ebay refunding $405 for an item still in transit

[retro-boho-and-co]

Hi, I am hoping someone can help me! This is completely crazy!!

I sold an item (in Australia) listed with air mail delivery but with sea mail as a delivery option in the description.

Buyer (in USA) chose sea mail delivery. This takes 8-12 weeks. Item lodged March 17.

Item is due for delivery May 18-June 18. Buyer was informed of this. Buyer questioned where  the item was in early April and I again explained estimated arrival date is May 18-June 18 and that sea mail takes between 2 to 3 months.

In mid April buyer opened a dispute item was not received. I again explained the item is not due until mid May at the earliest. Buyer indicated they were happy to wait until June 18.

However, buyer did not close the case. I escalated the case to have it closed. Instead, ebay closed it with a refund to the buyer as the item had not been received. This is despite me saying it was not scheduled to arrive yet. Tracking shows the item was lodged on 17 March and on 20th March was loaded at the dock.

Ebay has said - there is no update in tracking (there are no updates in tracking while the itme is in the boat), item has not been received, my appeal was rejected and they will not reopen the case.

So $405 was refunded to the buyer, who will recieve the item in the next week to month.

Ebay has said to ask Australia Post to return the item (this isn't possible) or to email the buyer and request payment. I have emailed buyer with no response.

Surely this is not the only way to resolve this, I can't believe that despite multiple phone calls and emails stating delivery schedule and  date, that ebay has refunded the buyer.

Please help! I was selling things to pay for my kids birthday and I don't want to cancel it. It's incredibly stressful dealing with ebay help as they seem unable to actually use common sense and it appears once a case is closed there in no method to re-open it.

I would not mind if it was less  than $100. This is $405!

[gutterpunkz05]

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@retro-boho-and-co wrote:

I have just had a phone call from the US Appeals Department (which I must have requested at some point speaking to a CSO)

I have been told that there is a second appeals process which can be lodged, the  second appeal is requesting a manual correction

So while the first appeal is "final" there is a possible second appeal that apparently no one tells you about, despite multiple requests of where to lodge a complaint or have a higher appeal

What you need to do to get a "second appeal" is when the tracking is updated, phone

(in Australia) request to speak to the Appeals Department and request to lodge a second appeal with a manual correction

If the tracking is verified then the item cost is reimbursed .... apparently ....

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Thats interesting, will make a note of that for future reference  (hopfully never to be required).

With a bit of luck,  you might still have some hair left, after dealing with ebays ridiculous system.

[rover41music]

I never sell to overseas buyers. If you Must then send airmail with full insurance and ask the buyer to sign on delivery and incorporate the full postage costs in the listing. Sea mail is Out. At least you have proof of delivery on which to strengthen a case.

[jellybirddesigns]

@Rover - overseas buyer account for almost 50% of my sales. I would be way worse off without them than worrying about an occasional item which dosn't turn up. In over 13 years of online selling and over 3000 transactions, I can count on one hand the amount of overseas items which have had a problem.

[davewil1964]

That's a LOT of sea mail.

[chameleon54]

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@jellybirddesigns wrote:

@Rover - overseas buyer account for almost 50% of my sales. I would be way worse off without them than worrying about an occasional item which dosn't turn up. In over 13 years of online selling and over 3000 transactions, I can count on one hand the amount of overseas items which have had a problem.

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I work on the same theory with OS sales. I send a lot of items to international clients in large letters, untracked. I lose a few now and again, but the profit I make from OS sales still well and truly outweighs the losses. I charge $1 extra on all OS deliveries ( through postage charges ) as self insurance and this covers the cost of lost items. It still works out way cheaper than charging for international tracking or signature on delivery. Plus I was told by my local PO that they cant actually access a copy of the international signature, so if this is correct, then it renders that option as pretty much useless.

The other important point with international sales is it widens the buyer pool substantially for rare, one off expensive collectables. Some of my best and most expensive items sell to international clients. These are always sent with tracking.

It is suprising what OS buyers take. It is quite common for items under $10 to sell to OS clients, sometimes with nearly $20 in postage costs.

[jaylangle_0]

I support what you are speaking. I have read the chat and it was repetitive talk using words, which are great if you know what it means but not so much when you are the one asking the questions. I like your attitude, in all honesty.

[davewil1964]

Most talk uses words, especially online - body language is a bit hard to read when you can't see the body.

[bloodlust_03]

simple solution is to accept paypal payments when selling via a paypal invoice instead of ebay invoice.

Paypal won't refund any money until a buyer has provided proof they have returned item and that buyer can prove you recieved it.

[davewil1964]

That is highly unlikely to work on eBay - buyers will, naturally, pay through the listing or the cart. Usually before the seller even has a chance to send an invoice, regardless of the source of said invoice.

What DOES work is being aware of HOW things work.

[bloodlust_03]

what does work is a net saver account attached to paypal, money can not be with drawn out of a net saver account by anyone.