Comics-scifi_collectibles Volunteer Community Mentor
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@merlin15922 wrote:BUT HOW DO YOU REACH A CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON IN THE UNITED STATES?
Shipping delays in the US are to an extreme. Even getting a package scanned at the post office was a problem in the US when you leave packages at the USPS drop box inside the post office.
Talking to a customer service person in another country doesn't help, they listen but this basically does nothing to get the message to the person who is expecting the package needs to be patient.
USPS Delays are all over the United States National News media.
Two of my customers were able to have my funds withheld even through the shipment shows scanned and "in transit". No consideration for the holidays rush. eBay should not be allowing this for US packages not delivered until after January 1, 2021, due to delays.
@merlin15922 Ebay will put a case on hold up to 10 days IF the package shows movement within the last 10 days.
The only thing you can do now is contact your buyer and see if they will repay you if the item does finally arrive OR refuse the package if they no longer want the item.
If the item is expensive then I'd try to do a package intercept on the USPS site if an item not received case was filed and it doesn't look like the package will be delivered soon. There is a fee for this service.
Be sure to communicate with your buyer and let them know that you have contacted USPS and are awaiting an update.
This is what I would say: I know you are anxiously awaiting your package and I appreciate your patience in these difficult times. Please rest assured that you will receive your item or a full refund. You have 30 days from the last estimated delivery date to file a refund request on eBay. I am following up with the postal service and will keep you updated.
Hopefully communicating with your buyer will calm them down and they will be willing to wait a bit longer for their item.
If they file a refund request I recommend refunding because if they ask eBay to step in eBay will FORCE a refund you will be out your sellers fees and get a DEFECT. Ebay is currently keeping item not received cases an additional 10 days if the package shows movement in the last 10 days, be sure to still refund before the time is up to avoid a defect that you may or may not be able to have removed.
Be sure to respond to the request and enter your tracking that shows the item is still moving.
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Announcements/UPDATE-Helping-buyers-understand-shipping-delays-and-wha...
If you end having to refund before the item arrives then you will need to send the buyer a Paypal invoice and hope they repay you. I think that most buyers are honest and will repay you if given the opportunity.
I would say on the invoice: Thank you for your patience and understanding in these difficult times.
You might offer a small discount to encourage them to pay again.
You will have to ask the buyer for their PayPal email address to send the invoice. You are allowed to share contact information after a recent sale. This is not considered an offsite transaction since the sale already took place.
Or ask them to mark the item refused return to sender if they no longer want it.
@merlin15922 wrote:BUT HOW DO YOU REACH A CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON IN THE UNITED STATES?
Shipping delays in the US are to an extreme. Even getting a package scanned at the post office was a problem in the US when you leave packages at the USPS drop box inside the post office.
Talking to a customer service person in another country doesn't help, they listen but this basically does nothing to get the message to the person who is expecting the package needs to be patient.
USPS Delays are all over the United States National News media.
Two of my customers were able to have my funds withheld even through the shipment shows scanned and "in transit". No consideration for the holidays rush. eBay should not be allowing this for US packages not delivered until after January 1, 2021, due to delays.
@merlin15922 Ebay will put a case on hold up to 10 days IF the package shows movement within the last 10 days.
The only thing you can do now is contact your buyer and see if they will repay you if the item does finally arrive OR refuse the package if they no longer want the item.
If the item is expensive then I'd try to do a package intercept on the USPS site if an item not received case was filed and it doesn't look like the package will be delivered soon. There is a fee for this service.
Be sure to communicate with your buyer and let them know that you have contacted USPS and are awaiting an update.
This is what I would say: I know you are anxiously awaiting your package and I appreciate your patience in these difficult times. Please rest assured that you will receive your item or a full refund. You have 30 days from the last estimated delivery date to file a refund request on eBay. I am following up with the postal service and will keep you updated.
Hopefully communicating with your buyer will calm them down and they will be willing to wait a bit longer for their item.
If they file a refund request I recommend refunding because if they ask eBay to step in eBay will FORCE a refund you will be out your sellers fees and get a DEFECT. Ebay is currently keeping item not received cases an additional 10 days if the package shows movement in the last 10 days, be sure to still refund before the time is up to avoid a defect that you may or may not be able to have removed.
Be sure to respond to the request and enter your tracking that shows the item is still moving.
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Announcements/UPDATE-Helping-buyers-understand-shipping-delays-and-wha...
If you end having to refund before the item arrives then you will need to send the buyer a Paypal invoice and hope they repay you. I think that most buyers are honest and will repay you if given the opportunity.
I would say on the invoice: Thank you for your patience and understanding in these difficult times.
You might offer a small discount to encourage them to pay again.
You will have to ask the buyer for their PayPal email address to send the invoice. You are allowed to share contact information after a recent sale. This is not considered an offsite transaction since the sale already took place.
Or ask them to mark the item refused return to sender if they no longer want it.
This is the one thing I don't like about managed payments.... they put the funds on hold when a refund request is filed BUT they don't use the held funds to refund the buyer. The held funds are not released until the refund is processed back to the buyer.
With PayPal it used to be that a member's funds would be held, but the held funds were used to refund the buyer. OR if they were a long time paypal member, like me, the funds were no longer held pending refund.
