Buyer received itgem after case closed. What are my options?

[hatsfromoz]

Hi all

I am in Australia and someone from UK  bought an item that was promptly shipped. That was in Nov. Tracking shows item in UK in about 2 weeks, then stuck. Customer opened a case. At that time postal services are overloaded and UK had postal worker strikes, so all deliveries were delayed. This was communicated to the buyer as well as I engaged Australia Post to try and find parcel. At this point customer was very much active, replying to messages, etc.

Long story short, eBay closed the case, refunding buyer. No problem, I understand. However item was finally delivered a week later. Now customer has $220 item for free, which I am not happy about.

Here is what I did so far: (this was going on for the last 3 weeks)

1. Contacted e-mail and appealed case. Decision held and eBay suggested I contact buyer directly

2. Sent multiple messages to buyer asking for payment or return item (at our expense). Silience

3. Multiple complaints to eBay eventually resulted in their promise to look into it and, possibly, suspend buyer. I have a feeling they just told me that to get rid of me

4. Tried to call customer multiple time. Always get voicemail. Of course, no actions on my message. Tried SMS multiple times too

5. Yesterday I contacted their local police station and filed a "theft" and/or "fraud" case. Also added buyer to BadBuyersList

Anything else I can do?

It is not that much matter of money, but principle. Being a buyer myself on different platforms, I understand post, especially international, can be slow at times. Yes, I would open case, occasionally getting refund. But if item finally arrives, I would contact seller, offering to pay (if I still need the item) or asking them to organise return (if I do not need it anymore). Had buyers do same with me. This is normal, ethical action. First time I got a thief like that.

[jellybirddesigns]

Ebay should not have close the case with the item still in transit.

I was under the impression that there are seller protections for situations beyond your control, such as strikes and other postal delays.

Ebay are not  going to suspend the buyer. Buyers have a right to open cases which are not delivered within the time frame that you set. Yes, it is definitely painful to have a buyer refunded and also have them receive the item. 

One thing you can do, going forward, is move out your handling time significantly, to give yourself a far bigger buffer.

Another thing you can do is to sign up for Aus Post "MyPost Business Account", which will allow you to redirect parcels, as well as give you postage savings.

Lastly, there are massive issues with post moving in and out of the UK - strikes, cyber attacks etc. Probably not worth sending anything there for the foreseeable future.

[hatsfromoz]

Hi and thank you for replying.

I would think that eBay should have seller protection as well as keeping case open while item in transit. They could not care less. I have all the chat scripts with eBay support that show "we do not care" attitude.

Handling time is fine, it was the transit time. And this is a first case like that since I started eBay over 15 years ago. Never had issues with UK customers beside occasional delay in transit. Ireland is a different story

I do have Australia post account as well as eParcel contract. Australia Post re-direction often does not work for items in Australia. It never worked for items overseas.

[gutterpunkz05]

As Jelly said,  increase your handling time, which also increases the EDD, you then ship within your normal handling time, so the item actually has longer in transit before a buyer can open a case.

After the case was opened, did you keep all messages to the buyer explaining delay etc within the  case.

If all relevant details were recorded in the case,  then at the very least the case should have been extended.

[padi*0409]

So long as all the messaging was done through eBay messages, then your best option would probably be to get back onto eBay chat and ask to speak to a supervisor as soon as it's possible.

Explain to them what's happened and ask them to look at the messages between you and the buyer, showing you have done everything you can to get resolution.

The supervisor will have the power to make a refund to you out of eBay's finances, it would then be up to them to chase up the buyer and get the money off them.

[hatsfromoz]

I did and repeatedly was told by different support personnel that there is nothing they will do.

Kept all messages and all chat transcripts

Rudolf

[sandypebbles]

You need an actual supervisor

Not base level staff who will always and only ever stick to the script they have in front of them

[gutterpunkz05]

Just out of interest,  Do you know if the case was via ebay AU, or was it via the International dispute resolution centre.   If the later, contacting  CS is pointless.

When you lodged the appeal, did you include new evidence,  IE  copy of proof of delivery.  Any new evidence must be lodged with the appeal, it can not be added later.  If there was no new evidence included in the appeal, it would be auto closed almost instantly.

[hatsfromoz]

It is actually very difficult to find a responsible person there. I remember I had somewhat similar some years back. At the time eBay had phone option as well (not anymore, chat only).  Was very difficult to deal with all that "support" from India. They even completely misunderstood the problem and made matter worse. Eventually managed to get to someone with American accent and problem was solved in minutes.

I tried again today.

Requested for a supervisor. Got one just to hear same. Although it is sort of obvious he is in India or like, e.q. no real power or will to help.

Requested HIS supervisor. Was told I will be contacted by "supervisor" in 24hr. Will see...

[gutterpunkz05]

I am pretty sure  CS for  ebay AU, currently operates out of India.  But the International Dispute Resolution Centre  does not  come under  ebay AU,  and is purely tasked with resolving international transactions,  It used to be based out of America (not  sure now) and was an absolute nightmare to deal with and pretty much a law unto it self