USPS sent package to the wrong state

[trehar_4]

I mailed a package on July 8th to a buyer in my state which should have been delivered yesterday.  I checked and found that the package was shipped to the wrong state and was in Kentucky yesterday.  I have no idea if or when that parcel will return here to California.   The estimated delivery date was July 17th.  My buyer stated that if the package does not arrive by July 15th that  I need to refund them.  If I don't they will file a PayPal claim.  I do realize that it's not their fault that USPS screwed up, but I don't know how to get my package back as this has never happened to me before.  I do plan to call USPS today and see what can be done.   If it does get delivered after the 15th how can I make the buyer return my package if I've already refunded them.

[7606dennis]

If the item doesn't arrive by the final delivery date, that is July 17th according to your post, the buyer can open a INR dispute.  I would not refund until the buyer has filed the INR and the tracking indicates that it has not been delivered.  His July 15th demand is out of order if the last day of the estimated delivery period is the 17th.

This doesn't happen to be a GSP shipment, does it?  

[a_c_green · Accepted solution]

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@trehar_4 wrote:

I mailed a package on July 8th to a buyer in my state which should have been delivered yesterday.  I checked and found that the package was shipped to the wrong state and was in Kentucky yesterday.  I have no idea if or when that parcel will return here to California.

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As it was scanned as recently as yesterday, it should be on its way (back) to California by now. Check the tracking later today or tomorrow. You can also sign yourself up for text or email updates whenever there is a new scan of your package, so that you don't have to keep checking on it yourself. That option is at the bottom of the tracking results page for your package on the usps.com website.

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@trehar_4 wrote:

My buyer stated that if the package does not arrive by July 15th that  I need to refund them.  If I don't they will file a PayPal claim.

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They can file whatever claim they want, but I suspect that the package will reach them before your time to respond or refund runs out, at which point you can upload your Delivery Confirmation as proof that it got there.

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@trehar_4 wrote:

 If it does get delivered after the 15th how can I make the buyer return my package if I've already refunded them.

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You can't. Thus you should not let yourself get stampeded into refunding before the last possible moment. 

Given that the package has been misrouted but not lost, I would be optimistic that it will get back on track in time.

[orangehound]

Let me add a couple of things to what Dennis wrote:

1. Assuming you put the correct label on the package (and didn't switch it up with another shipment), sometimes a package gets mis-routed by the USPS ... it is rare, but it happens sometimes.  It will eventually find its way to the buyer. There is no point in calling the USPS.  There is nothing special that they will do for you, unless you just need someone to reassure you that it will eventually get to its destination.
2. Should the buyer open up a PayPal (or eBay) claim for an Item Not Received, make sure you upload the tracking number to the claim and comment that the package is still en route.  As long as the package is moving through the USPS system, the claim will typically not close, and there is no need to refund.

[thedeadheadshop]

It isn't your fault that the parcel got mis-routed to the wrong state and wrong distribution center. In the last 30 days I've had one parcel that was sent to San Jose that was destined for Alabama. Another parcel sent to New Jersey was sent to Mississippi.

This isn't common but it does happen. In addition to those two examples I've had this happen before. In every case, once the parcel arrived at the wrong distribution point, it was sent to the correct distribution point within 48 hours, and from there to the buyer,

The package shouldn't come back to you- at least when this has happened to me, it went along it's way directly to the buyer. I would suspect and hope that your buyer will receive the parcel in 2-3 days.

Buyers are not entitled to a free item because the postal system made an error. The buyer's attitude is unreasonable and entitled. As a precaution, add them to your blocked bidders list. 

[trehar_4]

This was a First Class Mail Parcel. Both the buyer and I are in California. I know that the problem occurred at the USPS Regional Sorting Station in Santa Clarita. Someone put it in the wrong sorting bin. Last USPS scan was yesterday.

I checked with USPS site and I can’t even file a missing mail search for 7 business days after shipping which is July 17th.

[trehar_4]

It's a domestic parcel.  This buyer stated when he made the purchase that he was going on vacation and wanted to assure it would arrive on time.  The label is correct as I print all my labels on eBay and check them with the PayPal invoice confirmed address.   I mailed the very next morning.   I just didn't know if I would be forced to refund if the package was still enroute.

[a_c_green]

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@trehar_4 wrote:

I checked with USPS site and I can’t even file a missing mail search for 7 business days after shipping which is July 17th.

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Well, true, because it's not missing. It was scanned as recently as yesterday. There's no real doubt about where it is, and no indication that it's going to go missing in the future, either, only that it will be late in arriving where it's supposed to go.

[academic.ealim.books]

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@trehar_4 wrote:

It's a domestic parcel.  This buyer stated when he made the purchase that he was going on vacation and wanted to assure it would arrive on time.  The label is correct as I print all my labels on eBay and check them with the PayPal invoice confirmed address.   I mailed the very next morning.   I just didn't know if I would be forced to refund if the package was still enroute.

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You have a particular problem right there in the blue above.  A late delivery as stated by the Blues IS a valid reason for a SNAD filing!  Hopefully your buyer isn't aware of that and instead files a INR claim.  But if he files a SNAD case, you will have to give a full refund and pay return shipping.   If the buyer files an INR after it is delivered, then you need to go to the USPS and request the GPS coordinates & address of where the item was actually delivered. Proof of address where delivered, as long as it matches the address in the ebay order will win you the INR.  But that doesn't mean the buyer can't or won't file a SNAD case with PP or a chargeback with their CC company. 

Another issue that everyone should be aware of is that although you have no control over the shipper, you are responsible to the seller if the shipper messes up.

But as others have said this misdirection happens from time to time.  I have had a situation like this happen to me.  But the minute I saw the package headed across the country to the opposite coast, I sent the buyer an email notifying him of the issue with USPS, informing him I was tracking the progress and reporting on my efforts to check with the USPS and get the package rerouted.  All of that "managed" expectations of the buyer.  I did it because a lot are quick on the trigger to claim "fraud" or "scam" without considering the facts.  Sounds like you have already done that so a +1 for you!

Something else that was not mentioned is that for ~$14 you can file a recall package request with the USPS.  IF you get forced into giving a return while enroute (or wish to give a courtesy refund to avoid a SNAD), I  would immediately file and pay for that!  It sounds like you are potentially going to take a loss here.  If that is the case, make a business decision on how to minimize that loss!

So the best 'advice' is work with the seller.  If you can get them calm and if the timeframe for the return shipping works for them, then wait.  Otherwise, might make sense to recall the package and issue a refund.  But you are in the best position to know the costs involved and make those kinds of financial decisions.

Oh and you do not need to do that PayPal check address thing anymore.  What ever address gets added or populated in the check out process on eBay, flows through and is the 'official' address on PayPal.  There use to be a "thing' about this where it made sense to check, but that is no longer a 'thing!'  After all you can ship something to your Aunt Millie and that address certainly won't be your eBay registered or PayPal confirmed address!  Just make certain that the label matches the address on the order and you get the correct label on the item ordered.

Good luck!

[7606dennis]

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@trehar_4 wrote:

It's a domestic parcel.  This buyer stated when he made the purchase that he was going on vacation and wanted to assure it would arrive on time.  The label is correct as I print all my labels on eBay and check them with the PayPal invoice confirmed address.   I mailed the very next morning.   I just didn't know if I would be forced to refund if the package was still enroute.

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Alas!  Your mistake was that you forgot Murphy's Law, "anything that can go wrong will go wrong."  I would never promise a delivery before end of the estimated delivery period which I believe that stated was the 17th.  Hopefully, it will arrive by the 15th and all will be well.

[trehar_4]

Fortunately I followed the tracking on this parcel by requesting updates from USPS.  That same day the updates showed the package was already back in California and got delivered yesterday.  But that wasn't the end of the story.  While my package was making it's continental tour there was some really rough handling.  My buyer sent me this picture today.  Luckily again,  I used large bubble wrap and peanuts even though it was a hard item  because I worry what would happen to the contents if my box gets left on a doorstep in bad weather.  Therefore,  despite rough handling my item remained unscathed.  You can imagine what this buyer thought when they received it after the first snafu.

[trehar_4]

I never promised this buyer anything about a  delivery date.   The date is the one that eBay provided. But talk about Murphy's Law I am frankly surprised that this didn't really go south after the  rough and tumble joyride through the US.

[havemyfaves]

Although I agree you had concerns with it going off-route. What was supposed to be a two day delivery turned into a five day delivery. But first class packages are known to always take 2-5 business days. So, I really don't see a reason for you to have worried about it and your customer should have been more patient and understanding, but they're not all that way. And yes, that envelope looks beat up but that looks fairly normal to every single piece of mail I've ever gotten. 

If the item is fine, as a customer, I would never send a photo to the seller complaining about wrinkles and bends in the packaging. I think your customer has too much time on their hands.

[a_c_green]

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@havemyfaves wrote:

And yes, that envelope looks beat up but that looks fairly normal to every single piece of mail I've ever gotten. 

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Actually that's a box. Or at least it used to be... 

[goldguy22k]

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@trehar_4 wrote:

I never promised this buyer anything about a  delivery date.   The date is the one that eBay provided. But talk about Murphy's Law I am frankly surprised that this didn't really go south after the  rough and tumble joyride through the US.

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Ah yes!  You have discovered one of the "fun facts" of selling on eBay!    While you never made a promise on a delivery date, eBay with its AI and shipping history database makes a "promise" to the buyer that you have to abide by and live with!  Ain't life grand?  

Took me a while to recognized that every sale gets an "estimated delivery" date fixed to it by eBay's computer.  I think for the most part, these dates are accurate or even rather generous.  They seem to err on the long side, so perhaps, maybe, hopefully are capturing the 95th percentile or something?  I guess it is eBay's hope in adding a little "padding" into the delivery date that A. They leave room for these kinds of "trip across country"  or B. they manage buyer expectations and make the buyer feel better because most of the time, the package "arrives early!"  (under-promise, over deliver!)

But the fun comes because eBay considers the "estimated delivery date" to be part of the listing!   Whoo-Hooo!  As such, when the EDD is missed, therefore the listing is inaccurate and the buyer is permitted to file a SNAD case and win!   Yes, campers this defies logic but has been stated by the blues.  Plus,I think I saw a recent thread where the blues stated clearly the the seller is "responsible" for the shipping company, so errors by the shipper are the "responsibility" of the seller...or the seller is responsible to make thing right for the buyer.

Isn't selling on eBay wonderful?   

Anyway, knowledge is power so being aware of this "fun" can allow a seller to make plans to handle the fun as it occurs!  Good luck with your selling!