eBay

shephsumsara · ‎11-20-2020

Hi, everyone,

I made my first eBay sales about a month ago--five separate collectible sports programs from the 40s that had belonged to my grandfather that my mom might have thrown out. I'm in Canada, and four went to the US. Three of those were fine, but the fourth one got tracking updates till it got to the destination town, but then was reported as having been attempted deliveries to an unknown address twice and returned to sender. The buyer has visited the post office twice, and said he's been told it's been returned to me, but the tracking shows no indication of it having moved out of that town since November 7.

I phoned the town post office and got a very helpful person on Friday Nov 6, (the second attempted delivery happened the next day) but have tried over and over since then but never had the phone answered. That person said it wasn't in the office but he could read a partial photo of the address: I think I got the name and street number and zip code right but the street name wrong. (The recipient's lived in the house for 25 years, and a similar-but-wrong street name wouldn't matter in Toronto, but maybe it does there.) I tried the next-biggest town it went through en route there, but they didn't answer the phone.

I can't put a trace on it via USPS because I'm Canadian, and the central USPS phone number just sends me to an unhelpful computer. I've put a trace on it via Canada Post but they said not to follow up till Nov 30.

I'm concerned because I'm going to be charged the selling fee as of November 30. I received the sales fee from the buyer via PayPal, but told him that of course I won't spend it, etc till he gets the piece. I'm also concerned bc it's worth a few hundred dollars and the value had to be declared on the sticker because it was crossing the border.

Does anyone have suggestions? Should I cancel the sale altogether and promise to resell it to him if/when it turns up? Can he retract the money (which I consider his) without my consent via eBay but leave me stuck with the sales fee? Do any Americans know of good ways to get info from the postal service?

Thanks so much!

eztrade2world · ‎11-20-2020

If the buyer open the case "I haven't received the item yet",you must refund the money

fragilememories · ‎11-20-2020

You should be able to file a missing package claim. I believe buyer can do the same to take care of it on the other side of the border. If USPS doesn't have the proof that package was delivered, they should move forward with claim.

msh062 · ‎11-21-2020

Go to the usps website

shephsumsara · ‎11-21-2020

Thank you!

shephsumsara · ‎11-21-2020

I tried that: I went around in circles for a long time, filled out a form, and then found that I couldn't send the form because I live in Canada, not the U.S.A. Maybe the recipient can fill out such a form. I did ask Canada Post (who answer the phone!) to put a trace on it at this end.

shephsumsara · ‎11-21-2020

Thank you! I've done that here in Canada: maybe the buyer will decide to do it in the U.S.

shephsumsara · ‎11-27-2020

Thank you: I don't think he wants to open a case yet. Of course, if he wants the money refunded I will do so. I mainly don't want to pay the Ebay fee for something that never got there.