Seller promised Prority but used Media Mail via GSM to Canada-no movement. Advice?

[americannostalgia]

background:

I bought a book/audio(cassette) out of print language learning set from a seller in Texas. They had it advertised for GSM (Global Shipping Program) set at Priority Mail for Canada . I paid $18+ usd for shipping.   I'm in Toronto and the seller is in Texas.

When I bought it on Nov 25 I got no response and the person did not ship it. I emailed them and waited.  No response at all but I did not worry since Nov 26 was US Thanksgiving --I thought they would respond to me.  Seven days later they had not responded or shipped anything so I put in a claim as INR (item not recieved) on the advice of a Ebay support (I've never done a claim before).

The Texan seller  then responded immediately , apologized  and shipped it (Dec 4 it was picked up by USPS). The Texan also asked me to close the claim as 'satisfied'.

(Meanwhile, Ebay staff advised me to keep the claim open (which I did) until I actually get the package. I believe claims stay open for 30 days and then are automatically closed (in whose favor I don't know, I've never needed to do a claim before--though Ive been on eBay since 2001 )).

I then recieved  the USPS and GSM numbers on my dashboard and waited. The last USPS updated was Dec 8. Today  is Dec 16 with no updates. Last one was in Dallas (on way to KY center).

I thought that was strange since I paid for Priority and it should have went to the GSM center in Erlanger Kentucky quicker even during this time.

PLOT TWIST:

As a matter of fact I have a current similar purchase (also an out of print book/audio(CD) lang set from a similar lang learning series) from another seller,  a lady in Clinton, Arkansas who advertised the same way: GSM to Canada and Priority shipping.  I bought that on dec 9 she shipped it next day with usps --its been updated regularly and is already at the Kentucky Pitney Bowes center. It was also $18+ usd for shipping (advertised as Priority shipping to Canada via GSM).    But she on the other hand kept her advertised promise and actually *DID* ship it via Priority. When I input her usps number it states that this is "Priority mail" and is insured for $50 etc. So Im waiting for hers with no problems.

I just inputed the Texan sellers number into the same official  USPS tracking site and it states "media mail".   Now I did not notice this earlier because from the Ebay dashboard "order details" it states "priority mail" but once you input the number to usps site its a different story. 

Now here is an added wrinkle:  Since this (the first order --the Texan sellers item) is going to take a long time to reach KY (usps media mail Im told is treated to the slowest movement) and status has not been updated since Dec 8 what should I do?

If I wait too long the case will be auto-closed (I think) on the 30th day after dec 2 (so around Jan 1 New Years) but I don't know what happens at that point.     From another thread I read that if its been 10 days with no movement then you should close the case and ask for a refund or call eBay to close the case and ask for a refund. 

Now I have no intention of keeping the full refund if the item eventually arrives (though I think I should get some sort of partial refund for the difference between media mail and priority).   If I contact eBay on say Dec 18-19 (ie. 10 days no updates from Dec 😎 and they give me a full refund plus PB (Pitney Bowes ) shipping fees and the item eventually DOES arrive I would  *immediately* contact eBay to reverse the refund at that time. 

What do you think?   Should I do the above?   Or just wait until the time  runs out and it closes automatically around New Years day  (whether its arrived or not) --though in that case I dont know what the eBay decision would be.  Or wait some more until its updated but before the case closes  or etc ?  I really dont know what I should do . Im a good buyer and paid in good faith.  Please advise.

Also :  if the Texan seller had been honest and done what the Arkansas seller did this would have been avoided. AND if I hadn't opened a case so early there would have been more time allowance for the Texan seller.

other details:

I paid via credit card directly to eBay (not PayPal because I had inputed a new cc from the expired one and it had not been verified yet and PP did not let me use it until verification which would not have been for several days)

Please pardon this long post!  Any help would be appreciated

[femmefan1946 · Accepted solution]

The seller is confused and it is making him angry. Maybe he needs a Snickers.

He is paid to ship to KY. But your payment also covers Canadian duty and sales taxes as well as a ~$5USD and that is what you would be refunded.

And this is where he messed himself up by cheaping out on Media Mail.

If the book had arrived on time at Erlanger KY, he would not be refunding anything, because once it is in the hands of the GSP, his job was done*.

But he saved himself money by shipping by Media Mail.

Too bad, so sad.

He may be able to discuss getting the payment of import fees returned but that is another question entirely.

I'm sure you don't want to know the technicalities of paying import fees vs paying duty and sales tax. Best not to think about it.

You are not responsible to him for how much of his money was used for your refund.

He should be talking to Customer Support for that.

You do not need to communicate with him further if you have your payment back.

He made his bed, he has to lie in it.

I am old and cranky.

and states for that I will get "International Priority".  

That's one of the generic terms eBay uses to cover all the various and sundry services offered by sellers all around the world.

It is basically meaningless.

It might even cover a slow boat from China.

*Well, if he had sent you a Beanie Baby instead of the book, he would be responsible for that, but not for delivery-- or damage in transit from KY to Canada.

[americannostalgia · Accepted solution]

UPDATE: femmefan I wanted to give you an update. I contacted eBay and they agreed with me: they said 10 days no movement is unacceptable but the fact that I paid for priority thru GSP (it was the only option for Canada in the "shipping " options page on the auction means the seller should have paid for priority to go from TX to KY not merely "media mail'0. Ebay granted me full refund of the item 28 or so dollars plus full shipping back 18.23. Now the seller emailed me and accused me of only paying "4.75" for shipping so the "had to ship it via media mail". My eBay charge and receipt shows 18.23 and I sent a screenshot of it to the seller.

The problem is that the only option in their auction (in the shipping page on the auction) is for Canadians to pay 18.23 (at my postal code of M4C 3W7 in toronto) and states for that I will get "International Priority". Now I had another purchase from an seller in Arkansas (similar item book/audio set) and it said the SAME thing except the charge was $21 or so for "international priority" When I paid that (again only option on the shipping that it gave me) the seller sent me a usps number that usps site indentifies as "Priority " and it went from AK to KY so quick that its already released from the GSP center and is in the air coming to toronto as I write this. That item I bought in dec 10 . The TX item I bought in nov 25 and shipped dec 3) and is identified as 'usps media mail" when I input the track # in the usps site.

The TX seller is saying I should have told him and paid more outside of the regular shipping request if I wanted something other than media mail. Ebay staff disagrees with him because I paid the only option offered which states"international priority".

But I would really value your input here. I see you have a long history of helping people on here. What is the seller getting at here exactly?

[americannostalgia · Accepted solution]

Thanks femmefan! Ive sold some items over the last several years but Im not a pro seller but even I know not to bug the buyer with my mistakes. Once I had to pay shipping for an Aquaman figure that would mean the auction was a net loss (shipping was more than I put in and the price of the item!) but I did it because the mistake was mine. I packed the item and shipped it.  It was a lesson learned. I sure as heck did not bother the customer. Have a great weekend.

[onebadwolf · Accepted solution]

Technicalities of paying your own customs and taxes are easy. Google being your own customs broker. 2 phone calls, ans a credit card. It's not some dark art. And that's the hard way. If you want to, you can do it online.