Fictional name

[zee-chan]

I had a new (zero feedback) buyer who just bought a comic, but in the mailing address they used a character's name from the comic they bought instead of their real name. Will this cause any shipping issue?

The buyer is in the US and the address seems to be for a townhouse occupant (well Google map showed me townhouses for that address).

[tobyshitzu]

No, no proof other then that I paid for label.  I know it says about having proof it was accepted so I was wondering how that would go.  just used the add information to the case online and put the label transaction number with an explanation and it worked

[zee-chan]

Well, I didn't hear back from the buyer (I asked her if she had used that character name before and if any family member might have put it away). But next time if I feel iffy about a sale (which I did, hence this thread to begin with) I should use that contact information request form to get the buyer's phone number and write it on the envelope =\ at least that might help. Or ask the buyer give me their real name lol.

And for future such scenarios I shall consider using Paypal Light Packet label as Toby suggested... I never use it since we go to the mall twice a week anyway (I only have community mail boxes in the area so my comic books are too big to fit in the slot). I only use Paypal when it's Tracked Packet or Expedited =\

[zee-chan]

Well, I got it bounced back to me today. Someone (probably the buyer's parents) wrote "? No such name!" on the envelope.

The buyer never responded to my previous message inquiring if a different family member might have received it. What should I do now? I don't want to refund in full since I did have to pay $5 for Light Packet on my "free" shipping listing. Would it work if I ask the buyer to tell me her real name, write it on the envelope, then just put it back in the mail box? I'm guessing I do have to pay $5 again if I want to re-mail it. Should I ask the buyer to pay $5 (and I'll curse and suck up the extra fees / new packing material cost) to have it reshipped? Or just wait and see what happens if I do nothing? Bottom line is, I don't want a case / defect.

Next time, I definitely won't ship to a fictional name. Not worth my time and headache. 

[femmefan1946]

Ignore it until she asks.

You delivered the item properly. And she or her 'agents' refused it.

If she wants the item, she has to pay for reshipping.

With the right name.

Trying to figure out a polite way of telling the kid that part of growing up is learning to take responsibility for stuff. Like telling your housemates/parents if you are using another name to receive items.

Also trying to think of the female equivalent of 'curmudgeon'.

[zee-chan]

So she did wait until Apr 19 to ask...

"Hi it's me again and I just wanted to inform you that I still haven't received my book. I have waited and waited and I wanted to know what's going on?! I mean was there a problem with the book or shipping like what is taking so long?! I would please like to know.thank you for taking your time for reading this text ...also I have used a fictional name before and none of my relatives have my package."

HMMMM. It's either she didn't ask everyone in her household or that person forgot that they even wrote "no such name" on a letter.

What should I do now? I need to resolve this within 3 days since I'm going on vacation...

[triber]

A few years ago on a different auction site I had a buyer called Betty Boop, she purchased several items from me. I never had the nerve to ask if it was her real name, and all the packages were delivered.

[dgour98]

This sounds like a kid putting a weird name on the address, then when mom or dad received it just said "nobody here like that".
It's also strange that they ignore your message but they can sure send them. Teens with ADD.
Try sending them a message about the whole scenario and to get their stuff in order.

As for myself, i would resend even if it may not be the right thing to do.
After all they returned it. And then block them.

[zee-chan]

This is what I responded with:

"Hi, are you absolutely certain that no one in your household has seen it? Because the book has been refused and bounced back to me just a couple days ago, with someone crossing out [character name] and a note on it saying "? no such name!". It says delivery was attempted on or before April 4th.

Can you please also double check that this is the correct address? This is where eBay told me to mail to.
[buyer's address]

If you still would like the book, you will have to provide me with your real name plus a phone number so that I can write it on a new envelope in hopes that your household member won't refuse it again, and you will have to pay postage to have it re-mailed to you.

Please let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks."

I just asked about the address again since there is an odd chance that this girl gave me the wrong address to begin with lol. Once this is resolved I'll likely put her on BBL...

[zee-chan]

"hi ...thank you! now I finally figured out what happened.okay first of all how much would it cost to have it re-mailed to me and do you happen to know whether its being mailed to me by Fedex or by Ups? and yes I do still want the book but I will have to get back to you on the address and my real name and phone number.Also will someone need to be there to sign my package? because in the past that has never been necessary.thank you very much for your time ^^"

No idea why she thought it was with UPS or Fedex when the book with shipping was only $21.50... And she never said what the problem was. Did she gave me the wrong address or something?? Why would she need to "get back to you on the address and real name and phone number"??? She doesn't know what they were???

Anyhow, I'll still re ship with Light Packet... Tracked packet is $14+ lol.

[zee-chan]

Now she is saying she still wants the book but her credit card has issues and that she can't pay the postage for re-mail right now... Geez this is getting reeeeeeally time consuming. Now I really regretted not asking her for her real name right off the bat.

[zee-chan · Accepted solution]

This is just getting more and more ridiculous lol. So after a few back and forth message buyer agreed to pay for re-ship. Now we are at the point where she has to pay me today so that I can ship before I leave for vacation. It looks like she got her credit card issue resolved BUT now she says this...

"We are going to have a problem I don't have a PayPal because I asked around and I was told I don't need a PayPal account."

I just "kindly" reminded her that she originally paid for the book with Paypal. All of my listings required Paypal. Did I mention that I already had a headache from this idiot?

[zee-chan]

Oops, clicked "accept as solution" by accident. Looks like I can't cancel it.

I'm very tempted to tell the buyer the following... is there any way I could word this in a nicer manner? lol

If I may, I would like to suggest that if you were to use a fictional name again for future purchase, please make sure no one else in the household is going to refuse it. I have sold over 500 comic books online, and this is this first time I ever had a book bounced back to me and go through this time-consuming process. You would have gotten your book by April 4 as indicated by the return postal slip had no one refused it, and you wouldn't have panicked about not getting the book (your first message to me was on April 5... and your book already went to your home once by then). It's not a seller's responsibility to ensure that the buyer's household member doesn't refuse their item.

Edit: Finally she paid the second Paypal money request I sent her (she claimed she didn't get the first one). The time spent dealing with her definitely outweighs the money I made on that book lol...