Ebay dilemma- WWYD?

[belle&beast]

I buy and sell fairly frequently on ebay and have only had one major problem. Everything else has always seemed to work out. I came home from vacation to an email that someone had not received her item that was sent on July 18. I emailed her back, apologized for the delay in response ( I was out of town) told her where the item was sent and gave her the confirmation # from the USPS- I had printed the label from home and dropped it in the mailbox at the post office.

She wrote back today and said that the USPS website told her that the label had been printed, but they have no record of the package. I checked and she is right. But, it was sent a long time ago! I always offer insurance and she did not purchase it. What do you all suggest I do?

 

[Skatermom23]

I am sure some will disagree with me but insurance is to protect the seller not the buyer. Unless, you have proof that the item was shipped out then I think you owe her the item or a refund.

 

[CAJUNBLAZE]

I always bring my items to post office and get a receipt. The website will always show printed but not shipped or no tracking.

 

[belle&beast]

It seems that there is little to protect a seller. The only "proof" I have is my online label record that shows the postage was purchased and gives a confirmation number. What other type of proof is there if you pay for postage online?

 

[PrincessKitty1]

I agree that insurance protects the seller, not the buyer.

If delivery confirmation does not show that the item was delivered, I would refund her 100% including shipping.

 

[belle&beast]

I always bring my items to post office and get a receipt. The website will always show printed but not shipped or no tracking.

I used to go to the post office, but started printing labels to save time and have never had a problem until now. It is so much more convenient to be able to print the labels from home rather than wait at the post office with 2 kids in tow.

 

[jessica52877]

I have had this happen more then once. I refund entire amount including shipping. I know I sent it, but if they open a paypal issue anyways, they'll win since it doesn't showed delivered. I have no idea what ever happens to the packages. I know it went in the mail ladies car, but beyond that your guess is as good as mine. It is frustrating, but nothing else can be done. I think of it as part of a business, sometimes you eat the costs.

 

[cgcw]

I have had this happen in the past a couple of times.

What I have done is called my local post office and explained the situation. They can check further on the delivery based on the confirmation number than we can see on the website. They can also give you a 1-800 number to call where they can help track a package.

I once had an ebay package being sent to Brooklyn, NY. The info on the website told me nothing. The 1-800 number people were able to track it to the Brooklyn post office, and then they spoke to the post master who had the package on the persons day the very next day. It had just been sitting in the PO, priority mail & all, for the entire time.

I would definately take this route before I refunded. And, I'd keep the buyer up to date on my findings.

 

[Imzadi]

I used to go to the post office, but started printing labels to save time and have never had a problem until now. It is so much more convenient to be able to print the labels from home rather than wait at the post office with 2 kids in tow.

The PRINTING of the labels is not the problem. It is the SCANNING (or not) of the packages that is the problem. Unfortunately, because of too many other threads like this one, many of us have learned that even if you print up the labels at home, you MUST get a postal worker to manually scan the packages in front of you & give you a receipt. Sorry you had to go through this. I know it's a hassle when you have 2 kids in tow. But now you've got a different hassle to deal with.

Sometimes the P.O. just doesn't scan the package on the way out. Hopefully it gets scanned when it reaches it's destination.

 

[formernyer]

Short answer...if she files with Paypal, you are screwed. There's no way around it.

I sell on eBay for a living, so I ship a LOT of packages. I get at least one claim a week like this one. I know they're coming and I know there's nothing I can do about it. All I can do is pray that it's the small $$ items that this happens with. Unfortunately, sometimes it happens with the big ones too.

 

[mickeyfan2]

IMO you owe her back the money. I always make the USPS scan the label to show that it was shipped. If you had that I would say you did not owe her the money.

 

[Kellydelly]

I don't know what you sold her, but it could definately show up on her doorstep at any time, it's only been a couple of weeks since you mailed it. I would not do anything yet.

 

[belle&beast]

Thanks for all your responses. I am going to go into the post office and see if there is anything they can do to help track it. I think I will see if that helps at all. I do have another item and I will offer to send it or give her a refund, I guess I just want to exhaust all avenues before I lose out on my 2 items and shipping. I just have a feeling that it may get there eventually...

 

[belle&beast]

IMO you owe her back the money. I always make the USPS scan the label to show that it was shipped. If you had that I would say you did not owe her the money.

Do you print labels at home and then take them in to be scanned? That would be easier than waiting for the cost of each individual item and I could still take care of the postage through my Paypal account.

 

[rflorek]

IMO you owe her back the money. I always make the USPS scan the label to show that it was shipped. If you had that I would say you did not owe her the money.

Even if you had evidence that it was shipped, the buyer would get his/her money back if they file a claim through Paypal because you'd have no proof it was delivered (and they require confirmation of delivery to support the seller in a claim)

 

[dkferret]

I've bought thousands of items on ebay (yes, that's right) and whenever I get a USPS confirmation number, the website rarely says it was delivered, even when I have it. It's like the delivery person never scanned it when delivered. The website always just says that the label was printed. I'd check further at the post office, and wait at least a month before refunding. I have actually had packages take that long, I complained to the seller and sure enough, I later got the package with a postmark of a month ago.

 

[wendyl]

Do you print labels at home and then take them in to be scanned? That would be easier than waiting for the cost of each individual item and I could still take care of the postage through my Paypal account.

That's exactly what we do (we ship about 200 packages a month on average)--we print the labels at home and put them on each package, and then take all the packages to the post office and the clerk scans each one for us. The trouble is, they are not required to do this, and I have been to 3 other post offices where the clerk would not scan them--they all had the same response--they only have to be scanned when delivered, and they don't have to scan them when dropped off. So....we found a small post office nearby that WILL scan each one in.

Technically, I guess if someone wants to file a paypal claim even with proof that the item WAS mailed and just hasn't made it there there is nothing stopping them---but most people will be more patient if you have proof you did drop it off.

 

[belle&beast]

I've bought thousands of items on ebay (yes, that's right) and whenever I get a USPS confirmation number, the website rarely says it was delivered, even when I have it. It's like the delivery person never scanned it when delivered. The website always just says that the label was printed. I'd check further at the post office, and wait at least a month before refunding. I have actually had packages take that long, I complained to the seller and sure enough, I later got the package with a postmark of a month ago.

I went to the post office and they told me it probably just hadn't been scanned. They gave me a customer service number and I gave all my information to a representative. She said someone will be calling me back within 1 business day with more information. I emailed the buyer and let her know what I know. She has been short in her replies, but not rude. I'm sure she is frustrated that she does nothave her item. Hopefully she will be patient while I do everything I can to work this out.

That's exactly what we do (we ship about 200 packages a month on average)--we print the labels at home and put them on each package, and then take all the packages to the post office and the clerk scans each one for us. The trouble is, they are not required to do this, and I have been to 3 other post offices where the clerk would not scan them--they all had the same response--they only have to be scanned when delivered, and they don't have to scan them when dropped off. So....we found a small post office nearby that WILL scan each one in.

Technically, I guess if someone wants to file a paypal claim even with proof that the item WAS mailed and just hasn't made it there there is nothing stopping them---but most people will be more patient if you have proof you did drop it off.

We have a small post office that I use very near our home and I have gotten to know a few of the people in there. I'm sure they will scan it for me if I ask. I have just gotten into the habit of dropping things off with the prepaid postage. Now I will definitely be spending more time inthe post office.

 

[formernyer]

It doesn't matter if they scan it at the time of pickup. If they scan it and it gets to a place 3 hours from your home, then it's scanned there and never scanned again...Paypal will STILL side with the buyer. It doesn't matter that you offered insurance and the buyer turned it down. The buyer is still protected.

I absolutely HATE this about Paypal, but it's better than not accepting it at all and losing 95% of my customers.

And I am sooooooooo sick of having to explain to customers that USPS "tracking" isn't tracking at all...it's just delivery confirmation. They all seem to think that they should be able to track the packages like UPS or Fedex. That's not with delivery confirmation is though. I've complained to USPS numerous times that it's misleading to send out "tracking" numbers when they really aren't tracking at all. I also wish Paypal would allow us to disable to automatic shipping notification, because I don't want my customers to have useless "tracking" numbers. It just makes more work for me in the end having to answer their emails.

 

[belle&beast]

It doesn't matter if they scan it at the time of pickup. If they scan it and it gets to a place 3 hours from your home, then it's scanned there and never scanned again...Paypal will STILL side with the buyer. It doesn't matter that you offered insurance and the buyer turned it down. The buyer is still protected.

I absolutely HATE this about Paypal, but it's better than not accepting it at all and losing 95% of my customers.

And I am sooooooooo sick of having to explain to customers that USPS "tracking" isn't tracking at all...it's just delivery confirmation. They all seem to think that they should be able to track the packages like UPS or Fedex. That's not with delivery confirmation is though. I've complained to USPS numerous times that it's misleading to send out "tracking" numbers when they really aren't tracking at all. I also wish Paypal would allow us to disable to automatic shipping notification, because I don't want my customers to have useless "tracking" numbers. It just makes more work for me in the end having to answer their emails.

ITA! This is really stressing me out and the buyer has been alright to work with. Hopefully I will get the information I need soon.

Thanks for your input. I am trying to work with the buyer and avoid her filing a complaint. Luckily she has a good feedback record, buys and sells and over 600 feedbacks, so she may have dealt with this type of thing in the past.