it was a FC label or a Priority label the buyer was issued (it shouldn't matter) but just curious. And how much did the item weigh?

semiexperrt37 · ‎04-23-2019

I am just confused why I even need to do all that. I sent a item to buyer. He claims it is INAD. I purchase a return label through ebay as I always have. The is the only instance in over 40k transaction where this has occurred. I don't understand the need to get a scan from the post office. All the rep has to do is see he sent the item to a address in his own zip code. We are 3k miles apart. At that point a rep should say, you know what this was delivered to the buyers zip code and not mine and close the case. No scan from the USPS can really change that fact as it will just show it delivered to the buyers zip code which is no different than what the tracking in the case shows. Thanks in advance!

semiexperrt37 · ‎04-23-2019

Okay, that is another issue I am having, but not in this case as It is a first class package for sure. I am having tons of returns I sent out as priority mail, but when returned they are coming back as first class return labels. This is happening on about 50% of the returns. I was wondering if it is widespread ebay malfunction!

dtexley3 · ‎04-23-2019

@semiexperrt37 wrote:
I am just confused why I even need to do all that. I sent a item to buyer. He claims it is INAD. I purchase a return label through ebay as I always have. The is the only instance in over 40k transaction where this has occurred. I don't understand the need to get a scan from the post office. All the rep has to do is see he sent the item to a address in his own zip code. We are 3k miles apart. At that point a rep should say, you know what this was delivered to the buyers zip code and not mine and close the case. No scan from the USPS can really change that fact as it will just show it delivered to the buyers zip code which is no different than what the tracking in the case shows. Thanks in advance!

I fully agree that eBay should handle this without any action of the seller, but they don't. And we can hop up and down, yell and scream, and post long rants and the most likely outcome is that eBay will do nothing.

To protect ourselves we have to be willing to take the time to 1) report this to eBay repeatedly, 2) File the appropriate fraud and/or police filings and 3) take the time to post here and on eBay's social media for business pages. If we don't, the problem will only get worse.

If you are interested you can send me a PM and I'll send you how I think this scam works, but I'm NOT posting a How To for any lowlives trolling the boards... hehehehehe.

Member of the Grumpy Old Man crew

green-night · ‎04-23-2019

It is also entirely possible the PO just screwed up somehow. While I have never had it happen with a domestic transaction, I have had a few international packages delivered back to me (not returned) but actually delivered - some bonehead was reading the return address as the ship to address. Have you had any communication with the buyer?

ed8108 · ‎04-23-2019

@semiexperrt37 wrote:
No scan from the USPS can really change that fact as it will just show it delivered to the buyers zip code which is no different than what the tracking in the case shows. Thanks in advance!

Could it be that the process is intentionally designed to be more time consuming than absolutely necessary,

prompting you to just give up and not follow thru ?

Your time does have some dollar value.

Anonymous · ‎04-23-2019

@dtexley3 wrote:

@Anonymous Another instance of this scam. eBay needs to step up it's game on this one, the delivery zipcode is not the SELLERS zipcode, not refund should be required of the buyer. They should not even have to call CS to attempt to get this cleared up.

Hi @semiexperrt37,

You are not the first to post a story like this lately.

Yes you can post the tracking history as long as you obscure the tracking # and any member ids.

You will need to go to the post office with the tracking number and get a detailed scan history that includes all scan and GPS information. The online tracking history is abbreviated.

You may also need the Postmaster to issue you a letter on USPS letterhead stating that the delivery address for the tracking was not yours. Since this item was returned to the buyer, you may not need this as the delivery zip code is not yours.

Hi @dtexley3, as we've discussed previously in other threads, delivery confirmation to the address the return was sent from would not result in a refund being issued to the buyer. As you have stated, when the delivery zipcode is not the seller's zipcode, no refund is issued to the buyer. An exception may exist for situations where the seller has issued a prepaid shipping label, as they have provided the return address themselves. That being said, if the seller has reason to believe the buyer altered the return label in some way, they can get the documentation you have advised for eBay to review an appeal.

To reiterate, we look for successful return delivery or attempted delivery to support a refund to the buyer. If the seller provides a label to the buyer and the item is misdelivered in some way, a seller can provide supporting documents for us to investigate further.

Anonymous · ‎04-23-2019

@green-night wrote:

I had the same thing happen once and here is why : I issued a return label through eBay just like you did. The buyer shipped it and within a day or two it was delivered back to the buyer. The reason: eBay issued a first class return label and the package was over a pound and someone at the PO decided that a FC return label was insufficient (it wasn't) and returned it to the buyer. The buyer must have contacted eBay and complained because the return was suddenly closed by eBay and both myself and the buyer were made whole.

Do you know if it was a FC label or a Priority label the buyer was issued (it shouldn't matter) but just curious. And how much did the item weigh?

Hi @green-night, thank you for sharing this experience! I can confirm that when an eBay label is provided and there is a delivery issue, we can step in to protect both the buyer and the seller from loss.

Anonymous · ‎04-23-2019

@semiexperrt37 wrote:

I will preface this by stating I called twice and received basically the same answer. I sold a widget for $50 at the beginning of the month. The buyer made some INAD claim(bogus claim but that's another story) and I provided a return label through the Return request as I always have.

Fast forward a week or so and I receive a message claiming it had been delivered. All my returns go to a PakMail box service. I go and pick up my returns and go through them and find the return for this item in question is not there. Perplexed I just figured someone else grabbed it by accident and would drop back off at pakmail(happens a lot). Well for safe keeping I go and check the package tracking and low and behold the buyer dropped it off in SF(their location) and it was delivered 3 days later in SF to the same zip code. Well I am GA clear across the country. So somehow the buyer shipped it and it was delivered in the same zip code at sent.

Well I called in about a few other cases where buyers never returned the item and had the cases closed. When I got to this case the reps took a look and refused to close the case stating " I am responsible for having the buyer ship it back to the correct address". I was told that even though I had purchased the label through the ebay return center they dont know if the label is correct and the buyer is only responsible for a scan showing returned to receive a refund. There is no way a seller can do anything other than provide a reciprocal label! In both cases the rep said there was nothing they can do and just wait for the case to close by automation and the buyer to receive a refund(and the item delivered back to him) and then call in and appeal and they would credit me the $50 on appeal as the tracking shows it delivered to the buyers zip code and not mine.

This was a mind numbing conversation and made very little sense to me , but I would like others opinions on this. I can provide tracking for others to see, but was not sure if that is against board rules. Thanks in advance for all info.

Hi @semiexperrt37, though I couldn't find a return under the username you are posting with, I do recommend you add to the appeal any supporting documentation you may have that shows the item was not returned to you successfully and our Customer Service team can review for appropriate action.

greatmidwestcoin · ‎04-24-2019

Contact your local Post Office and request a picture of the label per the scanning number provided. Possibly the sender modified it in someway to have it returned to sender. Each package if traveling through a distribution plant has the physical label scanned or a picture take of it. Your local Post Master main moan a little but they can obtain a copy of it. Open a complaint online at the USPS website to get this rolling.