Proof of shipping problem.

[trrautoparts]

Hi guys,

Have there been some changes to eBay's proof of shipping conditions that I have missed?  Long story, so stay with me here...

I always thought that once you uploaded tracking and proved that the parcel had been sent, it was enough to satisfy eBay in the case of a buyer dispute of an item not being received.

In the past, I have just had to do this, and I have also uploaded the shipping documentation, and it has been found in my favour.

I recently shipped an item by EMS overseas to the Czech Republic, and it has not been delivered. We have an account with Australia Post and they tell me that they can't get any more information from that country about the delivery, which should have arrived early August.

Now eBay have found in the buyer's favour! Even though I have provided everything they asked for. After calling them this morning, I was told that it is the Seller's responsibility to ensure that the item gets delivered! When I asked how am I supposed to do this when it is completely out of my hands, I was told to call the post office in the Czech Republic and ask them to try and find the item!  Really?  Is this what selling on eBay has come to? 

How can we as sellers be responsible for a third party, in this case Australia Post, who have not fulfilled their part of the shipping? Why isn't is good enough any more to prove that the item has been shipped?  Why send items with tracking if it doesn't mean anything any more?

Just wondering if anyone else has had problems like this??

Thanks 

[lyndal1838]

See the post above your....the OP sent the item with tracking and signature on delivery.

How much more can any seller do to ensure delivery.

[clarry100]

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@trrautoparts wrote:

I think that is what is making me so angry about this decision.

We sent this item, and all our items, with tracking and signature on delivery.  eBay should distinguish these items from those who send without tracking.  As far as I am concerned, I have done everything in my power to send this item.

As I said previously, we now lose on everything... the cost of the item, the postage, the ebay fees and the paypal fees.  It's unfair to sellers who try and do the right thing, and abide by all their rules!

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So in this particular case where the tracking indicates the item has indeed been totally lost (ie your buyer is likely not a scammer) as there is no delivery scan event, who do you think should cover the buyer against not getting what they have paid for?

I understand that you have done everything in your power to make sure it is sent with tracking so it's not your fault but equally it's not the buyer's fault either. They surely deserve to receive what they have paid for or get their money back.

What we do is to factor a certain loss rate (about 1 in 1,000 for us) into our prices so that when it happens we can either refund or send out a replacement item. So self insurance really. Then try not to lose any sleep over it. Its just part of doing business online these days.

Unfortunately you are not going to get the carriers (eg Aust Post) to compensate you for total loss unless you purchase their extra insurance cover. Without this all they might do is refund you the postage cost perhaps. IMHO you are better off going the self-insurance route as described above. It does not increase the item price as much and therefore should not be a factor in limiting sales.

[trrautoparts]

As I said I know it's not the buyer's fault either.

In these cases, where the seller has done the right thing, I believe that this is where the eBay buyer's guarantee should be modified so that the buyer is refunded but the seller is not penalised either.  We had another case where this happened.

And yes you are correct, AP will not cover anything at all without insurance.  Even with insurance they only cover the cost price of the article and not the postage... and then you have to jump through hoops.

[*tippy*toes*]

I think when it comes to international sales, it makes it hard because often there are no scan events once it leaves our shores, even if it is delivered, so you never know if it was delivered or not. I stopped selling overseas ages ago. Too many headaches. You never knew whether the buyer was scamming or if it genuinely didn't arrive because there was no tracking events on either AP or their local postal company site once it left Aus.

[trrautoparts]

Yes, I agree, but that's why we send the way we do with Australia Post.  It is supposed to be tracked to when it is delivered, no matter what country it is. And normally this works fine for us. But with this particular parcel, it has not been scanned into the other country, and AP say there is nothing they can do.

We have sent recently to Norway which was received in 5 days, NZ in 2 days, where an express post delivery to WA took 8 days!!

Australia Post is just hopeless!

[au2015_river]

oh sorry missed that.. 

[247newdeals]

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@trrautoparts wrote:

Hi guys,

Have there been some changes to eBay's proof of shipping conditions that I have missed?  Long story, so stay with me here...

I always thought that once you uploaded tracking and proved that the parcel had been sent, it was enough to satisfy eBay in the case of a buyer dispute of an item not being received.

In the past, I have just had to do this, and I have also uploaded the shipping documentation, and it has been found in my favour.

I recently shipped an item by EMS overseas to the Czech Republic, and it has not been delivered. We have an account with Australia Post and they tell me that they can't get any more information from that country about the delivery, which should have arrived early August.

Now eBay have found in the buyer's favour! Even though I have provided everything they asked for. After calling them this morning, I was told that it is the Seller's responsibility to ensure that the item gets delivered! When I asked how am I supposed to do this when it is completely out of my hands, I was told to call the post office in the Czech Republic and ask them to try and find the item!  Really?  Is this what selling on eBay has come to? 

How can we as sellers be responsible for a third party, in this case Australia Post, who have not fulfilled their part of the shipping? Why isn't is good enough any more to prove that the item has been shipped?  Why send items with tracking if it doesn't mean anything any more?

Just wondering if anyone else has had problems like this??

Thanks 

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have you tried something like https://www.trackingmore.com/czech-post-tracking.html to see if there is any tracking available? AusPosts international tracking is basically non existence and even though they are happy to charge you for it they do not provide it and unless you push them they consider putting the tracking code into their system all they need to do, Just because AusPost says it can not be track do not take their word for it check yourself

[trrautoparts]

Thanks for that link, but sadly it only shows me what I can see when I look it up here.  I was hoping that might have worked!

[phorum_junkie*]

The bottom line is if the parcel has not been delivered then in line with ebay's policy you are responsible for a refund and it is up to you to try and get AP to cover the cost (good luck there). If the item had been delivered no doubt there would be some record of it having been signed for.

If you are going to send to countries where tracking will not be available and/or delivery cannot be confirmed thhen you will have t self insure by adding a small amount to every item you sell to cover those transactionns that go pear shaped. You are retty well in the same position as people who send thing as unregistered large letters because it is so much cheaper.

[5kazam]

Why don't you post on Australia Post's facebook page with relevant information.

They will at least attempt to locate your parcel, whereas the 'customer service' people at AP always seem to take the 'too hard basket' attitude.