eBay

bajasierra · ‎04-03-2023

In early March, I received an order and shipped it the same day. About a week later, the buyer complained that the order hadn't been received yet, so I checked the tracking and wrote her to let her know it said the order was still on its way. A few days after that, she filed a complaint with eBay that I hadn't sent the item, and eBay put a hold on my payment. I checked the status, and it said "in transit, arriving late" so I followed what I thought was the proper procedure and copied the tracking number into the hold request.

She then wrote back, showing me that she had opened an investigation with the USPS and it said something about how she could file a claim, but the hold remained in place. There were several more entries on the tracking that said "in transit, arriving late" then on March 18th it said, "package research case closed". Since she hadn't answered my message, I took no action beyond that and just assumed it would arrive eventually. Then, the day before yesterday, eBay removed the hold from my account and charged me for the item, and gave me a "defect" as if I had never bothered to send the item.

So let me get this straight. I send the item the same day, keep in communication with the customer and now I not only have to pay for the item but I get charged with a defect? It is possible she got the item or the USPS paid her in addition to the refund she got from eBay. Did I do something wrong? What should I have done instead? Is there anything I can do now?

farmalljr · ‎04-03-2023

@joliztoyco wrote:
Welcome to the club.
While I agree that you're on the hook for the refund because Ebay thinks you're responsible for the Post Office and their inept business practices, that's just the way it is.
I always laugh when the cheerleaders say " you chose the shipper"...like we have some sort of " choice". Here in rural America we have ONE choice.
The Post Office. I have to drive 60 miles ONE WAY to access UPS or FedEx. And that doesn't fit into our business model.
But my problem is that you can prove you shipped the package in a timely manner. Ebay can EASILY check the tracking and even an idiot could ascertain that the PO lost it.
So it's crap that you get a ding on your metrics .
Maybe you can get it removed. Other sellers might be able to advise you on that.
Sorry for your luck.

Both FedEx and UPS have a pick up option. It's not eBay's fault where you decide to make your home. It's not a buyer's fault who you choose to ship with. If I decide to open a snowplow business in the desert, the fault is mine if that business model can't get off the ground.

You need to choose your options carefully, if you want a successful business. Not everyone will have access to the same things at any given place in the country. Maybe selling online isn't a good business where you are, but another type of business IS.

powell-memorabilia · ‎04-03-2023

It true - it has to be late and have tracking that doesn’t show progress. I’ve had INR’s that drag on and on because there is a location update every few days, even if the package is way past the estimated delivery date, even if the seller shipped late.

cardxcraft · ‎04-03-2023

What does on time mean? Do you realize that the Ebay estimates are based not on Ebay's own shipping business, but instead, Ebay uses their own formula for estimated arrival.

Although I ship on time, and have had no products arrive late, it's the audacity of a company thar has no skin in the shipping game to then go out and make guidelines.

I play ball but its with reservation.

movieman630 · ‎04-03-2023

I usually politely ask them to wait 4 weeks from the original shipping date. For some reason if a package arrives late it's usually by that 4 week mark like clockwork. If after 4 weeks it still hasn't arrived I consider it lost and issue refunds myself or send replacements (if I can).

Don't let it fall to ebay to handle it.

I usually add the complainant to my BBL after the incident because you don't know if it was just the tracking that malfunctioned and didn't get scanned delivered and the buyer was just trying to get a free item. It does happen.

reallynicestamps · ‎04-03-2023

I would say that once it has been sent through USPS, they are the ones responsible for getting it to the seller. There is absolutely no action I could have taken to get this item to the customer.

The USPS is responsible to its customers.

You bought the shipping. USPS is responsible to you.

The customer paid you to ship to them. You are responsible for your choice of 'sub-contractor' in this case USPS.

You are responsible to your customer.

You can start a claim with USPS for at least the cost of shipping. Try for more, be as content as possible with the result.

You are not at fault. You are responsible.

ms.rodriguez* · ‎04-03-2023

What does the tracking # say today? See if you can RECALL the package. In a case like this, I don't care if the item was ten bucks, I will pay the postal fee to RECALL the package and make sure that the buyer does not get a free item. Make sure that you block the buyer. You don't want to send anything to her again if it's going to take the same slow route. Recall the package. You can do it online.

As for the post office claim, only if you sent priority mail or insured it can you file a claim against the post office. You would ONLY get the value of the item sold and not the shipping fee.

ramito_ephemera · ‎04-03-2023

The short version is that eBay always protects the buyer and not the seller. Your case is egregious, since there was tracking "delayed," so patience would be reasonable. I have small ticket items reportedly "go lost" far more than would seem likely - the buyer just has the claim they never got it. Yes, buyers do this. even have had two cases where USPS showed "delivered' but the buyer still tried to make a claim - rejected, thankfully. I now use eBay standard envelope since there is a tad more protection. I hope you contacted eBay to get your defect removed. As for the $ loss, you have to eat it. I am surprised by the responses in this thread showing such little sympathy as to how much that sucks, especially given the 100% imbalance in protections, with sellersnot even allowed to give negative feedback to wildly unreasonable buyers.

gloryglorygifts · ‎04-03-2023

I have one sitting in limbo at the moment. It was mailed on March 20th and is still showing "in transit" from NJ to Fl. I happened to notice it the day before I heard from the customer via email, so I filed a "where is my mail" with the post office hoping it would nudge it along. Nope. I just sent a replacement out to the customer on Saturday and staying in contact with her. Small dollar item, but better than having them open a case and have ebay get involved. The replacement is supposed to be delivered tomorrow. Fingers crossed it is.....

It doesn't hurt to check your tracking every day to see if there is a snag somewhere with the p.o. Doing that has saved me quite a few headaches. You are on the hook, even though the post office failed, unfortunately.

buyselljack2016 · ‎04-03-2023

Last I knew.................. if "lost"............................ the shipping cost was refunded on Priority, and insured.

Damaged, then no shipping cost refund.

yuzuha · ‎04-03-2023

@powell-memorabilia wrote:
It true - it has to be late and have tracking that doesn’t show progress. I’ve had INR’s that drag on and on because there is a location update every few days, even if the package is way past the estimated delivery date, even if the seller shipped late.

I had a few of those back during Christmas 2020 with the massive COVID package snarl. I didn't have to refund any of them (even the one that arrived a month late) because the tracking was showing an update every few days, which was proof that it was in fact still moving through the system rather than being actually lost.

neifo_0 · ‎04-03-2023

I have had similar problems. Items held in customs etc.. You can appeal the defect, but your chances of getting a defect removed are lower than hitting the lottery. I ended up finding that eBay does not even use the same delivery once something hits the sorting center. I ended up getting the correct tracking number and got the package delivered. Appealed the defect, and with a minute received a rejection on the appeal. eBay will put the onus on the customer (that is the seller in this case) 100% of the time. That a chance sellers (customers) take selling online with eBay. Take note, if like in my case, you go from Top Rated, to Above Standard, your listings will get buried. The same thing is happening with "Promoted Listings".

neifo_0 · ‎04-03-2023

All USPS shipments through eBay are insured for a minimum of $50. USPS makes that claim. Of course, they are responsible for coughing up at least $50. The problem is, no defects get removed for shipping errors.

pburn · ‎04-03-2023

@neifo_0 wrote:
All USPS shipments through eBay are insured for a minimum of $50.

@neifo_0

All USPS shipments? Or only Priority Mail shipments?

neifo_0 · ‎04-03-2023

You can't ship USPS first class through eBay. So if you ship it through eBay, it's insured. If you decide to ship it yourself first class, you're going to get punished because there's no tracking number.