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eBay seriously doesn't care about sellers stars in: "Lost package" (or "I'm out $210")

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heartyourlife

Member
Jul 29, 2010
678
0
Iowa City, IA
eBay seriously doesn't care about sellers stars in: "Lost package" (or "I'm out $210")

If you've ever doubted that eBay only cares about buyers, I present my latest fiasco:

Back on June 28th, I sold a 2015 Stadium Club Kris Bryant Auto redemption card on eBay for $210. Buyer paid immediately, I shipped it out the next day. Tracking shows it leaving my hometown (Iowa City, IA) being received and leaving the regional hub (Cedar Rapids, IA).

Flash forward about a week and the seller contacts me, saying they haven't received the card. I check the tracking and all it shows is it leaving Iowa and the nothing. We agree to wait a couple weeks to see if it updates while I contact USPS and he checks with his local hub. After a month there's no updates from anyone, so I refund the buyer his payment instead of going through the whole claims process. I sent him the refund on August 9th.

Jump ahead to August 25th. I get a message from the buyer "Hey USPS finally found your package and it was delivered. But I don't want to pay you what I originally paid for it, so I'm only willing to pay $150 or I can mail it back." Which right off the bat, to me, is a dick move on his part. Tracking clearly shows I put it in the mail and there was no foul intent on my part.

Keep in mind, this exact scenario has happened to me before. Package goes out, gets lost, payment gets refunded. Package shows up, eBay reverses payment, buyer gets his item, I get my money. End of story. Or so you would think...

With this in mind, I call eBay and get customer service on the phone. I explain the situation and the rep looks up the transaction on their end. When this happens, she tells me that the tracking shows it was mailed from Michigan on August 21st (12 after I refunded the payment), and delivered in NY. I'm obviously baffled by this and look it up myself, and see the same info. No mention of ever being in Iowa. So I tell them, hey it got delivered, can you reverse the refund so I get my money back. I'm told "that's not our policy". Taken back, I ask how that's possible when it's been done before. I get the run around and am basically told "You need to contact the buyer and arrange for them to resubmit payment." I then explain that the buyer isn't willing to give me the same money they purchased it for, and am basically told "it's not our problem. you need to work it out with your buyer..."

Seeing that this is going nowhere, I hang up and go back through my notes, marking down original payment dates, shipping dates, tracking info, case numbers, etc. so I have all my info sitting in front of me. I call eBay back and get another rep. I explain the situation again, how I live in Iowa but the package shows originating from Michigan, how it's showing as shipped 12 days after I refunded the payment, all the common sense things that say "I did everything I was supposed to do to make this transaction happen properly" and again I'm told "eBay isn't responsible". I ask how that's possible. The answer I'm given is that eBay isn't selling my item, they are merely advertising it for me, and it's up to me to make sure everything goes properly, and that they can't be held responsible for any problems. I'm also told that because I refunded the buyer of my own accord, they aren't liable for anything. So I back up and ask "if the buyer had filed a claim and you had sided with him (which they would have) would you reverse his payment"? I'm told NO, because eBay is only willing to work within a two week window of a transaction being initiated to help out a seller. I then point out that it's irrelevant whether or not I refunded him of my own accord or not, because eBay isn't willing to do anything about it regardless. I'm then given this line of how I need to contact USPS to find out why the tracking is wrong and that I should consider using an alternate method of shipping in the future to avoid this happening again. Which is completely irrelevant to the situation, which I point out. Because according to her, it wouldn't make a bit of difference in the outcome from eBay's standpoint. Yet they have these pre-written answers to complains that someone's just reading off a screen, when none of the advice they give would change a thing. I ask her what exactly I should have done to cover myself so that I'm not losing my money and my product, and she has no answer. At which point I lose it and start yelling and pointing out everything wrong with this scenario and get no response from the rep other than I should look into alternate shipping methods, which again would do NOTHING to fix the situation. Seeing that it's going nowhere once again, I hang up.

As it stands, the facts are: The package was sent (which is documented by USPS), it was received (which is documented by USPS and the buyer), but the buyer has 1) my item and 2) his money. And eBay is telling me I have to contact him to get my payment and there's nothing they can (or are willing) to do about it. Yet they can step in at any time and reverse a payment or put a hold on funds in my Paypal account at will.

It's been two weeks since I asked the buyer to mail the card back. Can you guess whether it's shown up or not?

I wrote the card off as lost when I refunded the buyer his money. I'm not mad about the money. I'm mad because eBay does NOTHING to help the people they depend on to maintain their business: SELLERS. If no one is selling, no one can buy. No one makes money. Obviously that's looking at it in the simplest terms, because no matter what people are still going to sell and buy on eBay. What kills me is they are happy to take my fees but aren't willing to do the proper thing when presented with all the relevant information that the transaction has been completed 100% as it's supposed to (minus the lost part - which I have no control over) and I'm the one who is at fault because of the shipping company I chose to use? It wouldn't have mattered if it was USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL...if any company had lost it, the outcome would still be the same: Buyer gets a free $210 card and I get a big "**** YOU"...

If anyone has any thoughts on the situation (or lives in the NY area and would like to pay the buyer a vist :) ) please let me know. Thanks for reading...
 

moxacaine

Active member
Administrator
Aug 7, 2008
17,349
2
Fredericksburg, VA
man that sucks. in my opinion the buyer is kind of being a dick about it. i understand the market fluctuates and thats probably the price now but still, it was the agreed upon price.

I would get the card back, redeem it since they're being redeemed, and resell it. you may only get $150 but to me its the principle of it at this point and i wouldn't want that guy having it.
 

DRav87

New member
Aug 11, 2008
5,360
0
Wisconsin
eBay Customer Service is absolutely worthless. Last year I had an item listed and I had it set up for only US bidders only, I also clearly stated this in the description that I would not ship outside of the United States. So what happens? Some guy wins the auction and give me a Puerto Rico shipping address. I explained to him that I will not be shipping the item, canceled the transaction and issued him a refund. He then leaves me negative feedback even though it's not my fault, he just did not read and all he left for feedback was the letter "A".

I called eBay to get this removed because it was not may fault and I did not deserve negative feedback, I covered all my bases so this wouldn't happen and they refused to remove it. I was on the phone for over an hour saying this hurts my feedback score and it's just the letter A, etc. And they said they would not be removing it and had no explanation why, they just kept saying they won't remove it. They even acknowledged that I clearly stated that I would not ship outside of the US in the description and that I set up the auction that way but still would not do anything about it.

The whole eBay Customer Service team is literally worthless.
 

heartyourlife

Member
Jul 29, 2010
678
0
Iowa City, IA
man that sucks. in my opinion the buyer is kind of being a dick about it. i understand the market fluctuates and thats probably the price now but still, it was the agreed upon price.

I would get the card back, redeem it since they're being redeemed, and resell it. you may only get $150 but to me its the principle of it at this point and i wouldn't want that guy having it.

Trust me, I would LOVE to get the card back.

The whole problem with the situation is the buyer could say "screw this guy" and keep the card, leaving me without a card to recoup anything, and without my original $210, and I have ZERO recourse through eBay to resolve either issue. For all I know it's been redeemed and he could mail me back the card with the code scratched off, making it worthless.
 
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smapdi

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
4,397
221
The more time goes by, the more I think selling through FB or something is the only way to go. All the "protections" they put in place do nothing because the drones that apply them have apparently no brains or leeway to actually look at the situation. I had my own boning at the hands of USPS recently, and while I think my credit card company will make me whole, that situation and stories like this make me think being in the ebay marketplace is not worth it. Then again, a handful of stories out of thousands a day is still an OK ratio. It just sucks when it happens to you.
 

goobmcnasty

Active member
Apr 4, 2014
1,583
13
Look at this from the buyer's perspective. He bought a card, based on the belief he would have the card within a week or so. Maybe he had a buyer. Maybe he had another deal in place. It took 2 months for him to receive the card (through no fault of your own). It's a ****ty situation, but it's the responsibility of the seller to get the buyer their item (again, this isn't your fault, but unfortunately, you're still responsible).
 

RStadlerASU22

Active member
Jan 2, 2013
8,881
11
Look at this from the buyer's perspective. He bought a card, based on the belief he would have the card within a week or so. Maybe he had a buyer. Maybe he had another deal in place. It took 2 months for him to receive the card (through no fault of your own). It's a ****ty situation, but it's the responsibility of the seller to get the buyer their item (again, this isn't your fault, but unfortunately, you're still responsible).

I agree to this including there was no fault of the seller. But then it would be back on the buyer to return either the $ or card ASAP back to the seller. If he returns the $, both parties are happy as they each got what they thought they should in the beginning. If he returns the card, it isn't the buyers fault if the card sells for less now. Or maybe as the buyer brought up, sell at the discounted current market price to original buyer.

Ryan
 

CollectorsCorner

Super Moderator
Feb 13, 2009
30,779
0
eBay Customer Service is absolutely worthless. Last year I had an item listed and I had it set up for only US bidders only, I also clearly stated this in the description that I would not ship outside of the United States. So what happens? Some guy wins the auction and give me a Puerto Rico shipping address. I explained to him that I will not be shipping the item, canceled the transaction and issued him a refund. He then leaves me negative feedback even though it's not my fault, he just did not read and all he left for feedback was the letter "A".

I called eBay to get this removed because it was not may fault and I did not deserve negative feedback, I covered all my bases so this wouldn't happen and they refused to remove it. I was on the phone for over an hour saying this hurts my feedback score and it's just the letter A, etc. And they said they would not be removing it and had no explanation why, they just kept saying they won't remove it. They even acknowledged that I clearly stated that I would not ship outside of the US in the description and that I set up the auction that way but still would not do anything about it.

The whole eBay Customer Service team is literally worthless.

Puerto Rico is considered a US address. Or at least the price is the same and has full tracking for the $2.04
 

lisu

Active member
Aug 8, 2008
7,335
0
Mountain View, CA
This is why I pay for insurance for all packages over $100 - if this situation happens, at least I wouldn't be out the $210. Besides that though, the buyer is a jerk.
 

goobmcnasty

Active member
Apr 4, 2014
1,583
13
I agree to this including there was no fault of the seller. But then it would be back on the buyer to return either the $ or card ASAP back to the seller. If he returns the $, both parties are happy as they each got what they thought they should in the beginning. If he returns the card, it isn't the buyers fault if the card sells for less now. Or maybe as the buyer brought up, sell at the discounted current market price to original buyer.

Ryan

Yeah, your best bet might be to accept his "current market" offer, as that is all you will probably get for it if he returns it. Then you don't have to deal with the possibility that he takes forever to return the card, if at all.
 

BBCgalaxee

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2011
6,475
59
No it's NOT the seller's job of getting the card to the buyer.

It's the seller's job of selling it, packaging it safely and getting it to the post office.

It's the USPS job of delivering it to the buyer.





Sent from my HTCONE using Freedom Card Board mobile app
 

lisu

Active member
Aug 8, 2008
7,335
0
Mountain View, CA
No it's NOT the seller's job of getting the card to the buyer.

It's the seller's job of selling it, packaging it safely and getting it to the post office.

It's the USPS job of delivering it to the buyer.





Sent from my HTCONE using Freedom Card Board mobile app

I disagree with that. If Amazon ships me a package via UPS, and it's lost or destroyed by UPS, then Amazon will send me a new package. In all business law cases, it's always the seller's responsibility to get the item to the buyer safely.
 

RStadlerASU22

Active member
Jan 2, 2013
8,881
11
No it's NOT the seller's job of getting the card to the buyer.

It's the seller's job of selling it, packaging it safely and getting it to the post office.

It's the USPS job of delivering it to the buyer.





Sent from my HTCONE using Freedom Card Board mobile app

In this case the seller did basically everything right, however with a card like this that has market fluctuation, the buyer expects it in a certain time frame. So is the buyer just to eat the $60 or whatever because the package was misdirected? Again , can't say it's the buyers or sellers fault, but as Lisa mentioned, the seller could have insured it and then USPS would be responsible. I think, as long as the buyer and seller can work it out to where the buyers sends him $150 or whatever current market is, is the best bet at this point and move on with the least amount of "damage" possible.

Ryan
 

goobmcnasty

Active member
Apr 4, 2014
1,583
13
No it's NOT the seller's job of getting the card to the buyer.

It's the seller's job of selling it, packaging it safely and getting it to the post office.

It's the USPS job of delivering it to the buyer.

Sent from my HTCONE using Freedom Card Board mobile app


We are all in agreement that this is USPS' fault, not the seller's. Nobody is saying they expect the seller to hand-deliver the card. The seller did everything he could. Unfortunately though, the seller is responsible for the item arriving in a timely manner.
 

jcmint

Super Moderator
Aug 7, 2008
5,677
2
Mike we all thought this ten years ago but now most of us know its the sellers responsibility no matter what.
This is why insurance is there. Im willing to insure packages over 100.00 so if the PO loses the item which does happen here and there Im not out the money.
The old way of thinking is the buyer pays ins. Sadly this is not how its done now.
Ordering anything online if you buyer doesnt receive the item how or why is it their fault.
Lisu said it all.
Keep thinking that way and eventually you may get burnt.

No it's NOT the seller's job of getting the card to the buyer.

It's the seller's job of selling it, packaging it safely and getting it to the post office.

It's the USPS job of delivering it to the buyer.





Sent from my HTCONE using Freedom Card Board mobile app
 

heartyourlife

Member
Jul 29, 2010
678
0
Iowa City, IA
Yeah, your best bet might be to accept his "current market" offer, as that is all you will probably get for it if he returns it. Then you don't have to deal with the possibility that he takes forever to return the card, if at all.

Again, the problem with the situation is he has ZERO obligation to send me a payment. Ever. Because if eBay isn't stepping in and saying "you need to pay for this item" there's no one that can FORCE him to send me payment (regardless if it's for $150 or $210).

The only way this gets resolved in any sort of a positive manner is if the buyer isn't a complete piece of you know what.

I know I'm not going to get $210 back out of it (if it ever shows up). I know how the market goes. But I would rather take my chances selling it myself to get that money. Not give in to the buyer saying it's now not worth what he paid for it and is only willing to give me a certain amount. That's not how it should work. I'm probably a bit too hard headed, but when someone messes with my money, it's personal.
 
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RStadlerASU22

Active member
Jan 2, 2013
8,881
11
Again, the problem with the situation is he has ZERO obligation to send me a payment. Ever. Because if eBay isn't stepping in and saying "you need to pay for this item" there's no one that can FORCE him to send me payment (regardless if it's for $150 or $210).

The only way this gets resolved in any sort of a positive manner is if the buyer isn't a complete piece of you know what.

I know I'm not going to get $210 back out of it (if it ever shows up). I know how the market goes. But I would rather take my chances selling it myself to get that money. Not give in to the buyer saying it's now not worth what he paid for it and is only willing to give me a certain amount. That's not how it should work. I'm probably a bit too hard headed, but when someone messes with my money, it's personal.

Absolutely it is on the buyer now to get you the $ or card. I do think you should work out a deal w him, but that's up to you. I'm actually surprised he let you know it showed up so maybe he will be honest and get it back to you.

In terms of eBay, what do you want them to do right now? This isn't debating if they are good for seller help, but what is it you want them to do? Just curious. You mentioned you wanted them to reverse the refund, but then that effects the buyer negatively, so I'd say its up to the buyer and yourself to work it out so no one is effected one sided.



Ryan
 

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