How should I respond? Buyer purchased item, it was sent Nov 30 still hasn't received it.

[musicyouneed]

Buyer purchased item, it was sent Nov 30 USPS media mail and the tracking shows it is still in transit and would be delayed.  Now buyer states they want a refund because it is taking so long.  I have until the 29th to respond.  They stated that it was ridiculous, that they ordered this on the 28th and no matter the reason this isn’t fair to the buyer.   This buyer has contacted me several times regarding the delay.   I think he wants a refund even if it arrives.

What I was planning to do was wait until the 28th and respond with the tracking number.  Hopefully it will be delivered by then, even so I probably will get negative feedback. 

What would you do, I don't really want to refund as the delay is not my fault but covid, christmas and USPS's fault?

[marnotom!]

I think waiting until the 28th to respond is fine, particularly given that the tracking information states that the item hasn’t disappeared, only that it’s delayed.

This buyer seems to think that an “item not received” claim is an “item delayed” claim and that delivery estimates are gospel. What is the last delivery date stated in the listing, anyway?

[musicyouneed]

He lives in New York, they just had a major snow storm.  On the ebay order page it shows:

[kawartha-ephemera]

Since it sounds like the buyer has already gone off the deep end I would not refund quite yet. If the buyer cannot escalate until the 29th send a message stating if the item hasn't arrived by end of business on the 24th she/he will be refunded., if it hasn't arrived by then just refund. Who knows, maybe it'll show up in the next couple of days. If you're feeling lucky you could even let it slide a day or two after Boxing Day, that would make the 28th refund day. The buyer should have learned by now life isn't fair. Good luck.

[marnotom!]

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@musicyouneed wrote:

He lives in New York, they just had a major snow storm.  On the ebay order page it shows [estimated delivery date of 18 December]

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Interesting.  When I look up the listing, the delivery estimate is given as 8-27 business days to my location on Vancouver Island(!) via Priority International and 6-12 business days to New York via "standard delivery".

For what it's worth, I'd consider changing your Media Mail descriptor on your listings from "standard delivery" to "economy" to buy you a bit of extra time.  Media Mail is one of the slowest domestic mailing methods that USPS offers, and COVID has just made it worse.

[musicyouneed]

I was thinking of doing that tool,  changing it to economy, especially in the days of covid.  Thanks

[musicyouneed]

I have gone through all my listing on .com and changed it to economy.  In future that should give it enough time. Thanks

[reallynicestamps]

What I was planning to do was wait until the 28th and respond with the tracking number.

Why wait until the 28th?

Give him the tracking number now. Was there a reason not to upload it to eBay as soon as you knew it?

You might also politely remind him that he paid on Saturday and you mailed on Monday.  People have trouble with the concept of weekends and holidays.

Has the buyer actually opened a Dispute? Or is he just nagging?

The former requires an immediate response, but he can't open it until the last estimated date for delivery has passed.

If he is just nagging, and has given you time to answer, you may be able to get him off your back by supplying the tracking number.

Why wait?

[ricarmic]

I've had this exact situation for a shipment to BC, and internationally in the last few days.

In my opinion it is always best to try to leave the case "action" in the buyers hands. (I think the automagic process might invoke if there have been no seller responses of any kind within the case, messaging or otherwise)

If you add the tracking number (which I would do ASAP) it puts the case into "waiting for buyers response" mode*.

The same happens if you leave a message for the buyer, it puts the "action"* into the buyers hands (*and they can't escalate until the date identified in the email you got for the case).

My form letters are in this thread:

https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/RICARMICs-current-INR-questions-or-Case-form-letters/m-p...

Note that if the buyer responds with a question for you, it puts the "action" back on you.

This is what happened with one of mine, the buyer kept responding. I was lucky because before the due date the item started showing progress in the tracking so I sent messages with updates of the progress in the case, this tended to keep the "action" on the buyers side.

[musicyouneed]

The tracking number is on ebay already but I can add it again.    This is how it shows:

[ricarmic]

In my case it was not in the case (mine was tracked too).

If you put in the tracking information, that should make it waiting for buyers response, at least it did for me.

For some unknown reason the case does not automagically pick up the tracking information, which it should.

[ricarmic]

If you are lucky and any progress shows in the tracking, send update messages to the buyer via the case, this keeps it in "waiting for buyer response", and shows eBay that you're doing your part to keep the buyer updated, as well as the buyer themselves, although this looks like a problem buyer, I trust you've already blocked them....

[musicyouneed]

UPDATE:  The item was delivered Dec 31/20.  Case closed.  Buyer has not provided any feedback, which in my case is good due to USPS delays.  This buyer left 6 negatives out of 25.  I am blocking him from buying more from me. 

[lady.stark]

If it was delivered on the 31, does it mean you had to refund the buyer? Or by adding the tracking number to the case, it gave you extra time in the dispute?

[ricarmic]

I would like to know the answer as well, my understanding is that:
-if the "action" is on the buyer ("waiting for buyers response") in the case, the BOTs will not close against the seller automagically
-it requires the buyer to escalate to ebay, which in musics case here should have fallen favourably because the tracking showed delivery (unless the BOTS automagically close it when ebay recognizes the tracking shows delivery and the buyer has not escalated it)

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@ricarmic wrote:
I would like to know the answer as well, my understanding is that:
-if the "action" is on the buyer ("waiting for buyers response") in the case, the BOTs will not close against the seller automagically
-it requires the buyer to escalate to ebay, which in musics case here should have fallen favourably because the tracking showed delivery (unless the BOTS automagically close it when ebay recognizes the tracking shows delivery and the buyer has not escalated it)

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For comparison how late/slow deliveries  has been handled on ebay . uk below. The verbiage and the urgency is definitely "different".

https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Announcements/UK-Sellers-Limited-Royal-Mail-delivery-services-amp-se...

https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Announcements/Update-on-Seller-protection-for-Cross-Border-transacti...

https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Announcements/IE-Sellers-COVID-19-delivery-amp-seller-protection-upd...

Those were the most recent. There were more. Similar results on au.

-Lotz