Buyer not prepared to wait

[21st_century_digital_empire]

I had a customer contact me yesterday saying their order never arrived and they would like a refund or replacement sent asap. After checking their order was bought and dispatched on the 23rd, with an estimated arrival date of yesterday.

I explained this, and that things can take a little longer this time of year and asked if they'd be happy to wait a few more working days. Their reply was no, if it hasn't arrived by Tuesday they'll only accept a full refund.

I don't really want to refund so early as it's more than likely to still arrive, but maybe I should to keep the peace? Any advice from the hive mind?

[four_mid_able]

If it were me i would ask them to open a non receipt claim 1 day after it was estimated to arrive and see what happens.

I'm hoping you sent by recorded/tracked post and have entered the tracking number against the item so Ebay can view it ?.

If buyer opens a claim and tracking shows as delivered the claim should close automatically.

Buyer may just be chancing their arm 🙄

[21st_century_digital_empire]

It was standard 2nd class LL (bought direct through ebay so tracking automatically uploaded) these are scanned on delivery (or delivery attempt) now, and it hasn't been yet so I think the buyer is genuine, just impatient.

[nigel_paul_wright7557]

Even if they open a claim they will still have to wait about 10 days for it to arrive.

Why people blame seller for slow post is beyond me.

Once its in the post its out of the sellers hands.

All you can do is give buyer the tracking code.

[btr.style]

No.... 

If they open a case the seller has 3 days I believe to hope with their fingers crossed that it's delivered. Otherwise they have to give a full refund (or eBay will step in and give them a full refund on behalf of the seller). 

If it's then delivered after the money is refunded, they have to hope the buyer is honest and will pay again. 

[douglaspuglas]

---

@btr.style wrote:

No.... 

If they open a case the seller has 3 days I believe to hope with their fingers crossed that it's delivered. Otherwise they have to give a full refund (or eBay will step in and give them a full refund on behalf of the seller). 

If it's then delivered after the money is refunded, they have to hope the buyer is honest and will pay again. 

---

It's 3 business days so won't include weekends or banks holidays.

[the-nutwood-collection]

I would just ignore the buyer and wait to see whether they raise an INR - don't encourage them to do so.  If they do open a case, you've then got three days - during which time it might be scanned as delivered.

Anything posted on the 23rd was unlikely to move until the 27th, making it very tight to get there by the EDD of the 30th - and I reckon your buyer knows this and is hoping for a freebie.

[sheba-knows-best]

Never ignore a buyer. It only makes things worse. I'd try this:

Hi. I am so sorry, I completely understand your frustration. I hope you can understand mine, as I did post on time. It is simply one of those things at this time of year. I would advise waiting a little longer as otherwise, if tracking shows 'delievered' after I have refunded you, ebay will want to see a message exchange between us, with me requesting a repeat payment, before letting me appeal your refund, and it just gets a little messy and complicated (and worst case, causes defects on our accounts). Please could you give it just a few days longer? And thank you again for your patience so far. It really is appreciated. Best wishes for a wonderful New Year, Sheba xxx

[pg_kicks]

Buyers blame sellers because eBay give them a crazy estimated arrival date, its either way too short or way too long, I've got a negative at the minute as eBay told them they'd have the shoes within a 5 working days via GSP from UK to Czech, applied for feedback removal and was told it was within policy, now I need to wait upto 10 days for a human to look into it and remove it. The whole site is a mess.

[sheba-knows-best]

---

@pg_kicks wrote:

The whole site is a mess.

---

No it isn't. The site is working alright for some of us. By your own reckoning, I think, on other threads, you have had a pretty good year. Ebay is a Leviathan, with one of the oldest, clankiest, not to mention far reaching global platforms.  So you've had one neg which wasn't immediately sorted.. really?... and that's enough to make you unhappy with the site despite the sales you've enjoyed this year?

My point is eBay provides a livelihood for some of us which we wouldn't have with just our own websites, or Etsy, or whatever.

I agree, we should keep fighting for new ways not to pay PL and to get all of the glitches ironed out. But sometimes, ebay deserves a bit of perspective.

[pg_kicks]

One neg that should have been removed once I put in request but AI doesnt see it was sent via GSP

TRS discount removed, then reinstated then removed again as eBay cant fix the issue

EDD showing tracked 48 taking over 2 weeks for delivery

Search not showing correctly

Nectar still not working correctly

Reporting function not working

Chinese sellers flooding markets with fake items

(there are others I can add to this too)

I've had a good year because I've worked bloody hard, all I ask from eBay (who I and others pay a lot to) is a site that is functioning and safe, sorry if you find that too crazy to ask for.

I give them plenty of credit, but with credit comes criticism, I think its only fair we can point out the major flaws even if you cant see them.

[bravergrace]

What to do with an impatient buyer?

The first thing I would do, is apologise for the late delivery, and say I'd ask eBay for advice about what to do - so the buyer knows that I understand and care about their point of view, and I'm not trying to cheat them. 

Then I'd look at the feedback they've left for other sellers.  If it shows a pattern of delivery problems, I'd ask them to open an INR case - and I'd also ring CS and report them as a possible serial fraudster.

If their feedback is OK, and it's a trivial value item, I'd refund straight away and ask them to let me know when the item arrives, "so I can send you a prepaid return label".  Not worth wasting hours over - and in my experience, most buyers do return late items, often at their own expense.

If the feedback's OK and it's too much to write off, I'd reassure them that when it arrives, they have a statutory right to return it for a full refund (assuming this is a consumer sale), and ask them to open an INR case in due course.

The buyer, if honest, may be panicking, and worrying that they'll have to replace the item and might lose their money.  A surprising number of people don't really understand how the postal system works, and if they got their birthday card from Auntie Dorrie on time, they think that "proves that Royal Mail are working like clockwork this year", especially if the postman is "such a nice man, always asks about my daughter and admires my rose bushes".  There are more panickers than thieves in the population...

[magpiecorner1]

Well, if the OP takes your advice, and it's good advice, I'd also mention that the buyer will just have to refund the refund when it arrives, or return the item.  Both more hassle for the buyer than hanging on a few days.  Oh, and a promise to keep an eye on the tracking (whether or not there is tracking) to see when it arrives.

The assumptive close is always a good sales tactic, the assumptive consequences is always worth trying. 

And the most interesting part will be the buyer's response!

[vintagechinashop]

I think this is probably a case of bought before Christmas and have overspent so they are trying to get money back 

you most certainly do not have to refund yet. The buyer should open an inr case on the day after scheduled arrival. You then have 3 days to respond by which time you would probably have proof of delivery 

As has already been advised don't ignore the buyer but respectfully point out that delays are expected this time of year and apologise for the delay 

I close for business during Christmas and new year and today is my first posting date after the 23rd. I have a 5 day handling time set at this time of year and I had a buyer email me last night who purchased late on 22nd December asking where their items are and checking the order it's showing as earliest delivery on 8th January. In these days of prime delivery some buyers have unrealistic expectations of eBay sellers who don't have the luxury of their own distribution network and have to rely on the good old British postal system to get

items to them and it never ceases to amaze me how buyers seem to forget about bank holidays and weekends