E-bay problem - ya ya I know

[UFGator]

Ok, So I bought a video game on ebay about 3 weeks ago - the person has substantial positive feedback so I know they're not a crook (at least havent been)

So I mailed a USPS money order and they cashed it , left me positive feedback, and told me it was on the way...

About 8 business days later I ask them if they have a USPS tracking # or anything that would help me see where the package is. Nope, the sent it regular post (This is the first time I find of this and I'm somewhat upset - but i guess its my job to ensure its sent by priority - even when I pay 4 dollars)

So, I figure, with xmas etc the game might take longer. Well its been over 15 business days and maybe it will come yet - I dont know - the problem is the person is saying "I'm not responsible for lost packages"

Isnt it the sellers DUTY to get the item to the person - and as advertised. Is that what I'm reading on e-bay or am I wrong to assume that?

Anyhow - I've asked for a refund and been declined. I mean. Maybe she really did send it and maybe she's being honest - but can you imagine - if this was a legitmite excuse? "Yah, I know you paid 20,000 for that plasma TV, and I sent it first class - I cant be responsible for what happens to it"

Heh, The chaos would be never ending. So, do i simply inform e-bay and leave neg feedback - Someone told me this was mail fraud as well - something I can do?

I'll give it a little more time simply because its around xmas and it still could show up. But - already the person is declining to give any sort of refund if the pkg just never shows up - I think thats wrong.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Burnt]

That sucks man. Ebay specifically says that it does not cover you if it's lost in the mail. So you might want to contact the post office. I've had that happen to me before but they said that they never got the money order and me being young and stupid, I didn't put delivery confirmation on the money order (and it wasnt a postal one either). I say, leave negative feedback if you don't get it soon (because they cant leave you neg, b/c they gave you positive feedback already). By the way, where are you and the seller from? Is it like from Cali to Maine? Well anyways...it should have arrived in 15 business days.

 

[UFGator]

Yah, but wouldnt the seller have to have proof they shipped it?!

 

[Karsten]

Anyone shipping stuff like that without at least delivery confirmation (40cents more) is out of their mind.
Try nicely to work with the seller... however I see it as the sellers fault too. So if they are not helping it's time to leave a bad feedback. That's about the only thing you can do.

 

[StageLeft]

It's over $4? Don't get too upset over it...in the future make sure and agree as part of the deal that it will be given a tracking number. 15 days within the US I'd be very surprised if you end up getting this.

 

[UFGator]

No, shipping was 4 dollars

The Game itself was over 20

 

[Jzero]

It may come yet. I once ordered something and after a month I called the vendor and they said it must have been lost; we'll send you a new one. 3 days later the new one came. The next day the first one came. Go figure.

You should also specifically request insurance. It's NOT necessarily the seller's "duty" to ensure that it gets to you b/c the seller has no control over the mail. Of course, it takes awhile to make an insurance claim...perhaps more time than it's worth in your case.

You can also file a claim against the money order. Check your MO receipt for details on how to do so. You DID save your MO receipt, right? RIGHT?

You should wait at least a month before you start dumping bad feedback for something that the seller may have had no control over.

 

[bozack]

As an Ebay seller myself I cannot understand why another seller would not get AT LEAST delivery Confirmation, as someone said it is only .40 cents more and worth it for both the buyer and the seller....

Not only do I get it for the buyers benefit so they can know when their package was delivered, but also for mine so that if someone claims they did not recieve the package I have the Proof it was delivered.

I usually offer insurance as an Option on items under $40..however as mandatory on $40 and above as it is only $1.00 more usually.

I would be upset also as there is no way for you to really know if the seller even shipped anything.

 

[LostHiWay]

The reason some sellers don't put delivery confirmation on small items like this is because they can send them 1st mail right out their house using stamps. If you want to get delivery confirmation you HAVE to go to the post office.

 

[mithrandir2001]

DC requires Priority Mail, which means it will cost a guaranteed $3.90 to ship. :disgust: You cannot add DC to a 1 oz First Class letter. I've tried it and the Post Office told me "you need Priority Mail to get DC".

 

[UFGator]

All I want is a refund - she decided not to spend 40 cents - and instead took my 4 dollars for shipping and use it as profit rather than assuring I get the item.

If she's willing to help I'll wait... otherwise I'll just leave the feedback soon.

 

[UFGator]

And yah, I kept my receipt - so I can go to the post office and they'll help me or what?

 

[cappsa]

<< All I want is a refund - she decided not to spend 40 cents - and instead took my 4 dollars for shipping and use it as profit rather than assuring I get the item.

If she's willing to help I'll wait... otherwise I'll just leave the feedback soon. >>



Luckily I've never been in this situation. If an auction description doesn't explicitly state that the seller will use priority shipping with delivery confirmation, assume that they'll just "put a stamp on it". It is your responsibility to ask the seller the question, "will this be sent priority with delivery confirmation and insurance? If not how much extra would that be?" before you bid on the auction. It wasn't her that decided not to spend the 40 cents. It was you. And why would delivery confirmation help anyway? You still wouldn't have the game or any money back. I hope you get it soon, and hopefully it will be before you leave negative feedback. I had a friend use priority to ship something once, and it took FOREVER. If you want extra services beyond "putting a stamp on it" when it's not in the auction description, be sure to ask next time. Good luck.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Quit complaining... I bought a dreamcast with a bunch of games from Ebay on the 28th of November for about $100.... Guess what, the USPS lost it. Luckily, I paid for insurance, but I still want to know why the USPS claims it was delivered on the 10th and they didn't even record the correct zip code which was ON THE PACKAGE. Sheesh....just remember, the Postal Service is backed up because of the Anthrax screening a lot of places are going through, so it might have passed through one of those places.

 

[UFGator]

Please read,

my question is if the game never shows up. I dont care about the 20 dollars so much - 20 dollars is nothing - but I dont like letting people that do that to just go on and do it to someone else.

All of us have been ripped off by someone who ripped off someone else and didnt do anything about it

Anyways, I'm not complaining about the amount of time its taking - rather the sellers refusal to do anything about it if it NEVER comes.

 

[DarkLight]

Anyhow - I've asked for a refund and been declined. I mean. Maybe she really did send it and maybe she's being honest - but can you imagine - if this was a legitmite excuse? "Yah, I know you paid 20,000 for that plasma TV, and I sent it first class - I cant be responsible for what happens to it"

Well, I would not give you a refund either if I shipped you the product and it was lost. As far as your comparison for the 20,000 dollar plasma TV its a bad one. Usually those things get shipped with insurance and if they are lost the shipping company will eat the cost and you will be given a new one. Did the buyer state USPS shipping in his advertisment or just give a shipping quote? When I sell on ebay I will usually ship USPS first class unless otherwise noted in which I have to charge more.

 

[DarkLight]

Anyways, I'm not complaining about the amount of time its taking - rather the sellers refusal to do anything about it if it NEVER comes.

What do you want the seller to do? He can only give you your money back and that wouldn't be fair if he shipped it to you, right? I don't see a compromise here.

 

[Jzero]

<< And yah, I kept my receipt - so I can go to the post office and they'll help me or what? >>



I believe the procedure is on the back of the receipt....take a look.



<< my question is if the game never shows up. I dont care about the 20 dollars so much - 20 dollars is nothing - but I dont like letting people that do that to just go on and do it to someone else.

All of us have been ripped off by someone who ripped off someone else and didnt do anything about it

Anyways, I'm not complaining about the amount of time its taking - rather the sellers refusal to do anything about it if it NEVER comes. >>



I think before you ask THAT question, why don't you ask if the seller is REALLY trying to screw you? According to you, the seller has a strong feedback record. Why would this person suddenly choose you as the person to cheat? I'm not buying that.
Things get lost in the mail. This kind of stuff happens. She's not required to use delivery confirmation if she didn't say she was going to and if you never specifically asked for it. The seller fully held up her end of the deal, and since she can't hand-deliver it, once it's in the mail it is completely out of her hands.

If she gives you a refund, now she is out $20 + the merchandise. Why would she do this?
Furthermore, look at it from her perspective--without delivery confirmation, you also cannot prove that you didn't actually receive the item. How do we know you didn't post this thread just to try and give yourself credibility while you turn around and scam this seller?

No one knows the truth. It's her word against yours. So, like I said--you definitely should wait at least 30 days before panicking, read the directions on the MO receipt. See if you can work out a deal with the seller. Maybe you can get the video game elsewhere and have her refund you half your money. Then it's not a total loss for both of you.

Whatever happens, there's no proof either way whether she ever sent it or you ever got it, so how can you expect to just be given a refund just like that?
Consider yourself lucky--even if you never get anything back and your game never comes, you learned a priceless lesson for just $25--always request insurance and delivery confirmation in advance.