irresponsible buyers receive items after refund

ghostfromeurope · #1 04-14-2015

Hello, during February due to the winter storms in US there was a huge delay po Postal packages from Europe to the US.
Since USPS didn't update the current status it the items, buyers refused to wait any more so I have to refund them. All of them promised to me to message me if the item appear. None of them did.
I am monitoring the item regularly and I am sure they have already received them. They don't answer my messages. All I want is to arrange the returns and of course this one will be on me.
Is there anything I can do? What is the menu "report buyer" for?
Can I open a case in Paypal or eBay? Am I somehow protected as a seller?

Or should I stay "low profile"in order not to raise a flag?
Any advice is most wellcome !

rsot · #2 04-14-2015

Sounds very iffy - how much is the amount in question?

#3 04-14-2015

There is nothing you can do unfortunately.

Ebay/paypal will do nothing, and you cant claim from the courier if tracking shows as delivered.

You need to appeal to the buyers better nature and see if they will resend the money. You could try requesting their contact informarion via ebay and calling them. They are more likely to respond that way rather than a message they can ignore.

slokor · #4 04-14-2015

The way ebay treats sellers means you are pretty much powerless in this situation. Its a $hitty situation but it is what it is and its the price of doing business on ebay...

ghostfromeurope · #5 04-14-2015

Thank you guys.
As was pretty sure I can not do anything, but this is a theft.

I will have to forget the whole story and just move on.

ghostfromeurope · #6 04-14-2015

@rsot - total amount exceeds 400 USD.
@just_smile - I have their names and addresses, find a phone number won't be difficult.
The point is - does it make sense. If someone is doesn't want to pay/or return I don't think this will help. It will involve me in additional expenses.

dallis · #7 04-14-2015

Wow, I'm sure that hurts!

Nobody will give you any help on this, sadly. Putting more time and energy into it just makes the loss worse.

There are lots of things you COULD do, but in a practical, pure business sense, it's a loss, write it off on your taxes at the end of the year.

bjammin · #8 04-14-2015

I do not see what ground you have to stand on. Logically, you should have made them wait until you received the item back or saw that they got the item. After you refunded them you lost all power of the situation. Not to mention, when you refunded them without knowing where the items were, you also kind of abandoned the item.

The address you print on the label is where the item was going sooner or lalter. It would only come back to you if you listed the address incorrectly or the buyer gave you the incorrect address.

The only thing you can rely on is the buyers honesty, so I would not do anything to piss them off because that would definitely deter them from "helping" you out.

martyjump · #9 04-14-2015

When you refunded them did you actually think they were going to send it back when it came?

If so, I have some real estate you may be interested in. It's swamp but it's good land.

solefoodbk · #10 04-14-2015

Yea thats a crappy situation.

Normally if its a buyer demanding a refund and then you do it I always say thats like giving them a present (i.e the thing you sent them).

This is a different type of situation but unfortunately the same logic applies. Whenever you refund a buyer before they actually return the item, your screwed. Thats just how eBay has it set up... theres really nothing you can do at this point but to move on.

ghostfromeurope · #11 04-14-2015

@martyjump - is this would ensure me residentship - P.M. me the details.

Serious, I thought I have calculate the options. Since there was a huge problem in USPS what could I do? I even call them, they didn't help at all.
I tried to postpone the refund as much as I could.
It was obvious I lost the deal, at least I could try to avoid a case ( which would be solved in buyer favour ) and receiving a negative feedback.
Do you understand my point of view?

jakobrockz · #12 04-14-2015

Can't you cancel a package from being delivered and have it sent back to sender if you have the tracking number and the correct details?

MM78 · #13 04-14-2015

Another reason I don't ship outside my own Country......Reason #422.

ghostfromeurope · #14 04-14-2015

If it is in Bulgaria - most probably I would.
These packages where somewhere in USPS facilities.

ghostfromeurope · #15 04-14-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by MM78

Another reason I don't ship outside my own Country......Reason #422.

LOL. All three buyers were extremely polite and patient. One of them even messaged me to re-invoice him. Guess what happened next

wendychen2000us · #16 04-14-2015

Any chance you can send them to collection agency? Will this work?

MM78 · #17 04-15-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by wendychen2000us

Any chance you can send them to collection agency? Will this work?

Send who to a collection agency? the buyer? lol......The OP is in Bulgaria, I'm not too sure it would work out. Also, Collection Agencies don't deal with individuals....they deal with large corporations.

rsot · #18 04-15-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by wendychen2000us

Any chance you can send them to collection agency? Will this work?

Very tough and with the international aspect coupled in...MM78 is right

dallis · #19 04-15-2015

I've been told it is sometimes possible to recall/intercept packages with tracking that have NOT been delivered, but I have no experience with it myself.

I agree, you shouldn't have refunded. Afraid you're out of luck on this one.

xShevaa7x · #20 04-15-2015

I don't really think OP had much choice to refund them to be honest. If he refunds them, they stay happy and he doesn't get defects against his account, provided he explained the situation.

If OP didn't refund people and told them to wait, he would probably get defects against his account, and the buyers would just open cases and get a refund anyway.

I'm sorry your situation OP, and I believe you made the right choice to refund them.

ghostfromeurope · #21 04-15-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by xShevaa7x

I don't really think OP had much choice to refund them to be honest. If he refunds them, they stay happy and he doesn't get defects against his account, provided he explained the situation.

If OP didn't refund people and told them to wait, he would probably get defects against his account, and the buyers would just open cases and get a refund anyway.

I'm sorry your situation OP, and I believe you made the right choice to refund them.

Thank you.
We all are vulnerable as sellers, but this was a theft.

ghostfromeurope · #22 04-16-2015

One of the buyers refused to send back the item.
Claims it would be too expensive. I will send him the money , of course, after he provides me a tracking number.
Need an advice, how much this will be? Item is small rectangular box, weight approximately 0.300 kg.
Which is the cheapest Postal service? First-Class International ?
Oh, forgot to explain from CA, USA to Bulgaria.