Emergency e-Bay Seller Help Please!

[PrncesKMW]

Before I start this - yes, I was really stupid...

I sold some collectible barbies on e-Bay. One was sold to a member that said location was China, but she gave me a Jamaica, NY shipping address. I shipped the package via Priority Mail on June 16. I did NOT get a tracking number or confirmation. The transaction was for $140

Now the buyer is telling me that this third party still has not received the package. I took a pic of the receipt, I e-mailed it to her, I described the box in detail, etc.... Still no dice - she says they need the tracking number (which there isn't one). AND she's put a hold on my payment in PayPal.

Is there anything I can do? And no, I will not be so stupid next time!!!!

 

[rflorek]

eBay/Paypal requires delivery confirmation on all shipments if you want to be protected under their Seller Protection Policy (and Signature confirmation over $200). Unfortunately without a tracking number (or insurance) there really isn't anything you can do to prove delivery. If they file a claim with Paypal and you do not have proof of delivery confirmation to supply to Paypal, they will win the dispute and get their funds returned.

 

[Colinsmom]

Note that even if you did have a tracking number, if you did not ship to the Paypal confirmed address, you would still lose. I'm sorry!!

 

[nunzia]

Aren't there different rules with overseas transactions since this can happen so easily? I'd contact Ebay and see what can be done if anything.

 

[PrncesKMW]

I did ship to the PayPal address - and the buyer won't give me info on who I can contact there to discuss this problem.

I could just kick myself over this whole thing - was selling these so I could pay off the balance of my vacation package when it becomes due in August. I guess that's what the 0% APR for 6 months on the Disney Visa card is for, right? (Sigh)

 

[Disneyglobegirl]

Sorry - you have to have Delivery Confirmation when shipping to prove that it shipped or Paypal will side with the buyer if they claim they don't get a package. Sometimes packages do get lost but sometimes buyers know that they can get their money back if the seller didn't use DC because they know that the seller can't prove they sent it and Paypal requires the Delivery Confirmation proof for lost packages. It does stink. I make sure I always buy DC and Insurance - I just add it into my shipping fees and I post in my auctions that my shipping includes those things. International shipping can be alittle tricky to prove delivery also so I usually list most my items for US/Canada only and block the countries I do not ship to. It seems there can be alot of problems with overseas transactions.

Also in the future if you ever sell anything over $200 make sure you get Delivery Confirmation plus Signature Required to protect yourself from loss because 90% of the time Ebay sides with the buyers in cases like this unless the seller has documented proof.

 

[LuLuO]

How long ago did you ship the item? Did you ship priority or parcel post? What is this buyer's feedback like?

I assume you shipped through USPS. I've sent things through USPS that took forever and a day to reach their destination. I once had a pair of jeans take over three weeks to get from Missouri to New York. Like you I had not gotten delivery confirmation and I had already refunded the buyer her money when they showed up. Luckily she was honest and sent me payment.

I only rarely use the USPS when shipping items sold through eBay because I've just had too many problems with lost and damaged packages. The last straw was when a package was lost for over a week. I had track and confirm and called the USPS to figure out what was going on. The woman on the line told me that tracking just told her where the package was last scanned and there wasn't anything she could do to locate the package. I asked her what the point of purchasing tracking was and she couldn't give me an answer. I now ship almost everything with UPS and I don't do international sales any more.

I wish that there was something you could do, but I think you may be out of luck. Contact eBay/PayPal though because you never know.

 

[Royal Oak Family]

I too learned the hard way. I only ship UPS now. Its well worth the extra few bucks. UPS will always prove delivery or they will cut you a check for lost packages.

Good luck to you.

 

[n2mm]

Paypal will not help unless you have a confirmation number. Been doing this on the side for years and always put a tracking/confirmation number on it and adding insurance when it's at that value. Sorry OP, for an item of that value, you should've protected YOURSelf because paypal almost always sides with the buyer not the seller. Looks like you will most likely be out the money and the item. I feel your pain.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

Sounds like she knows the rules, she put a hold on your payment and without dc paypal doesn't care. The tracking is for your benefit, not the buyer and it's such a small cost it's not worth shipping anything without it.

If she wants to, she can ask for all her money back and paypal will give it to her. Whether she has the box in her lap or not.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Sounds like she knows the rules, she put a hold on your payment and without dc paypal doesn't care. The tracking is for your benefit, not the buyer and it's such a small cost it's not worth shipping anything without it.

If she wants to, she can ask for all her money back and paypal will give it to her. Whether she has the box in her lap or not.

Exactly. You are out of luck. Without Delivery Confirmation you can't prove the package got there. Paypal will side with the buyer every time.

I have seen sellers on the ebay boards mention that they have had lost packages miraculously found when they email and remind the buyer that claiming to not receive a package that they actually did is considered mail fraud which is a federal offense.

Good luck!

 

[librarygal]

Delivery confirmation is free if you create your Priority Mail label online at www.USPS.gov.

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

Delivery confirmation is free if you create your Priority Mail label online at www.USPS.gov.

Or if you create your label at Paypal! DC is only $0.19 for first class and other forms and free for priority.

OP: Sorry I have to agree with the others you are out of luck without DC. Unfortunately this whole scenario with the international account and the various shipping addresses screams scam. You buyer received it and saw there was no DC and filed the claim. Sadly they will win.

 

[5Slays]

Before I start this - yes, I was really stupid...

I sold some collectible barbies on e-Bay. One was sold to a member that said location was China, but she gave me a Jamaica, NY shipping address. I shipped the package via Priority Mail on June 16. I did NOT get a tracking number or confirmation. The transaction was for $140

Now the buyer is telling me that this third party still has not received the package. I took a pic of the receipt, I e-mailed it to her, I described the box in detail, etc.... Still no dice - she says they need the tracking number (which there isn't one). AND she's put a hold on my payment in PayPal.

Is there anything I can do? And no, I will not be so stupid next time!!!!

I hate to tell you that there is NOTHING Paypal will do to help you out! We had something similar happen to us around Christmas. A guy from Canada (which our auction clearly states US bidders only) bid on our item, but we thought not much we can do about it now - item ended Saturday, money sent via paypal Sunday, then Monday we go to the post office and mail item. Monday we check the email (after we had already mailed the item) and the guy wants his money back...decided he didn't want the item after all. We say sorry, but it is already in the mail. Tuesday (yes the next day) he stops payment with Paypal saying that he never received the item. Well since we didn't have a confirmation number, paypal wouldnt give us our money back. So we were out an iPod touch, and $180...doesn't seem real fair now does it??

 

[nunzia]

Whoops..sorry..I didn't notice you said Jamaica NEW YORK. Yes,, you must have that confirmation protection. I'm sorry.

 

[Dawnand4kids]

yea, this is where ebay can be unfair to the seller..believe me, I been there! This is just one of those times ya just gotta cut your losses. Sadly. What is the feedback for the buyer? I have been "had" so many times..there are some bad people out there..I would just walk away,and block her from buying from you ever again. I know it stinks. You can try, but most likely they will side with the buyer.

 

[msmayor]

yea, this is where ebay can be unfair to the seller..believe me, I been there! This is just one of those times ya just gotta cut your losses. Sadly. What is the feedback for the buyer? I have been "had" so many times..there are some bad people out there..I would just walk away,and block her from buying from you ever again. I know it stinks. You can try, but most likely they will side with the buyer.

I disagree that its unfair to the seller. The buyer can prove the money was sent...therefore the seller must prove that the item was mailed. No tracking or confirmation, no proof.

It always comes down to proof. This is well-known in the ebay community, and any seller that doesn't take the extra time and spend the extra $$ to make certain they have proof has no reason to blame anyone but themselves for not protecting them.