Return stuck on "We've got it"

[huatao1975]

Hello, the 1st part of the story:

https://community.ebay.com.au/t5/Buying/Return-Seller-does-not-accept-the-return-but-asked-me-to-pos...

I asked eBay to step in.

eBay manually "accepted" the return for me and supplied me with a return label in PDF.

I followed eBay's instructions step by step.

I printed the return label, packed the item well and went to the local post office. The lady at the post office could not scan the label so she manually keyed in the code. In the past, very often she can't scan my parcels so I didn't pay much attention. The recipient of the return is a PO BOX located in Sydney (I'm in Melbourne).

Now the return is stuck on "We've got it" at Auspost Tracking system.

Usually from Melbourne to Sydney tracking will update within 24 hours. But this time it's been 3 days and no updates.

I asked an eBay operator, he said I shouldn't worry since I followed eBay's instructions. But he did not promise anything. I understand eBay's operators have 2 levels, 1st entry level ones can't make decisions, then if you need something serious to be done, they pass you to the 2nd level ones with more authority.

Guys what are my chances here? I took many pictures of the returning parcel and physical Auspost Receipt as evidece that I did send the item back.

If no update for 1 week, I'll ask eBay again and will tell them due to their instructions and label they supplied, my return is lost.

If no refund, I'll do the same to PayPal.

If no refund either, I will file a charge back at the bank. I felt something odd when purchasing this item and decided to use credit card instead of my PayPal money at the last second.

Thank you.

[maranock]

Don't start to worry just yet, 3 days is not long and mail often takes over a week even within the same state. Make allowances for the weekend. If it is for the phone and you followed the advice you got on the forums a week ago you should be fine.

[huatao1975]

It's been almost a week. The return is still stuck at "We've got it".

I contacted eBay, the operator asked me to get a confirmation document  from AusPost that to prove the item is lost. I asked him if I have the document, will I get the refund. He said he can't tell.

But I will not contact AusPost, my experience with them is their "investigation" can drag on for months. I lodged a case with PayPal and escalated it. I'll see what they say and will call them.

If no refund from PayPal I'll have to contact the bank and charge back.

[padi*0409]

I hope you closed the case with eBay BEFORE you opened the Paypal dispute, if you didn't you're likely to lose both cases. 

[davewil1964]

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@huatao1975 wrote:

It's been almost a week. The return is still stuck at "We've got it".

I contacted eBay, the operator asked me to get a confirmation document  from AusPost that to prove the item is lost. I asked him if I have the document, will I get the refund. He said he can't tell.

But I will not contact AusPost, my experience with them is their "investigation" can drag on for months. I lodged a case with PayPal and escalated it. I'll see what they say and will call them.

If no refund from PayPal I'll have to contact the bank and charge back.

---

'We've got it' means Australia Post has it. That means it is nothing to do with the seller, who is the one you are trying to scam punish. AP won't even start an investigation unless an item is a week overdue. Given their standard delivery terms are 2-6 WORKING days, a week won't even make it overdue yet, so the lack of a scan is not something that should warrant a claim with anybody.

It's always good, though, when buyers come to the boards and alert sellers as to the type of buyer they are.

[countessalmirena]

@huatao1975,

Why on earth did you act so hastily?

Through your own actions, you've shot yourself in the foot. eBay's policies are extremely clear; if you open a case/dispute in eBay and then open one in PayPal, the eBay case is automatically closed.

Furthermore, eBay may consider that you have attempted to use the eBay MBG fraudulently and note that information against your name.

YouVe been unreasonably agitated about the process of your return ever since you posted it. It is not unusual for an item not to be scanned throughout its journey, with possibly only its acceptance at lodgement and its delivery being scanned. Of course, it's reassuring if there are other scanned events, but this is really the principle of the "watched pot never boils". Anxiously checking the tracking number is not going to get your parcel delivered any more quickly, and if you lodged it on the 29th August, that means that by the 31st (when you opened this thread), it had only been one business day since you posted the parcel. (Am I correct that you posted it on the 29th?)

That means that when you posted on Tuesday, it had still been only 3 business days.

When you said ❝If no update for 1 week, I'll ask eBay again and will tell them due to their instructions and label they supplied, my return is lost❞, you were not being sensible. You are behaving as if eBay's instructions are somehow responsible for the (so far not lost or unreasonably late!) parcel delivery. You are also assuming "lost" status when there is no reason to suppose it.

What you should have done is be patient. Your impatient checking of the tracking number has done you a disservice; had you let it be, and waited for the parcel to be delivered, it would have been smooth sailing. (There's always a chance that a parcel will go missing, but it's far far far more likely that you've simply jumped the gun.) I don't know what to advise now that you've opened a PayPal case... I think you have made a cascade of errors and it could turn out badly.

With eBay - you've opened a return request, sent back the parcel, and then proceeded to open a simultaneous case in PayPal. That means your eBay dispute will be closed automatically.

❝Buyers can't use more than one resolution method to get a refund. After selecting a resolution process (eBay Money Back Guarantee, PayPal Buyer Protection or requesting a chargeback from their payment provider) a buyer is required to use only that process to resolve the transaction issue.❞

❝Not covered

• [...]
• Duplicate claims through other resolution methods❞

❝Buyers who file fraudulent claims are subject to consequences outlined in the Abusing eBay section of the User Agreement. In addition, we reserve the right to indefinitely suspend the buyer's coverage under the eBay Money Back Guarantee.❞

As you were not required to pay the return shipping cost under eBay's MBG, I suspect you will be charged by eBay for the return postage label that you used.

PayPal say ❝PayPal’s Buyer Protection Policy does not entitle you to reimbursement for the return shipping costs that you incur.❞

Also:

❝Transaction eligibility for PayPal’s Buyer Protection Policy

To be eligible for PayPal Buyer Protection you must meet all of the following requirements:

• [...]
• You have not received a recovery related to such purchase from another source.
• You send the item back to the seller only in accordance with our instructions.❞

You may be lucky with PayPal, in spite of the errors you've made. You will be able to provide proof of shipping, at least. However, although PayPal don't specifically address the eBay MBG in terms of their Buyer Protection Policy, they do address the issue of seeking "double recovery". It is entirely possible that you've now closed the route of being able to be refunded through eBay's MBG and PayPal's Buyer Protection.

❝You must choose whether to pursue a dispute with PayPal under our Buyer Protection Policy, or to pursue the dispute with your card issuer. You can’t do both at the same time or seek a double recovery. If you pursue a dispute/claim with us and you also pursue a dispute for the same transaction with your card issuer, we’ll close your dispute/claim with us. This won’t affect the dispute process with your card issuer. In addition, if you pursue a dispute with your card issuer, you cannot pursue a dispute/claim with us later.❞

Please post here again with any further updates you get and with the final outcome. It will help the responders here to be familiar with a scenario like this one for any future advice.