eBay

byto253 · ‎08-07-2023

This is a new one for me. An item was being delivered today and tracking came back as "Forward Expired" and it is being sent back to me.

On eBay it showed "Forward Expired" but it was only on the USPS tracking page that I could see that it was being returned to me. A snap of the USPS tracking is attached - location and tracking specifics are blanked out.

From googling, it is simply that the person has not lived at that address for quite a while and his mail forwarding service has expired. I did message them about the status, and suggest they may wish to try contacting USPS to see if anything could be done. Personally I think that is a long shot.

I also sent them a copy of the tracking, the tracking link, and the address I sent it to, which was what was provided from their eBay account. My philosiphy is to get ahead of potential future issues so through eBay messenger have documented the problem and that the buyer was made aware. I had an item returned once before this year and it took almost 2 months, so they buyer may be getting itchy after a bit.

I am sure that the experienced folks here have seen or heard about this, or seen past threads about it! Just passing on some info that is new to me.

msau4301 · ‎08-07-2023

If it just happened today (the return notice you saw) you might have jumped the gun.

I had a package to the US a couple of months back where I saw tracking show being returned to sender (not the Forwarding issue though) and I thought weird, wonder what happened and then two days later I saw the green check mark saying "Delivered". Never knew why and assumed it was just a weird error on the USPS tracking I guess. The buyer had left me feedback so I know it had indeed been delivered. Just reminded me why it doesn't always pay to watch the tracking....sometimes it just scares us for nothing.

In terms of the Forward Expired, I would have thought it was as you say that someone had their mail being forwarded and it had expired. There's a chance since it's the summer that someone had just a short term forwarding on while they were on holidays and it was caught/scanned just as it ended, doesn't necessarily mean they moved.

If you haven't heard from buyer just wait it out now and see if tracking ends up delivering it after all.

byto253 · ‎08-07-2023

The buyer responded with, "I’m sorry that is the wrong address. I now live at <address>", and nothing else. Sorry there, your wrong address, ain't my problem to fix.

Too bad my magic wand is out of pixie dust and I can't just fly the package to the new address.

msau4301 · ‎08-07-2023

That sucks, if they didn't think of changing their address here it shouldn't be your problem! Not sure what happens in that case but you delivered to the address listed with eBay so you did your part!

byto253 · ‎08-07-2023

OK, it is looking up. After I responded to that message they did some digging and found that their shipping address has not been updated, and did a big mea culpa on it.

I sent it expedited so I hope that gets a litter better return service than the only other US return that I had, which took 7 weeks for a tracked packet.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎08-07-2023

@msau4301 wrote:
That sucks, if they didn't think of changing their address here it shouldn't be your problem! Not sure what happens in that case but you delivered to the address listed with eBay so you did your part!

@byto253

@msau4301

As per the buyers message, the worst part of this is you are on the hook for the return shipping costs. Hopefully if it gets caught as Canadian goods returning no customs fees. Fingers crossed. All that for doing nothing wrong. Too bad you can't send a buyer a bill?!? One could dream!!!

-Lotz

byto253 · ‎08-07-2023

When I get it back, I will need to cancel the sale at that point, as the shipping address is not correct. I do know that I do not need to refund the shipping that he paid, can I also deduct the cost of the return?

That is if there is any cost, the other one was just returned at no extra cost. Hopefully that is the case as the problem was not a bad address on my part, but an error from the buyer.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎08-07-2023

@byto253 wrote:
When I get it back, I will need to cancel the sale at that point, as the shipping address is not correct. I do know that I do not need to refund the shipping that he paid, can I also deduct the cost of the return?

That is if there is any cost, the other one was just returned at no extra cost. Hopefully that is the case as the problem was not a bad address on my part, but an error from the buyer.

@byto253

Returns by/with CP seem to be hit or miss. Luck of the draw. In the past few years I've had 2 returned. 1 the customer forgot to put suite and had to pay return postage to retrieve. Another for not at this address a prepaid expedited box. Return just showed up in my community mail box nothing due.

@dinomitesales can maybe shed more light on these types of situations.

-Lotz

reallynicestamps · ‎08-08-2023

Always worth mentioning that eBay does not expect or require sellers to refund anything that was properly shipped to the address on file with eBay.

https://www.ebay.ca/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy?....

If he wants his item, he needs to pay for shipping again. Plus any fees you may have incurred in the meantime.

And you can use PP to bill him if you want since it is no longer an eBay transaction.

pjcdn2005 · ‎08-08-2023

Once you get the item back use 'send refund' (not cancel) to refund the buyer less original shipping and and return shipping if you've had to pay that.

dinomitesales · ‎08-08-2023

Yeah it's hit or miss on paying return shipping on RTS parcels. I have no idea what determines which packages get charged and which don't. I don't think I've ever seen a charge on an international RTS package though, so you should be fine? You probably won't be charged any return shipping.

And you won't be charged anything by customs, they'll be able to clearly identify that it originated in Canada and is being returned to sender.

byto253 · ‎08-08-2023

Once he realized it was his error on the address, he has been great and offered up front to pay the extra shipping. Now to burn some incense to appease the postal entities for a speedy return.

Appreciate some feedback on how long it has taken any of you to get a return back from the US. I only have the one experience and it was 7 weeks.

marnotom! · ‎08-08-2023

@dinomitesales wrote:

Yeah it's hit or miss on paying return shipping on RTS parcels. I have no idea what determines which packages get charged and which don't.

Might it depend on whether the item was originally shipped through the letter stream (a “packet”) or the parcel stream? I appreciate that the distinction between the two streams is growing increasingly blurry, mind you.