INR case found in buyer's favour

[rocket2retro]

Hi I sent an item from Vic to Sydney. It was posted on 26th Aug & ebay's delivery estimate was Sept 4-6. The buyer opened a request on Sept 7. The tracking is showing as 'Delayed' (due to the lockdowns).

I provided this evidence into the INR case as well as informing the buyer of the delay. However eBay have closed the case in favour of the buyer with the reason being 'no evidence of delivery'.

I intend to challenge their decision.

My questions are- should i wait until it is delivered before opening the case?

I sent 'Signature on Delivery'. Will that hold up as proof the buyer received the item (or can any Australia Post employee sign that due to Covid)?

I've opened an Australia Post late/missing case (which the buyer knew about & that shows in the tracking.

Will seller protection cover the funds? (well over $100).

Finally if all else fails with eBay, would it be worth opening up a case with ACORN (as the buyer will have my item & the refund).

Thanks in advance for any responses.

[gutterpunkz05]

Definitely do not appeal the decision until you can prove delivery, even then you will probably be told to contact the buyer to request repayment

[jellybirddesigns]

Currently Ebay's guidelines say they will PROTECT sellers in the event of delays. They are not even following their own policies!

I agree about waiting until you see delivery - if Ebay do not reverse the decision, then send the buyer a message that now that the item has been delivered, you anticipate repayment, failing which you will use either small claims court or a debt collection agency.

Also, move out your handling time to 5 + days  to give you a buffer on future sales.

[justkidzbiz]

This may help! Wait until tracking shows delivery then contact eBay, get them to phone you back rather than using email or chat.

https://community.ebay.com.au/t5/eBay-Announcements/Updated-Government-restrictions-across-Australia...

[digital*ghost]

What does the notification say - the one ebay sent when they advised the outcome of the case? They will tell you in that email if they refunded the buyer from your funds, or covered the refund themselves. If they covered it themselves, there really isn't anything more you can or need to do - eBay basically bought an item for someone. 

[rocket2retro]

My funds were put on hold & then returned to the buyer when the case was closed.

[digital*ghost]

Hmm, seems like eBay are being really inconsistent with how they apply the protection policy - the one where they claim to protect sellers if they upload valid tracking within their handling time, I mean, which could be invoked regardless of the delivery status so I went looking for it. 

The problem is, they never included it in their official policy help page, which is sus in and of itself, they had it in one of the seller updates, where they write that it applies "From 1 October 2020 until at least January 2021", which again, vague and open-ended. I am certain they announced they were continuing the policy earlier this year, and they have definitely made no announcement of it being discontinued, but I can't find any reference to it in more recent announcements or updates 😕 (If anyone has a link, or a screenshot, or any evidence of the announcement where they stated the policy was continuing, that'd be awesome 😁 If it's still in place, I want to know why it's not being included in the policy pages - obvious answers notwithstanding 😆 ). 

In the absence of being able to prove they didn't follow that policy when it was applicable, and take them to task for it, waiting for the delivered status and appealing remains the best option. 

[cft207]

Hi, Sorry to hear of your problem.

I'm on my 3rd INR case now due to delivery delays.

My advice, should you have further problems with other items, chat with support as soon as the case started as they will probably review tracking info and put hold on the case, giving additional time for delivery. Currently though they are only adding 5 additional days. I have just been told that after 5 days we can contact eBay to have that time period again extended. I would do so before the 5 days expire.

If you don't do that, and if it progesses like my first "timewasting headache" , then out of nowhere, and quickly, eBay will close the case and refund buyer. This closure I was told is done automatically without any referencing to the uploaded tracking info.

In regard to this current problem you have - my experience was to keep contacting ebay with the facts until someone cares to put the whole case on hold and instigate appeal. They can have the appeal started before the item arrives as they put hold and extension on the case as to allow for the delivery time. I never asked to appeal my case but found they'd done so after some comminucations. 

As soon as the tracking shows delivered  contact eBay to verify and have funds released. This takes a further 48 hours , as we all know nothing is quick or easy, except billing 🙂

So many people and processes are inconvenienced and delayed during lockdown, just not eBay's ability to hold funds and inconvenience sellers.

Up to 2 hours today processing INR's of approx $1K value.....all of which had courier tracking numbers physically uploaded to eBay as fast as they could have been, and all with online tracking showing progession of parcel movement.

[imastawka]

COVID-19: Australia Updates June 2021 | Seller Centre (ebay.com.au)

[digital*ghost]

Unfortunately they only mention removal of defects in that announcement, nothing about covering refunds for INR claims when tracking is uploaded within handling time. 

There must be something somewhere though, as they even updated it, much to a smattering of seller's chagrin, lol  - over the auto-refund to buyers if the item (including postage, from memory) is under $15, I might have to dig deeper.