eBay

johnschuricht · ‎12-04-2019

Its been interesting reading past discussions on this topic but I am curious what the current consensus is.

I bought an item recently from a 6,000+ feedback US seller for about $300 which is under the $750 seller protection requirement. Shipping was listed FedEx ground or home with no other specific shipping details listed. The seller decided to mark the shipment as direct signature required, that option or another specified that I can't see prevents any changes by myself for signature release, signing a door tag, specifying delivery time/location, hold for pickup, etc. A signature is not possible so even though other packages were left by FedEx during the delivery attempts, this one will be returned since it had 3 delivery attempts. Even more fun, FedEx has no locations near here so its 50 miles away.

20 years on ebay and this is the first time a seller has done this to me and I am more than a little PO'd. The item will be going back to the seller and I am happy it's 60 lbs and was free shipping. My question is would it be better to file an INR on ebay, use a different category, file with paypal or jump to a chargeback? The seller is going to eat the shipping since they changed the shipping terms by not specifying in the ad that there is a direct signature requirement and being under $750 where ebay terms would provide assumption of a signature requirement.

Today was the third delivery attempt. Current status on ebay shows out for delivery and "Delivery exception - Customer not available or business closed" under details.

bach4231 · ‎12-05-2019

I haven’t sold on eBay in quite awhile and am a bit confused. So if an item under $750.00 (no signature required) disappears even though shows delivered, who has to deal with the aftermath? The seller or buyer?

nobody*s_perfect · ‎12-05-2019

The buyer.

snowbirdliquidations · ‎12-05-2019

I'm going to let you know something useful since many order time sensitive packages at this time of year. Everyone should be aware that if they pick a shipping option 'USPS Priority Mail Express' on Ebay they WILL most likely get a package with a signature being required. Reason being, no matter what the $$ value, if the Priority Mail Express Label is ordered within the Ebay Shipping Label Platform, signature required is selected by default because it is 'free' and included service with cost of Express Mail. So they check & select it for you by default thinking why would you not want a free upgrade spiff add-on included in the service level?

So there you go! I get orders once or twice a year where the buyer selects and pays for the Priority Mail Express carrier option. So seldom, that I usually forget that it is selected by default and don't notice it until I'm taping the label when I see all capital letters SIGNATURE REQUIRED. Then I say DOH I forgot to uncheck the box!!!

Most sellers probably wouldn't be very interested in doing a void request for such an expensive label to reprint when the post office takes around a month to give your reimbursement back (to make sure you didn't actually use the label). And most sellers probably don't get orders with Express Mail selected too often, and when they do may not realize Ebay selects it by default when buying shipping.

If you really cannot get something or refuse to accept packages with signature required, best recommendation is when placing your order for an item under $750 in value, put a note for the seller indicating please do not require signature. Obviously, if it happens to be a paranoid seller that always ships signature for everything including $0.99 items, they aren't required to abide if they don't want to and that may even irk them to cancel your order for 'problem with address'.

Food for thought.

mr_lincoln · ‎12-05-2019

@johnschuricht I know I am coming in late on this one but eBay views "attempted" deliveries the sames as delivered in an INR claim, so you would lose. I would message the Seller with a simple message to Cancel the sale ... you asking them allows them to process the Cancellation and get their FVFs from eBay back but they will be out the PayPal fees.

If they don't cancel for you then I would go to the charge back although that will tie up the money for 75 to 90 days in the Seller's account while the claim is being reviewed.

Regards,
Mr. Lincoln - Community Mentor

dede394 · ‎12-05-2019

@snowbirdliquidations wrote:
I'm going to let you know something

Food for thought.

While you're munching on that, can you let us know something:

The difference between your adult signature required and OP's direct signature required?

dede394 · ‎12-05-2019

@mr_lincoln wrote:
@johnschurichteBay views "attempted" deliveries the sames as delivered in an INR claim, so you would lose. I would message the Seller with a simple message to Cancel the sale

Wondering @mr_lincoln why won't that work for the OP?

mr_lincoln · ‎12-05-2019

@dede394 wrote:
@mr_lincoln wrote:
@johnschurichteBay views "attempted" deliveries the sames as delivered in an INR claim, so you would lose. I would message the Seller with a simple message to Cancel the sale
Wondering @mr_lincoln why won't that work for the OP?

Do you mean eBay viewing an "attempted" delivery the same as a delivered item? eBay's support team has stated that to be the case ... meaning the OP would lose an INR claim because delivery was "attempted" by USPS 3 times even though the tracking number does not show delivery.

Regards,
Mr. Lincoln - Community Mentor

a_c_green · ‎12-05-2019

@dede394 wrote:
@snowbirdliquidations wrote:
I'm going to let you know something

Food for thought.
While you're munching on that, can you let us know something:

The difference between your adult signature required and OP's direct signature required?

Signature Confirmation (that which eBay/PayPal require for sales of $750 or more) requires a signature upon delivery from any adult at that address. I think the OP is using "direct signature" to mean the same thing, as opposed to an on-line option from the buyer to have the shipment sent someplace else.

johnschuricht · ‎12-06-2019

Direct signature is FedEx's term. Indirect signature is what I have dealt with in the past and leaves options open for dealing with it.

Indirect Signature Required: FedEx obtains a signature from someone at the delivery address; from a neighbor, building manager or someone at a neighboring address; or the recipient can also leave a FedEx Door Tag authorizing release of the package without anyone present.
Direct Signature Required: FedEx obtains a signature from someone at the delivery address. If no one is at the address, we reattempt delivery.

hu.nga-55 · ‎12-06-2019

@snowbirdliquidations wrote:
I'm going to let you know something useful since many order time sensitive packages at this time of year. Everyone should be aware that if they pick a shipping option 'USPS Priority Mail Express' on Ebay they WILL most likely get a package with a signature being required. Reason being, no matter what the $$ value, if the Priority Mail Express Label is ordered within the Ebay Shipping Label Platform, signature required is selected by default because it is 'free' and included service with cost of Express Mail. So they check & select it for you by default thinking why would you not want a free upgrade spiff add-on included in the service level?

So there you go! I get orders once or twice a year where the buyer selects and pays for the Priority Mail Express carrier option. So seldom, that I usually forget that it is selected by default and don't notice it until I'm taping the label when I see all capital letters SIGNATURE REQUIRED. Then I say DOH I forgot to uncheck the box!!!

Most sellers probably wouldn't be very interested in doing a void request for such an expensive label to reprint when the post office takes around a month to give your reimbursement back (to make sure you didn't actually use the label). And most sellers probably don't get orders with Express Mail selected too often, and when they do may not realize Ebay selects it by default when buying shipping.

If you really cannot get something or refuse to accept packages with signature required, best recommendation is when placing your order for an item under $750 in value, put a note for the seller indicating please do not require signature. Obviously, if it happens to be a paranoid seller that always ships signature for everything including $0.99 items, they aren't required to abide if they don't want to and that may even irk them to cancel your order for 'problem with address'.

Food for thought.

The buyer should not have to tell the seller not to require signature on something under $750.

if the seller requires signature on something less than $750 it should be right up front in the listing, so that the buyer has a choice on whether or not to deal with that particular seller.

Last time I had a package arrive signature required I ended up taking a day off work to wait for it. I lost 10 hours in wages to wait around till 6pm when FedEx finally delivered. It was a $50 item, I lost slightly more than 3 times that by taking off work.

If sellers aren't upfront about shipping method and signature requirements, then they deserve the fallout.

mvls1 · ‎12-06-2019

A better solution would have been to contact FedEx and arranged delivery on a day that you would not need to take off work. That is what we do.

hu.nga-55 · ‎12-06-2019

@mvls1 wrote:
A better solution would have been to contact FedEx and arranged delivery on a day that you would not need to take off work. That is what we do.

That might work if I didn't work 6 days a week in the summer. FedEx doesn't deliver here on Sunday.

johnschuricht · ‎12-06-2019

Arranging delivery is not an option. Everything with the delivery was locked. Also if I was going to spend an entire day waiting on the delivery hoping that the carrier actually shows up and doesn't jut put customer not available so they can go home early, I would have gone 10 minutes down the road to a store that carries this same product at the same price. There is no reason to jump through hoops to get this package.

lja440 · ‎12-07-2019

@hu.nga-55 wrote:
@mvls1 wrote:
A better solution would have been to contact FedEx and arranged delivery on a day that you would not need to take off work. That is what we do.
That might work if I didn't work 6 days a week in the summer. FedEx doesn't deliver here on Sunday.

LOL, I have tried that. Currently I only have Sunday off. I even tried to get them to deliver later in the day stating I wouldn't arrive home until 4:30-5:00. They continue to show up here on their systems at mid morning.

ciande_2570 · ‎12-07-2019

@lja440 wrote:
@hu.nga-55 wrote:
@mvls1 wrote:
A better solution would have been to contact FedEx and arranged delivery on a day that you would not need to take off work. That is what we do.
That might work if I didn't work 6 days a week in the summer. FedEx doesn't deliver here on Sunday.

LOL, I have tried that. Currently I only have Sunday off. I even tried to get them to deliver later in the day stating I wouldn't arrive home until 4:30-5:00. They continue to show up here on their systems at mid morning.

FedEx where I live is totally random, he might show up at 8 a.m. or 8 p.m. or anywhere in between.