Buyer demanding refund for late delivery then none delivery

[rev-2u]

Hi everyone, I could really do with some help here with a buyer that's being an absolute nightmare.

I sold an item last Saturday and the buyer paid late in the evening, I had my listing set to dispatch time for three days. The item in question was free postage and requires an adult signature - so there's actually slightly better tracking than my usual 48h postage.

I dispatched the item on Tuesday, took it to the post office same day and it was courier scanned Wednesday as obviously the post office don't have a man sat there waiting for me dropping off items!

I got an angry message last night demanding I refund this buyer on the basis that they didn't get the item in 48h or Saturday. Stating the original listing promised it would be there Tuesday (impossible). I checked the tracking and can see it is with RM, it's travelling currently as I speak through their system. 

Yet this buyer has expected it would be 48h from their payment. I've explained politely that I actually sent said item snap bang in the middle of my allocated three business dates and I'm well within eBay's dispatch and estimated delivery. Explaining that it's upto three days from the first working day to send and then expected 48h from their point etc.

They've completely ignored me and just now requested a full refund on the basis that they haven't received the item? Ranting on in that information about how the item never arrived.

I feel like I'm loosing the plot. The tracking information states it's on its way. It states right now that it arrived in their area this morning. It was always going to be at the earliest delivered either today or tomorrow. I could have waited until Wednesday before even bothering but got it sent on Tuesday.

I've just checked the original listing and it states "expected delivery Mon 27th - Wednesday 30th of October. Yet they're trying to say it stayed 48h, I thought at first eBay's delivery info was wrong but even their own information states next week at the earliest.

I can see it's actually going to be delivered today too when I look.

eBay are stating my options are to refund or update tracking but the tracking is already on there - nice and clear to see.

My information always states the correct delivery slots and after checking, I can now see it's actually days before eBay even anticipated it would be delivered, yet he's been able to submit a not received request? 

I don't even charge for postage, I have never encountered this and he's purposely ignoring when I've contacted him. 

Is this now going to have a negative impact on my scoring? 

[cobwebcottage]

Do not do anything else. It is now up to the buyer to open a return case if they wish to send it back to you.

I can't see if you have the option of returns although if you are a business seller then you will.

It will not have a negative impact on your account as you have posted it in time. If they leave you negative feedback, then you can appeal this and show the evidence.

[rev-2u]

Thanks for the reply, my theory is they're anticipating I'll just refund and they can keep the item, but that will not be happening.

Yeah I accept returns, it's just the fact that they've done this when the original listing shows the exact dates and I'm actually way before them. 

I've just submitted the same tracking on their request form but found it strange that they're able to submit at this stage when the actual delivery timeframe isn't until next week. 

You can't win with people it seems. 

[hugothecockapoo]

You can't win with people it seems. !..

Buyer buys wrong item...REPLY..

Theses are not jump links theses links are closed you can not open them and they are not 12mm no way.

Good evening Roger. You are correct...you ordered the solid o rings not jump rings..from your order ..SIZE AND AMOUNT: 5 X 12MM SOLID 0 STAINLESS STEEL RING...I do not have 12mm jump in stock at the moment i can offer other sizes of jump if you wish to return them..regards,sarah

No im binning them and your getting bad feedback do you really think im going the post office just for lousey little jump links

typical...my fault for supplying the correct order.. 

[sml192]

A buyer can only open an 'Item not received' claim once the last estimated date for delivery has passed.  You need to look at the order details to see the estimated delivery date that was provided to the buyer not the listing.

You have 3 full business days (Mon-Fri) within which to either provide tracking proving delivery or a refund.  It should tell you the date you need to respond by.  Hopefully the item will be delivered within this timescale so that you don't need to refund.  

[simplyessential_uk]

You dont need to do anything, as long as your tracking details are already in the system then it will show as delivered today (or if delayed then 4 days grace) - Even if it shows as delivered the buyer is unlikely to close the case - Either leave it to drop off or after 4 days click on "ebay step in" and it will close - I just leave them now to close on their own as no money is held at this point.  Angry buyers also tend to leave negatives but you can have this removed if they write anything about the delivery time etc so dont worry, angry buyer can rant to himself (oh and block them once delivered so you dont get any more angry emails from them)

[kyanyama]

Problem buyer - probably quite experienced and tries it on with all sellers'!  And sadly some sellers do refund without fighting their corner so buyers are emboldened.

You must provide tracking details into the case if he's opened one, even if it's clearly stated on the sales transaction!  You would think it would be obvious to eBay but it seems they still want it provided in the case.

And if you can add a photo (copy and paste the photo the Postie takes when he delivered the item). When you view the photo it often gives the info from the Postie's satnav.  Best not to contact the buyer through messages - only through the opened case.  Some folks you just can't reason with - especially with those who know the system and are aiming to game it.  Your blocked list is your friend!

And when some buyers don't get their way they are spiteful and leave a neg.  Always wait for at least a week before you reply (so you can reply factually and clearly) if you can't get the neg removed.  But you must read up on the feedback rules - buyers can get away with way more than sellers!  Just a fact of life of using this sales platform!

Some buyers expect they will get eBay items in the same time they get their food takeaways!🙄

[rev-2u]

It 100% was within the delivery timeframe. He purchased on Saturday evening, it was posted Tuesday AM and I had three days as my dispatch with delivery as 48h adult signature via RM. 

He's contacted me this evening stating "HiI have received this item today and I have just tested this and everything is good," exact quote. 

He's closed the case too but I think I've just sold a chainsaw to someone very unstable lol

[papso22]

As pointed out he wouldn't have been able to open a case at all if the expected delivery date given to him by ebay when he paid, had not passed.

That's the important date for cases.

[rev-2u]

I sold the item on Saturday night and he paid an hour or so after, the item listing was an auction set to finish just after 8pm. My dispatch times are three days and then 48h delivery. It was posted Tuesday, I had until 23:59pm Wednesday to post. 

The whole reason I came on here was due to him being able to submit well within the time frames.

Even if I was able to post Monday he wouldn't have received until yesterday and he'd contacted me stating postage was stating he should have had it by Tuesday.

This is literally the listings postage information which I screen shotted to him. 

 

[rev-2u]

Sorry got the time wrong, it was set to end after 6pm not 8pm. 

 

Here's the actual listing with the times and dates 23rd to the 28th. As I said I was well within those dates.

[papso22]

Ignoring what your listing said, do you know what date ebay gave the buyer as the expected delivery date when he paid?

If you do, and the expected delivery date given by ebay was after he opened the case, then you need to ask ebay how that was allowed to happen.

[rev-2u]

He said it was Tuesday, he actually said the 48h timeframe in his complaint directly to me, which I then sent the above images in response to. This was before he managed to file for not receiving. That he did yesterday morning but then I could see via tracking it was out for delivery and responded to that.

Obviously Tuesday is impossible with him buying PM Saturday and no one can get an item there with 48h adult signature before the Post Office is even open to accommodate Tuesday. 

Postage was clear as you can't sell bladed without prior selecting the correct postage. That was obviously 48h adult signature, it was quite clear he thought the 48h was total turnover but wasn't accounting for dispatching.

I had to explain that he also needed to account for the dispatch times. He was literally under the belief that the delivery would be 48h from Sunday. 

All my listings have the correct dispatching times added to the delivery times and it's just this guy who has had an issue. The timeframe is identical to everything else I've sold and always before eBay's estimated date which is displayed. People normally say how fast postage is as it's before their expected info.

I could see on my end that the expected date was actually next week. When I dispatched on Tuesday it was well within the times.

I have read since posting this that eBay gives dates based on your normal behaviour dispatching times that they register with the tracking. 

So if you're faster than the stated dispatching they'll display earlier delivery to the buyer? Yet on the sellers hub it will show your original listing time frame. 

I could have technically posted Wednesday, my hub was how it should be. He would have received today and still been before the timeframe on my original posting. 

[kyanyama]

You can explain until you are blue in the face - all sellers face similar problems.

Buyers are promised optimal delivery dates - even over bank holidays when Royal Mail aren't working, even when there are extra problems like Black Friday, Christmas and extreme weather, etc.

It is eBay's promises they will get their item quickly without taking into account seller may post on the last day of their dispatch window.  But a lot of buyers, as yours was, don't understand about dispatch windows, etc., they don't live in the real world!

And no, the buyer should NOT have been able to open a case before at 5 days (3 days dispatch window and 2 days for 48 hr for processing through the postal system), but eBay have unrealistic views on what really is possible in the real world!

[bazinga-games]

A buyer has opened an INR on me well before he should have been able to.

Item bought late evening (9.30pm) 22nd, case opened at 1am 26th.

I advertise 2 working days dispatch, although I posted the next day.

I also advertise 3 day delivery service.

So, he should NOT have been able to open a case this early  ☹️, but here we are 🙄 

By my reckoning, a case shouldn't be possible until 29th at the earliest  😖

[papso22]

 Buyers can only open cases the day after the expected delivery date given to them by ebay when they pay.

That date clearly does not align  with your listing information. 

So they can, but they shouldn't be able to if ebay based the expected delivery date on your listing information. 

[bazinga-games]

My point exactly - they shouldn't have been able to open a case!  So why does it happen, sometimes?  🤔

EDIT:  I've just checked, and the item purchased was listed as 3-5 working days delivery service - so it's worse that I'd first thought.  

[papso22]

The expected delivery dates are probably always earlier than your listings indicate they should be but not all buyers 'take advantage'.

By the way, your listings are showing delivery in 2 to 3 days.

[smarts-gaming]

Guys. When you click on an ended listing, the postage timeframe updates as if from today. 

So if your item ended 2 months ago, and you check that listing today, it will say due to be delivered october 29th/30th. 

Therefore its very likely the customer was actually promised the item on the Tuesday by ebay. 

[bazinga-games]

Yep - but they shouldn't be because of the timeframes I note when listing  😠