How will ebay handle this scenario

[tobyshitzu]

Buyer pays, I ship using  a paypal expedited label to the "confirmed" address provided

CP sends us both notice of incomplete address with item to be returned

Buyer messaged me his appartment # in case I need it(!) while the parcel is still in his city.  Turns out its a big multi unit building he only provided an address for the building 

Buyer instantly opens a non  received case

I get carded to pickup the parcel, where I have to pay full retail return postage.  The claim will close tomorrow.  I already have a defect from the late july sale date

[mr.elmwood]

Don't you "win" because you have a tracking number?

[momcqueen]

I'm certain you can appeal that defect because it can hardly be considered YOUR fault the buyer didn't know where he lives. Tracking will demonstrate it was undeliverable as a result of his error and not yours. Call to have the defect lifted. You're stuck, however, for the losses on postage. Can you roll it into the asking price of the item when you relist it for sale?

[pjcdn2005]

I think that they should remove the defect because the tracking should show that delivery was attempted. But I would phone and ask them to remove the defect as they may not do it automatically. If the first says that it can't be done, phone back and try with the next rep. Apparently there's no consistency when it comes to things like that.

[tobyshitzu]

This was more of a quiz, I started this when I phoned, and the call went quicker then I expected.  First time I phoned ebay in some number of years

First rep was American, understood the situation easily and said it wouldn't be a problem.  But all he could do was make some notes and transfer me to someone who could do something

The next. Rep was clearly overseas.  Despite the notes we had to go through things again.  Then she had to put me on hold while she reviewed the guidelines.  I'm thinking this is not going to go well

She came back, said the case will be closed in your favour and you don't have to anything further.  

So I have the item back, and all the moey, no claim, defect supposed to auto remove soon, and any fb from the buyer will be removed if left. .  I expexed to hear from the buyer in a rage by now, but havent

[mr.elmwood]

You shouldn't hear from the buyer as they know they gave you an invalid address.

[momcqueen]

Surely the seller is obligated by ebay to return the monies paid for an undeliverable package? 

[tobyshitzu]

acorrding to ebay, no there is no obligation to do anything.  That is the part i figured people would be surprised by

I just mulling over what I want to do.  I wouldnt necessarily mind sending the buyer what I gained, but after 2X shipping and the fees involved there isnt that much left.  I had already offerred to reship at his expense, which he didnt seem to keen on.  Or i could follow ebays instruction and consider it case closed, perhaps not poking the bear is better

This would not have gone this way if it was the 99% of my transactions that aren't shipped with tracking.  It has happened a numebr of times, with soemtimes me findign out a month after the buyer opened a claim and the item arrived back.  Also seemed importat that the buyer actually corrected the address in his message 

[momcqueen]

That is very interesting. 

As much as I hate having to accept the cost for postage with tracking, there is much to be said for it. I do believe most people are honest but.....

[pjcdn2005]

I'm glad things worked out for you.  I'm not really surprised that's what happened as it sounds similar to what they do when a buyer refuses a package but I wasn't sure if they would consider this a similar situation. 

I am surprised that you only had to phone once!

[momcqueen]

This is the same process followed as when a buyer refuses to accept a package? Also very interesting.

I've only had two 'returns' that I can recall and neither were an actual return. Both had been refused by their new overseas owners because they hadn't expected to be assessed duty. Taxes on import. Customs fees. (Italy and the UK are both very certain to collect as is Germany but the Germans seems more accustomed to the idea and are not so much taken by surprise.)

With my two incidents, both had been sent and returned via Small Packets Airmail so I was surprised to find them on my doorstep. I gritted my teeth and refunded the buyers since I would have had to do so if they had filed an Item Not Received and gifted me a defect for it. I had no electronic way to prove they had been refused, only the noted parcels in my hands that said 'refused' and I was not confident that would have ben accepted by ebay or paypal as good enough.

The whole official Returns process as has been set out by ebay and its Money Back Guarantee makes more sense than having a buyer randomly refusing parcels. I don't know that it would have solved my problem, however. The buyers would have had to claim their parcels, pay duty, send them back to me at their own cost with tracking, and then apply to their government for a refund on import fees since they could demonstrate that the merchandise had been returned. 

It really is a leap of faith to buy internationally, isn't it? I wish more new buyers understood the risks. It would save them being disillusioned by ebay in general. 

[pjcdn2005]

I don't know if the policy would have helped in your situation because there is  no online proof that the buyer refused the shipment. In a situation like that I would first try to get the buyer to admit in a message that they sent it back and why they did.

Here's the policy

Generally, the buyer is responsible for accepting the item when it arrives. If the buyer refuses delivery, their claim is not eligible for the eBay Money Back Guarantee.

Exceptions:

• The buyer can provide, via written proof from the carrier, that they refused the package because it arrived empty or was damaged in shipping

• The buyer accepted and opened the package only to determine that it was an empty box

• The item arrived COD because it didn't have enough postage on it

The buyer is responsible for paying any customs and duty fees for international shipping.

Exception:

• The seller overstated the value of the item, which caused customs fees to be higher

  http://pages.ebay.ca/help/policies/money-back-guarantee.html