Who Is Responsable when simple delivery goes wrong

[*w*i*z*z*a*r*d*]

Morning. I have just sent a item well packed and placed fragile stickers on the box. The buyer has been difficult already before the item has even arrived.  Threatening me with opening a dispute against me because one delivery attempt failed because the courier had no safe place to leave the item.  The following day, they delivered the item, and what a surprise I had in the morning with photos of the item damaged. Of course the buyer is rude and furious and blaming me and accusing me of all sorts. So I had no choice in making a return for a damaged and now a non working item. Also this buyer lives in the U.K, but their ebay profile say they live in Canada. Any ideas and thank you for your time.   

[*vyolla*]

If you used a Simple Delivery label then your buyer should open an eBay return and select the 'Arrived damaged' or 'Damaged in transit' reason and then eBay will issue them with a refund.

[**peaseblossom**]

If the buyer opens a return using the reason "Item damaged in delivery" ebay will issue the refund themselves and you keep the payment.    They won't have to send the item back.

[jonatjonatjonat]

You say making a return - I assume the buyer is returning the item to you?

For future reference - if an item is sent simple delivery, and the order either goes missing or arrives damaged - if the buyer opens up either an Item Not Received or Item Arrived Damaged case with ebay - ebay will handle it and refund the customer without you getting involved (and you get to keep the funds).

Unfortunately, if a case has already been opened here - and you've started a return - its probably too late to do anything.

[tressygirl]

Ask the buyer to open a case for item damaged in transit.

If you used eBay's Simple Delivery,  eBay should take over the case and refund the buyer,  and you get to keep the payout.

This seems one troublesome buyer so you don't want them returning to your sales,  add their ID here, to block them returning:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/bmgt/BuyerBlock

@*w*i*z*z*a*r*d* 

[*w*i*z*z*a*r*d*]

Hello, thank you for your reply. The buyer has opened a return case using title item doesn't match description or photos, and posted a message and photo stating item arrived damaged and its not functioning as it should. So hoping fingers x I haven't lost anything ? I'm a private seller and I used don't except returns on listing

[*vyolla*]

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@*w*i*z*z*a*r*d* wrote:

Hello, thank you for your reply. The buyer has opened a return case using title item doesn't match description or photos, and posted a message and photo stating item arrived damaged and its not functioning as it should. So hoping fingers x I haven't lost anything ? I'm a private seller and I used don't except returns on listing

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In that case you'll need to accept the return and supply a pre-paid returns label. If a buyer claims that their item isn't as described then it's a seller error. It's a shame that they didn't select the correct reason.

It might be worth you contacting eBay to point out that they've selected the wrong reason, and that they sent you a message and photo stating that they received the item damaged. 

[jefftopman]

I wish you all the best with this one. I am currently trying to deal with a return and even though item I sold and sent Simple Delivery arrived damaged . Buyer did not let me know and opened a return using description as defective or doesn't work. It appears that if they do not use damaged as the reason then eBay take no responsibility to cover the damage and it looks as if the seller has to take the loss for the buyers and couriers mistakes. That's SIMPLE DELIVERY at it's worst.

[jefftopman]

You would think with buyer selecting incorrect reason and in his return description and pictures stating and showing the damage that eBay would cover the issue considering it was sent Simple Delivery.

But from my current issue with this happening to me apparently it's the sellers responsibility for buyers and couriers mistakes.

[*vyolla*]

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@jefftopman wrote:

You would think with buyer selecting incorrect reason and in his return description and pictures stating and showing the damage that eBay would cover the issue considering it was sent Simple Delivery.

But from my current issue with this happening to me apparently it's the sellers responsibility for buyers and couriers mistakes.

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Have you tried arguing the toss with eBay if the photos clearly show damage during transit?

[*w*i*z*z*a*r*d*]

Hi, I have been on live chat, but because the buyer has already selected , a open case can not be changed. I'll just have to wait for the item to turn up.  The buyer has shown me a postage till receipt, and the weight is 4 kg higher for some reason ?

[jefftopman]

Yes I have and Buyer actually described the damage and showed the damage in their attached pictures but selected item was defective. Pointed this out to eBay and case is under review but in all honesty I cannot see a just decision coming my way. Thanks for all the advice you and other regulars offer to help to others.

[*vyolla*]

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Thanks, but please do keep us updated, it will be interesting to see how this goes because if this doesn't end well for you there's no way for you to claim against the carrier, which you would be able to if the item hadn't been sent via Simple Delivery. 

Sellers need to know how to proceed in scenarios like this, when the buyer has clearly stated via eBay messages that the item arrived damaged. eBay must have something in place. If you think about it, Google and every social media site are going to advise buyers who say that they've received a damaged item to open an eBay return using the 'doesn't match description or photos' reason, because, historically, that's what has been advised on every social site up until now, Reddit etc. I just checked AI and it says to:

• Select the reason: "Item arrived damaged" or "Item doesn't match description/photos".

[gp_military_4eva]

Just used simple delivery for first time. Not having a printer just arranged for it to be picked up RM this morning. Followed the guidelines, arrange pick up then generated label etc.

I'm presuming the postwoman will have put the label on in the van (was parked for a minute or two), as I didn't see this being done and she didn't have one in hand. The tracking says item collected. Will feel better when I see it tracked in transit though.

I'm therefore presuming she actually did look at it and didn't just put in van and that this is the routine of how things are done.

[str11p]

ebay say this "You'll be protected if the item is lost or damaged from the point the item is scanned into the carrier's delivery network and until it's marked as delivered".

I wouldn't bet my life on anything to do with Simple Delivery. From reading these boards, I think there are other issues which have a higher likelihood of "going wrong". [I've sent about half a dozen SD items and they were all fine.]

[gp_military_4eva]

Thanks for the response.

It's just because it's the first time I've used it and therefore unfamiliar territory. From what I've read about the RM pick ups, is they will bring or have access to the label, in case it's needed etc. For some reason I was thinking the postie would bring a hand held device and print the label off there in front of me. There wasn't really anything said from the postie except I've come to pick up a parcel. I presume they must look at it to check for a label etc. otherwise there would be no address on it. 

Like I mentioned, the tracking has been marked as item collected but until it moves again, I don't know if this was a scanning of the label (after attachment to the parcel) or say a confirmation manually input on a hand held device. 

At what point should it say item received? (which I presume is different from the item collected). Would that be on entering a sorting office etc.

[gp_military_4eva]

Just done some more reading and its not made things much clearer.

It seems a label is generally supposed to be brought to your door but I don't know if this happens all the time. If this had been booked through RM's site, it seems you would have to pick the bring a label option but this was not on the ebay simple delivery page. Just said book the collection (would bring/have access to a label if needed) and then generate the label to confirm.

So there is nothing else seemingly to do on the ebay side of it, like confirming if already have or to bring a label. Nothing to say go to RM website with the tracking etc. and adding any further info.

It's just unnerving me that no label was seen but surely the postie wouldn't have not looked at it and just put it straight into the van. 

With it being a Saturday as well, I wouldn't expect the tracking to be updated for possibly 24 to 48 hours (tracked 48). That is the only thing that will tell me it has been done correctly.

This was on the RM collection booking e mail receipt though -

Don’t worry about printing your label, we’ll bring it with us.

[str11p]

My personal view is I suggest you don't worry about not seeing the label.

I would be very surprised if "The tracking says item collected." doesn't count as "the point the item is scanned into the carrier's delivery network".

Many others have said on these boards - don't sell anything you can't afford to lose. If you are getting really worried about not seeing the label, maybe collections/ebay selling isn't for you. You will see other posts on here about people having issues with:

-items marked as delivered - but to the wrong place.

-items marked as delivered - but the photo showing a different packet to what was sent  (sellers implying tampering by the courier).

-buyers reporting receiving the wrong item or nothing at all (buyers implying tampering by the courier).

-items delivered and left outside of the house, but then "disappearing".

etc.

[sml192]

There is nothing further that you need to do at this stage.

Usually the postie will bring the label with them to the door and affix it to the parcel, when you hand it to them, then scan it at that point to confirm collection.  It would appear that your postie decided to carry out those steps once they were back in their van instead.

The tracking should update to show 'Received' once scanned at the sorting office.

[department28]

 'It would appear that your postie decided to carry out those steps once they were back in their van instead.'

Yes, I bet that's what happened. It's probably easier for postie to fix a label in the van - assuming they weren't on foot - rather than on the the doorstep, maybe in the rain...

When you book the collection, RM will automatically bring a label, whether you want one or not... there isn't an option to say 'label not required/printing my own label'. Seems a bit odd, but most things to do with Simple Delivery are a bit odd... 😄