eBay

musicyouneed · ‎01-17-2018

Have you ever had to cancel a sale and refund because you have looked high and low for the item and just can't find it.

I sold something I lives in 2016. I have it but when you have thousands of CD's listed and unlisted, sometimes things move.

I have already spent 6 hours looking for it and I give up. I am just going to apologize to the buyer and take the defect.

Any ideas?

reallynicestamps · ‎01-17-2018

I found a book two days ago that I thought was lost.

It was exactly where it should have been last summer.

Aaaargh.

momcqueen · ‎01-17-2018

While there have been a half-dozen times I searched four to six hours (or more) to find something, I’ve always found it. Once, it took me three days. I had to Xpresspost that item to make up for lost time, and included a plum of a free gift too.

Instead of canceling, I would encourage you to keep looking. I’ve ALWAYS found what I sought, and it’s always been the first place I looked but looked inattentively. Go back to where you began, and start tomorrow with fresh eyes. That’s what I would do.

(Also, start looking to see who else on eBay has the same item for sale to buy and ship to your buyer as a replacement.)

ricarmic · ‎01-17-2018

Here is my "form letter" I wrote for just this occasion....most fortunately for me, I haven't tested it yet but feel free to use whatever you like/can....I am thinking that $XX is likely double whatever the price of the lost item was.

Form letter:

============================

Hi! Thank you very much for your purchase!

I humbly apologize because I cannot find the item you have purchased.

I can provide a number of options to resolve this:

-I have a similar item. I can send it instead, with a free bonus to make up for the fact that it won’t be exactly the same as the item you purchased

Or

-if you see any other lots in my store that you are interested in that are valued anywhere up to $XX I can send it instead. (please just advise me of the title and item number you do not need to purchase it)

Or

-if you see an item that is worth more than $XX send me a question about that lot and I will send you an offer reducing the price by $XX which you can accept and then follow the normal payment process

Or

-I can provide a full refund

I apologize again for being unable to provide the item, let me know which option above you prefer when you have a chance. Thank you very much for your understanding and have a great day!!

edubb101 · ‎01-17-2018

This has had happened to me a couple times and when hope seems to be lossed the item always turns up and is usually found in a place that i already looked.

Taking a break from searching or having a 2nd set of eyes always seem to help as well.

I also double check that the missing item hasnt been sold in the past and accidentally got relisted.

At the end of the day dont give up it will turn up. Best of luck

rosscd57 · ‎01-17-2018

Ya I sold a vintage radio and a year later - for some reason I re-posted it cause I thought I still had it and it sold. I telephoned the guy and told him what had happened. He was OK with it and I refunded him and sent him a message that if he purchased another radio, I would give him 25% off and he took me up on it

Later after receiving his radio - he bought two more.

__________________________________________________________

Old enough to know better. Young enough to do it again. Crazy enough to try

jt-libra · ‎01-19-2018

@musicyouneed wrote:
Have you ever had to cancel a sale and refund because you have looked high and low for the item and just can't find it.

I sold something I lives in 2016. I have it but when you have thousands of CD's listed and unlisted, sometimes things move.

I have already spent 6 hours looking for it and I give up. I am just going to apologize to the buyer and take the defect.

Any ideas?

This happened to me last weekend. I couldn't find a lipstick I had listed. After spending most of Sunday looking for it, I ordered it from the brand's website and had it shipped directly to the customer. With their shipping cost and taxes, I lost about $20 on the order, but I felt it was my place to do that. I wasn't afraid of a defect but the customer purchased it in good faith and it was my responsibility to get it to her, one way or the other.

If I were in your shoes, I would buy the item on Amazon and have it shipped directly to your customer, unless they live in a country where the shipping cost is prohibitive. Sometimes we have to take the hit.

momcqueen · ‎01-19-2018

Your tactic for solving the problem is one with which I strongly agree. Cancelled transactions are The #1 Sin on eBay, and a strategic maneuver to avoid cancelling is the best reason, in my opinion, to dropship: to fulfil an otherwise unfulfillable order.