Marking as dispatched without dispatching

[txt.ltd]

Have had several (at least 3) sellers marking orders as dispatched with tracking numbers that appear valid, but the tracking never progresses and the items are never delivered. When I request the items again, they refund me. I have tried the same order several times with each seller and the same thing happens each time.

I suspect that these sellers don't want to ship to Northern Ireland, where I am, yet they refuse to turn off Northern Ireland in their shipping locations.

Shall I just accept this or how do I report them to eBay if at all? I've been considering making orders with them and hitting them with chargebacks instead, just out of spite, until they turn off Northern Ireland or block me. I am tired of buying things multiple times in the hope the orders show up.

[**peaseblossom**]

There is a problem with shipping to Northern Island (and Channel Islands) on ebay at the moment.    Not sure what, if anything is being done about it.

[txt.ltd]

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@**peaseblossom** wrote:

There is a problem with shipping to Northern Island (and Channel Islands) on ebay at the moment.    Not sure what, if anything is being done about it.

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What problem are you talking about?

[**peaseblossom**]

We're getting a lot of buyers from NI and CIs on here complaining about sellers not able to sell to them.    This seemed to start with Simple Delivery but could be more complicated than that.

[4_bathrooms]

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@txt.ltd wrote:

Have had several (at least 3) sellers marking orders as dispatched with tracking numbers that appear valid, but the tracking never progresses and the items are never delivered.

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Do the tracking numbers work on the carrier's website? For example, if they're Royal Mail tracking numbers do they work on Royal Mail's website?

[txt.ltd]

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@**peaseblossom** wrote:

We're getting a lot of buyers from NI and CIs on here complaining about sellers not able to sell to them.    This seemed to start with Simple Delivery but could be more complicated than that.

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Okay I see. With these transactions, the order/sale is completed, it's just the presumed failure to ship.

[txt.ltd]

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@4_bathrooms wrote:

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@txt.ltd wrote:

Have had several (at least 3) sellers marking orders as dispatched with tracking numbers that appear valid, but the tracking never progresses and the items are never delivered.

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Do the tracking numbers work on the carrier's website? For example, if they're Royal Mail tracking numbers do they work on Royal Mail's website?

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Yes, here are some of them:

OF751165524GB

OF751165630GB
IV195736572GB
IV195735064GB

All seem to be "We're expecting it" or similar, forever.

[roger_roger_over_and_nowt]

Are these big business seller's with many items listed ?.

[txt.ltd]

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@roger_roger_over_and_nowt wrote:

Are these big business seller's with many items listed ?.

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Yeah why

[roger_roger_over_and_nowt]

In past few months i have noticed a growing trend whereby big sellers ,with many many items, list item's slightly lower priced than anyone else to draw the punters in.Bargain ??!!??.

They appear to not have these item's at all.

They supposedly dispatch using fake tracking numbers but refund in full once a claim is opened with no explanation or apology.Usually after 2 to 3 weeks from date of purchase.

Who gets the interest on those payments ?.

[4_bathrooms]

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@roger_roger_over_and_nowt wrote:

They appear to not have these item's at all.

They supposedly dispatch using fake tracking numbers but refund in full once a claim is opened with no explanation or apology.Usually after 2 to 3 weeks from date of purchase.

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The tracking numbers given by @txt.ltd are not fake; they're real enough even if the goods are not. I would suspect if there was some scam going on the seller wouldn't last long once the INR cases started piling up.

@txt.ltd - is there anything in either seller's recent feedback, DSRs etc. that indicates there have been many recent unhappy buyers?

[skyebloke]

For orders that eventually get delivered I think it works like this...

(1) Location of goods is vague like London, UK

(2) Offering delivery from 3 to 5 working days say Royal Mail (RM 48hr)

So you think great I'll order ... goods in UK (perhaps pay a bit more for that) and fairly quick delivery. WRONG.

On Day 1 seller issues confirmation of order. It's likely the seller doesn't have the goods but places an immediate order on AliExpress. Day 2 or 3 issues a tracking number which gives you confidence goods are on their way (if you check tracking likely doesn't work (if a scam) or at best says will advise when goods dispatched - which means when goods dispatched from UK! By day 5, at best, receive a goods dispatched message which means RM finally received it at Heathrow and then maybe 2 days later minimum you'll hopefully get the goods. So you think you're buying UK goods that are being delivered by Royal Mail on a 48hr service. It rarely takes a week for a parcel from London to UK address....and you get it late, probably day 8 or 9.....and Ebay think its all ok, even if like me, you get scammed (fake Fedex) and can't even provide negative feedback. They've lost the plot as far as I can see - buying is becoming hit and miss and not worth the effort. Strongly thinking of closing account.

[txt.ltd]

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@roger_roger_over_and_nowt wrote:

In past few months i have noticed a growing trend whereby big sellers ,with many many items, list item's slightly lower priced than anyone else to draw the punters in.Bargain ??!!??.

They appear to not have these item's at all.

They supposedly dispatch using fake tracking numbers but refund in full once a claim is opened with no explanation or apology.Usually after 2 to 3 weeks from date of purchase.

Who gets the interest on those payments ?.

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I guess that could be a thing but the seller wouldn't benefit from it unless they rely on the small amount of people never filing INRs

[txt.ltd]

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@4_bathrooms wrote:

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@roger_roger_over_and_nowt wrote:

They appear to not have these item's at all.

They supposedly dispatch using fake tracking numbers but refund in full once a claim is opened with no explanation or apology.Usually after 2 to 3 weeks from date of purchase.

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The tracking numbers given by @txt.ltd are not fake; they're real enough even if the goods are not. I would suspect if there was some scam going on the seller wouldn't last long once the INR cases started piling up.

@txt.ltd - is there anything in either seller's recent feedback, DSRs etc. that indicates there have been many recent unhappy buyers?

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Yes I've noticed some other people in the feedback of those sellers saying the same thing, that they never got the item then got refunded after requesting a replacement. Chances are these are buyers in the same situation as me, i.e. being in Northern Ireland or somewhere else awkward for these businesses to deliver to. Our feedbacks wouldn't be enough to make a dent in their rating though, and they don't get any negative mark on their account because they just refund on the INR case anyway. They can do it forever

[4_bathrooms]

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@txt.ltd wrote:

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Yes I've noticed some other people in the feedback of those sellers saying the same thing, that they never got the item then got refunded after requesting a replacement. Chances are these are buyers in the same situation as me, i.e. being in Northern Ireland or somewhere else awkward for these businesses to deliver to. 

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If you're buying from businesses on this (business) account and the sellers have RM business accounts it could be down to the Windsor Framework and Royal Mail needing extra information from the sender. The new requirements came into force in May; at a minimum the seller would need their and your EORI numbers. However, I'm not sure how it all works from within an RM business account. 

[jefftopman]

Personally I had no issue sending small parcel to Northern Ireland last week. Tends to take a day longer than Mainland UK but 3 or 4 days for Royal Mail Tracked 48 isn't bad.