posted on June 21, 2001 04:28:30 PM
I sold an item to a buyer with feedback of 170 and he loved the item. Then emailed me later to ask if I had another and I did so he paid via paypal and I sent the item to him. I gave him a price and since he didn't want insurance the first time I didn't push him to get it this time. Now he is emailing me that he didn't get the item. It was a $40 transaction. He says he has bought 150 items through ebay in the last month and received all of them. But checking his bidding history he has only won 7 items. Granted he could be using another ebay id. Here's the kicker, he says to me that he hopes I insured it when I mailed it. I didn't because he didn't pay for it.
Since it wasn't really an ebay transaction there is no feedback to be left or train of autohority (as if ebay would care anyhoo.)
What should I do. I don't really feel like refunding $40 when I have in my records what date it was sent, etc.
Suggestions......??
posted on June 21, 2001 07:04:21 PM
If he paid via paypal, he can make a claim and if you dont have trackable proof of shipping (which you obviously dont) paypal will take the money out of your next payments and refund.
I have shipped hundreds of packages and the only one that ever got lost (none damaged) was going overseas and fortunately was insured. If it's of any value, I pay 40 cents for delivery confirmation. I dont accept paypal credit cards at all and will not take paypal at all unless it is being sent with DC. Insurance is optional because I have never had a package lost or damaged other than the one.
You can hope that this one shows up but judging from the way you described it, it sounds like you're dealing with a scammer. Unfortunately, you wont be able to prove it. So be prepared to take a $40 loss because you saved 40 cents and chalk it up to a lesson learned. It could have been worse.
posted on June 22, 2001 09:45:38 PM
If you have a post office receipt with the city, state and zip code on it and the amount of the postage, it's proof that it was sent.
posted on June 23, 2001 08:51:33 AM
A post office receipt is almost, but not quite, proof of mailing TO AN INDIVIDUAL. Unless the receipt has the specific address, it could have been anything, sent to anybody in that zip code.
But in this case, it might be enough to forestall the buyer from a chargeback. You never know until you try.
posted on June 23, 2001 10:44:13 AM
Another thing you might try is asking him to go to his local post office and see if they are holding it for him. Sometimes those yellow notes the postman/woman leaves when one is not there to accept a package gets blown away so the buyer might not know the PO has attempted delivery. Suggesting this saved my rear one time. It was there waiting for them.
Also, should that not be the case, and even though it wasn't insured or didn't have a delivery confirmation tag on it, the PO will give you a form to complete (lost mail form) and they will run a search for it. Ask your buyer if he'd be willing to wait this process can be applied.
Good luck.
posted on June 23, 2001 10:54:08 AM
from past experience,if a buyer really have not received the item,he will keep hammering on the issue/
if he is a scammer,ignore him and see if he will move on to another scam.
you can file a report with usps after 30 days,most of the time they cannot find the item but it will buy you sometime.
FTC regulation said 30 days ,you two have to give it more time.
some areas are devastated with flood,i went to our post office yesterday and thier machines are connected to the main computer in the basement in downtown houston and there are some problems making the main computer to work,we all have to weigh the items by hand and buy stamps and licked and turned the packages over to the postal cleck ,bypassing all that wonderful automation.
one note-if a buyer notices seller overcharges on shipping ,he may retaliate .
i have a case where a woman dealer in expensive jewelry ship the items out at work(free to her) in a law office and the mail usually do not require insurance.
so she shipped out a few hundred dollars worth of jewelry pocketing the shipping and insurance fees.
posted on June 23, 2001 06:37:27 PM
I have a somewhat similar situation and would appreciate some input.
I had to email several times to this one buyer for payment of almost $30. Apparently it was a hectic time, but payment would be in the mail *today*. This went on until I finally received a check after 5 weeks. My TOS says no personal checks but the buyer said if I wanted to wait longer, he/she would try to get a money order. Insurance was offered but the buyer did not pay for it.
Now the buyer says the package was not received. It was shipped First Class so there is no DC. I had just been to the PO when I received the email from the buyer that the package hadn't shown up. I said to wait two more days and if it hadn't arrived email that evening as I will be going into the PO on the following morning and will start a search. I wasn't emailed for another week and a half.
I did get a search started at the PO but was told it is on a first-come-first-serve basis so it could be quite awhile. I haven't been harrassed by this buyer and have continued to let the buyer know I haven't forgotten about it. But what I find very odd about this transaction is that this buyer has not left feedback for any of the sellers and I can't help feeling that I am being scammed on this one. The buyer has 1 neutral for late payment and 1 negative for NPB plus some positives.
The items I sell are from my own collection -- books and other things that have been collected over 15-20 years or more. In other words, I'm not in the business of selling on the auctions. My feedback as a buyer and a seller is excellent and I have had lots of complements on the packaging and speed of shipping. I'm rather over critical in the description of the items and haven't had any complaints there either.
Anyway, to put an end to this, I emailed the buyer that I would be willing to return half the money explaining nicely that insurance was offered etc. I haven't heard back yet. Did I do the wrong thing? Should I just return all the money? Any suggestions?
