missing ebay package

You should look him up periodically to remind him of what he did.

I've thought about this some more.

Insurance companies factor in the cost of insurance fraud, and stores factor in the cost of shoplifting, but that doesn't mean one should commit fraud or shoplifting. So the argument "factored in" is no good. One would need more than that.

It was different when no one knew where a package was between the time it was mailed and received. But now they very often do, including this time. I got an eamil saying the package was in Baltimore. The Post Office used the address on the package to find my email address (which I had registered with the post office) so there is no doubt the address was correct and that the package made to Baltimore, probably to some neighbor's house.

The vendor did his part. IMO the rule that he is responsible is for times when no one but he knows that.

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That's absurd. Those two acts are CRIMINAL. You did nothing criminal, you did nothing wrong at all. Where in the Ebay marketplace does it state that what you are purchasing is FOB? It doesn't. Quite the opposite, the Ebay rules are that the seller is responsible for the item until it is delivered to the buyer. You did not receive delivery. And sellers know that or should know it and factor it into their prices and selling methods. Did you get to choose whether it was insured? No, the seller made that choice. Did you pick the shipper? Even if there were no Ebay rules that say the seller is responsible, why should the buyer ever be the one to eat

100% of this? As opposed to say 50-50? If this was me, I would have notified the seller immediately, have that on record, and then if it hasn't shown up in two days, file an item not received case on Ebay. Whether you can prevail, IDK, because the USPS says it was delivered. But Ebay overwhelmingly sides with buyers, so I would say you would have a good chance. The seller may have acquired a hundred of these at a cost of $1 each and may just send you another one. If they won't let Ebay decide where the chips fall. Sellers factor this in. I sell on Ebay and I don't insure unless it comes free with priority mail. I know there is risk of it getting lost, but the USPS insurance rates are nuts, you'd have to be losing maybe 4 shipments out of a hundred for it to make sense. So I'm willing to take the rare hit when it does not arrive, it's factored into the business model. But if you want to eat it, regardless of the facts, that's up to you.

No one but the seller knows what?

Do as you please. I know as a seller on Ebay, when someone contacts me immediately about some issue, it has far more credibility than when it comes two days later. In the above, two days later, I would figure that it sat on your doorstep or in a mailbox for two days in Baltimore, someone stole it, etc....

So what. "Factored in" is not a sufficient basis.

And the seller did nothing wrong at all, also.

Sure, I got that choice. I knew it wouldn't be insured and I chose to buy it anyhow.

I don't care who the shipper is. And often other shippers use USPS for the last step of shipping. The problem was in the last step.

That might be fair, but it's too much trouble, especially since the package might still show up.

You've said that.

I'm not obliged to go by their standards.

It was probably easier to find vendors than to find buyers, or at least it was when ebay got started, so they side with the buyers to encourage people to be buyers. But whatever the reason for their policy, it doesn't mean I have to take advantage of every rule that advantages me.

Early on when it was missing, I looked to see if he had another one, but he doesn't.

I'm willing to take the rare hit when it does not arrive, too. It's factored into my life model.

It used to be that no one but the seller knew if the seller mailed it or not. If he didn't mail it, or didn't address it right, or didn't put on enough postage, then the seller is responsible, but in this case we know he did all those things.

Thank you.

How does that compare with contacting him never?

OK, then just eat the $15. Why are you here asking for advice then?

You did nothing wrong either. Yet you want to eat the loss, while the Ebay rules are that the seller is responsible until you actual receive the item and that is the basis of the transaction you made.

I don't think you get it at all.

Further proof you don't get it.

Then just eat the $15, why are you asking for advice?

Then just be the patsy that eats the loss.

No, of course not, just eat it.

Then take the hit and you don't need advice.

On Ebay? Never saw that. As I recall tracking was always available, unless the shipper used some method that didn't have that, eg sending decals or similar in a letter envelope with just a first class stamp.

If he didn't mail it, or didn't address it right, or didn't put

As a seller, we like guys like you, the never got it, never contact us buyers. There probably aren't many like you.