18-02-2014 2:45 PM
hi , it's been a long time since i have been on here (hi everyone), but i have a question, i sold an item on sunday 9th feb, buyer paid either the sunday or monday and i posted tuesday 11th, (week ago today), i know she should of got it by now but she hasn't and has opened a dispute already, and the money has gone on hold in my paypal account, The thing is its only 5 working days ago i sent it, so if anything it can only be over due by a day or 2 at the most, but my biggest question is if i do issue the refund what happens when it does arrive with her?, i have replied asking her to wait until thursday and i'm more than willing to issue the refund, i do understand her frustraightion at wanting it now,.
18-02-2014 2:55 PM
ask them to check with their delivery office,
the recent flooding may have delayed it at some point on is journey
the RM site has a list of the most affected postcodes
and there is a post on seller central about it from ebay staff - about 4 post down from the top
if you refund and she is an honest person she can repay through PP as a gift payment
18-02-2014 2:55 PM
18-02-2014 3:48 PM
18-02-2014 4:11 PM
it might just pay not only to ask your customer to check at the post office but also if any of their neighbours have taken it in for them,
Not forgetting of course to check any outside bins, under hedges or anywhere else it could be tucked away.
19-02-2014 9:20 AM
Yes, I would agree to get the buyer to check with post office, neighbours etc. It does seem a little
unreasonable to start a dispute after just a week especially considering the atrocious weather
and resulting floods. I don't know where you or your buyer are but flooding has widely affected
deliveries of not just post but allsorts of stuff.
I will always take a parcel for a neighbour if they are out, we all do in our little road. I did take
one in and, despite knocking many times, couldn't get a reply from the neighbour. After three
or four days I became concerned as to whether they were ok as they appeared not to be away,
their car was there etc. I knocked at their next-door neighbour and asked if she had a phone
number for them. She rang and it turned out the people had a broken doorbell and didn't know.
They said they wondered when their parcel would come and that they were probably in when
it originally arrived and I looked after it!
I hope you get it sorted out and your buyer can be reasonable about it as, so often, it is all down
to something that isn't really anybody's fault and you end up with a black mark unfairly.
19-02-2014 11:17 AM
It is the SELLER's responsibility to issue a refund and then carry out a lost item search (form from the post office). However it clearly states they will not accept an item lost until at least fifteen days has elapsed. It's a real drag, but there's nothing you can do about it. While technically they are within their rights to open a case against you, I feel it is a very mean spirited action to take against you. I have given a full refund before carrying out an unsuccessful search and it was weeks before I got my money back. In this particular case I would refund them the money in full and then send them an email telling them that to prevent the same thing happening again you have taken out a Block Bidder's case against them so that they will never be able to buy anything from you again - a very discrete way of saying "Up Yours!" It's very easy - just go into Customer support and press block a bidder. I've done it eight times, maqking sure I ALWAYS TELL THEM!
19-02-2014 11:46 AM
a lot of buyers don't know that if they select "i haven't received my item" in the ask seller a question section a case gets opened automatically
19-02-2014 12:21 PM
That is very true. I did it once and I have been using ebay sice 2002. I was gobsmacked. I did not want to open a dispute just enquire where my item was.
19-02-2014 2:53 PM
In every case it is better to contact the seller/buyer - things things can then be sorted out amicably. I've had a buyer contact me about an item she'd been patiently waiting to receive for over two weeks. To my horror I found I hadn't posted it! When selling items, although annoying, I always hold my tongue for at least a week before sending them a reminder. A classic case was a microscope where the father immediately contacted me after the week was up and informed me that his son had used his computer without his permission or knowledge, and could I wait until the end of the month before he paid me! He was so apologetic I laughed, because I knew what had happened, but where there is an arrogant refusal to communicate, THAT is a totally different kettle of fish.
21-02-2014 1:07 AM
hi thanks everyone, i have only just worked out how to get back to here,, i gave her a refund this morning, i have asked if it turns up to either return it to me at my cost, or pay and keep it, it was a charity item for breast cancer care so i am kinda gutted, i will take it up with royal mail though even if it is only 11 quid,
21-02-2014 8:21 AM
In my opinion, the only way you have any 'security' as a seller , is to always send tracked!
I know this seems unfair for both buyer and seller and of course depends on the value of the item, and how much , as a seller, you are able to lose the item value if it is lost.... because sometimes, you just get a dishonest buyer who wants the item for nothing and knows the system!
You cannot assume this of course , but we know it happens!
22-02-2014 2:06 AM
thaks leo, i havent sold on ebay for a while, i've just got back into it, it has changed so much, , i think i will send things tracked from now on, i'm now dealing with someone who bought 6 items from me starting from the 9th-15th and no payment and has private feedback, i daren't start a dispute as i daren't get negative feedback, , i wouldn't mind i'm selling most of my items for breast cancer care,.
22-02-2014 3:07 PM
i daren't start a dispute as i daren't get negative feedback,
If they don't pay, either any feedback will be removed if already given or if they haven't left any, a strike will mean they are not able to leave feedback good or bad.
22-02-2014 11:28 PM
i didn't know that, thanks