Shipping issue question - possible scam

[itsjustwanderlust]

Hi, (this is my first ever forum post here, bear with me haha)

I won bidding for an expensive item on the 14th of June, for which I paid immediately. Seller had a 3-business day shipping term, so on the 17th I asked them when are they going to ship? There was no response but a shipping label was created.

After this, the tracking did not update from label, said USPS is waiting package - so on the 20th I messaged the seller again asking what is going on. They said that they would drop off my package tomorrow and apoligised because there was some family emergency. OK

I was a bit suspicious at this point, so I called USPS to check if the tracking number indeed corresponds to the address I provided (common ebay scam to ship to a nearby address, item gets delivered status, buyer loses money). It did match, but the lady also confirmed that there was no package received as of the 22nd of June.

Now, because seller marked my item shipped from the 17th of June, I basically could not open an item not received, nor a refund case - as in the system my item was being delivered... So I contacted ebay and explained the whole situation and how I am stalled in thre shipped step, unable to do anything.

Ebay was kind enough to open a refund case for me, on which seller said that they dropped my item off on thr 21st.. at this point I can ask ebay to step in and refund me.

I really want to give seller the benefit of doubt, but I've never ever had item not update from the label created shipping step. Ever. I heard it could be that it wasn't scanned when they received it - but surely should get scanned once it is being shipped out to me?

What makes me even more suspicious is why would they set the item to shipped when they only had prined the label, knowing they can't drop it off for 4-5 more days?

+1 the seller has previously sold this item on an auction and I bought the relisted item - of course I'll never know, but wondering what happened there..

What do you guys think? I'm planning to wait til monday then ask ebay to refund me.

Appreciate any thoughts.

[downunder-61 · Accepted solution]

No benefit of the doubt, seller did not get what they wanted for the item, so they are stalling you. JMO

The only reason they responded at all was because of the open case.

Escalate, if the item does ever arrive (doubtful) you can always repay them

[1tuna]

the best advice I can give you is to stop contacting the buyer

its not a buyers job to figure out shipping and keep on asking the seller

in situation like this you need to use the tools you were given.that would  be the MBG

you can file an item not recived the day after the ETA....your gonna have to wait

its easy to get your money back but it comes with  a delay while awaiting the date you can get some action

the day you can file an item not recived I would just do that

I am sorry you ran into a slow seller.in situations like this the time table cant be compressed

[downunder-61]

OP is the buyer and eBay opened the claim for the OP