Seller changed delivery times after item was shipped and gave out invalid Custom's ID when i asked

[dreyamber]

So I bought a game from the seller on DEC 4th. As soon as the payment cleared later that day, the item was marked as shipped.

I made sure before buying the item to take screenshots of the item description (the description did not mention the condistion of the disk ie if there were any scratches or not and I could not message the seller until AFTER I bought the item strangely) and I took screenshots of the shipping dates their store offered. Their store said that shipment to Canada would take 7-15 business days. To me the date sounded right since I've gotten packages from the states before and they've taken about that time.

So a few days ago I asked them who would be delivering the package so I could let my parents know who to watch for in case I was at work. The Seller informed me that it was USPS and the shipment would take 10-21 business days. After mentioning to them that that differed not only from their own store's delivery estimates but from e-bay's delivery estimates, meaning that with hilidays anf weekends factored in, i may not get my package until after the new year... meaning that i'd be waiting at least a month for it. 

The Seller simply said blah blah just an estimate and to "give it some more time". They said no tracking number is provided for standard international shipping. At that point, I hadn't even received a custom's notice.

So after 2 days of either being sick or getting home late from work, I called USPS this morning and explained the situation. Here's what I was told by the kind lady at the USPS:

1. Standard International shipping is actually called "First class shipping" and

2. Both Standard shipping -within the USA- and "first class Shipping" come with a tracking number,

3. Since this is related to merchandise, if I'm not given a tracking number that comes with a package, I neede to be given a valid customs number (according to her this is REQUIRED) , and those numbers can start with LP or CP and end in US.

4. She also stated that it usually takes 7- 15 business days to get from the seller's state to my province.

5. She also advised that I contact e-bay if I don't receive it by the estimated delivery date and to try to get the tracking or customs ID from the buyer.

I messaged the seller back telling him these things and while i was at work, they sent me a customs ID. Tried tracking them on both USPS and Canada Post and both said it was an invalid number.

Seller tried giving me this and tried calling it a customs ID number: R000000201327

I messaged them back asking them for a real tracking number/customs ID anf if not to track and tell me where my package was, telling them that if they couldn't give me an actual customs ID number or a tracking number, I'd ask Ebay to fix the issue. I ended the message what if I didn't get the package by the 18th, I'd be filing a claim.

Should I just skip waiting for the package and tell e-bay what's going on or wait to see if the package shows up or not -and see if the quality matches up or not?

USPS tracking false number for game.jpg ‏128 KB

[femmefan1946]

The USPS is optimistic about delivery times.

There is increased shipping during the holidays.

Post Offices do hire more staff during rush periods.

At the moment Canada Post is suggesting that parcels sent to the USA by December 10 (last Tuesday), will probably arrive by Christmas Eve.

http://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/personal/campaigns/holiday/default.jsf#datesSection

Canada Post won't have a tracking number until it gets to Canada. And it won't have a customs tracking number in any case. Try the Canadian Border Services Agency website.They handle customs.

[dreyamber]

I have 2 packages coming from the states right now. One of them (a poster) was sent 2 days after the game package, and the poster is already in Montreal. I should get the poster on Thursday

"At the moment Canada Post is suggesting that parcels sent to the USA by December 10 (last Tuesday), will probably arrive by Christmas Eve."

The game is coming FROM the USA and was sent on Dec 4th... soo by that logic 7-15 days would be on the 18. Canada post does not have estimates for packages coming from the states additionally, the rates you see on the Canada post site if for post sent to a Canadian address from another Canadian address. Furthermore, Canada Post does not Operate on Christmas day or Boxing day.

So here's the dates they WILL NOT be operating on:

21, 22 (weekend) , Tentative 23 as there's an expected storm expected this year, possibly 24th as most businesses close early from noon to 6pm (mail for our street is not delivered past 2:30 pm) 25, 26, 28, 29, (weekend), 31, Jan 1 2014.

http://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/aboutus/corporate/holidayschedule.jsf

And you're saying it'll be delivered before Christmas? When I originally made my post the expected storm on the 23rd was not even in the forecast so don't give me that.

And as for the USPS, here's the shipping schedule for the holidays for packages expected to arrive around the Holidays:


Holiday Dates for International Mail

Calculated for December 25, 2013.

Destination : Canada:

Global Express Guaranteed® Service 2: Dec 19
Priority Mail Express International™ Service: Dec 16
Priority Mail International® Service: Dec 12
First-Class Mail International® Service: Dec 9

2 GXG® Notes:

Cutoff date does not take into account time needed for customs clearance.
Should allocate extra transit day(s) for delivery outside major cities.

https://www.usps.com/holiday/holiday-shipping-dates.htm

Now remember, the Seller said that it's using "standard international shipping" which according to USPS is known as First-Class.

USPS also said that a VALID Customs' ID number is needed if the seller will not offer or give you a tracking number, as it's required for shipments/ packages related to merchandise. After they learned the story, they speculate that the seller actually sent it later than what they're telling me, and are changing the EDD and not giving me the proper Customs ID/ tracking info because they want to hide their mistake or because something else is going on.

Now, I've received packages from E-bay last year during this time -Christmas season and they arrived within their EDD which was supprising because one was a computer case fan that came from South Korea and it arrived before I received a computer LED Kit from the US - so i know that if you buy early enough, you'll get them before Christmas and it'll be within the EDD.

I also tried the customs ID the seller sent me on both the American and Canadian border services site as well as other package tracking sites and none were able to track my package saying I have an invalid number. The seller knows this and I'm awaiting their response -assuming that they don't work on the weekends- however checking their recent reviews, may people are reporting getting their products several days late, they did not get any help when they did not receive the item or the item quality did not match the description (which makes me wonder how good does the seller think "very good" quality is but again, i was unable to message him until after I bought the item).

Now yes, I did check out the feed before i bought the item and after looking through a few pages of Positive, neutral and Negative feedback, i thought that the positive feedback was stronger and more accurate. However, looking over the most recent comments -from the past few days/ last week- I can see that others are having similar problems.

Question still stands, should I wait till Wednesday/ Thursday to contact E-bay or what? If the Seller gave me the reference ID they must have been able to -or are able to- track the package and give me some sort of idea where it is right?

[dreyamber]

ok so i got a few messages to and from the seller.

They're now saying that it's going to take 3-4 weeks to get to me. WHAT!?

US Standard - 4-9 Business Days - Tracking Included
US Priority - 2-3 Business Days - Tracking Included
Canada - 7-15 Business Days - No Tracking < he refuses to answer why this is not accurate with what he's telling me
Worldwide - 7-21 Business Days - No Tracking

Again, I've spoken to USPS who have said that international standard shipping is First class and THAT THIS SHIPMENT METHOD DOES COME WITH A TRACKING NUMBER.

Package is now considered late as per E-bay and USPS's delivery date.

Package was sent on Dec 4th. Waiting 3-4 weeks/ 7-21 business days will put me at or in around the deadline to file a claim. This is why I'm upset.

They continue to refuse to give me a valid tracking number claiming that "We have already provided you with the customs ID number."

should I file the claim now or just wait till friday (as monday we're expecting a storm) ?