Item not received....Stat Dec?

[carmenaw]

Hello all -

I purchased a DVD, paid via Paypal, item marked shipped 21/09/2013 to arrive between 04/10/2013 and 10/10/2013 - still not recieved. No dramas as I will open a Item Not Received dispute.

I have emailed the seller on two occasions during that time, the first on 17/10/2013 they said it was in transit (not sure how they know as I have not been given a tracking number) and to wait until 21/10/2013. Today they have said it is obviously lost, and could I please fill out a stat dec they have sent to my personal email (not through ebay) which they want me to sign saying my address provided was correct, no one else has picked up the item and it is not at my post office and it is an offence to provide a false statment. They claim this is to claim for insurance.

I have no intentions of signing anything of the sort, but just wonder if this is common practice to ask for such a thing?

[rkwm888]

i would open a paypal dispute now and dont let the seller give you the run around, its been about 5 weeks so it may be lost in transit

with them wanting you  to sign the stat dec they could be stalling for time as you cannot go past the 45 days for opening up a dispute

[thecatspjs]

There are some sellers who request stat decs as a means to try and sort out genuine buyers who have not received goods from scammers.

Each to his/her own, but IMO it is inappropriate in the circumstances, given the paypal resolution process is in place, and there is also a AP missing post investigation process. 

In the case of item not received, if the seller has not provided remedy within an appropriate, responsive timeframe, I think that it is imperative given the time that has already elapsed to open a paypal case.

You do not need to escalate it to a claim straight away.   It is a fair enough thing to do, and when I have had to do this in the past, I have just messaged the seller to let them know politely that I have opened a case as the matter has remained unresolved and that I am keen to have it sorted and finalised.

[lyndal1838]

Of course the seller would know it is in transit if they posted it.  They do not need a tracking number to know that.

Have you asked at your post office if it is thre.  It is quite common for postmen to forget to card items or for the card to get lost.

[my_wishes_and_dreams]

Definetly open a "Not Recieved" dispute in paypal and let the system work as it is designed to

[davewil1964]

I would fill in and sign the stat dec.

After all it is only a sworn statement of the facts. ie You paid on such and such a date, the item has not arrived.

I can't think of many reasons why an honest buyer would be reluctant to do so. Given Paypal will give you your money back, the seller probably wants to use it in their claim on AP. And if AP stuffed up, surely you want to help them get their money back? The goods have probably already gone into the abyss, so they should lose?

[carmenaw]

It isn't at the post office. I live in a small town and they know me as I regularly get packages, it has not arrived.

[phorum_junkie*]

Email them back and say that you will proceed with a Paypal dispute however if they want to pursue the matter with AP and they ask for a Stat Dec confirming the parcel has not been received you will be happy to oblige.

[thecatspjs]

Lol - if you a dealing with a seller you have no previous satisfactory trading history with, and your parcel has not turned up when it should have and the seller has not provided you with any type of tracking number for your goods or other proof they have posted the parcel - I would not advise sending them anything with your signature on it.

Better to be safe in internet trading, than sorry,    

If Australia Post require a declaration from you, they send this to you direct, it does not go to you via the seller.

[cq_tech]

In such cases a stat dec is not a legal requirement and is usually used by sellers as a bluff when buyers claim INR, working on the assumption that a dishonest person would be far less likely to put their name to a lie on a legal document, and the fact is that following such requests by sellers, it's actually quite amazing just how many previously missing items suddenly turn up. 😉