Item Not Received: How do I avoid a defect?

[everard6920]

Buyer has opened an eBay dispute for Item not Received. Item was sent as large letter so no tracking.

I do have another one, so I'm thinking of offering the buyer either a full refund, or to send out another one Express Post.

I have a feeling that they will want it re-sent, so my next question is: will I get a defect for late postage if I upload the Express Post tracking number into the dispute (because it's a re-send it won't be sent within the handling time)? Or should I not upload the tracking number? If I don't, can the buyer close the dispute in 5 days time and say they didn't get the second (Express) one, either?

So much confusion. Haven't had one of these under the new process. Please help. Thanks!

[clarry100]

We also send large letter.

We have only had one INR case opened where we sent out a replacement. Normally these are done thru messaging.

In that case we negotiated with the buyer to close the case first, which they were happy to do, then we sent it out.

If you send before the case is closed and then they escalate ebay will simply refund them and you will lose both items.

I think this would happen even if you sent the replacement by express with tracking because the original they raised the case for was the one that had no tracking.

What we then did was to explain to the buyer that if they answer NO to the late delivery question we will get a defect for something which was not our fault. So they were happy to leave the question blank for us. In the end everyone was happy.

I think its all about good communication with the buyer in these sort of cases.

[curraone]

Under the new ebay rules, I don't think you will get a defect.

Keep your communication open - you may need copies of your emails to the buyer - if a dispute has been opened, follow the prompts to either offer a refund or substitute - (I'm a bit hazy on this - probably someone with more experience on disputes will help here)

Starting 20 February 2016, the following no longer impact your defect rate:

• Buyer Feedback
• Detailed seller ratings (DSRs)
• Returns requests that are successfully resolved with your buyer
• Items not received requests that are successfully resolved with your buyer

[clarry100]

This is all true now since Feb.

But if you use large letter (no tracking) and the buyer answers the question about when the item arrived with a "NO" then you will get a late delivery defect. And since you have no tracking you have no defence and it will stay.

[typhoon4u]

I did someting similar and got a defect.

The original order was tracked but I left out a part.

The buyer contacted me about the missing part.

I edited the tracking number to the new express number for the missing part.

Got a defect for it.

I would add, the buyer just messaged me. No INAD, INR.  

Now I send the tracking number via the message system if replacing.

[clarry100]

In this case did the defect say it was because the buyer said late delivery?

Or because the carrier said late delivery?

[typhoon4u]

Carrier only. Buyer was more than happy with the service thankfully...

[lane-ends]

You will only get a carrier reported late delivery if you use ebay labels. ie if you use C &S or regular post, even with tracking number uploaded you will not get a carrier reported defect. If an item is send via the latter methods within time and you upload tracking you can still use it to overturn buyer reported late delivery defect.

[clarry100]

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@typhoon4u wrote:

The original order was tracked but I left out a part.

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I would think if the original order was tracked and you can show by the lodgement scan that it was either lodged withing your stated handling time or that it was delivered inside the ebay estimated delivery date (EDD) than you will be able to get the original defect removed in this case.

Regardless of the fact that you may have sent out a replacement order by express later. With that tracking you could also demonstrate the same scan events.

[everard6920]

Thank you for your responses, everyone.

The buyer did want a replacement; I went ahead and sent it Express Post yesterday and it's due to be delivered today.

Next time I will take the advice and not do this until the buyer has closed the case. I'm just hoping that my buyer does the right thing in this situation. She seems pretty reasonable.

I also messaged and asked her not to answer the delivery time question.

She's a new buyer so I can only hope she leaves me positive feedback (she may not, given that she only has two other transactions to compare mine to - and she received both of those). However, at least a negative wouldn't count as a defect now. We'll see. I did as best I could in this situation, so here's hoping.