Naming and shaming?

[avonvalleymusic]

We've experienced a high number of vexatious claims for non-delivery and some outright attempts at theft recently. Sadly, a lot of these scammers are pretty careless with their digital footprint, It has been suggested that we name and shame on social media. Any experience of this? (Cough! Asking for a friend) 

[red_magpie]

How do you know that claims for non-delivery are vexatious?

The fact that an item has been tracked as delivered doesn't necessarily mean that the buyer received it.

Parcels are often left on the doorstep, where they can be stolen. Tracking information isn't always accurate. I've had two parcels tracked as delivered - one was signed for at an address half a mile away, and the other was found in the back of the delivery van the next day. Two buyers have claimed here that eBay accepted delivery "within their post code area" as proof of delivery - there can be 100 or more homes in some postcode areas!

Posting false or unsubstantiated allegations on social media sounds a great way to the courts for defamation.

[avonvalleymusic]

The social media point was an attempt at humour.

Royal Mail tracking is more accurate than couriers and post continues to be delivered daily. I'm well aware that some couriers are less than honest, I've had similar experiences. What I am asking about is the relentless stream of enquiries and Items Not Received cases.

How do I know claims are vexatious? Putting in a Paypal claim inside the delivery period is vexatious - it evades all the protections Ebay is supposed to provide for sellers. Some buyers have admitted it. Some protest too much, some leave a trail of negative feedback in every single instance when they don't get next day delivery, and some immediately back down when tracking information is uploaded. I've had only one claim upheld by Ebay, and that was where an item was sent to France and vanished.

Vexatious in this context means causing or tending to cause annoyance, or frustration, or worry - is it really necessary to send enquiries daily (or even more often) when the listing clearly states there are disruptions to the postal service and provides estimates of actual delivery times rather than the ridiculous Ebay estimates? Even where I've given a buyer the benefit of the doubt and sent a replacement, with a caveat about postal disruption, I still get daily questions and INR claims.

[vijorey]

Do you enter tracking number on dispatch ( when appropriate) or when you have a case opened?

I would definitely try and get the negs removed...totally out of order in the present situation!
If only buyers could see the photos of the backlog in RM ...it is despicable to write that her postman is still coming!

[avonvalleymusic]

In my view, there is something not quite right with that account!

Tracking is entered in response to cases being opened. Ideally I'd put all of them in as the items are posted, but it's just not do-able, there's too many and checking with the Royal Mail Track and Trace is unnecessarily time-consuming as they have those idiotic bots that will delay you each time you put in the tracking number.

The response to getting the negs removed by Ebay has been very poor.

[vijorey]

A while ago now ebay announced that tracking had to be entered on dispatch and before a case was opened, ( I cant find it at the mo) I'm not sure if anybody have found that if cases have been opened and have succeeded without entering the number beforehand....

[avonvalleymusic]

I've yet to have a case upheld where there has been tracking entered, but I only put in tracking in response to a case being opened, or in response to a query asking for it, but goalposts continue to move..

[tobiasd4]

If you add tracking when marking as posted on ebay, it stops cases for item not received as long as tracking shows delivered.

[avonvalleymusic]

With the volumes I'm handling at the moment, it's a problem, but I think I'll put some in just to see what happens.

The main issue is with items that cannot be tracked (under 100 grams sent 2nd class).

[vijorey]

I feel it is ebays fault for allowing the buyers to open a not received case so early, they should extend it at least another 7 days to give the couriers more time
Another loophole to open a case in PayPal ( shame on PayPal for allowing it too)
As for your untracked Mail, there is little you can do about that unless RM extends their tracking system to include them..