OT: no delivery, claimed lost (ebay)

[Enoch Root]

What's the consensus?

I bought an item which, three weeks later, the seller said was sent over two weeks ago. Says it must have gotten lost.

I asked originally for a tracking number, seller said no.

Now the seller is offering the shipping charge refunded.

I want to leave a negative, because

a. This doesn't happen and I suspect they are disorganized or dishonest. b. Offering the shipping is a slap in the face. c. That's just not how it's done in my world, give me a full refund if you want to make it right. d. I'm also just irritated at the time spent, in vain.

What would you do?

Also, I think I should carry this out through arbitration in the hope of getting a full refund... but I don't know if ebay's arbitrators feel the same way I do about these matters. Never done this before (never had to.) Does anyone have any ideas about that?

er

[Larry Bud]

Ridiculous. If the shipping co, lost it, the tracking # would say so.

What a nice guy.

INSIST on a tracking #. After all, if it was shipped, he can prove it, therefore it would be your problem or the shipping co's and not his. If he can't provide a tracking #, he's ripping you off.

What's the ebay item #?

[bremen68]

I'd be curious what the sellers feedback rating is. If this has happened before it should show up there.

I buy and sell on ebay and have only had one problem (crosses fingers, knocks on wood, etc...) I bought an item and it never showed up. After a bunch of emails and excuses I emailed a couple of the person's previous buyers and found out that the excuses they were feeding me weren't new ones... I filed negative feedback but didn't bother with the arbitration, the amount was $7 and I didn't think it was worth the time and hassle for that amount.

I'd do a little research with previous buyers, I got answers from almost everyone I sent one too asking.

Good luck.

[B a r r y]

What if he mailed it?

There are plenty of eBay sellers who are private folks, just like you and me, as opposed to businesses. I've shipped over a hundred packages for eBay auctions of my personal stuff via Priority Mail, so no tracking number was available.

I would expect a full refund if I didn't get the item, but the lack of a tracking number does not automatically mean FRAUD.

Barry

[Leon]

Contest the charge to your credit card company.

[Larry Bud]

Since when?

Priority mail is tracked.

[Enoch Root]

Paid by check. :(

er

[B a r r y]

No, it's not.

That service is an extra cost add-on. It isn't (or at least wasn't the last time I used it at Christmas) included by default.

The clerk will ask "any tracking or delivery confirmation?"

Barry

[Enoch Root]

This is similar... a $20 item (spokeshave, #54, with adjustable throat, and it looks like a pre-sweetheart because New Britain is mentioned in the ad) plus $10 to ship.

The feedback was a tough call, one bad (that wasn't really bad) out of

150: too new to ebay to really get a sense of their integrity, and I made a judgment call.

The person has left me feedback already, so at least I can weigh the decision without having a possible negative hanging over my head.

This also complicates things, however, as I seek out and respond generally favorably to sellers that do that, even when things aren't completely to my satisfaction.

I never considered contacting the previous buyers, that's a good idea.

Offering me only the shipping in return for this gets my goat. The ad specifically says I'm paying for insurance in addition to shipping with that $10.

er

[BigMacSquareBack]

Check out eBay's policies you might get something back from them.

[GeeDubb]

This is a good lesson for anybody (not just you) about paying for things on ebay. I have a paypal account just for this reason though it has come in handy for a few other things like buying about $1000 worth of woodworking tools for $450 from a fellow wreckie (back on topic?) since he was moving soon, wouldn't accept a personal check, wasn't set up for credit cards and I didn't have the cash on me.

Gary (glad you didn't get taken for a lot more)

[Mike Berger]

If you sent payment via US mail, you can file a complaint on the USPS site. A call or letter from a Postal Inspector is often enough to get action.

If the seller has no proof he sent the item, you should get a complete refund. It's his responsibility, especially since his "handling" charge included "insurance".

You should also file a "safe harbor" complaint with Ebay, but they'll only let you file after a long wait and only give a partial refund if they settle in your favor.

And leave that negative feedback. You've given the seller an > What's the consensus?

[Brian Elfert]

USPS offers delivery notification for I think 45 cents. Not sure if it can be used for first class mail or just priority.

As an Ebay seller, I would never ship something without tracking. I try my best never to buy anything that will be shipped without tracking.

If the seller doesn't use tracking, they should be held liable if the item doesn't show up.

Brian Elfert

[arw01]

The post office gives receipts, and often they show destination information.

I've had ONE package ordered from Ebay out of about 100 that was lost in the mail for 3 months. Bought it from MJD Auctions and it was shipped media mail. Literally 3 months before it showed up with a post mark from they day they said they shipped it.

They had shipped me a new one since then, so by mutual consent it was refused and returned to sender.

A full refund is in order, and your integrity to repay it if the original item arrives eventually.

Alan

[Brian Elfert]

I learned the hard way never to send anything without tracking. I sent a $180 item for upgrade via Priority Mail and didn't use the delivery notification. The addressee claimed to never have received it.

For all I know, the guy got it and just told me he never got it. Others had accused the guy of some shady stuff in the past. Delivery conmfirmation would at least prove it got to his mailbox.

Brian Elfert

[Bruce T]

So, if you had ordered this item from Sears, for example, would you do anything differently? I suspect that you'd be fighting like hell to get the merchandise that you paid for. So why are you treating a private seller any differently? It seems to me that the SELLER has the responsibility to get the merchanndise to you since they accepted your money. Big companies (like Sears, JC Penny, etc.) don't pay for insurance since they know that the cost of the insurance is greater than the cost of the (occasional) lost item...it's just statistics. However, I believe that they ALL use some form of tracking.

BruceT

[Robert Bonomi]

With _that_ information, the situation is REALLY simple.

If you paid for insurance, and the packeage was 'lost', then the insurance applies. and the insurer pays for the lost item cost.

If the seller 'forgot' to order the insurance *you* paid for, then that is the seller's problem.

They owe you the *full*price* (inluding shipping) of the item.

'arbitration' should be a 'no brainer' given _that_ 'minor detail'. :)

The other option, if you're going to have occasion to visit the seller's locale any time soon, is to file a small claims action in the court where they live.

[Robert Bonomi]

"insured" packages are *always* tracked. this seller was charging extra for _required_ insurance.

Either he's engaged in fraudulent misrepresentation of his business dealings, or there is a 'tracking number', no two ways about it.

[Brian Elfert]

I'm fairly certain the USPS has zero tracking on first class, priority mail, and parcel post unless you request it and pay for it.

The USPS apparently lost a shipment of mine about two years ago. I filed a lost mail form and never heard anything. If they had tracking, don't you think they could at least tell me the last place it was scanned?

Brian Elfert

[Dave Jackson]

I would certainly suggest mentioning that you are considering leaving negative feedback if this is not resolved to your liking. I've only had one problem on Ebay so far. I ordered an camper oven that was listed as "brand new, never used or installed" Upon arrival, it was clearly used, there was much grease on the insides of the oven, some small rust spots, etc. Anyway, I contacted the seller who said that THEY never used it, and furthermore, bought it secondhand. That really ground my beans. To make a long story short, I emailed the seller pictures of the problems, and soon filed a complaint with Ebay. Finally, the problem still unresolved, I told the seller what I thought would be a fair market value for this used item, (for a partial refund) and I'd leave negative feedback if we couldn't resovle this soon. She quickly sent a check for the refund I suggested. I believe it was the threat of leaving negative feedback that did the trick. No one wants that! Especially for a $7 (in your case) item. At this point, it seems to me it's the SELLERS responsibility to PROVE that he did ship the item, or risk negative feedback, complaint with Ebay, etc..Communicate your course of action before you follow through, it may get your money back. --dave

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