eBay are NOT as "helpful" as they make out!

[p-and-p-sales]

All this "we're here to help you" malarkey..... huh! Get this. I sold an item to someone 300 miles away. Posted it recorded (Royal Mail). Recipient wasn't in. Their tracking system confirms this. Anyway, they didn't try again the next day (like they're supposed to, and if that delivery is unsuccessful also, THAT's when the leave a re-arrangement card), and why would that be? Because it's gone missing - "lost"! Anyway, the recipient asks eBay for advice on how to proceed, and they tell him that *I* have got to sort it out!!! What the deuce? Am I supposed to traipse 300 miles to go and.... what exactly I don't know. I've PROVED I've done my part by getting it recorded. The fact that they've been at the address with it surely absolves me of any further involvement, no? Not according to eBay "advisors" it seems. To wash my hands of it all, I've issued a refund (on the "case" he was advised to open). I'm not bothered about the money. However, it is eBay who will lose out! I have decided never to sell ANY parcel that does not fit through a letter box in future. I have literally thousands of pounds of stuff I WAS going to sell, (I inherited someone's estate), but no way on earth now.

[*vyolla*]

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@p-and-p-sales wrote:

All this "we're here to help you" malarkey..... huh! Get this. I sold an item to someone 300 miles away. Posted it recorded (Royal Mail). Recipient wasn't in. Their tracking system confirms this. Anyway, they didn't try again the next day (like they're supposed to, and if that delivery is unsuccessful also, THAT's when the leave a re-arrangement card), and why would that be? Because it's gone missing - "lost"! Anyway, the recipient asks eBay for advice on how to proceed, and they tell him that *I* have got to sort it out!!! What the deuce?

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If Royal Mail have lost the package then you need to claim from them, it should be easy enough if they've told you that it's gone on their missing list.

There's a claim form on their website.

[papso22]

If tracking says 'attempted delivery' eBay’s policies say the buyer is excluded from the money back guarantee. 

[eyria]

I think eBay would rather you send items tracked (signed for is not fully tracked) so it is scanned along its route. I believe you need to wait so many days before you can report it as missing and claim back money from the Royal Mail as they are responsible for the parcel until it's delivered or returned to yourself. You can send screenshots of invoice from eBay to Royal Mail when you claim. Together with signed for number. 

[eyria]

There are some elements of distance selling regulations that apply to private sellers. so on delivery you liability does not end until the package is in the persons hand until that point it is the sellers responsibility (unless they arranged there own courier or delivery company). The seller will need to liase with delivery company or claim refund on buyers behalf and refund them. It is always best to end tracked so packages are scanned through out its journey. Delivery company can then contact buyer if they cannot deliver or no one is available. 

[papso22]

Actually for private sellers the legal responsibility ends when the item is with the courier, for businesses it ends with delivery.

Ebay's money back guarantee has its own rules.

[4_bathrooms]

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@p-and-p-sales wrote:

All this "we're here to help you" malarkey..... huh! Get this. I sold an item to someone 300 miles away. Posted it recorded (Royal Mail). Recipient wasn't in. Their tracking system confirms this. 

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All you needed to do was upload the tracking you had to the case. As per eBay's Money Back Guarantee policy a status of "attempted delivery" is treated as delivery where an INR case is concerned. 

[4_bathrooms]

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@eyria wrote:

There are some elements of distance selling regulations that apply to private sellers. 

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No, there aren't. The Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations were replaced by the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations in 2014. In both cases they apply only to consumer contracts; i.e. where a consumer purchases from a business.

The only legislation that applies to private sellers is the Sale of Goods Act (which was never repealed). Where businesses are concerned the Sale of Goods Act was effectively replaced by the Consumer Rights Act in 2015 but the SoGA continues to apply to private sales. Where the SoGA is concerned a private seller's responsibility for delivery ends once they have handed the item to the carrier. Where eBay is concerned a seller's responsibility for delivery ends once the tracking shows a status of "attempted delivery".