How would your resolve this issue with border closed?

[hugosboss77]

I bought a stereo receiver from an American seller that only shipped to the USA. Luckily I live close to the border so I arranged for the pickup in the USA just before the border closed. As an aside, the seller forgot to ship the parcel in the first place, and after 3 weeks I contacted them and they said "oops" and sent it. 

Upon receiving it and testing it, it was broken. Then the border closed. I talked to the seller telling them it was very clearly never functional and they couldn't have tested it. They agreed to pay for a repair, and so I got it fixed locally. Nothing crazy, $55 USD. 

I then contacted the seller and they said they'd be sending the $55. And then they vanished, no sign of life for weeks now. I know obviously in this crazy time that it could be anything. They have no new listings up either. 

What would you do? Just give a bad review on move on with your life? 

[marnotom!]

How did the seller say they’d be sending the $55? As a partial refund through PayPal or by some other means or method?

[mcrlmn]

I'd open an 'item not as described' claim.

You'll probably never see your $55 USD, but at least you'll get your money back for the receiver transaction.

Go to the Resolution Centre and follow the directions.

Escalate to a claim asap.

[femmefan1946]

The border between the USA and Canada is not closed.

I believe this comes under "essential" travel since it is a commercial transaction.

But.

You can buy shipping labels on eBay from Shippo and SnapShip (Canada Post) at a small discount. You will need a Solutions for Small Business number which is available here.

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpc/en/business/small-business.page?

You can also buy shipping labels from private companies like UPS through Shippo or on their websites.

Don't do that yet.

However, by repairing the item you may have put yourself in a bad way.

the seller forgot to ship the parcel in the first place, and after 3 weeks...

They agreed to pay for a repair, and so I got it fixed locally. Nothing crazy, $55 USD....

I then contacted the seller and they said they'd be sending the $55. And then they vanished, no sign of life for weeks now.

At the least the seller is incompetent, and may even be crooked.

He had only a few days after your payment to ship.

He took weeks and had to be prodded.

The "tested" receiver was broken.

BUT

Because you repaired it, even with his permission, the purchase is no longer "as received", and eBay generally will not cover items that have been changed by the buyer.

Including secondhand clothing that has been washed after receipt, never mind repair work.

While you could open a Not As Described Dispute, there is some doubt that you could win it.

OPEN THE DISPUTE ANYWAY.

You can't win if you don't play.

The Resolution Centre is at the bottom of this page.

The seller will be required to send you return shipping.

If he does not (and you say he has 'disappeared') you win, you keep the receiver to do with as you will, and you will be refunded.

But he can use the repair against you in the claim.

You have only 30 days from the day the purchase was delivered in the USA to do this.

If you miss the deadline, you can also claim through Paypal but PP insists that the buyer pay for return shipping, with tracking.

When the tracking shows it is back in the seller's hands, you will be refunded.

But not the return shipping. So look at your costs on this.

The third line of protection you have is the chargeback policy of the credit card you use to back your Paypal account. Card policies differ, so call the 1-800 number on the card and enquire.

Have dates, payment amounts, currencies, and transaction numbers handy to help the clerk.

Do NOT agree to any repair, exchange or replacement from the seller. You want the money you paid him refunded in full.

$

You probably won't get any refund on your fruitless repair cost or on return shipping if you are not sent a label.

[hugosboss77]

Yeah as a credit. 

I figure since now the receiver works. I just go on with my life based on what everyone else is saying here. The return shipping would cost me a fortune. 

[retroman_studios]

It won't cost you anything to open a case. You also have the message between you and seller with the agreement on the repair.

So, there is evidence that it never works.

Open a case. And if eBay closes the case, THEN open a PayPal case and push for partial refund, depending of course howuch you paid for the item.

[hugosboss77]

Thanks all.

I've read all the pertinent articles I could find, and it always leads me to a return (which is not what I'm doing). How do I just open a request for ebay to step in? 

https://www.ebay.ca/help/buying/returns-refunds/ask-ebay-step-help-buyers?id=4701#section3

That wasn't helpful, I don't have any of those options beside my item. Thanks again so much.

In the resolution centre I only seem to be able to initiate a return. I'm assuming I need some other sort of option? 

[ladybug2785]

The seller is not going to send any return shipping label so you automatically win and get the original purchase price plus shipping you paid back. Just open an item not as described case in the resolution center (now called a return with item not as described as the reason). Then escalate it as soon as ebay says you can.

The worst that can happen is he sends a label and you don't send it back. Almost for sure he wont send any label.

[pjcdn2005]

The dispute process here requires a buyer to open a case, give some time for the seller to deal with the problem and then after a specific time the buyer can ask ebay to step in.  When there is a problem with an item purchased, the first step is to open a return request stating that the item isn't as described, not working etc. etc.  If the seller wants the item back before they refund they have to send a return shipping label at their expense.  However, since your shipping address was in the US, the return shipping label would be from that address, not from your address in Canada.

I realize that you probably know all of that and that it doesn't really help your situation but there really isn't any other process for problem items. Even though the seller agreed to paying for the repair, there is no process for getting money back for a non ebay purchase which basically what your repair cost was. As others have said, you can open a return request and the seller can either send a label to the US address or refund you in full without requiring a return or offer you a partial refund.  If they send a label and you don't send the item back then ebay will eventually close the case.  If you open a case and the seller ignores you, then you can ebay to step in.  At that point they may force the seller to refund you in full without a return or they may send you a return label.

[pjcdn2005]

It's possible the seller will send a label. They can issue a usps label through ebay which does not have to paid for unless the label is used so there will be no cost to them.  If they realize that the buyer is in Canada, they may realize that it is unlikely the buyer will go to the US to mail the item back.

[hugosboss77]

Wow so after I took your advice and did the "package not as described" return, the seller magically showed up! Supposed to be getting the money soon now. 

Man what a world. Thanks all, I'll let you know if the money does arrive. 

[ladybug2785]

This is good now. We hope it works out for you. Be sure to escalate the case as soon as you can or it will time out on it's own and you will get nothing. If he does not refund and just waits then as soon as you ask ebay to step in (escalate it) then the system will refund you.

Without a call center for him to call into there will be no intervention in his favour and you just win.