eBay

sallai · ‎12-04-2020

I bought a new iPhone a couple of days ago. Ebay says that the package was delivered, USPS tracking shows the same (left at or near mailbox). No sign of the package there. I did not receive it.

I checked my order details, and verified that the shipping address that I had provided was the correct one. I checked with the local post office. They gave me a printout showing that the package with the seller-supplied tracking number was delivered to a different address in my neighborhood (same zip code). The house number and the street name are totally different.

I'm also signed up for informed delivery with USPS. The day the package was delivered, my informed delivery email showed no packages coming.

What do I do now? The seller _can_ prove that the package was delivered to the correct zip code. Am I out of my $$$ now?

rebell45 · ‎12-04-2020

You file an appeal using the printout as evidence. I'm not sure that is enough, but its a place to start. You may have to go back and get them to give you that statement on official letterhead. You can also file a Mail Fraud case and a police report which also can be used to support your case.

If you can't get eBay to help, go to PayPal and/or your payment source, which was a credit card hopefully. Only go to your CC if PayPal can't help.

____________________________________________________________
Never sell anything on eBay that you can't afford to lose.

kensgiftshop · ‎12-04-2020

@sallai wrote:
They gave me a printout showing that the package with the seller-supplied tracking number was delivered to a different address in my neighborhood (same zip code).

Hopefully the printout has the USPS logo or something showing it was provided by USPS.

File an item not received case, it'll be closed in the sellers favor, since tracking shows it was delivered.

Once the case is closed, use that printout to appeal the case.

Have a great day.

kensgiftshop · ‎12-04-2020

@sallai

If you have the address the package was delivered to, can you go there and see if they still have it and explain the situation.

If you can get it, you can file an INAD to get your refund.

It's usually a business and they'll ship an envelope with some junk in it and the business usually tosses it in the trash.

Have a great day.

dannyslea · ‎12-05-2020

I was on the other side of this where I sold a watch to someone on ebay. USPS sent in to the same address in a different area code. The guy complained and I had to send him the money for the watch. Luckily it was a cheap watch. I tried to make a claim to USPS for my money. Even with a picture of the box with the correct address on it (I always take a picture of the box before I mail it) USPS didn't accept my claim. Good luck. Ideally, you not getting something you bought from ebay should be ebay's problem and not yours so I would contact them.

goldguy22k · ‎12-05-2020

You can use the print out information to TRY to get the seller to issue you a refund. Most likely the seller will say, "Not my problem, I have no control over eBay" which is not true. The seller is responsible for the item being delivered to you - shipping errors are on the seller.

If I understand the guidance by the Blues - The correct procedure for this is to go to the USPS and have them supply you with a letter, on USPS Letterhead, signed by an employee with a contact phone number for that employee that states the GPS coordinates and address of where the package was delivered. With this proof, eBay will enforce the MBG and see to it that you get a refund. But you need that letter, with an INR claim or an appeal in order to "win" this case.

sallai · ‎12-10-2020

eBay declined my item not received request because the seller could show them a tracking number proving that the package was delivered to my zip code.

Also, there was no way to share my supporting documents with eBay. I could send them to the seller (who didn't care).

I haven't been able to figure out how to appeal their decision. There's no "appeal" link anywhere. Am I missing something there?

sallai · ‎12-10-2020

Can't figure out how to file an appeal. Any ideas? I couldn't find an appeal button anywhere.

sallai · ‎12-10-2020

@kensgiftshop

Good point. That's exactly what happened. The seller shipped some junk to a random address in my zip.

I have been able to verify with USPS that weight of the package that the seller shipped is 4oz. Seller paid $2.94 for shipping.

The iPhone I ordered weighs 5.22oz _without_ charger and packaging.

It's clearly a scam.

I filed a claim with Paypal. Let's see what happens.

simba6 · ‎12-10-2020

If you paid by credit card, contact your card company.

bigdeals.etc · ‎12-10-2020

Very elaborate. If Paypal doesn't work hopefully you used a credit card so you can file a chargeback.

sallai · ‎12-10-2020

I got the letter from USPS with the letterhead stating the sender address, delivery address, weight (way less than what the iPhone I ordered weighs), and shipping cost paid. No GPS coordinates though, and no USPS employee signature. Will that work?

Also, there's really no way to filed an INR decision appeal. There's no appeal option for the buyer in the resolution center. The help is useless. How do do that?

goldguy22k · ‎12-10-2020

@sallai

Anything "might" work. But the advice from the Blues (eBay employees) that post here is that you need an employee signature and their contact phone number such that eBay can call and confirm that the letter is real.

I would think if the letter states the address where that tracking number was delivered then the GPS coordinates would not be needed. It is like dealing with the Gubmint - supplying ALL of the information is better than some of it or parts & pieces.

sallai · ‎12-12-2020

Both eBay and PayPal declined my claim, even though I had the USPS letter attached showing that the package was delivered to the wrong address, and that the shipping weight was waaaay lighter than what the iPhone should have weighed.

I'm wondering if there is a human reviewer involved at eBay or PayPal, or is this just an automated process...

I'm filing a CC claim next. Should I have _not_ paid with a credit card, I would be really out of luck now.

Is this "shipping some junk to a random address in the same ZIP with USPS" a new kind of scam?

goldguy22k · ‎12-12-2020

@sallai wrote:
Both eBay and PayPal declined my claim, even though I had the USPS letter attached showing that the package was delivered to the wrong address, and that the shipping weight was waaaay lighter than what the iPhone should have weighed.

I'm wondering if there is a human reviewer involved at eBay or PayPal, or is this just an automated process...

I'm filing a CC claim next. Should I have _not_ paid with a credit card, I would be really out of luck now.

Is this "shipping some junk to a random address in the same ZIP with USPS" a new kind of scam?

No! That scam has been around for a while. Scammers like to operate on cell phone and electronics areas. So much so that I would probably never buy from those categories on eBay unless if was from a Big Box seller or perhaps a TRS or equivalent. But then again, scammers count on buyers being uneducated as to the eBay processes or making fatal mistakes.

It is worse if your are a seller. Scammers look for new sellers who don't know the rules and when they 'return' the NAD claimed item, send back a rock or whatever.

So yeah, this has been going on for a while. You aren't alone, unfortunately!

PS - (Is there no appeal process with PayPal?) If your "evidence" for fraud has failed twice (eBay & PayPal) might it makes some sense to reevaluate your approach, etc. before trying a third venue?