Buyer provided incomplete address

[onlygoodthingscanada]

Can please anyone give an advice?

Situation is: item of $20 value was shipped to US address 3 weeks ago using Light Air Packet USA (no tracking). A few days ago buyer admits through ebay messaging that item is not received and he did not include apartment number in the address provided to paypal and ebay. They insist they added apartment number but by some reason it doesn't show. Now buyer wants me to re-ship another same or similar item to their (this time complete address) or to issue them full refund.

What would you do?

[cumos55 · Accepted solution]

Buyer admits he gave you an address without the apartment number.... hopefully in eBay messaging

(1) The parcel should eventually get back to you.... if it was not delivered

I would wait for the parcel to get back to you....  Then inform the buyer that you can return the parcel to him at his cost.

This I have done..  once the parcel returned to me..... The parcel returned  and then I contacted the buyer,  who had not missed receiving the parcel

(2) Another option is to refund the buyer, and block him.... and then wait for the parcel to return ... if it does.

(3) Do not send a replacement item in the mail... The buyer may have the first purchase, and is looking for a second one... 

If the buyer lives in an apartment block with a manager, the postal delivery person might deliver to the manager's office, and the manager might  add the apartment number to the envelope.

and for all we know  the buyer could be the manager of the apartment block.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

My personal preference is number 2.... refund and wait for the parcel to return to you....  this I have done

I would never do number 3....  mainly because you now have two items ... most likely...lost in the mail.....

Number 1 works if the buyer ... really wants.... the purchase. 

[mr.elmwood]

My last neg I got for a situation like this. I queried the neg and eBay's position is to re-send.

[38e_avenue]

Unfortunately, I had the same situation about 2 years ago. I re-sent. The first one never came back.

[cumos55]

So... I am supposed to send the second copy of a book I do not have....

Depends on what was sold in the first instance....

[onlygoodthingscanada]

Thank you so much for good choice of recommendations.

I would go with solution number 2. At this point I messaged the buyer that we have to wait a few days for the item to show up at their or my address and in meanwhile I would be considering options what to do next. Sounds like they are satisfied for now.

When shipping label was being created and printed they did receive paypal shipping confirmation email with shipping details: I guess they just ignored it and did not bother to double check if address was correct.