Unfair unpaid goods tag

[rokidd-2007]

I bought a clutch purse from a seller in mainland China and then tried to pay for it. 

I live in rural Victoria Australia and we have no mail service. 

My address on E bay and Paypal includes the P.O Box no. and my

street address and until now I have not had a problem.

When I tried to pay for the item I was told the seller did not accept P.O Box nos. and to contact the

seller and ask for an invoice.  The reply was he couldn't do that.  I contacted the seller again

and explained that my street address was incorporated in my address, the reply was

that it has nothing to do with him I must contact E bay. 

Now I have been advised that I have an "unpaid goods" label attached

to my profile even though I have sent numerous emails explaining what has happened.

I don't like being treated like a criminal when I have tried to do the right thing.

[ambridgebuckskins]

I am rural too - small post office whre you head on up and pick up your mail up over the counter or via a wall of PO boxes.

Way around it is instead of:

Fred Smith

PO Box 123

Smithsville 1111

Change it to:

Fred Smith

C/- Smithsville Post Office

Main St

Smithsville 1111

Use your name but the PO's address. Any small rural post office will be able to work out that the parcel is yours and the overseas seller is happy. Just for this seller like.

(Over Christmas time, our post office can work out who a card addressed to 'Nana' is just by looking at the post office ink stamp since they know every neice, nephew and grandchild of the local residents).

[digital*ghost]

In this case, it probably would have been fairer for the seller to send a mutual cancellation for the sale, however a lot of sellers will go through the unpaid item process to protect themselves, regardless of the circumstances surrounding non-payment (they are guaranteed a final value fee credit, and the buyer is prevented from leaving feedback if the case closes without payment). For those reasons, the seller doesn't necessarily open a case to punish the buyer, or treat them like a criminal (personally, I don't like the wording and so forth of the emails eBay send out when I open a case), but to ensure the transaction doesn't cost them anything.

You will probably be able to appeal the strike if one is issued and have it removed fairly quickly, so at the very least it shouldn't affect your capacity to continue buying on eBay. 

Interestingly, sometimes I don't get the notification that a seller won't post to a PO box until I go to pay, other times I get a notice before I confirm the purchase - a lot of problems would be solved if that notice was always shown before confirming purchase.