Many items from not arriving, Tracking numbers that don't work.

[hokachu]

I think it has been since fall of 2013 (when I used Ebay more often) I have noticed that a lot of items from China do not arrive. I have had an incident where the seller said they would resend it (so to wait up to 30 more days, which meant more than 60 days total), it still never arrived. They told me they refunded it through Paypal, but the refund never arrived. It was past the time limit to dispute it so I had to go through my bank (after calling Paypal and Ebay for help) to force a refund for a $5 item. And I was unable to leave negative feedback after 45 days. Which does not make sense to me. The deadline for feedback should be 6 months. To be fair to those who never receive an item. Right now it benefits only the sellers. The worst sellers probably deserve more negative feedback, but they push things past the deadline so they don't even get most of the negative feedback they would get without a time limit. 

After November I assumed the mail was slow due to holidays, but it is almost April now and I am surprised and happy if a package even arrives at all. It isn't just delays. The items never arrive. Reading feedback suggests many people experience these same issues. I have had to open several disputes, which end up with refunds after waiting over a month for items. I bought an item because I want the item. They are offering to sell items they don't even have in stock in some stores. If I buy from an Ebay shop I expect the item to arrive, and an item not arriving, or being out of stock should be a rare exception. 

I have been given tracking numbers that do not work through the postal service they are said to be through. They also don't show up on Canada Post. And then the item never arrives in the end anyway. And for one item that was apparently sent back to the store (which had a tracking number that didn't work), they suddenly did not have the item available to send again, or to resell when I said I really wanted that item? Most sellers don't even respond to my messages until I open a dispute. 

Items are shipped long after the seller says they are shipped. Several weeks after the payment sometimes, but the seller sets to say it is shipped automatically after payment is received. Which means the 45 day deadline is really hard to follow.

There are also stores which give false advertising. They say an item is $1, and then in the pull down menu it is $30. It is misleading. 

I think Ebay needs to have stricter enforcement for shops that do not ship in a proper manner, lie about goods being sent, refund too many customers, and they should extend the deadline for leaving feedback. 

I am currently in a  dispute for an item that was supposedly sent on Feb 17th (I paid for it on Feb 9th). The deadline is looming yet again. The seller said to wait another week. It shouldn't take two months to arrive. Especially with the amount of trade between Canada and China. Several other items are already past three weeks and I wish I could confidently believe they will arrive if I am patient, but after three weeks the item rarely arrives.

I am worried that all these disputes will make me look like I am purposely causing problems. If I have to dispute, maybe 50% of transactions, do I get flagged? 

[dmil8030]

Hello 'hokachu',

If you don't mind my asking, why do you continue to buy from a country which has, according

to you, repeatedly treated you so shabbily?

At this point, if you have not already done so, read through the following link from top to bottom:

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/buy/item-not-received.html

It is the most important information you will find for yourself on ebay.

Now, when an item does not arrive, never mind all the sweet-talk and promises of replacements.

How many times are you willing to endure that before you begin to suspect you are being played?

Sure, items from overseas take a long time, and those sent cheap-o post will not have tracking

and will be slow to arrive.

But if you do not have the item by day 40, contact the seller.

If, by, say, day 43, you do not have a refund or your item, - one or the other, - open a dispute.

You do not have to conclude the dispute by day 45, - just start the process.

And you might want to cease all communication at that point.  After all, it's not doing you any good.

Do not, no matter what, close that claim until you have either your item or your refund.

Just do it, - just open the dispute by day 43.  Ignore any pleading and promises, and do not

close the dispute until you have your item or your money.

You have 60 days in which to leave feedback, and no time limit to respond to any that was left

for you, or which you may have left already.

And you might give some thought to buying your items closer to home.  You may have believed

that buying those items was cheaper, but when nothing arrives, how much have you 'saved'?

Best of luck.

[patken123]

Not much more to add,demill said it all.

One thing I do want say,that almost all sellers from China are aware of the ebay rules so if ebay tell you 45 days is enough then why would you think that's not enough,they are infact telling us buyers not to wait longer than 40 days,file a claim and get the refund quickly but you seem to want to give the seller much longer grace period than ebay,all you have to do is if the item ever showed up,just re send the money.

[hocotatefreight]

I've purchased plastic items (lipstick holder), nail supplies (gems), hats (all great), paper products (folding papers to make origami stars with).  These are the items off the top of my head, there have been many more.  I've never NOT received something...ever.  Once, something took 42 days to get to me but I got it and all was well.  I'm not sure if I'm just lucky but I also have an extremely strict standard for feedback, 99.8% or higher. 

I think it's extremely problematic to start painting whole countries as not worth buying from.  Hell, whole continents, seems unreasonable.  There are some things I would never buy but I wouldn't exclude any country or seller if the feedback, price and items are up to my standards.

Edit:  Yep, checked, FB for the half dozen or so I checked wouldn't meet my standard.  I think we need to start thinking about how anyone could legitimately sell some of those items at a reasonable cost without something giving out.