topic Re: Does a seller get a defect for this? in Selling

Does a seller get a defect for this?

nakeyjakey — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 19:08:52 GMT

Good morning eBayers.

My girlfriend received a message from eBay stating "A request is now open, please respond"

The request is for an item not received.

The item was sent out the same day the buyer paid through PayPal on the 30.03.15. The listing has a handling time of 2 business days.

The tracking number was entered and the item marked as sent.

When you click on the tracking number it shows that it was processed by Australia Post on the 01.04.15, 02.04.15 & the 08.04.15.

Could someone please tell me does a seller automatically receive a defect because this case was opened even though the item was posted within the 2 business days stated in the listing?

I appreciate your reponse,

Jake.

Re: Does a seller get a defect for this?

harley_babes_hoard — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 20:05:32 GMT

Yes instant defect

Re: Does a seller get a defect for this?

clarry100 — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 20:21:57 GMT

Yes it will register a defect as soon as the case is opened by the buyer.
Do you have a lodgement receipt from the PO at the time you sent it?
Do any of those tracking events state delivered?
If you present both of those pieces of info to EBay you may be able to get the case closed in your favour and any associated defect removed.
Remember that under Australian Consumer Law, specifically in the Sale Of Goods Act in your state the seller is only obligated to prove that the item was handed to the carrier. The item is then deemed as delivered to the buyer.
So if you have that required proof and EBay treat you differently then they are in breach of the laws of the land. You then have a right to have the decision overturned by reporting them to the ACCC.
So don't allow them to walk over you.

Re: Does a seller get a defect for this?

clarry100 — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 20:27:53 GMT

Of course your buyer may very well be telling the truth. You then have a business and ethical decision on your hands as to if/not you replace the item or refund your buyer.
In this case you might seek recompense from Australia Post so you can recover your funds and consequently keep your buyer happy.

Re: Does a seller get a defect for this?

pennyforum14 — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 22:21:59 GMT

Unfortunately yes, however if she contacts the buyer and points out the fact that it was posted immediately after payment, but that with the four day Easter weekend it has likely just been delayed (give her the tracking number so she can see for herself that Auspost have the item),a reasonable buyer will understand. She can ask the buyer to give it a few more days and when it is received, the buyer can go back to the dispute and close/withdraw it. You may still need to argue with eBay to have the associated defect removed though.

Re: Does a seller get a defect for this?

lane-ends — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 23:29:09 GMT

Does tracking state delivered or is it still processing through system.

Is it still being claimed as lost, or just delayed

If she is an occasional seller a defect wont matter.

The only safeguard Ebay have in place against these defects being raised is by not allowing case to be opened before thier estimated delivery time. Which often has no reflection on reality. Ebay make slow postal service your defect.

Re: Does a seller get a defect for this?

mbselections00 — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 00:48:09 GMT

@lane-ends wrote:
Does tracking state delivered or is it still processing through system.

Is it still being claimed as lost, or just delayed

If she is an occasional seller a defect wont matter.

The only safeguard Ebay have in place against these defects being raised is by not allowing case to be opened before thier estimated delivery time. Which often has no reflection on reality. Ebay make slow postal service your defect.

I don't like to disagree lane & Jake I don't mean to be an alarmist, but I think a defect on an occasional account with low Feedback could have a very detrimental effect as it would mean the defect % is high, resulting in all sorts of consequences.

I could be wrong and if I am please someone set me straight on that

Re: Does a seller get a defect for this?

thecatspjs — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 01:26:29 GMT

No, should be fine. Remember eBay is protecting us from eBay.

The defect rate won't affect your status until you have transactions with defects with at least 8 different buyers (at least 5 different buyers to impact Top Rated status) within your evaluation period.

Re: Does a seller get a defect for this?

mbselections00 — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 01:38:06 GMT

@thecatspjs wrote:
No, should be fine. Remember eBay is protecting us from eBay.

The defect rate won't affect your status until you have transactions with defects with at least 8 different buyers (at least 5 different buyers to impact Top Rated status) within your evaluation period.

Thanks cats (and sorry Jake) - I see the percentage and read so many comments I forget about the fine print, lol

Re: Does a seller get a defect for this?

digital*ghost — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 02:06:49 GMT

I've had a couple of these recently, and I have found the only way eBay won't permanently defect you for it is if you provide an instant refund to the buyer after the request is open (that's without the request being escalated and found in favour of the seller, anyway, and as far as I know).

Which is all kinds of maddening and disappointing. 😞

Re: Does a seller get a defect for this?

kanzac — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 02:33:38 GMT

I do not think that refunding the buyer straight away has any effect on the defect at all.

A couple of months ago I received a defect for an item that I refunded instantly. That defect stood regardless of the fact that I had given an instant refund.

It is still registered in my seller dashboard.

Re: Does a seller get a defect for this?

digital*ghost — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 02:49:35 GMT

Well, it's true that I haven't had extensive experience with requests - 3 in total. The first was an INR in January, the buyer opened it a month after purchase so I didn't see much point in asking them to wait etc, and they were kinda rude with the message they sent, so I just refunded. I then got a message from eBay telling me the request won't count against me in determining my seller standing. A short time later, a defect appeared for an out of stock refund (which I hadn't done), then disappeared and I never got a defect related to the request.

The second request was an INAD, I followed the process via a return, paid for the postage label and processed the refund when I received the item back, I still have that defect.

The most recent was another INR. Again, I processed an immediate refund, and got the same message from eBay after the refund was issued, that it won't count against me- it's still early days since that one was opened and closed, so it is possible eBay will decide to give me a defect that sticks. (I'll update the thread in a couple of days if anyone would like to know).

Re: Does a seller get a defect for this?

nakeyjakey — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 03:26:38 GMT

Thankyou all very much for your input. She posted the item in a red street box so there was no lodgement advice. I checked up on the tracking this morning and it is now showing delivered. I guess now we wait to see when the defect shows up.

I would like to hear if your defect sticks digital ghost, fingers crossed it doesn't.

Thanks again,

Jake.

Re: Does a seller get a defect for this?

mbselections00 — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 03:47:00 GMT

Personally, I would be ringing ebay NOW and passing on this information, tell them to check the Tracking information themselves and ask them to ensure you do not receive a defect - the Buyer has jumped the gun IMO - didn't allow for the 4 day long weekend.

Good luck and keep us posted

Re: Does a seller get a defect for this?

dylan11235813 — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 04:49:26 GMT

I think the refund thing your talking is somewhat correct. I have had 4 INRs and they don't seem to be leaving defects when I have been refunding. Although I think I got defected for doing one and also resent something one time and that didn't count. Seems like ebays system is not working properly.

I think they also stuffed up the cancel transaction part of ebay as well, as it basically does different things all the time.

Also with that message from ebay about it not counting towards seller standing, when a refund is made, I was thinking that might be for just the refunding part, as in you won't get a defect for refunding. It would be nice if they just said how it worked, although they could get into trouble if they are forcing sellers to refund to prevent a defect.

Re: Does a seller get a defect for this?

digital*ghost — Mon, 13 Apr 2015 09:35:09 GMT

@nakeyjakey wrote:

I would like to hear if your defect sticks digital ghost, fingers crossed it doesn't.

Just thought I'd post to say that as of today, no defect has appeared on my dashboard for the INR or refund.

Re: Does a seller get a defect for this?

kengard14 — Mon, 13 Apr 2015 22:45:08 GMT

Are we talking about one star or the whole lot as a Defect?

Re: Does a seller get a defect for this?

digital*ghost — Tue, 14 Apr 2015 04:27:53 GMT

@kengard14 wrote:
Are we talking about one star or the whole lot as a Defect?

There haven't been any defects associated with the transaction (no automated ones issued by eBay, at any rate, and the buyer hasn't left any feedback [yet], so the buyer's request and my refunding hasn't resulted in any defects.

Re: Does a seller get a defect for this?

nakeyjakey — Wed, 15 Apr 2015 15:55:14 GMT

My girlfriend ended up with a defect for item not received however within 2 days (without contacting eBay) it disappeared.

Thanks again to everyone!