I believe I may have encountered my first (yes I know I'm lucky it's my first) snowjob on eBay. I purchased a lot that with shipping totalled about $650. The seller promised to provide UPS tracking numbers as soon as the items were shipped. After not hearing anything for several days from when I was told the items would ship, I mailed the seller. After three e-mails, the seller finally got back to me only to say he'd lost the tracking numbers and would have to go back to the Office Depot UPS distribution center to get those numbers (supposedly the packages shipped a week ago yesterday, and we live exactly one STATE apart, yet they aren't here yet). He was going to e-mail me as soon as he got back home. Apparently he lives quite a distance from the Office Depot site, since it took just over a day to e-mail the tracking numbers. I entered them into the UPS online tracking system, and of course all three numbers come up as invalid. I called a UPS number to speak live to a rep, and they can't find any record that this person has shipped anything to me over the last two weeks.
I've emailed the seller to let him know that he apparantly gave me 'incorrect' UPS tracking numbers, and that I need to have this info by tomorrow or I will be contacting ebay. Now, since I've not had to do this before, can anyone give me some tips on exactly what recourse I have with this seller? I did pay for insurance also if that makes a difference in my recourse. This seller has messed with the wrong person if he's trying something funny. I did e-mail one person earlier in the week who had bought a similar item, and he had received half of the shipment. Supposedly half of mine was what was shipped last weekend.
posted on April 28, 2002 06:07:55 PM
More than likely the check has been cashed and its too late to stop payment? You may want to check with your bank if you feel that it is necessary and want to stop payment. Has this seller been on eBay for awhile and what does his feedback tell you about him? You indicate that another buyer has received his 1/2 of his total order but you don't indicate how late the last 1/2 of the order is. You are correct in being apprehensive since he's apparently "lost" the tracking numbers and then provided an invalid number series.
Have you pulled his eBay contact information?
As a buyer, you're within your rights to do so. He'll get a copy that you did so. That information should provide a valid phone number. He'll know that you are keeping on top of things. If there is any inaccurate information, eBay can be notified but I'd wait until I either cancelled my payment or received my merchandise.
Without doing any research on my own since I'm not involved in the transaction, I'd considering stopping payment if you don't want to proceed. I'm not sure, by your post, how many actual days have transpired from the day you sent payment, day he received it, and day he sent 1/2 of shipment. UPS can't find any record that he didn't ship anything to you would be a concern. There's always a possibility there is an error on UPS's side but sure are alot of red flags.
posted on April 28, 2002 06:26:25 PM
Yes, he's still selling. I'm not sure I follow what you mean by ebay insurance - can you please clarify? Thanks!
I'm 99% sure the check has cleared, as it was sent a few weeks ago. Do you pull a person's contact info by simply clicking on their username, or is there somewhere else to get that?
posted on April 28, 2002 06:45:20 PM
topof the page,click on service or something and find tools for buyer-contact other members,or go to sitemap and see whole list.
if he is still selling,may be he is just stalling ,sometimes sellers do not have all the goods on hands.
posted on April 28, 2002 06:47:46 PM
If you go to your EOA notice for the item, and scroll down you will come to "If you need help, click here": http://cgi3.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?MemberSearchShow&ssPageName=ADME:X:EOA:US:5
Just click on it, and you can get the contact information.
posted on April 28, 2002 06:48:09 PM
emak
Here's the link to pull another ebay members contact info, they will give you his name, city, state, and phone number he has listed with ebay, and it will send an email to him with your phone number also
posted on April 28, 2002 08:29:05 PM
Well, I pulled his contact info. It lists a different city than where he had me mail payment. Hmmmmmmm....I suppose it's possible he didn't update his ebay info after moving.
Think I'll try the phone number tomorrow and see what I find out. What will ebay do if his contact info is incorrect?
posted on April 29, 2002 09:14:55 AM
In my previous post about contact information, I was suggesting that you not notify eBay yet about incorrect information until you know for sure you aren't getting your merchandise. They will NARU with any suspect contact information and then you probably won't receive any merchandise and he may another account. Since the check has already been cashed and you know the other buyer has the first half of his merchandise, is it possible the buyer is just slow? I still don't know from your posts whether he has any negatives or how long he has been doing business on eBay. If you don't want to disclose exactly what you bought, can you at least indicate what line of merchandise: electronics, antiques, etc...
posted on April 29, 2002 09:43:48 AM
it sounds like multiple items involved.
these items could be drop shipped from various vendors,say 1/2 shipment came from one vendor and the other half came from another vendor.
if they are out of these items,then your order goes on hold until shipment comes in.dont know what you bot,but wholesalers bring goods in containerload and by sea,they have to clear customs and arranged for land delivery.when they finally arrive at warehouse,they get shelfed and then backorders are filled.
or if your seller is a direct shipper,he could have problem ordering.
why dont you just be candid with him and ask if he is having problem filling your order,if so,what is the realistic timeframe for you to receive your shipment??most ebay sellers cannot afford to stock up large volume,so this is something you have to be patient with when buying from ebay sellers
posted on April 29, 2002 09:47:30 AM
ask yourself if you sell laptop,digital cameras and scaners and large screen tv etc on ebay,can you afford to stock every brand,every model in your living room or kitchen pantry??
posted on April 29, 2002 11:03:40 AM
The lot purchased was for a lot of vintage baseball cards, so there is no issue with vendors or drop shipping. It's simply a collection he either had of his own or had purchased that he was selling.
As for whether the shipper is just plain slow, that would be fine. Except he told me in an e-mail four days ago that 1/2 the lot had been shipped the prior weekend. Of course, when he told me this, he didn't provide the tracking numbers that he had promised he would. Four days later I received tracking numbers that are bogus. I even talked to a live rep at UPS and they are telling me this person has not shipped anything to me. So in a nutshell, the lot was supposedly shipped nine days ago, it had to travel all of one state, and UPS has no record that they've shipped anything from him to me. I've been quite candid with my last two e-mails, which has received no response as of yet.
The feedback of this seller is perfect up to now. Most of the feedback is from purchases he made, but there are some selling feedbacks and they are all positive.
posted on April 29, 2002 12:07:33 PMThe feedback of this seller is perfect up to now. Most of the feedback is from purchases he made, but there are some selling feedbacks and they are all positive.
This could mean feedback of 10, 100 or 1000. It still doesn't give us information enough to make definitive responses. If he had 1000 positives with no negatives, then I'd be more patient. If he only has 10, then I'd be sweating it.
If he sold the lot on consignment, maybe he's not in possession of the lot and is having difficulty with the consignor. It will be interesting to find out what he says by phone after you've attempted to call.
posted on April 30, 2002 05:58:39 AM
Feedback does not necessarily mean anything. I got taken by a seller with 215 feedback and no negs. I guess he needed the money and was ready to disappear.
posted on April 30, 2002 07:30:52 AM
there is no way to know in cyberspace if the seller has the merchandise,especially if the seller is an individual working from home.
more and more sellers want to sell first and buy later.
USPS has a system now where you can sign up with them and give them your bank account and when you buy something,instruct them to issue a money order to the seller.
once seller ships with dc and that dc was picked up at destination post office,usps will then release that money order to your seller.
at least you know you have paid for a shipment which has been shipped and arrived at your post office,of course it doesn not prevent seller from shipping you a box of rocks ,neither does it cover you from items not as described.
also it does not cover if your postman left it anywhere it can be stolen,unless it is insured.
