Buyer asked for a different shipping address after item was shipped.

[smille76]

Hi!

I've been using ebay since 2001 mostly as a buyer and sometimes I sell stuff too. I have 100% feedback and take great pride in providing excellent service when I ship my items to my buyers.

I sold a few items recently and had the first issue with a buyer since I started selling items.

I am located in Canada and had a buyer from NJ, USA buy an used handheld Nintendo console from me a few days ago. I waited for the buyer to send the payment and I shipped the item the following morning using EMS shipping to the USA with full tracking and signature.

However, once the item was shipped, the buyer contacted me thru ebay messaging system and asked that I send her the item to an alternate address. Apparently, she has moved recently and forgot to update her infos on file in eBay/Paypal profiles.

I told her that I could not do anything for her because it is mandatory for me to ship to the specified address that ebay/Paypal provides as the verified address and the item was already on it's way and too late to cancel the shipment.

This morning, as expected, the USPS attempted delivery at her ebay/Paypal verified address and the item was reported as "undeliverable" and returned to me. I informed her about this situation and she will try to intercept the package at her local post office before it is returned.

If the item is returned (valued at 105$ CAD + 20$ shipping), what are my best options? Should I refund her fully minus the return shipping fees? Cancel the transaction? Offer a second chance offer to the runner-up in the auction?

Thanks for helping, my only goal is to provide full satisfaction, keep my perfect 100% feedback and that everybody is satisfied. Your suggestions are welcome !

Cheers,

[reallynicestamps · Accepted solution]

Does the buyer accept responsibility for her error?

Attitude plays a bid part in this.

When the shipment is returned let her know.

Ask about her intentions.

Give her the choice of cancelling and getting her PURCHASE price back, but not the shipping cost which went to the courier, or sending you the shipping cost again, using Paypal's Send Money service.

We'll assume she had already corrected her address in PP.

Keep it polite and professional.

If it gets nasty, put her on your Blocked Bidder List and refund.

You may not make any money on this, but not every transaction will go smoothly.

[smille76]

Hi,

Thanks a lot for the useful insight!

She seems nice and friendly so far. When I told her the item was already on its way to her old address, she responded that it was her fault not updating the information in PP/ebay and she'll try to intercept it at the post office.

Now it depends if she is fast enough to get to the package before it is returned. If it is returned, I'll use your method if she stays calm and nice with me!

Will keep you updated on the outcome.

Cheers

[smille76]

Hi,

Just a quick question, should I deduct the return fees that I will obvously have to pay to the refunded amount?

Example, if the item costs 105$ + 20$ shipping, it will probably cost around the same amount to return it to me, about 20$. Lets's say that I get it back with a 20$ bill from the post office, can I charge her for this expense since it was her fault that the item was delivered to the wrong adress?

Thanks!!

[pjcdn2005]

I've never been charged by the po for an item that was returned because I wasn't deliverable although I have heard that they will charge in. some cases.  I suppose that it would be within your right to do so but if I was going to charge her that amount, I might split that cost with her just as a show of goodwill.  But that's totally up to you.

[silverpinups]

Let's say that I get it back with a 20$ bill from the post office, can I charge her for this expense since it was her fault that the item was delivered to the wrong address?

Yes, charge her for the return shipping. If she doesn't agree then cancel the transaction and refund her the partial total minus, shipping charges both ways.

If she agrees then she will need to pay your "return to sender" fee and having the item re-shipped back to her.      

[ricarmic]

My (stamp) world is different from yours, and I have a higher volume (cookie jar insurance stash) to draw upon, but this same situation has happened to me a few times too.

If an item comes back to me, and me and the buyer now know the correct address, I simply reship at my cost to the buyer (doesn't matter the amount, has happened to me as well with boxes with higher shipping than in your situation). They understand that it's their fault and they also understand I did them a favour by shipping again. (I'm lucky though because I can sell the stamps that were on the box/parcel that came back, because I use  nice saleable stuff when I ship so it reduces my loss)

These days 66% of my sales (or more) each month are from repeat buyers. Some of my die hard repeat buyers are so because I did something like this for them and they remember....and come back again and again.....

This may not work in your situation or for what you sell but I thought I'd mention it......

[silverpinups]

I have a "0" tolerance policy when it comes to buyers with improper shipping addresses. If it's from a regular buyer then I will make exceptions.

Buyers should have the accounts in order before they make on-line purchases because it's just going to cause headaches, extra time, money and possibly late shipping defects for Sellers.       

[ricarmic]

Nothing wrong with a 0 tolerance policy, I'm the eternal optimist that thinks I'll turn them into a regular buyer subsequently....

[silverpinups]

I see your point of view, but if a Buyer has time to surf eBay and make a purchase they have time to change their address info....

It's a common sense situation that's going to hurt the Seller more then the Buyer depending on his/her demeanor.

[pjcdn2005]

I had to reship 2 packages this week.   The one buyer wanted it reshipped  Xpresspost so he paid for that since it was originally shipped lettermail.  The other one I reshipped at my expense as it was also letter mail and fairly inexpensive. 

[smille76]

Hi,

My buyer was able to get it from her local post office just in time so the story has a happy ending for me. She left me + feedback as well, so all is good for me.

Thanks to all that helped me, I'll definitely take note if this situation represents itself in the future.

Cheers,

S.

[reallynicestamps]

if a Buyer has time to surf eBay,,,they have time to change their address info....

Yah, well, stuff happens.

[sylviebee]

Perfect.  Just for the record:   When the buyer first realized that the package was shipped to an old address instructing her to call the PO to have it re-reouted to her new address could have worked as well.

It's worked for me in the past.