WWYD? EBay purchase on 10/31, no item and no communication

[robinb]

I am usually one to cut sellers quite a bit of slack. As a seller of books on Amazon I know how little things can get in the way but I am starting to get a bit angry with my eBay seller.

I bought a Burton snowboard jacket and matching snow pants from a seller with a really good rating back on Halloween. I paid within hours of winning the garments and I used my credit card for immediate payment. I got a really good price, even when you add in his $14 in shipping and handling but it was by Priority Mail so I expected to receive my garments fairly quickly. Over a week later I don't have my garments and the seller never bothered to respond to my message through eBay asking if it had been sent. WWYD? Would you send another message to the seller? Would you file a claim in 2 days at the 10-day mark? There was no mention of "I only go to the Post Office on Friday" or anything like that. Just that it would be sent by Priority Mail. There were complaints about non-communication but that was years ago. I had hoped that the seller got better but I guess not.

Also, even if I eventually get my garments, would you leave a neutral feedback? I assume that when someone offers Priority Mail (as the ONLY shipping, BTW) they will expedite the order. Not sit in it for a week before they get their butts to the PO. Am I being unrealistic?

[jlima]

Originally Posted by robinb

I am usually one to cut sellers quite a bit of slack. As a seller of books on Amazon I know how little things can get in the way but I am starting to get a bit angry with my eBay seller.

I bought a Burton snowboard jacket and matching snow pants from a seller with a really good rating back on Halloween. I paid within hours of winning the garments and I used my credit card for immediate payment. I got a really good price, even when you add in his $14 in shipping and handling but it was by Priority Mail so I expected to receive my garments fairly quickly. Over a week later I don't have my garments and the seller never bothered to respond to my message through eBay asking if it had been sent. WWYD? Would you send another message to the seller? Would you file a claim in 2 days at the 10-day mark? There was no mention of "I only go to the Post Office on Friday" or anything like that. Just that it would be sent by Priority Mail. There were complaints about non-communication but that was years ago. I had hoped that the seller got better but I guess not.

Also, even if I eventually get my garments, would you leave a neutral feedback? I assume that when someone offers Priority Mail (as the ONLY shipping, BTW) they will expedite the order. Not sit in it for a week before they get their butts to the PO. Am I being unrealistic?

Halloween was on a Saturday, and Priority Mail is 2 -3 days. If they shipped your item by Wednesday you should have it by now. I would keep sending messages to the seller, even daily. Tell the seller you will contest the charges with your cc if you do not hear from him by day ___; then do it. As for feedback, even if you get the merchandise late, leave neutral feedback with "poor communication-cannot recommend."

I purchased something once on Ebay and didn't receive it or hear anything for three weeks. Finally the seller responded and said, Oh, I live in Brazil and there's a postal strike and I mailed your package but I have no idea when you're going to get it. I finally received the item FIVE weeks after the end of the auction and I just didn't leave any feedback at all.

I also had a bad experience with Mouse Surplus. I received an email that my item shipped about a week after the auction ended; then after 2 weeks, the item never showed up. When I sent an email to ask what happened, two different people answered - one said the item shipped on a different day; and the other said the item wasn't available anymore and they would refund my money. Just a bad experience all the way around. I read through their feedback; and saw how brutal they were with anyone who left negative feedback. So I left a neutral rating, and this exact feedback: Cannot recommend. Item never received/$ refunded. Poor communication. I will never buy anything from them again, ever.

[letthewookiewin]

I would send the seller another message. I believe ebay gives the seller up to two weeks to ship the item. My mom sells on ebay and I have helped her from time to time. I really think she told me ebay gives you up to two weeks to ship (although she always ships within 48 hours).

If the seller does not respond, then I would open a dispute with paypal. Don't worry about them leaving you a negative b/c ebay doesn't let the seller leave the buyer a negative. If they leave a positive and write a negative comment, just contact ebay and they will delete it as it is against ebay's feedback policy.

[hmdavid]

Did the seller specify anywhere on the listing that it will take x number of business days to ship the item? When I sell I list the item stating that it will take up to 4 business days to ship the item... that way I am covered if something comes up and I can't ship it as quickly as I would like. If it is not listed that way and you still do not recieve the items or hear from the seller, begin the process for an item not received.

[rflorek]

Paypal requires shipment within 7 calendar days of receiving payment from the buyer. If you bought and paid on Halloween, the seller would have had until Saturday to mail your package. Given 2-3 days for Priority, if you don't have it by tomorrow (Tuesday 11/9), I would open a dispute.

[plummer925]

Also - just to keep in mind, just because a seller offers priority mail doesn't necessarily mean that they are doing it to get it to you quicker - sometimes a flat-rate priority box is the cheapest way for them to ship something. I ship priority, but not so it gets there quick - I do it because I get free shipping supplies (boxes, etc) and it costs the same as Parcel Post. It's an ADDED BENEFIT (to me, at least) that it gets there quick.

Honestly, it's been 10 days. I'd re-email the seller - you don't know the situation - maybe they listed the item then went away for a few days or lost power or something. If you don't receive a response within a few days, then yes, file a dispute with PayPal.

[dis-happy]

Could be the post office is partially to blame. I've often had Priority Mail packages take 7 days to arrive, usually when they are going east coast to west coast. The 2-3 day thing is absolutely no guarantee.

One would hope there's a tracking number attached to your item. Ask for that and at least you could see when it was sent.

[robinb]

Thanks everyone! I emailed him again through eBay asking if the item had been sent and for a delivery confirmation number. There was no mention of when the item would be shipped in the auction and I understand that Priority Mail is often for the convenience of the seller and not the buyer. Even so, when I see that something will be sent PRIORITY mail I expect some kind of expediting on the item. I also expect a message that the item has been sent and I expect the seller to communicate with me if there will be a delay.

Since there is no snow here (yet) it is not imperative that I have the snow outfit today but the snow will be flying here soon enough and I want my DD to be fulling outfitted once it does come.

[pixiewings71]

I purchased some pins on eBay and after 3 weeks of non shipment I contacted my seller (the auction stated it could take 14 days to ship but most shipments are done within 7). I asked the status of my auction and heard nothing back, after 3 more days I asked again and again no reply, in this time frame I heard from other DISers that this particular seller was getting negative feedback about non shipments and they were getting no replies to attempts at contact either by phone or by email/ebay. So I sent them another message that said "If I do not hear from you by xx day I will file a dispute with Paypal". I heard nothing so I filed with Paypal, Paypal immediately escalated it to a claim from a dispute and I had my refund back by the 45 day mark. I would contact your seller a few more times, just in case....and then file with Paypal.

[beansmom]

a friend ordered a NICE gypsy costume for halloween...way back mid september with the promise that it would be shipped in 30 days. It was not...the seller stopped responding to her emails, even with faint excuses. Finally, she left a negative feedback and the seller then filed 'unpaid' on her...which is crazy coz it was a "Buy it Now". By the time this all transpired, her time to file a claim had passed. She had to go through a lot to get her $230 back.

I would file a claim immediately since the seller has not responded. Things do happen in our lives over which we have no control but if you are running a business, you still have to TCB.

[klynn]

I think Ebay gives Sellers 7 days to ship. That would be Nov. 7. You should expect your item this Wednesday of Thursday. Just because sellers ship Priority doesn't mean they ship immediately. They still have 7 days.

[daileyad]

I won an auction on October 17th that was supposed to be shipped priority also. Nothing yet, have tried to contact seller and filed dispute and claim through paypal. Tomorrow is the day paypal says they will wait to hear from the seller. What happens then? Will I get my money back tomorrow or do I still have to wait longer? All these years of Ebay and I've never not received something and not gotten any communication.

[ZiPaD3doDAH]

I would first, send two more emails.

then file a dispute

and lastly, negative feedback.

if s/he dosent want to respond, they are going to get karma back.

[robinb]

Update!

The jacket and pants came yesterday. I'm not 100% they were NEW without tags as advertised since the harder velcro strip had lint in it and *something* made me very allergic. The coat is down, but I had down coats in the past and I sleep on feather pillows, so I don't think that was it. We tossed them both in the laundry.

Which now brings me to feedback. The garments did come in a timely manner (9 days, 6 business days) and my DD loves them. They were a good price. The seller held up all parts of his transaction except communication. I emailed TWICE and did not receive an answer either time.

Should I leave him a positive, but dock him on his communication stars with a note in the FB? Or should I leave him a neutral? Now that I have my stuff, I'm feeling a bit more forgiving .

[dis-happy]

Glad it came! I would leave positive feedback. You bought it last Sat. and it came by Thursday. Really not too much to complain about. You could always just put something on the feedback line. Enjoy the snow!