eBay

rosepeak · ‎03-11-2024

The order was marked shipped only a few days ago and the estimated delivery date shown for the order is March 20th, but somehow the buyer was still able to open an INR claim today. What gives? Do I have to resolve the case by issuing a refund if there is no tracking?

brettjet38 · ‎03-11-2024

@rosepeak wrote:
The order was marked shipped only a few days ago and the estimated delivery date shown for the order is March 20th, but somehow the buyer was still able to open an INR claim today. What gives? Do I have to resolve the case by issuing a refund if there is no tracking?

Why did you ship without tracking and where did you ship to?

Within Canada or to the USA?

You could also message the Buyer and ask why they have opened a request before the estimated delivery date.

What was the value of the item shipped?

What is the general FB that the Buyer has left for other Sellers, you can glean a few tidbits from that usually.

rosepeak · ‎03-11-2024

Within Canada. Sometimes I ship things without tracking if the item is under $50.

ricarmic · ‎03-11-2024

If there's no tracking you don't have anything to prove you actually shipped it. (That's why you're hopefully putting a wee bit of $$ each time for untracked shipments into the cookie jar insurance fund to cover situations like this).

I don't know if you'd have any luck persuing it via support folks with no tracking number.

As a note, if the INR case "due date" says March 13th it really means by end of day on March 12th as the BOTs will act at about 12:03 AM on the 13th.... learned this the hard way.

rosepeak · ‎03-11-2024

But isn't the buyer obligated to wait until the latest estimated delivery date shown for their order before opening an INR claim? Why am I expected to refund them when it's only been a few days since the item was shipped?

brettjet38 · ‎03-11-2024

Yes!

The BOTS are very unforgiving...

ricarmic · ‎03-11-2024

I might be wrong, I'm fortunate in that I rarely have INRs but I seem to remember I had one opened the first day after the FIRST delivery date, but I might be misremembering.

There are likely others with more experience/better recollection than me.

Irregardless, the problem you have is that whether the buyer should have been able to or not, they've opened the INR and you're going to have to follow the case rules because you won't have proof that you actually mailed it. (I only send about half of my items tracked, problems like this is a risk we've chosen to take by shipping untracked).

You really don't want the defect as it will be a bad one if the bots close in the buyers favour.

rosepeak · ‎03-11-2024

the BOTs will act at about 12:03 AM on the 13th.... learned this the hard way.

What does that mean? The bots will automate a refund?

ricarmic · ‎03-11-2024

Absolutely, the message you got had a due date in it. Refunding before midnight the day before is very important otherwise the bots will close in the buyers favour a couple minutes after midnight on the due date and you get a bad defect.

rosepeak · ‎03-11-2024

I seem to remember I had one opened the first day after the FIRST delivery date

Hasn't it always been the case that buyers can't open an INR case until AFTER the latest estimated delivery date? How is it that they're suddenly able to open one way before said date?

Also, I actually do have a tracking number entered for this specific order, the problem is that it hasn't updated yet because it was shipped only a few days ago and then the weekened happened, and the item likely will not get delivered by the case "due date". So do I have to issue a refund by the case due date when it will probably get delivered like the day after?

ricarmic · ‎03-11-2024

If you have a tracking number things change a lot.

Make sure to enter the tracking number into the case ASAP. Despite it being attached to the item, you have to manually add it to the case, why, only the "ebay gods" know, but make sure you attach it to the case as soon as you can. I'm not sure, I have no rememberable personal experience, but I think adding the tracking number might change the due date or process. Certainly following up with the support folks will go much better with a tracking number, you should be fine in the end (ie won't have to refund) given you do have a tracking number and you properly follow all the rules/timings.

fergua3 · ‎03-11-2024

ok, i suspect that the buyer has seen the tracking number you entered on ebay, noted that it has not updated for several days and thinks you haven't shipped and that's why the INR. If they call customer support and complain loudly enough the rep will open a claim early.

The reason why the tracking has not updated is because it's not working on Ebay. Hasn't been for months. Check the tracking on Canada Post's website. DO NOT go by what you see on Ebay. It is not working.

You will probably see that your package is well on its way to the buyer.

Next, do as advised above and enter the tracking number into the case message you received. THIS IS ESSENTIAL. If you don't Ebay bots act like there is no tracking at all.

Then, contact the buyer, politely ask them why they have opened a case and tell them the tracking number, and point to Canada Post's website to give them the latest tracking update.

If the buyer is honest they may close the case. If not you may have to refund before the package is actually delievered or Ebay will force a refund on you with a defect as well, Which is bad.

After doing all the above, if the buyer won't close the case (wait ONE day for them to) then contact Ebay customer service through FACEBOOK (not by phone) explain the whole story, that the buyer opened the case early, give them tracking # and tell them to check CP's website because CP tracking on Ebay isn't working.

Ask for an extension of the deadline by several days, to give the package time to be delivered.

Once again, Ebay's indifference or inability to fix the CP tracking on their website bites a seller in the behind.

femmefan1946 · ‎03-11-2024

The date is less important than the number of HOURS.

For Cancellations for example we have to wait 96hours (not four days) plus one second before Cancelling an Unpaid Item.

That being said.

Better to be a few hours early to refund than one second late.

I would contact the buyer through the Claim giving the shipment date, service (emphasizing CANADA Post), and repeating the delivery window the buyer was given.

But any time we ship without tracking, we have to expect that something will go wrong*, and that is why we have Cookie Jar Insurance.

How often has this sort of thing happened to you in the past five years? Less than one percent of sales is normal.

And with the refund, send a polite note that when the shipment arrives the buyer can repay the refund to your Paypal account . You may even be able to give the PP email in the Message.
This works about half the time.

*While most people are honest, opening an NAD before the delivery window closes is pretty sketchy. The postal system is very good at what it does.

pjcdn2005 · ‎03-11-2024

I would contact ebay customer service on Facebook or Instagram. I have read about the odd case opening before the last delivey date even though it is not supposed to. I have no idea why. You can send a private message to cs on social media and ask them to put the case on hold because the estimated delivery date is on the 20th. . I'm a bit confused on the tracking because you said that you didn't have it and then that you did but if there is tracking on the package, let them know that it should show on Canada Post within the next day.

https://www.facebook.com/eBayForBusiness

https://www.instagram.com/ebayforsellers/

teenytrinkets · ‎03-11-2024

I specifically set all my untracked items to free flat rate Economy Shipping to ensure I don't get "early" INRs opened by buyers. Then they're forced to message me, and I tell them it's untracked, ask for patience, and send a photo of the package.

For Tracked items, I seem to recall INRs being able to be opened too early, but putting the tracking number into the case insures a delivery update can be eventually be confirmed.

aviatorsparadise · ‎03-11-2024

Fergua3 - Not sure what problem that is with CP tracking. It has been working fine for me all along. Must be a subset of users affected and not everyone.