Seller does not send tracking number and does not reply messages

[carlosnahuelcoy]

Hello, it turns out that on August 4 I bought a product for about $ 400 and although the item appears as shipped and is still within the delivery period, I have not been able to contact the seller in any way. He does not respond to any of my messages or emails. I am concerned that your profile has started receiving negative comments that orders have not arrived and that you are not responding to messages. What should I do in that case, just hope for the best?

[wastingtime101]

Wait until the estimated delivery date and if the package hasn't arrived go to the Resolution Center to open an item not received request.

[1grandmashope_1]

I would think/hope that there is a tracking number attached to the $400. item that was purchased.  I know that packages have been taking a bit longer, at times, to arrive. Check your tracking information.

I hope that it all works out well for you. That's a chunk of change!

Teri

[smabrouk]

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@1grandmashope_1 wrote:

I would think/hope that there is a tracking number attached to the $400. item that was purchased.  I know that packages have been taking a bit longer, at times, to arrive. Check your tracking information.

I hope that it all works out well for you. That's a chunk of change!

Teri

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Sadly and unfortunately, there are sellers who view a tracking number as being for the seller’s benefit to show that a package was shipped.  However, since it is the buyer who pays for the shipping, the tracking number belongs to the buyer.  Therefore, the tracking number should be posted so that the buyer can monitor the delivery of the item for which (s)h paid.

Such sellers need to change their view of tracking numbers as the buyer pays for the shipping even if the item is listed as having free shipping as the shipping fee is included in price of such items:  the person who truly pays the shipping fee should always have access to the tracking information.  

For expensive items, access to the tracking information is all the more important.  Sellers should want buyers to have access to tracking information for expensive items as not posting the tracking number may cause a buyer to view such a seller as less trustworthy; this may affect the buyer’s feedback for the seller.  Sellers need to remember their buyers do not know them:  poor communication — especially a seller’s lack of response to a buyer’s inquiry after the buyer has paid for an item — and the absence of a posted tracking number affect a buyer’s trust for a seller.  Sellers should keep this in mind and put themselves in the place of the buyer for every purchase by considering how they would like to be treated if their roles were reversed.

[postingid7659]

I don't understand how a buyer can NOT have a tracking number.

If I print a label eBay posts it automatically.

If I buy postage at the counter, my only proof I shipped the item is to enter the number on eBay myself, my only defense that it was shipped and shipped on time.  

I can't imagine someone not doing this unless they're a very casual seller.  Or lacking in other faculties. 

[smabrouk]

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@postingid7659 wrote:

I don't understand how a buyer can NOT have a tracking number.

If I print a label eBay posts it automatically.

If I buy postage at the counter, my only proof I shipped the item is to enter the number on eBay myself, my only defense that it was shipped and shipped on time.  

I can't imagine someone not doing this unless they're a very casual seller.  Or lacking in other faculties. 

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Unfortunately, there are sellers who choose not to create mailing labels via eBay.  Some of these sellers choose to purchase postage from online systems including USPS and others do so at the post office:  some choose to post the tracking number on eBay while others choose not to do so.  I have experienced this frustrating situation myself several times.  When I have requested the tracking number from such sellers, some have stated that there is no tracking number; upon receiving the package, for the most disagreeable of these sellers, I have shared pictures of the tracking number on the package as well as information about the USPS policy regarding tracking numbers.

Not posting tracking numbers on eBay is not limited to casual sellers, and the same can  be said for fast shipping (the actual mailing of the item):  these are both connected to the seller’s general attitude about selling on eBay as well as the seller’s empathy and consideration for her/his buyers..  

[postingid7659]

I would imagine if you reported the item INR they'd come up with a tracking number in a hurry. 

[soh.maryl]

Tracking IS for the seller's benefit since it's the only proof that eBay will accept that an item has been delivered.  Buyers are protected by the MBG.  The only benefit that tracking offers a buyer is that they can follow their package across the country if they are so inclined.

[penguins_dont_fly]

Go to your Purchase History

Look at the Estimated Delivery Date

If that date has passed, use the drop-down menu next to the item and select "I have not received this item"

https://www.ebay.com/help/buying/returns-refunds/reporting-item-didnt-receive?id=4042

If the seller does not respond, then you can ask ebay to step in on the 4th day.

https://www.ebay.com/help/buying/default/ask-ebay-to-step-in?id=4701

If it has been over 30 days since the Delivery Date passed, you can file a case with PayPal or your Credit Card, depending on how you paid

[penguins_dont_fly]

@smabrouk wrote:

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Sadly and unfortunately, there are sellers who view a tracking number as being for the seller’s benefit to show that a package was shipped.  

Tracking IS for the seller's benefit.

Buyers are covered by the MBG for Item Not Received.

Tracking proves that the seller shipped, on time, to the address on the order and that the item was delivered (or not)

When a buyer opens an INR claim and the tracking (or lack thereof) shows that the item was not delivered, the seller loses the claim automatically and the buyer gets a refund.

There were (and still are) sellers who play a silly game ... they don't upload tracking unless the buyer opens an INR ... they think that they are "trapping" buyers who lie abut not receiving a package.

Just recently,  eBay changed the rule to say that if tracking is not uploaded before the estimated delivery date (and INR is opened), the seller loses.

So sellers that play the "no tracking until claim" game lose.  

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy...

Information required to prove a successful on-time delivery is all of the following:

The tracking number provided by one of eBay's integrated shipping carriers;
The tracking number is uploaded to the site, showing a shipping scan, before the estimated delivery date;
A delivery status of "delivered" or "attempted delivery" (or equivalent in the country to which the item was delivered);
The date of delivery or attempted delivery;
The recipient's address, showing at least the city/county or zip code (or international equivalent) that matches the address displayed on the Order details page; and
Signature confirmation, if an item has a total cost of $750 or more.

[1grandmashope_1]

Reading the replies reinforces, in my eyes, the need to ask questions of the seller prior to bidding or buying, any item, particularly one that is expensive. I am so disturbed by the lack of care and customer service of some sellers,  which then trickles down to us all, ultimately.  No matter how busy one may be it is imperative that we take care of each other, and the people that trust in us enough to purchase from us. 

I hope that everyone stays well and enjoys their weekend. 

[simba6]

Sellers are not required to supply or even use tracking numbers.  Your fully protected. As stated you can file a case if needed.

[smabrouk]

@soh.maryl and @penguins_dont_fly 

While sellers may benefit from the tracking to demonstrate that they shipped a package, that does not change the fact that the buyer paid for the shipping.  So, the buyer is entitled to have access to the tracking number, not matter what and for every transaction.

[smabrouk]

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@postingid7659 wrote:

I would imagine if you reported the item INR they'd come up with a tracking number in a hurry. 

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Once when I requested that the tracking number for a purchase be posted on eBay, the seller informed me that a buyer did not need to know the tracking number as tracking numbers were for sellers only.  In my reply, I explained the benefits of the tracking number to both the buyer and the seller, including that the buyer’s knowledge of the pending delivery of the item could thwart its theft by porch pirates.   In addition, I provided some food for thought regarding a seller who does not provide a buyer with the tracking number for a purchased item:   such a seller could impeded the safe receipt of the item and enable an unattended, delivered item to be stolen by a porch pirate and, then, be viewed as complicit with the porch pirate for the theft of the item, resulting in an easy win for a buyer in an item-not-received case.  I concluded with the tracking number as enabling the buyer and the seller to work together for the safe delivery of the item.  Of course, I pointed out that the buyer pays for shipping the item and, thus, is entitled to receive the tracking number.

After one day of silence, the seller posted the tracking number, and replied that (s)he had never considered that, but appreciated and thanked me for the new point of view.

Right now, I am awaiting the delivery of two eBay purchases.  

• A tracking number was created for the first item, but the tracking number was not scanned as received by USPS; it is already beyond the anticipated delivery date.  Due to the current problems with USPS, the package could be sitting in a Post Office somewhere, but the seller claims that she had the tracking number scanned into the system at the Post Office.  Although she mentioned that he had a receipt for handing over several eBay packages to USPS, it was not clear from her statement if my tracking number was on the receipt: it could be that the package containing my item (a small item) fell onto the floor in her car or is still in the trunk of her car and, thus, was never given to USPS.  Hopefully, she kept the USPS receipt for scanning the tracking numbers into the USPS system as this will be helpful if she needs to file a claim with USPS.  
• A tracking number was created for the second item, but the package was not taken to the Post Office until four days after my purchase — the package was given to USPS on the day after I inquired when the package would be shipped.   I figure the second seller wishes that she had not posted the tracking number since the tracking number outed her for not having taken the package to the Post Office or having given it to the mail carrier.

In the long run, tracking numbers are very helpful to buyers and sellers.

[smabrouk]

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@simba6 wrote:

Sellers are not required to supply or even use tracking numbers.  Your fully protected. As stated you can file a case if needed.

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You should review the Seller Protection Overview, accessible at https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/seller-updates/2020-spring/service.html#claims. For your convenience, I included relevant portions below.

“In order to protect you from ‘Item not received’ claims filed through eBay Money Back Guarantee, starting June 1, 2020, we’ll require you to use shipping carriers that are integrated with eBay and provide regular shipment scans. We’ll also publish a list of recommended eBay-integrated carriers that offer tracked services.“

“In addition, we may decide a case in a buyer’s favor without requiring the buyer to contact eBay if tracking that proves shipment of the item was not provided by the seller within 3 business days after an ‘Item not received’ case was opened. We recommend you upload the tracking to eBay within your stated handling time. Buyers are more confident their orders will arrive when they receive regular updates on the shipping status, and are less likely to file ‘Item not received’ claims when not received by the estimated date.”

Based on these statements, in order to be protected “in ‘Item not received’ claims filed through eBay Money Back Guarantee, starting June 1, 2020”, sellers are required by eBay to use tracked shipping, and eBay recommends that sellers “upload the tracking to eBay within [their] stated handling time”.

So, it seems that eBay expects sellers to post tracking numbers so that buyers can check the shipping status for their items and sellers are required to use tracking numbers — well, at least sellers who want seller protection.