Shipping delay

[nightclaw-x]

I'm a seller from another country and I sold an item which was estimated to arrive late Dec-early Jan yet my buyer still has not received it. Last known tracking states that it arrived in Canada just before Christmas.

Upon checking, I find that shipping is delayed to the weather but my buyer is upset and wants a refund. I messaged the buyer about the reason it is delayed and am currently waiting for the buyer to respond. Hopefully my buyer will be understanding...

But why is there no announcement by ebay? Will I be covered under seller protection?

•  http://bc.ctvnews.ca/weather-staffing-blamed-for-weeks-long-delay-in-mail-delivery-1.3236043
•  http://globalnews.ca/news/3174506/difficult-weather-conditions-in-metro-vancouver-can-extend-deliver...
• https://business.help.royalmail.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5317/~/international-incidents-update#Ca...

[kitschnvintage]

This is what the ebay help pages say to do:

Here's what we found for "Buyer hasn't received an item you shipped"

If you've got tracking details, upload them so you and the buyer can track the shipment. Delivery confirmation from your shipping carrier covers you in cases where buyers claim they didn't receive the package. However, the item must have been sent within your stated handling time, and you should've provided the tracking details to the buyer.

If the buyer hasn't received the package yet:

• Contact the buyer to confirm that the package was sent to the correct address
• Contact the shipping carrier to report the missing package
• If tracking details show the package has been in transit for 7 days (10 for international shipments), you should refund the buyer, and get the package back from the shipping carrier 

I am thinking you will have to refund the buyer but tell them that when the item does arrive you will send them an invoice through PayPal so they can repay you.  

[kitschnvintage]

Where does the tracking show the item is? Does it still show sitting in customs or is there tracking after that?

[momcqueen]

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@themodernowl wrote:

This is what the ebay help pages say to do:

• If tracking details show the package has been in transit for 7 days (10 for international shipments), you should refund the buyer, and get the package back from the shipping carrier 

I am thinking you will have to refund the buyer but tell them that when the item does arrive you will send them an invoice through PayPal so they can repay you.  

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I've never seen or heard of this before and I've been buying and selling and shipping international since 2006. Has anyone here done this? Is it even do-able? Who pays Return shipping? I'd want some explicit clarification from ebay Canada staff about this before I would chose that route. It's hardly the fault of the seller if the carrier is dragging their heels.

And, yes, if you shipped with tracking and gained your acceptance scan within your promised handling time, you are safe from defect. Feedback is another matter entirely. 

Have you tried to contact the carrier? Maybe they can explain the problem.

[pjcdn2005]

USPS does have a recall feature so that may be what they are referring to but I doubt that would help the op.  I think USPS charges $12 for domestic recalls but I would be surprised if it can be done with international packages.  

The second suggestion made by owl is probably more pertinent to the op as they would likely likely lose a  claim if there has been no info on the package for a couple of weeks.  

[momcqueen]

That information must be from ebay.com. Seven days for domestic delivery doesn't even get a package delivered to northern Quebec from Winnipeg. If this were the case, every Canadian seller would lose every INR filed for parcels en route with tracking to locations where the delivery estimate is 13 business days at best. Neither can it be relevant for Tracked Packet. To Europe and beyond the EDD for those areas starts at 10 business days. Again, every Canadian seller would lose every INR filed for parcels en route with tracking to any international location but the USA. It cannot be correct. 

[kitschnvintage]

No I copied it from dot CA ~ I have always found it "amusing" that ebay says to call the carrier and get the package back ~ like it's something so simple ... if they could do that so easily then I'm sure the package would have been delivered in a timely fashion 🙂

But I think the main point is that if the package has not been delivered by the last estimated date of arrival then a buyer is within their ebay rights to ask for a refund ... and the Seller files a "claim" with their carrier ... 

[kitschnvintage]

link doesn't work ... shoot ... 

[pjcdn2005]

They aren't referring to total transit time.  If a package is beyond the eta but the tracking is being updated and looks to be on its way, if requested, eBay will often put a hold on the claim to allow the package time to reach the buyer.  But let's say you send a package from Winnipeg on dec 15 and the tracking has been stating since dec 20 that it is 'in transit' without being updated, eBay is saying that you should refund.  It's unlikely that they would put a hold on the inr claim if the package has been mia for that long.

[pjcdn2005]

There often is info on .ca that isn't pertinent to those outside of the U.S.  In this case they are basically making a suggestion...unfortunately it likely isn't a workable suggestion .

[momcqueen]

Claims don't work that way. Only Xpresspost Interactional has a 'guaranteed' delivery date. The others just arrive late and there's nothing you can do about it until a minimum 45 days after shipment EDD when you might be able to claim a lost package from the carrier. 

[momcqueen]

If it was as simple as the Help text you posted makes it sound, every buyer could leave their incoming parcel sit at Customs awaiting the payment of tariffs until after the EDD and then file an INR to immediately get their money back and then use the refund to pay import fees, getting both the item and a refund, or the entire purchase for free.

[kitschnvintage]

There you go, new loop hole ....

eBay does not state anywhere that I can find what happens exactly when an item is shipped tracked and doesn't arrive by the ebay estimated date of arrival ~ the help pages do state that if a buyer opens an INR ebay can ask the buyer to wait for tracking/shipping updates ~ but it doesn't say how long they will or can ask the Buyer to wait ~ and I would assume at some point a Seller would have to refund a buyer for the INR and take issue with the postal carrier ~ which can take a long time I agree ~ but we all know ebay time lines and postal time lines don't seem to be on talking terms.  

[kitschnvintage]

Delivery of goods

Under the Consumer Protection Act, when you order a product, it must be delivered within 30 days of the promised delivery date or you can ask for a refund. However, if you choose to keep the item that was delivered late, you lose your right to get a refund for it.

You also can’t be charged for receiving an item or service that you did not request. You can use the item or throw it away.

The above is from the Consumer Protection Act (fro what I found on the web, as it applies in ONT at least) ~ so maybe ebay can or does ask the buyer to wait up to 30 days from the ebay estimated arrival date before asking a Seller to issue a refund? Don't know,  I have never had to file an INR as a Buyer or dealt with one as a Seller so far ... 

But I would hope the Seller is not penalized for the INR when they have proof that they mailed the package as promised ....

[momcqueen]

It is reasonable for the buyer to expect a refund if tracking shows the the parcel went off the rails someplace.

It is also reasonable for a seller to expect the buyer to wait for awhile past the EDD if the carrier has misplaced it somewhere when the seller was not at fault for this.

I'd like to see what ebay expects that length of time to actually be. 

Seven days domestic and 10 for international simply is not the proper amount of time.

I'm not sure if any of this helps the OP though. Shipping from Malaysia, it's hard to predict what addition regulations they might be operating under. 

[pjcdn2005]

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@themodernowl wrote:

There you go, new loop hole ....

eBay does not state anywhere that I can find what happens exactly when an item is shipped tracked and doesn't arrive by the ebay estimated date of arrival ~ the help pages do state that if a buyer opens an INR ebay can ask the buyer to wait for tracking/shipping updates ~ but it doesn't say how long they will or can ask the Buyer to wait ~ and I would assume at some point a Seller would have to refund a buyer for the INR and take issue with the postal carrier ~ which can take a long time I agree ~ but we all know ebay time lines and postal time lines don't seem to be on talking terms.  

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I believe it is the same time as what you posted...7 days for domestic, 10 for international if the tracking was just updated.  But if eta was Jan 10, buyer opened case on Jan 11 and there was no tracking update since Jan. 1, I doubt that there would be an extension.

[pjcdn2005]

Apparently I'm talking to myself here so I'm gone. 🙂

[momcqueen]

I will inquire with CPC next time I call.

I thought I posted that before I left to pick-up the kids from school. Sorry! I do think we need clarification as to the expectations from eBay about this.

[dutchman48]

I listened.

Apparently if you read the US boards, Ebay has a lot of unwritten polices, call policies guidelines, are all open to interpretation depending on what the buyer wants.

And, they change constantly - the one about buyers setting up new ID's to circumvent seller blocks and having Ebay's blessing is absolutely ridiculous.

[dutchman48]

If you sent it registered mail. you have to contact your post office to put a trace on the item as there is no viewable tracking in Canada until delivered.