What would you do if someone misses apt or unit #?

[musicyouneed]

When someone without any feedback buys from me, I always check the address on google to make sure it is not a apt building as I have had several buyers miss that in the past and sometimes the item is sent back and sometimes is just lost in the black hole.  I always lose out in that case.  

So a buyer from Quebec buys something from me, no feedback.  I check and it looks like it is a tri-plex or four-plex, each with their seperate mail boxes.  I have sent 2 emails and even tried calling them and the message is in French so I am at a loss.  

I may have to cancel it if they do not get back to me.  What would you do?

[ricarmic]

You may not like my response but anyway....

I would ship to the PAYPAL (MP) address without checking or worrying* and divert the time that would have been spent checking out people's addresses 0 feedback or otherwise to listing more items.

At least in my (stamp) world, the $$ revenue from the extra stuff I was able to list would be very very much more than enough to cover the (very) odd losses from problem addresses.....

*Probably for everything other than something worth $100s

[pjcdn2005]

Sometimes  addresses look odd to me so I find it helpful to go to the 'find postal code' site and enter the number and street name of the address to see if CP recognizes the address. In your case, you could enter that info and if the options that come up show an apartment number, you know it is definitely necessary to have that info.  If they still haven't contacted you I would cancel using problem with address and leave another message explaining to the buyer why you canceled.

If you are using a method with tracking and an item can't be delivered because of the address you would win an ebay inr claim, however the same isn't true with a PP or credit claim.

https://www.canadapost.ca/info/mc/personal/postalcode/fpc.jsf

[musicyouneed]

Without an apt # or unit #, I do not want to ship it.  From my experience in the past few years it is not worth the work when it goes missing and having to deal with an unhappy buyer even if it is their fault.   

In this day and age, there is not a whole lot of profit that goes into selling most CD's, so to lose a bunch of money due to incorrect addresses is not good for me.  

I only list a few CD's a day, gets too boring to list more, so the time is not an issue.  

[brettjet38]

Just cancel the transaction if you feel so strongly about it, use "Problem with the Buyers Address" as the reason, you will get your fees back and no defects.

No matter what everyone is saying, it is the Buyer's responsibility to provide a full and correct address.

[reallynicestamps]

EBay would consider that "undeliverable" and would not insist that you refund at all.

It is the buyer's responsibility to provide a useable address.

Now in real life.

The letter carrier probably can read, and might well correct the address herself.

The neighbour who got it might correct it and hand it over to the customer.

It may come back to you eventually, and you can then decide about reshipping and who pays for reshipping.

The item doesn't come back to you, but shows Delivered. You are not required to refund.

The item does come back to you. Do you refund the whole payment or just the selling price less shipping?

And if you decide to cancel, this is a classic "problem with address"  and there would be no Defect.

Cross posted response and edit.

Glad it all came out well.

[musicyouneed]

Thanks, I entered the address in the CP website and it is a good.  However it doesn't show any apts, just the postal code.    I also did a locate all the people living at that postal code search and another person lives at that address, so it is a dead end there.   I also know it is a rental place as there was a listing for one of the suites.

I just heard from the buyer and he stated that there is no apt number and confirmed his address.  Whew!  All is well now.  Thanks for all the responses.  

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@musicyouneed wrote:

Thanks, I entered the address in the CP website and it is a good.  However it doesn't show any apts, just the postal code.    I also did a locate all the people living at that postal code search and another person lives at that address, so it is a dead end there.   I also know it is a rental place as there was a listing for one of the suites.

I just heard from the buyer and he stated that there is no apt number and confirmed his address.  Whew!  All is well now.  Thanks for all the responses.  

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In those cases where you have a window to confirm, I would hold on as long as possible. If you do need to cancel, you may need to take into consideration the PayPal fees(If you're still with PayPal) for refunds. Is it worth it to take the hit? Darned if ya do and darned if yas don't!!! From past experience, I've gotten several, Hey, thanks for checking. And if it turns into a Return to Sender you can end up with the return postage. That's basically at CP's discretion.

-Lotz

[recped]

Look closely at the pic you posted, I can clearly see that each unit has it's own street number not unit numbers.

While I would be concerned mailing to a building with 200 apartments without a specific Apt # I'd have no issue sending to a building with 3 units.

[musicyouneed]

You have a good eye.  Buyer contacted me and confirmed address.  I am happy.

[needsmorerobots]

You only check people with no feedback? I check everyone regardless. I check PayPal and eBay to make sure the address matches before I use google maps to confirm the address is real.

I'll fill in extra details to an address when it doesn't take too much of my time just to make sure it gets to it's destination quickly and correctly. But if the address is wrong, I won't send it.

[pjcdn2005]

  I check everyone regardless. I check PayPal and eBay to make sure the address matches before I use google maps to confirm the address is real.

I don't feel a need to check addresses unless something about them seems odd.

As far as the address matching on the two sites, it is impossible for the after payment addresses not to match.  When a buyer pays on ebay the address showing at that time will be the payment address and will be the only address shown to the seller on both sites.  The only time an address would be different is if you compared address on ebay before the buyer paid and the address on PP after payment.

[needsmorerobots]

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@pjcdn2005 wrote:

  I check everyone regardless. I check PayPal and eBay to make sure the address matches before I use google maps to confirm the address is real.

I don't feel a need to check addresses unless something about them seems odd.

As far as the address matching on the two sites, it is impossible for the after payment addresses not to match.  When a buyer pays on ebay the address showing at that time will be the payment address and will be the only address shown to the seller on both sites.  The only time an address would be different is if you compared address on ebay before the buyer paid and the address on PP after payment.

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It's not impossible. I had a buyer about 8 months ago where the address on eBay Canada and PayPal were not the same after receiving payment. 

The address on eBay was his new home in a different city he had purchased. The address on PayPal was his former residence he was still moving stuff from.

I spoke to the buyer and told him to update his PayPal info to match his current address.

I haven't encountered something like that before or since. I like to think I saved myself from grief by being a creature of habit.