Forum

Buyer didn't receive Item
 

I sold an item on ebay Dec 7...UPS tracking info shows item was delivered Thursday, 12/11/2014 at 3:14 P.M.

Buyer emailed me today Dec 26th saying that they didn't receive the item. Tracking shows it was delivered Dec 11 (its been over 2 weeks).

I am getting ready to reply to his email and ask him why he waited so long to tell me that he didn't receive the item.

He has 29 positive buyer feedback comments, no negative feedback comments and has been a Member since: Mar-21-10 in United States. No seller feedback comments, only buyer feedback comments.

Not sure whether I should refund him, send him another one of the same item, or have him open a case and I will provide the UPS tracking info as part of the case with the hope that I can win the case.

I don't know if that is the best course of action here or to just go ahead and either refund him or send him out another one of the same item that he says he "didn't receive".

What is best course of action to take on this? I am seeking the forum's expertise in these kind of situations as this is the first time I had this happen to me.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, Thanks.

Re: Buyer didn't receive Item
 

I've had this happen. I usually send a replacement if the item is under $20. You could probably win a seller protection case, but in my opinion, AND IT IS JUST MY OPINION, I would rather not have eBay looking at my account and I don't want my account flagged for a small seller protection case. I would rather save that for a larger claim. And they DO happen.

I would be nice to the customer. He COULD be a scammer, but he could also legitimately have not received the item. I would NOT say in my email "why did you wait so long" I would give him the tracking number, state that it shows as delivered on whatever the date was and ask that he check with family members to see if maybe the took in the package and forgot about it. THAT HAPPENS A LOT! I often have people respond to that type of email with surprise, that their daughter forgot to mention she put the package in the desk drawer or something.

Re: Buyer didn't receive Item
 

I would take Jeff's advice, don't respond like your attacking them but more like giving them some advice if maybe someone else might have picked up the package.

Re: Buyer didn't receive Item
 

Important question:

Should this conversation between me and the buyer continue in eBay email or should I continue this in his personal email that I got from PayPal?

Not sure how much of this conversation should involve eBay. Maybe better to keep it outside of eBay?

Re: Buyer didn't receive Item
 

ebay...
Because if they open a case, you have gone up and beyond.

Re: Buyer didn't receive Item
 

Always keep it in ebay.
This can quickly escalate into extortion and you need all proof possible.

Keep working it out with the buyer and follow jeffs advice.

Be sure to block, just to avoid future issues.

Re: Buyer didn't receive Item
 

Do you mind telling me how to block buyers? I've seen it somewhere before but I just can't remember where to go to do that...

Thanks

Re: Buyer didn't receive Item
 

Use the help & contact button at the top of your ebay page and search, block bidders.

Re: Buyer didn't receive Item
 

Here's what we found for "Blocking a bidder or buyer"
[ Previouspage ]
By adding buyer requirements to your listing, you can stop members from bidding on or buying your items based on certain criteria. You can block buyers who:

Are in countries you don't want to send items to.
Have a negative Feedback score.
Have unpaid item cases recorded against them.
May bid on several items and not pay for them.
Don't have a PayPal account.
Have breached eBay policies.

To add buyer requirements:

Go to Site Preferences in My eBay.
In the Buyer Requirements section, click Show, and then click Edit.
Select your requirements, and the click Submit.


If you don't want to sell to certain bidders and buyers, you can put them on your blocked list. They won't be able to bid on or buy your items unless you remove them from the list. You can block up to 5,000 users.

To add people to your blocked list:

Go to the Blocked bidder list page.
Enter the username(s) you want to block, and then click Submit.

To remove someone from your blocked list, delete the username and click Submit. Let them know so they can start bidding on or buying your items.

Re: Buyer didn't receive Item
 

Ebay LINK is here: http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?BidderBlockLogin

I don't see anywhere you you state the price of the item?

For me, $25 is the cut off for a automatic refund. Anything over that, I call my customer and we have a talk.

Re: Buyer didn't receive Item
 

Always keep within ebay as back up to the stellar customer service you are providing.

Another point ,raised by TGMT, is talking to the buyer.

You can use the internal message systems
You can use emails.

You can go that extra step and communicate by phone.

Ball rolls into your court if that buyer's account has no working phone number ;)

Re: Buyer didn't receive Item
 

The item sold for $200 so I don't know that I want to give him an automatic refund.

If it comes down to a choice between the two, I would rather send him another one of the same item.

I don't like the fact that he waited two weeks to tell me about it.

Smells fishy but I guess I will wait to see what he says in reply to my email.

In my email I basically told him I was sorry he didn't receive the item.

I reminded him that the UPS tracking shows it was delivered to his address on the date mentioned above and to please check with his family members to see if any body else picked up the item and forgot to tel him about it....

I will update everyone with what happens when I get a reply from him. I really want to keep you all in the loop on this and I'm very thankful for everyone's help here.

One more thing:

I cannot block him yet because I believe that will cut off communication between us so I will have to wait until this is resolved before I block this buyer, correct?

Re: Buyer didn't receive Item
 

Hi Mr. Greenbean,

I just emailed him as described in the post above.

Should I email him again and ask for his number right now to have that little talk or wait until he replies to my email and see what he says?

Thanks

Re: Buyer didn't receive Item
 

I am tough but I would have him open a case. Ebay will side with you and also refund the buyer and make both of you happy.

It does sound mighty fishy.

Re: Buyer didn't receive Item
 

I would request user information via ebay. This oftentimes keeps scammers at bay.

Re: Buyer didn't receive Item
 

No, ask for those details via ebay.... again another record of your going that extra mile ;)

Given the scene you have outlined, I would reduce contact. Give the buyer nothing extra to 'twist'.... if you get my meaning.

Re: Buyer didn't receive Item
 

EBAY LINK!!!
http://www.ebay.com/sch/ebayadvsearch?_sofindtype=9

Outlines how to request contact information.

Re: Buyer didn't receive Item
 

If I have a conversation with this buyer and his story doesn't change (i.e. he insists that he didn't receive the item) then I would like to know whether it's better to just offer to send him another one of the same item or ask him to
open a case?

If it's just better all around to avoid the eBay radar, then I will offer him a replacement item.

These are the kind of scenarios where one really needs the expertise of the forum and it's much appreciated.

Also, another thing I have to consider is giving out my stealth phone number to this buyer.

The stealth number forwards to a Google voice number and I would have to call him back on my personal line which would expose that number to him.

Don't know that it would be a good idea to do that...

Re: Buyer didn't receive Item
 

-------------------------
Please see my most recent post above. I am asking about how necessary it would be to contact this customer via phone.

I don't know if it's a good idea to expose my personal number to him.

I would also like to know just how important it is to steer clear of the eBay radar at all costs.

Thanks

Re: Buyer didn't receive Item
 

Is your account clean? Is it doing risky stuff? Do you have mediocre feedback?

Then don't rock the boat. If it is simply a matter that the buyer now claims they did not receive a $200.00 weeks after it was supposedly delivered and everything else is fine, a case is pretty simple.

Re: Buyer didn't receive Item
 

Sounds fishy......and I would recommend that he contact the post office it was delivered out of to see what the carrier say's......they like to know this stuff, could be a carrier ripped it off! Not likely, but there are bad people in every line of work.......

Anyway, I'd let him do the leg work on his end......if he blows that off, that to me would indicate he being less than truthful.

Re: Buyer didn't receive Item
 

Another reason signature confirmation is always good to get, because a lot of times it's just an honest mistake and the package is delivered to a neighbor

This happens a lot , sometimes they get back to me and say their neighbor has brought the package by

But over two weeks , if it was a mistake in delivery whoever received it has no intention of returning

With signature confirmation it will take the error off the table of delivering to the wrong address because the postman will look more carefully at the item and the name