Yet another Ebay seller question, sorry!

[yoopermom]

I just got an email from a buyer of a DVD that went out media mail on Dec 19. I put delivery confirmation on it (thank God) and know it was delivered the morning of December 26. I just got an email from the buyer today saying he hasn't received it. I sent him back the tracking number, so he could see the detailed info of where it had been and when it got to him.

So now what's my responsibility if he still insists he didn't get it? I didn't insure it, it was only $20. (I did insure the bigger $$$ items I sold that week.)

TIA!
Terri

 

[terri01p]

.

 

[yoopermom]

I forgot to mention that, I did tell him to contact his post office (a larger town in CA), I figure maybe with it being the day after the holiday, who knows where it went? I just wonder if Ebay will hold me responsible, or if this is enough to cover me (having proof of delivery). Sigh. At least it wasn't my big $$ item...

Thanks!
Terri

 

[terri01p]

 

[Dancemom03]

You have online proof of delivery, that will be enough for paypal.

Hopefully, your bidder just didn't realize it had arrived with all the holiday excitement.
I know sometimes sellers get suspicious when you email to ask but if someone else brings in the mail and sits it down in a different location, I don't always know something arrived. Once I email and am given the tracking info though, I automatically assume it's here somewhere and just say thank you. Eventually it always turns up.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Hmmmmm...been hearing some of this type thing lately...people saying they did not get a package yet you have a delivery confirmation USPS update that says delivered. Usps really does not lose items that often...BUT that does not mean someone that has access (like on a stoop/apt building) cannot take something not intended for them...
Hate to think people would just "try" to get away with it, especially with newer sellers (like under 100).. .ebay is quick to side with buyers over sellers (I no longer sell on ebay but sold for several years). IMHO, Just be sure that you use My Messages for ALL contact with any buyer/seller as that is documented thru ebay for tracking. Good Luck, Hope it shows up and you can finish your transaction with a Positive from your buyer!

 

[Disney-Kim]

One time when I was selling an expensive designer bag I had this happen. Post office delivered it without a signature...although I marked signature required...but it was one of those times where the mailperson knew them....anyway...lady never got the bag. but...

since I had insured it for full value we made a claim with the post office....I had to do that...and when I got the payment from the insurance I refunded her the money.

but since no insurance I am thinking that you are done on your end since you have proof of delivery and the buyer didn't request insurance or signature.

 

[pixiewings71]

FYI, I once had a small package delivered from an eBay auction. It said delivered by the tracking but I did not have the package. It eventually came, was in my mailbox 2 weeks AFTER the confirmation showed delivered. I did contact my seller 2 days after it said delivered and I still didn't have it and I did contact her again when I got the items 2 weeks later. We were both mystified as how it said delivered but clearly was not, I'm guessing it was dropped in the mail truck and they found it when they cleaned it up.

 

[yoopermom]

All's well that ends well, but I'm still a little suspicious, I just got an email from the buyer that says, basically, "I'm not very good at recordkeeping, it is here after all, never mind..."

Done!
Thanks all!
Terri

 

[finz2left]

Hmmmmm...been hearing some of this type thing lately...people saying they did not get a package yet you have a delivery confirmation USPS update that says delivered. Usps really does not lose items that often...BUT that does not mean someone that has access (like on a stoop/apt building) cannot take something not intended for them...
Hate to think people would just "try" to get away with it, especially with newer sellers (like under 100).. .ebay is quick to side with buyers over sellers (I no longer sell on ebay but sold for several years). IMHO, Just be sure that you use My Messages for ALL contact with any buyer/seller as that is documented thru ebay for tracking. Good Luck, Hope it shows up and you can finish your transaction with a Positive from your buyer!

I sell on ebay a few times a year -- in big spurts. I always send delivery confirmation, and have one or two things go missing with people with high and wonderful feedback. I was always suspicious, but refunded out of good faith -- and fear of my own rating. This year I ordered screws for my blackberry -- small item -- never showed. I asked him to resend with Delivery confirmation...it showed delivered but I never got them. My sis sent my kids webkinz and they never showed either. My mailperson remembered my sis' package! I realized I must have a theiving neighbor, and two days later, the "ripped package" showed up on my front porch. The screws never have. Just sayin' though it isn't likely, it can happen!

 

[DISdreamin']

Honestly, I've heard horror stories of eBay and PayPal siding with buyers even though the seller sent and had proof of delivery. I won't sell anything on eBay without insuring it - it just isn't worth the risk and worry to me.

 

[Colinsmom]

My strangest story related to package delivery happened about 3 years ago. I had ordered about $80 of merchandise from an online retailer. I didn't receive it so finally contacted them. Delivery confirmation showed that it had been delivered about 2 weeks earlier, though the time was odd (AM, our mail always comes late PM). I think that the retailer may have offered to resend the package, but honestly I don't remember. But a couple of days later, I'm sitting in our front office that faces the street, and see our next door neighbor walk up to our mailbox and put in a package!! I run out, and it is the merchandise I was waiting for!

The neighbor had been on vacation for a couple of weeks. I'm guessing that they had their mail held at the post office (thus the early delivery time on the DC), and didn't come across the package until they got home and went through their mail.

Of course, I contacted the retailer, who may or may not have believed my story, but it was true!

 

[smokeyblue]

I also had a package confirmed as "delivered" and no package to be found. The confirmation stated delivery in the am and my mail always comes around 3 p.m. The package ended up stuffed in my mailbox about 5 days later.

 

[IDoDis]

I've received packages before with delivery confirmation only the package was supposed to go to a house on the street just north of us -- same house number but different street. A few weeks ago I got a USPS overnight delivery with delivery confirmation that was supposed to have gone to a neighbor 4 houses down the street. They paid around $16 for the overnight delivery (important insurance paperwork they needed). Had I been out of town or too lazy to take it to them, they'd have been out of luck, even though the DC # showed it was delivered to them.

 

[DMRick]

Honestly, I've heard horror stories of eBay and PayPal siding with buyers even though the seller sent and had proof of delivery. I won't sell anything on eBay without insuring it - it just isn't worth the risk and worry to me.

Paypal refunded the buyer, even though the seller had proof of delivery confirmation? I've read where people have said they had the post office receipt showing they had shipped it, and it wasn't enough for Paypal (which it isn't) but never of someone who had delivery confirmation and it showed delivered. That would just not be right.

 

[LovableGluttons]

Paypal refunded the buyer, even though the seller had proof of delivery confirmation? I've read where people have said they had the post office receipt showing they had shipped it, and it wasn't enough for Paypal (which it isn't) but never of someone who had delivery confirmation and it showed delivered. That would just not be right.

I had a buyer pull that one on me. When PayPal closed the case, supporting me, the buyer then changed the dispute to "item not as described", citing she'd changed her mind. PayPal then decided in her favor and I was then out postage, some fees, the item, and the money for it!

The same buyer then had the nerve to complain to me a couple months later because I blocked her from bidding! She accused me of bing "unprofessional". I countered that it was eBay, I was not a store owner. In my profession, I would treat her like an intelligent queen and never let on that I thought she was a lowlife scum.

But this was eBay and she ripped me off.

Why would I feel any obligation to be nice?


OP? Always save the delivery confirmation numbers in a little notebook with the ebay auction number listed next to it. The buyers are supposed to have a time frame they are allowed to file a dispute in. I had one do it 4 months after the auction closed. Luckily I kept the dc # and the auction # so I could tell eBay that they buyer did indeed receive their item.

 

[yoopermom]

OP? Always save the delivery confirmation numbers in a little notebook with the ebay auction number listed next to it. The buyers are supposed to have a time frame they are allowed to file a dispute in. I had one do it 4 months after the auction closed. Luckily I kept the dc # and the auction # so I could tell eBay that they buyer did indeed receive their item.

OP here, I'm a librarian on layoff so, believe me, I make copies of EVERYTHING, and keep them "forever"! Good idea to keep track!

Thanks all for sharing!

Terri

 

[ajh88]

Paypal refunded the buyer, even though the seller had proof of delivery confirmation? I've read where people have said they had the post office receipt showing they had shipped it, and it wasn't enough for Paypal (which it isn't) but never of someone who had delivery confirmation and it showed delivered. That would just not be right.

OP - I'm glad it worked out for you and the buyer found the package.

DMRick - yes, this happened to me. It was an international delivery and I had all documentation - PO receipt, customs form, delivery confirmation. I did everything "by the book" as PayPal seller protection requires and when the buyer (who had an extensive history of making such claims) said they didn't receive the item and made a claim, PayPal took the money from me and gave it back to them. I supplied all the information PayPal requested within their timeframes. They still ruled in favor of the buyer.

I appealed their decision, was notified by PayPal that indeed, I had provided adequate proof, and was told to contact the buyer to get my money back. Yea right!

I actually filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau - PayPal advertises seller protection as a benefit of using their service for payments (and they charge fees for using their services). I followed all of their guidelines for protection under this policy and they still took money from me. To my surprise, about 4 days ago, I received a deposit from PayPal for the amount of the transaction and a message from the BBB that PayPal reviewed my claim and was refunding my money. I don't know if they will try to recoup that money from the original buyer or not, but I was impressed they actually took my BBB claim seriously - it was even a small amount of money ($32).

In the end, I understand that some packages don't make it to their destinations - it has actually happened to me only this once in over 7 years of ebay selling - some packages are very slow to deliver, but they all eventually arrive. I would even have been sympathetic to THIS buyer if not for the fact that they had made at least 8 claims for items not received in the 3 weeks leading up to their claim against me - it just made me skeptical of them.