Bought 128 GB phone, received 32 GB phone instead.

[tervarg_2]

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]

(1) That's something to discuss with the seller.  You could even arrange to take the wrong item refund as a direct discount from the correct product, if the seller is willing.

(2) You have nothing to do with customs. The seller handles that (and only has to deal with US customs if the item is worth more than $800us).

Do not mark return-to-sender since the item was shipped through GSP, and will not get back to the sender.

Shipping costs the seller mentions will be the cost to mail it directly back to the seller. You will need his return address.  If under 1kg in weight you can use Tracked Packet USA from Canada Post, over 1kg use Expedited Parcel USA.

Postage cost calculator:

www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/far/business/findARate?execution=e1s1

Find the cost and ask the seller to refund you that amount for shipping.

Then buy the label, and send the seller the tracking number.

If you want to be nice, you can sign up for the free Solutions for Small Business membership (you do not need to be a business). This will give you shipping discounts when you buy the label through the Canada Post website (the Canada Post calculator will show the discount when you click on the show minimum online discount button). And the membership can also be used if you ship other parcels.

(3) Not sure what the Pitney-Bowes procedure is for item-not as-described refunds.

[momcqueen]

What happens when you open a Return Case for Not as Described? This is the usual procedure for a transaction gone wrong in this fashion; that the order was fulfilled through the Global Shipping Program is a wrinkle but nothing that cannot be ironed out.

[pjcdn2005 · Accepted solution]

If you haven't done so already you will have to open a return request because the item was not as described,  otherwise you won't get your import fees or international shipping fees back. Pitney Bowes (the gsp company) received those fees, not the seller so they won't be refunded unless ebay sees that their is a not as described claim open.

The seller is responsible for the cost of return shipping but because they are in another country they can't send you a shipping label for Canada Post so they would have to send you the money through PP. It would be best to receive the money before you purchase the label. If you send the item and then ask for the shipping money back, ebay cannot force the seller to reimburse you for the label.

On the customs form, mark it as returned merchandise.

[tervarg_2]

Thanks everyone, for all your help. I have contacted the seller and started the return item request. I will keep you informed as the situation updates.

[reallynicestamps]

Ask your seller if he  can open a Shippo account.

With that he may be able to buy and send you (as a pdf) a Canada Post return shipping label.

It is the SELLER's responsibility to provide the buyer with return postage and since this was very much his error, he should be paying for the return in advance, not promising to reimburse you after he has phone and your original payment in hand.

[reallynicestamps]

that the order was fulfilled through the Global Shipping Program is a wrinkle

Except that the buyer paid import fees to PB/GSP to cover duty and sales taxes.
GSP paid those-- not the buyer.

I believe this has to go through GSP to get the FULL original payment back-- as a Not As Described dispute.

And with those GSP takes responsibility, the buyer is refunded, the seller has no harm, and the buyer keeps (or tosses ) the phone.

"Fair" doesn't come into this.

[pjcdn2005]

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@reallynicestamps wrote:
 

I believe this has to go through GSP to get the FULL original payment back-- as a Not As Described dispute.

And with those GSP takes responsibility, the buyer is refunded, the seller has no harm, and the buyer keeps (or tosses ) the phone.

"Fair" doesn't come into this.

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The gsp takes responsibility for the full amount when the item is damaged in shipping or is not delivered at all.  That isn't the situation here as the seller sent the wrong item so the seller has to refund the portion paid to them and the gsp refunds the portion they were originally paid.  If the seller wants the item back they have to pay for return shipping.

[tervarg_2]

Just an update.

I bought the item on July 29th. I received it on August 9th and it was the wrong item.

I shipped it back on the 14th and it will reach the buyer on the August 23rd.

They paid $60 CAD. $30 for the package with tracking and $30 for the inconvenience.

Should I still get a refund? I already started the refund process with Item not as described. However, I'm not sure when GSP will be issuing that. I talked to the seller they said they would return it when they got the phone.

As a precaution, I took pics of the phone and items I sent. Also, that it turns on etc so that later on I can't be blamed if they didn't get it.  What else do I have to do now?

Thanks.

[marnotom!]

Did you mention the GSP or Global Shipping Program by name when you filed your claim? My understanding is that the bots handling that will see mention of the program as a flag and see that Pitney Bowes will get brought into the loop.

[tervarg_2]

No I didn't. I just selected return item and the seller accepted it.

I didn't know I had to specify that in order to get the Global Shipping Program involved.

Should I go to customer care or something now?

Thanks

[momcqueen]

Yes. Call Customer Service. If you used the Global Shipping Program and you're returning an item that is Not as Described, it follows a different path than a Remorse Return. It's important to select the proper reason when filing a return request.

[tervarg_2]

How exactly should I call them?

Just to be clear,  the seller has been nothing but great so far so I don't wanna escalate it. However, I don't know how long Pitney/Bowes is going to take to return the money so that's why the sooner I start the process than later.

Thanks

[tervarg_2]

I added the tracking number as well so that Ebay can see that I sent it back.

Anything else I need to do?

Thanks

[momcqueen]

Help and Contact is how you find the number to call. 

If ebay thinks you're sending the phone back due to it to Buyer's Remorse, you won't get your import fees refunded. This is part of the terms of use of the Global Shipping Program. If, however, the item is damaged in transit or Not as Described, you will. That's the reason you need to call Customer Service: to clarify the nature of the Return request that you opened. With a remorse return, there is no refund on import fees. As this was a case of Not As Described, you need a Customer Service Agent to check on that. Otherwise, you will be out of pocket the import fees that you've paid.

This isn't about escalation, it's about the nature of the Return case that you opened. 

[tervarg_2]

I did like you said and called them.

They reviewed it and advised that if the seller sends a replacement that they will be responsible for GSP amount. She said if I haven't received the replacement in a week from this day (August 23) it was delivered to contact them and they would escalate it.

Thanks again and I really appreciate it.

[marnotom!]

How would the seller send you a replacement? 🤔

[femmefan1946]

I shipped it back on the 14th and it will reach the buyer on the August 23rd......I'm not sure when GSP will be issuing that. 

Usually, when GSP is involved, there is no demand for return.

GSP handles the refund as a no-drama business expense, and requests the unhappy buyer to destroy or donate the unwanted item.

Keep us up to date on how this plays out-- particularly since you paid import fees to the GSP but they not you are the importer of record and it doesn't sound as if you tried to get your import fees back.

[marnotom!]

@femmefan1946, my understanding is that the GSP doesn't require the return of an item that's the subject of a SNAD claim due to damage in transit while the item was in the possession of Pitney Bowes or its agents.

The GSP does not support returns, so a situation such as the OP's where PB has no involvement in its making would have to be hashed out between the buyer and seller.

[pjcdn2005]

They don't support buyer remorse returns, they do support snad returns when the seller was at fault which was the situation in this case assuming the the buyer used a snad reason for the return request that suggests it was the sellers mistake.

However,  I don't quite understand how the replacement phone comes into it.   If it were me I would probably want to get the full refund once the seller received the wrong phone back and then repurchase the correct phone.