How to refund an old item not received.
Just had a message from a buyer saying that her package was not receive, it was mail in early July, and is no longer coming up in old orders. Is there a way to refund it?
21 comments
Just had a message from a buyer saying that her package was not receive, it was mail in early July, and is no longer coming up in old orders. Is there a way to refund it?
lotzofuniquegoodies
·2 years ago@triber
@devon@ebay
Refunding is even a problem for brand new unpaid orders.
I just went to send a revised invoice for reduced shipping. In the drop down there is NO option to do so. I have to hope the buyer is able to do from their end. Sending correct invoices and avoiding refunding should not be this difficult.
-Lotz
lotzofuniquegoodies
·2 years agoFollowup:
The customer had no option to request a revised invoice.
pjcdn2005
·2 years agoWhich screen were you on? If the buyer hasn't paid there should be an invoice option. I thought that is was on the awaiting payment screen.
lotzofuniquegoodies
·2 years agoSending an invoice was not available. eBay streamlining stuff? (PC)
rocketscollectibles
·2 years agoI like to think of these folks as being helpful, patient optimists
I personally think the total opposite lol. Someone showing a lack of interest in receiving their item to me point that it's because they already have it. No one in this world legit waits 4 months without updates before wondering if it's gonna be delivered. Unless they forgot they ordered. Those cases seems to tend to be unexperienced buyers who don't know about money back guarantee timelines, testing their luck for refunds. I would be curious to know if it's a low feedback/new buyer here to support my theory.
ricarmic
·2 years agoI personally think the total opposite lol. Someone showing a lack of interest in receiving their item to me point that it's because they already have it. No one in this world legit waits 4 months without updates before wondering if it's gonna be delivered. Unless they forgot they ordered
Someone who's out to get a seller isn't going to wait so long (too long in fact) to commit their "crime".
Your audience is quite different from mine. The online world has perhaps made things a little bit more "criminal" in my world, but I have been selling to my audience for 45 years now, and in my own experience, the % of "criminals" vs "helpful patient (and yes sometimes forgetful*) optimists" is very very small relatively speaking. My audience has also been utilizing the mailorder business environment for well over 100 years now so there is also a much greater depth of "postal experience" and related expectations, especially amongst overseas buyers.
*a couple times now I've received an item RTS (Return to Sender) and have contacted the buyer and they did advise that they forgot they ordered it, so of course they never followed up about it not arriving, so yes forgetting is also quite possible! I do think some buyers buy a LOT of stuff, so one or two never showing up might go unnoticed unless they're very detailed oriented folks.
rocketscollectibles
·2 years agoSomeone who's out to get a seller isn't going to wait so long (too long in fact) to commit their "crime"
Someone who did not receive an order isn't going to wait 4 months neither. This point isn't really valid.
But not every thief steal premeditatedly. Not everyone know exactly how to exploit the system too (timelines to claim). Some people had not intentions to false claim prior buying, but just take opportunities after. Those claims are casual buyers, they don't come on ebay for months, then just test their luck not fully knowing what they're doing. If i'm told in this thread that this is not a low feedback casual buyer then i'll believe it could be legit. If it's a casual buyer, then it just point to my theory.
femmefan1946
·2 years agoWas the customer in touch about the INR purchase earlier?
What does their feedback for others look like?
Is the customer threatening a credit card chargeback?
Did you use tracking and did you file the tracking information -- preferably on paper which does suddenly disappear?
If you have tracking information and Proof of Delivery, the customer's chargeback claim would fail.
triber
OP2 years agoNo, this was the first message. "never received, can u update". She is making no threats.
It as a small package pattern, no tracking.
Feedback is not bad, a few complaints but only one neutral, can she still leave bad feedback? It seems as if eBay doesn't expect sellers need to refund after 60 days.
I have suggested that she check and see if there is anything else in my store and let me know and we can work it out. I don't know what else I can do. I don't have a Paypal account.
lotzofuniquegoodies
·2 years ago@triber
When I was speaking to agent recently regarding the sending a second refund they "suggested" the buyer could open a case from their end. Not sure again if that will work after 60 days. That could be the new drop dead limit in play. Unfortunately for international shipments especially to ones with not the greatest of mail services over 60 days can happen. In the distant past when I did ship using surface to the UK (heavier items) 8 to 12 weeks was routine and okay as per buyers. Major patience was required. I tend to lean that eBay mailing estimates are best case scenarios especially when it comes to international postal services.
-Lotz
ilikehockeyjerseys
·2 years agoThey may be able to open an INR case through contacting eBay's customer service and having them manually open one. Unless something has changed, buyers can still open INR cases after 60 days, they just cannot do it manually. Sellers do not have to refund INR cases that are opened after 60 days, but sellers may have to contact eBay directly to have that kind of INR closed.
While it is against eBay policy for people to exchang info for the purposes of circumventing eBay's payment system (re: fees), you are allowed to exchange contact info with a buyer after a payment is made for any reason related to the transaction. This includes Paypal or eTransfer info for the purpose of a refund that cannot be processed through eBay.
You should consider two things:
1 - You will not get your eBay fees back. With a standard INR refund, you receive the fees back.
2 - Depending on how long ago this was, and how they contacted you, eBay may not realize this was your customer if they somehow intercept you exchanging contact info. They claim to scan messages for this sort of thing, but I have no idea how likely that is.
If this is a very cheap item and the person doesn't have a profile loaded with comments about INRs (either received or left for others), I doubt this is a scam. With that said, a buyer waiting 60+ days to inform you that an item did not arrive is excessive. It makes it a lot more difficult and time consuming for you to refund them. It also makes it impossible for you to recover your fees.
triber
OP2 years agoI never thought this was a scam, no idea why it would take so long to inform me it hadn't arrived. Yes, a cheap item, and I am not concerned about the fees being refunded. I just wish she had informed me a couple of months ago, she must have known it hadn't arrived. I like to think my buyers are happy, but sometimes it seems there really is nothing you can do.
ricarmic
·2 years agoI like to think of these folks as being helpful, patient optimists.
I appreciate their extra patience (especially so for folks in south america for example).
It is a pain with the current eBay ruleset to fix these up though....
msmaggie060
·2 years agoTriber, I would just tell her to open an INR case and either eBay will tell her it is too late and won't allow it or they will allow her to open one and then I think you will be able to refund. I do understand just wanting to refund a customer for a low cost item though, it makes you feel better, and you never know, they may have become a repeat buyer too.
ilikehockeyjerseys
·2 years agoI agree, and in the same situation I would likely give the customer a courtesy refund.
I wouldn't judge a seller who says that they would refuse the refund. Given that it is 60 days after the delivery date, we're talking almost 3 months here. I don't reasonably expect customers to be familiar with eBay's policies, but it is the responsibility of both buyers and sellers to understand them. 60-80 days (depending on the delivery date) is a pretty generous window to claim a refund.
msau4301
·2 years ago"Feedback is not bad, a few complaints but only one neutral, can she still leave bad feedback? It seems as if eBay doesn't expect sellers need to refund after 60 days."
As other's have said it's past the window and you could tell her that but with reference to your question
can she leave bad feedback. No feedback can be left after 60 days so she can't (and if it was early July it's almost 120 days!)
lotzofuniquegoodies
·2 years ago@triber
You should be able access on your transaction page under payments. Just switch from 90 days to custom from top line.
Correction. Spoke to soon. The feature to send refunds is limited to current transactions only. It appears to have been removed for anything over 90 days in both transactions and payouts. As a side note you can ONLY send 1 refund per transaction.
-Lotz
triber
OP2 years agoThanks, yes, I could go back 60 days but no further. Not sure what to tell the buyer, I would have expected they would have contacted me before now.
lotzofuniquegoodies
·2 years ago@devon@ebay can probably confirm but the only other way I can think of would be either a bank transfer or paypal. Charges where applicable.
-Lotz
devon@ebay
Hi @lotzofuniquegoodies! Just as you stated if the transaction was done that far back then the only options for refund would be outside of eBay.
rocketscollectibles
·2 years agoNot sure what to tell the buyer
That they are outside allowed time and that no refund will be given.
I had one person claiming an item like 4 months after ordering since i'm selling. They wrote in the message simply 'not received'. I contacted them to say it was outside ebay money back guarantee and 'considered as suspicious activities'. They instantly closed the case. Said it was a mistake. It was an unexperienced member with a small number of orders. I doubt it was a mistake, i suspect he tested his luck and it was false claim.
I would say to never refund an order when you're not in wrong or when a buyer is off rules. Buyer is the only one to blame here. There is rules and policies, and he's outside them. And you can't even know if his claim is legit.