Seller has refunded my payment and then sent goods as well

[julianne046]

I purchased a top (under $30) on 2/3/2016 from an Australian seller.  Paid on the same day via paypal and the seller marked item as shipped on 3/3/2016 but no tracking number provided.  As item had not arrived by 21/3/2016 I contacted seller, advising that item had not arrived and could they confirm when item was actually sent.  Seller has not replied to me directly but on 22/3 payal advised that seller had refunded my payment.  So I just assumed that's the end of that, and for whatever reason the seller decided not to send item.  Today however the item has arrived by express post.  When I check the tracking number on the satchel (via Aust Post tracking) it shows as shipped by the seller only yesterday 22/3.  I am a little confused why seller would refund my payment and then send the item to me after refunding.  I would appreciate your thoughts, particularly from other sellers, who may enlighten me as to why the seller may have done this.  Would the seller be now expecting me to make another payment??  The seller has never contacted me directly to explain what has happened here.  Your thoughts would be appreciated.

[springyzone]

They're a disorganised lot, that's why I think it has happened.

I suspect they got your message and read it then instead of telling you your order had been overlooked but they were dealing with it, someone quickly organised for it to be posted. Then later on they or a colleague saw the same message and refunded.

Once, as a seller, we did as someone else mentioned and sent an item to a customer plus refunded the money, but of course we messaged the buyer to explain what we were doing and why.

You've had no such message & no reply to a query. I don't care how big a business is or if (as rosegarden suggested)  "it may be more efficient for them to fully refund and still send the item than to spend time answering questions - time that could be spent fulfilling other orders and making profit."  Unless they communicate, the fact is all this is just speculation, we don't really know what has happened.

The bottom line is if you are going to run an ebay business or any online business really, you need to be able to answer online queries. That's part of the brief.

So I wouldn't refund a cent yet. I would send a message to explain what has happened and ask what they would like you to do.

As for feedback, I would be fair on them as I think the delay was obviously a mistake here and they tried to rectify it.

[lane-ends]

Either disorganized and unaware of what they did. Refunding "where's my item" claims regardless of researching it.

or they saw they made a mistake, refunded by way of compensation and sent it anyway, good customers service, apart from lack of communication.

I would advise seller that you recieved it. They could then either not respond, acknowlege your message and tell you to keep item in good faith, or ask for payment.

Put it back in their court and then you have a clear concience.

If I was the seller and made a mistake I would have done the second but communicated the fact.

Is the item a unique item, or could they have sent a replacement afterwards?