"item not received" case - advice please

[2007vera]

Hi all

Advice please

I recenlty sold an item - used inetgrated postage via the ebay platform ( sendle)  - item was tracked and marked as delivered by sendle

buyer claimed NOT delivered adn opened a case

I responded and provided tracking information

buyer waited 7 days, responded again saying I  hadn't responded and ebay closed the case in about 5 minutes i her favour issuign a full refund

What the hell is the point of integrated postage showing items have been delivered???

This all just seems a complete rort. Seems buyers can just claim they dont' receive items even with tracking adn get a full refund no questiosn asked

Anyhow, anyone have any idea if I can claim the insurance offered via Sendle?  How I even CONTACT sendle? Cant find a link anywhere.   Or am I covered by paypal protection?   

There's not real cusotmer service to speak of currently - the chats are next to useless

thanks for help/advice in advance

[katistrophik]

edited to remove

[countessalmirena]

@2007rowena,

The first question that comes to mind, just in terms of working out what might have happened here, is with regard to your statement that "I responded and provided tracking information".

Did you respond within the case itself? Did you upload the tracking information into the case?

[2007vera]

Yes i responded inside the case itself

I provided the tracking information inside the case itself adn stated that the item was marked as delivered

Tracking information was also showing against the item in my sold items and was marked as delivered

After raising the case, the seller did contact me via ebay messaging, outside of the case,  stating sendle had told her to tell me to give her a complete refund, but provided no email etc - just her say so.  As she did this outside of the case I didn't reply - didnt' see it for a long time.    Then after a delay of 7 days she responded inside  the case, saying I hadn't replied and she wanted a refund and within about 5 mins, ebay closed the case in her favour with a full refund of $140 incl postage

[countessalmirena]

Then... I'd be contacting eBay CS, using Live Chat, and explain that - as per the Money Back Guarantee policy - you uploaded to eBay the tracking number from an integrated carrier, and there was a carrier scan before the latest estimated delivery date; and the tracking information shows "delivered" or "attempted delivery", together with the date of the delivery/attempted delivery and the delivery address (with at least city/suburb and postcode that matches the information on the Order delivery page).

This - as stated on the MBG policy page - is evidence of successful delivery.

Within 3 days of the case being opened, as long as you responded and provided the tracking information or delivery updates of tracked item, eBay say:

❝If the seller provided tracking details, eBay may close the case automatically once tracking shows the item has been delivered.❞ (eBay Money Back Guarantee Help page.)

eBay's Seller protections policy Help page states:

❝If you send an item within your stated handling time and upload tracking, from one of eBay's integrated carriers, before the estimated delivery date, you're protected.❞

Be very polite; have all of your evidence ready. (That means having PDF scans ready to upload or email as attachments, having links ready to hand to provide as evidence of tracking details and delivery status, and so on.)

Be very focused; don't complicate the issue by bringing in extraneous detail. For instance, the buyer contacting you outside the case is an extraneous detail. You should simply point out that you provided the tracking details, that the tracking details showed delivery, and to the best of your knowledge the case should have been closed at that point. That's what eBay's MBG page would have led you to understand. Focus on that.

The buyer messaging you that Sendle told her to tell you to refund her is simply ridiculous. Sendle is not the arbiter. Sendle did not contact you. Even if they had, it's irrelevant. You're not responsible for refunding the buyer under eBay's own very clearly stated terms. You did what was required. You responded in the case with the information that eBay's MBG page says you needed to provide within 3 days of the case being opened - and that is that.

To get to eBay chat, go to the bottom of the Help page: https://www.ebay.com.au/help/home

Chat with us We're available from 8am to 8pm AET Monday to Friday, and 9am to 7pm AET Saturday and Sunday

[padi*0409]

Do as suggested by countess and appeal their decision and they'll probably refund you out of their own pockets, as they should.

It might be a timely warning for you that Sendle is a courier broker that will use the cheapest courier company to deliver your goods - usually Fastway/Aramex who have a terrible reputation. If you're using Sendle to save a few dollars on postage, it would probably be worth going back to AP and using them since your items would fit easily in a postpack/parcel, and they will deliver to PO boxes Australia-wide, whereas apart from Star Track couriers will not deliver to PO boxes.

[2007vera]

Thanks everyone, that's exactly what I though - I was genuinley gobsmacked when they found in the buyers favour.   I agree the message outside of the case is extraneous - one of the reason's why I didnt' respond -  just mentioning it here so the full picture was presented.    For the record, I have had a number of parcels go missing with Aust Post over the years and their  customer service has been  horrendous.  Most recenlty I had an ipad arrive damaged. Australia post admitted liability verbally but still took FIVE WEEKS to respond to the case and provide compensation. Not to mention all the physical running around I had to do.   I dont' know if Sendle is to blame in this instance. My very strong feeling right from the outset was that I was being scammed.  

Thanks for your advice and help

[designers*n*more]

Agree with the other members.  You can appeal the decision and politely point out that you have followed EBay rules in regards to the dispute and supplied the required details.

I wouldn’t even bother with insurance through Sendle as most likely you will be out of pocket an excess generally around $100.  I used them once (and never again). Sent a waterski to NSW, packed with multiple layers of bubble wrap,  it arrived smashed. When I went to claim, I was told I had to pay the excess of $100. Given the sold price was $150, not worth it. What annoyed me most was they advertised “free insurance” making you think you’re covered for any loss or damage.  Lessons learnt, don’t use Sendle and always read the fine print!

[curraone]

I had a dispute just recently -  the options were to dispute or accept - so I chose dispute and then they asked me for a tracking number, which I provided.

I was gobsmacked to get an instant reply saying the buyer had been refunded, and it was a while before I read the whole message saying that ebay had refunded not me.   So maybe this happened in your case?

The message read 

A decision has been made about the dispute that was filed by XXX. The dispute was found in the buyer's favour and they have received a refund of AU $XXX

You are covered by eBay's seller protection so you don't have to pay anything back and no further action is needed.

[2007vera]

NO I most definitely have not been refunded - my funds were frozen with the claim was opened ( normal) and when the case was closed, I am down 139.95