eBay

rocketscollectibles · ‎07-17-2023

I sold 2 items in a multi quantity listing with variations. Buyer selected twice the same variation. I shipped a few days ago, buyer jumped to message me there was only 1 in the package. He bought 2 of 2 i had of this variation... And i don't ship the same way if i ship 1 than if i ship 2. I remember packing both... He made me hesitant for a sec, i checked my inventory and i indeed shipped both of them.

Not sure how to reply to someone messaging he received a packaged missing 1 item while i'm 99.9% sure he scam. It was shipped lettermail i don't understand neither why he would claim in private this way. Would you just ignore? And cross your fingers he give up and don't escalated his scam to a INR case in 2 weeks?

I'm also concerned about he could push his thing to leave a negative feedback if i don't reply or refund.

ricarmic · ‎07-17-2023

If you haven't already, if you packed them together in the same "sleeve" or whatever kind of package you use, make sure to advise them thats how you packed/shipped and politely ask them to double check.

I have a few times over the years had folks that message me that items were missing BEFORE they totally opened the bag/package, they're just counting what they can see. Once I mention to make sure and open everything up they've found that everything is indeed there.

In my experience it is far less likely a "scammer" than someone who hasn't fully unpacked things.... a scammer would more likley just say they got nothing....since it is untracked....

rocketscollectibles · ‎07-17-2023

It cannot be missed. It was 2 packs of card protectors in a medium size mailer. Each pack fill half of the mailer.

When i ship only 1 pack, i ship in a small bubble mailer for $1.94. When i ship 2 packs, i ship either in a polymailer of medium size bubble mailer, for $3.19. I don't ship a single pack in a medium size package as the package doesn't hold all together. I could just ask him to show me what i shipped with and it would proove to me that he's lying, from the size/postage. But anyway i already know he is. Order was placed just a few days ago and i had only 2 of the variation, hard to forget or do a mistake.

a scammer would more likley just say they got nothing....since it is untracked....

This is assuming every scammer is smart. Not all scammers know how to exploit the system or understand how ebay works. Some do fancy things to try to act like they are normal. INR he'd need to wait 3 weeks too.

reallynicestamps · ‎07-17-2023

Tell him to open the Claim.

You might scare him off.

ricarmic · ‎07-17-2023

You asked for suggestions, said another way, ask him politely to double check then assuming they come back saying there is only one politely ask him for both your protection to open a case so that it can be resolved via the standard ebay processes.

The only thing you can do to hope to avoid a negative is to be polite. From what you're saying it looks like you're going to be giving a 50% refund either way unless as femme says the case requirement scares them off.

What I would do, but my world is different, is ask them to double check, if they come back saying only one is there, I'd simply refund the 50% and block them. I wouldn't ask for a case, but again my world is a different place than collectible cards.

ilikehockeyjerseys · ‎07-17-2023

Refund, block, move on. Be polite, don't accuse them of being a scammer. If you receive a negative feedback, reply in a polite and professional way. The point of replying to negative feedback isn't to interact with the buyer (that is what messages are for), it is to market yourself as a reasonable person to someone who might read it. Most people will see how you replied, and it will turn the negative into a positive so to speak.

Otherwise, if you really want to waste a bunch of time over a cheap item you need to ask him to open a return through the messaging system. If he does open a return, provide a return label and hope he doesn't use it. If you invite him to open a return and he refuses to open one and instead leaves you a negative feedback, eBay might remove the feedback if requested and you point out that the buyer refused to go through the proper channels. (They remove feedback if a buyer opens a return and the shipping label times out, so this might be the same)

Negative feedback really doesn't matter that much in isolation, but the above would be how to cover your bases if for whatever reason you're extremely worried about it.

With that said, that would not be a very pragmatic thing to do for what I imagine is a few dollars. Not to mention, there is the very small chance that you made an error. Refund, block, and report the buyer.

reallynicestamps · ‎07-18-2023

The point of replying to negative feedback isn't to interact with the buyer (that is what messages are for), it is to market yourself as a reasonable person to someone who might read it.

@ilikehockeyjerseys This cannot be said too often.

rocketscollectibles · ‎07-18-2023

Not to mention, there is the very small chance that you made an error. Refund, block, and report the buyer.

As i'm usually not closed that i potentially do mistakes, i know it's not the case here. It's a rare variation and i had only 2 packs of it, freshly received. He took 2 of 2. The order was place a few days ago, i remember packing both. I think refunding here is very bad. It's giving money on request to a scammer while you're not even forced to. It's throwing money literally. And helping a scammer.

My personal way to deal with that usually is to answer proffessionally while scaring them. Actually this is what i decided to do. I answered that i remember packing both of them. I explained shortly my shipping method based on weight and asked what size of envelope was used. I told them that if they received a $3.19 envelope, it means they states that canada post opened the package and stole a pack. If so to open a case with ebay and that it would be revised as this is a suspicious case. How surprising, no reply from him.

msau4301 · ‎07-18-2023

Since you've told them to open a case since you were certain both items were in the envelope it is now on him to open the case. You may have scared him as you say if he indeed was trying to get a freebie but worse case I would think you only have to refund for the one item, you keep the money for the one he said he got plus the shipping. Then as others say block them, even if he wasn't scamming and the other pack was stolen somehow you wouldn't want to ship there again anyways (who knows, maybe they have a dishonest roommate).

Let us know what happens, I'm always curious how things work out in cases like this.

rocketscollectibles · ‎07-19-2023

Let us know what happens, I'm always curious how things work out in cases like this.

Well it's been 2 days since i sent my message and he did not reply. Pretty sure he won't. I would very highly recommend to anyone to do what i do when a scam is suspected, cause it really works. Most runaway when you make them feel professionally that the case is suspicious and that they'll be under spotlight because of it. I use different wordings, but it's just a mix of a professional answer and bluffing adapted to the situation. A legit buyer will cooperate, a scammer will be scared.

Hi. It's been only a few days, i remember packing both of them. We had only 2 packs of this variation.

Could you share a photo of the packaging we used to ship. We do not use medium size envelopes to ship a single pack, those envelopes don't hold a single pack properly because of weight being unbalanced. The size of the envelope will tell us more. If you received a $3.19 postage envelope, it would mean you are stating that canada post opened the package and stole a pack. You would need to open a case in rules and it would be revised by ebay, as this would be a suspicious case.

cardconnoisseurs · ‎07-21-2023

If you are 100% that you shipped both, and you sent the package tracked and insured, hold your ground. In the future, take verification photos in cases like that, as technically it's your word against his in that scenario, and sometimes you *will* forget and only send one. I did that once, and the buyer was clearly not lying, so I just refunded him for the second card.

Never take action based on the fear of a negative feedback. If you are sinking to that level, the war is already lost.