eBay - Are you serious? Who stole my money?

[alice_inn_wonderland]

I sold a garden hose (£40) on Friday and shipped it on Monday.
Three days later, the buyer opened a case about the item not being received and immediately left NEGATIVE feedback. A few days later, eBay closed the case and refunded the buyer. SUPER FAST RESPONSE?

The package was delivered exactly the next day  (the following week after sending).
Royal Mail Signed For™ shows that the package was delivered on the 10th day after it was shipped.
I CALLED eBay customer service, and they explained that this is a typical situation, you need to open an appeal and the money will be refunded 100% - which is what I did.

The first thing I got from eBay was an email that my appeal was closed - everything remains as is.
I DID THE SAME PROCESS DESCRIBED ABOVE WITH CALLING AND TALKING TO THE Customer Service TWO MORE TIMES.

On the last call, they said that we are now appealing to "the Back Office" and they will respond in 2–3 weeks (???!!!!?????) - 3 weeks have passed - no response AT ALL!
I never had a chance to describe the situation in any Appeal - ALWAYS ONLY ONE EMAIL said: "Appeal closed".

And then - even more.
The buyer called me very angry and aggressive - and started threatening me, about why I sent him eBay letters asking if he received the parcel. He also said that he called eBay and said to them that he received the parcel and did not want a refund - but eBay refunded him anyway. He said that he wanted to pay now - but after that, he started ignoring ALL my messages on eBay and his phone from which he called me.
But this is a second question - I will consider how to make the parcel thief popular in another topic. (Report to the police, etc.)

I would like to ask for help on this topic, what else can be done with eBay?
And how many more customers will eBay lose with this approach?
Thank you in advance.

P.S: Sorry for the possibly punning text - I am just angry, instead of spending time with my children, I need to spend days and days hours and hours on calls and letters - so as not to end up in the red.

[hugothecockapoo]

Hello op. If you had added the signed for number to your order details I am confident you would not have this problem.   Oh hang on, why did this take 10 days to deliver?  Was this an overseas sale?  

[plpmr]

" immediately left NEGATIVE feedback"

what negative feedback?

"Report to the police, etc"

Before reporting it would be best to look at your private seller registration.

[alice_inn_wonderland]

Thanks for the reply.
But why write if there is no goal to help?

Yes, I added tracking on eBay.
Yes, the purchase was in the UK.

Yes, for some unknown reason, the parcel was delivered like this.

[magpiecorner1]

Look up the small claims process.  The first thing to do - which you can do before you start the process properly - is to send a 'letter before action'.

Make a good job of it, enclose all correspondence which supports your case, including a photo of his front door if you have it, keep the letter professional and give him a means to pay, best would be your paypal email - and be sure to ask him to NOT pay by friends and family as it would adversely affect both your paypal accounts - not just a possibility but makes you sound even handed.   Point out that this is the system's fault, not yours or theirs - because eBay will have told him he doesn't need to pay you.   Be sure to apologise on behalf of RM for the unfortunate delay in delivery. Tell him you are sending a feedback revision request for them to revise their feedback.  And remember, more flies are caught with honey than with vinegar!

Personally I'd write two letters, the first one to let off steam, put that one in the bucket, and a second one.  Not necessary but its amazing how cathargic it can be.

[alice_inn_wonderland]

magpiecorner1  Thank You very much for the good advice.
My main goal was also to warn eBay sellers that this can happen to anyone. And if it does - how can I influence eBay?
In short:
I did ABSOLUTELY everything as eBay requires.
I sent the package with a signature, the package arrived at the correct address. GPS TRACKING, with picture, PROVES THIS ON THE Royal MAIL WEBSITE.
Yes, VERY PREDICTABLE things happen (late delivery) - out of my control.

But eBay ignores all this (THREE TIMES)  and - JUST simple, takes money from me, giving both the item and the money to the buyer.

I am simply shocked - how can eBay want to legalize something like it OPENLY?
This opens up a "Pandora's box" for them - to do this to everyone!

[jayfive2001]

This is what I am thinking. I am concerned the OP neither uploaded the tracking number to the order when dispatch nor to the case after it was opened. Wording of the original post suggests OP simply ignored the not received case until it escalated and money was taken.
OP may have simply just told ebay CS reps that tracking exists and item received after the fact. Something that eBay made policy some years ago that would not help in the event of something like this happening. You cannot retroactively submit tracking or other proof of delivery to a escalated case. Seller had their chance, now it's too late. Uploading a tracking number to a case takes 30 seconds and you have several days to do it, there's no excuse.

Buyer sounds like an impatient idiot but seller is at least partially the author of their own misfortune. Always always always upload tracking before or just after sending. Always always always reply to a not-received case. Never correspond with a buyer outside of ebay.

If you get a not received case and the item looks like it is in transit - always always always contact ebay and make them aware so that the dispute period can be extended. If the tracking shows recent updates ebay will help a seller.
What you don't do is just let it all happen, watch your money disappear and THEN act.

[alice_inn_wonderland]

jayfive2001  Thanks for your thoughts.

Tracking was provided if not immediately, then 100% after the case was opened, when eBay asked again - to confirm tracking with me.
No, I did not ignore the case, as you wrote, I responded to the buyer from the first minute.
No, tracking numbers were provided to Bay CS before the case was closed.

But... well, in short:

Anyone, for plenty of good or Bed reasons, may not provide a tracking number immediately, but do it later.
This does not mean that they have the right to take away the money you received for the delivered goods.

[troopster2525-per]

you will get nowhere with ebay they are ...i will not say the words

they always side with buyers. i sold something 16th dec for £2.50 the buyer few days ago decided to open a case for item not received....they had 2 days left on the ebay 30 day guarentee.

they never bothered to message me before this to say item not received....so waited nearly 30 days and opened a case so i messaged saying sorry it seemed royal mail must have lost the parcel as sometimes happens with run up to christmas when its smaller things

i refunded. and then the other day i noticed she had left me negative feedback...this is on my other ebay account.

so miffed as i had full good feedback

ebay will not remove it even though they can see i posted it and all they kept saying to me is basically go against what postage the buyer pays for and me pay the extra out my own pocket to send it tracked ! why the ... would i pay out my pocket to send tracked when the buyer sees fit to choose normal 2nd class even when the 48hr tracked option is available.

not to mention its against ebay rules to use postage option different to what the buyer chooses as the buyer can easily complain i did not send it the way they wanted and they would again get the refund.

totally disgusting as i posted the item and it was out of my hands when royal mail are the ones who lost it

they also kept saying to communicate with the buyers and to refund right away when things happen...errm why on earth would i communicate with the buyer when ive no idea they did not receive their item...and can not refund since...i have no idea till they tell me.....28 days later.

ebay is beyond pathetic now tbh

[vinylscot]

I think some people here are over-thinking this rather simple case.

The seller posted the item, and the buyer opened an INR case as soon as he could. The buyer added the tracking details to the case.

Unfortunately, the item was not delivered within the period allowed in the case. eBay therefore refunded the buyer.

All this is perfectly standard, and covered in eBays agreement and t's & c's, which the seller agreed to on joining eBay.

So eBay's involvement ended at that point.  It is unfortunate that customer services, as they often do, have just told the seller what he wants to hear to get him off the phone. There was never any prospect of eBay doing anything once the refund had (correctly) been made to the buyer.

The seller then contacted the buyer to ask for payment. A decent buyer would agree to repay the money, but unfortunately this one has refused to do so.

All the seller can do is approach the buyer again, apologise for any confusion (even though it wasn't all the seller's fault), and calmly and politely ask him to make a repayment. Hopefully he will have calmed down a bit by now, and will agree.

If he doesn't, it's up to the seller whether to take any further action, but for £40.00, it almost certainly wouldn't be worthwhile.

[studiomaster_uk]

Seems rather odd that a buyer can open an 'item not received' claim / case  after just 3 days had elapsed? Unless the seller had offered 'same day' shipping thus starting the clock running before the weekend had passed? Whatever, the buyer seems to have been rather quick off the mark.

Nevertheless, I'd posit that the seller might wish to consider making a claim against RM as it seems their late delivery caused a non-delivery situation to show when ebay adjudicated and subsequently settled the buyers claim.

All of which assumes that the seller did actually ship to the shedule they've set out and according to the terms they proposed within the listing.

[ear2fear]

The buyer left neutral feedback saying that they can’t work out how to see the invoice. Can anyone write a message that this seller could perhaps send to the buyer, telling them how they can access the invoice?