eBay

tervarg_2 · ‎08-11-2018

Hi,

I recently bid on a 128 GB Google Pixel and won on July 29th. I paid promptly and it took 2 weeks to go through GSP and I finally received it yesterday. I checked the phone and discovered it was the 32 GB version. I contacted the seller and gave them the IMEI number to confirm. They admitted that they sold both phones, messed up and sent me the wrong phone. I am in Canada and the seller shipped from North Carolina.

The seller advised what is listed below.

"Please provide tracking information along with any costs occurred so that I can make sure to refund you all shipping costs along with your bid amount."

I just had a couple of questions.

1) I am still interested in the other phone - the 128 GB. Is there a way the seller can send me that? I can get a refund and I can pay again. (Mostly because seller seems legit and it seems to be a one off mistake). If not, do I go return item option and start from there or do something else?

2) As I send this phone back to the seller in the U.S, I don't know if I will be charged due to customs to send it back to the U.S . I am in Canada. I read something about "marking it as return to sender". This is my first time buying on Ebay and there seems to be a lot of conflicting information. I've never had to send something back.

3) How will I be refunded for the import charges paid to Pitney Bowes? Will Ebay be refunding me the portion paid to Pitney Bowes?

A step by step guide would be appreciated. This is my first time using Ebay and I don't know where to start. Thank you for taking the time to help me out.

ypdc_dennis · ‎08-25-2018

Try asking Pitney Bowes at global.shipping.support@pb.com

momcqueen · ‎08-25-2018

Yes, if the case for Return was opened as Not as Described, the buyer will be refunded their import fees paid. It may take more than one attempt to call Customer Service at eBay to find a rep that understands how the MBG works under GSP but persistence pays. Or contact Pitney Bowes directly.

Smooth sailing or choppy waters, the refund of import fees with Not as Described cases is supposed to happen.

tervarg_2 · ‎08-25-2018

Yes, I asked to speak to a GSP specialist and that's when she said mentioned the manual collections team. Getting Ebay involved is better in my opinion as PB and Ebay can figure out the details and I get refunded. I even mentioned this to the rep so here's hoping.

marnotom! · ‎08-25-2018

Okay, but what sort of involvement are you expecting from eBay? eBay didn't have to go through a lot of rigamarol to ensure you received a refund of what the seller charged you, although they do have a lot of infrastructure in place to facilitate this.

There isn't the same sort of infrastructure in place to facilitate a refund from Pitney Bowes, which is why I'm thinking that dealing as closely as possible with PB is the way to go.

I wonder if some of the problem stems from the fact that Pitney Bowes won't be able to recover what it paid to the feds and whoever did the customs processing and that's why you didn't get put through to a GSP Specialist? It sounds as though your request wasn't made right off the bat.

As @momcqueen suggests, you may have to keep door-knocking until you find one that opens.

tervarg_2 · ‎08-29-2018

Hi all,

Just a quick update, it took exactly a month. However, I'm happy to report that I have been completely refunded. Ebay refunded me the import fees just a couple of minutes ago, which was what I was hoping for instead of having to deal with PB etc. (however I did email PB as well, never received a reply .) Ultimately, I believe it was the CSR I talked on Friday (Jasmine) and I mentioned the GSP Specialist as well. I believe she got in touch with the Manual Collections Department and sorted it out.

The refund was through Paypal and everything looks good.

Again, I want to thank everyone for their valuable advice and support.

momcqueen · ‎08-29-2018

I’m pleased to hear it all worked out in the end.

marnotom! · ‎08-29-2018

@tervarg_2 wrote:

Just a quick update, it took exactly a month. However, I'm happy to report that I have been completely refunded. Ebay refunded me the import fees just a couple of minutes ago, which was what I was hoping for instead of having to deal with PB etc. (however I did email PB as well, never received a reply .) Ultimately, I believe it was the CSR I talked on Friday (Jasmine) and I mentioned the GSP Specialist as well. I believe she got in touch with the Manual Collections Department and sorted it out.

The refund was through Paypal and everything looks good.

I'm glad everything worked out as well, but I'm confused about eBay "refunding" you as opposed to Pitney Bowes. Do you mean that eBay made a deposit or credit or something to your credit card PayPal account?

tervarg_2 · ‎08-29-2018

Yes, Ebay refunded me the money.

Ebay Inc. was the entity used to send money to me via Paypal. PB never got involved which is pretty much the outcome I was hoping for.

marnotom! · ‎08-30-2018

@tervarg_2 wrote:
Yes, Ebay refunded me the money.

Ebay Inc. was the entity used to send money to me via Paypal. PB never got involved which is pretty much the outcome I was hoping for.

I'm trying not to be pedantic here, but your payment for your phone was split between the seller and Pitney Bowes. eBay saw none of it at that point. I define "refund" as a return of monies paid, and while eBay may have paid you an amount equivalent to your "import charges", I suspect they'll be trying to pursue Pitney Bowes to get that amount reimbursed.

It's a bit like back in the early days of eBay when my wife used Billpoint--eBay's online payment facilitator at the time--to purchase some clothing, and either the seller didn't ship them or they didn't arrive. Billpoint actually directed us to our credit card issuer to file a chargeback. Our credit card issuer was confused by this request as they were more familiar with the workings of PayPal, and told us we had to sort this out with the "merchant". Catch-22.

In the end, we did get our funds covered by our credit card issuer, but I strongly suspect it was a courtesy credit of sorts. I have no idea if they actually tried going through Billpoint for the funds afterwards or if they just ate the loss. I suspect the latter the way one of the CSRs I spoke to was kicking up a fuss.