Scammed out of money?

[curated_catch]

Hello everyone,

I sent a parcel to France July 25 (tracked and insured) with Canada Post. The buyer eventually opened a case with eBay because the item hasn't been delivered. eBay basically automatically refunded them. They admitted the item wasn't lost, but tracking hadn't been updated for some time, so they gave the buyer's money back. Today the item updated to show it's in France and has passed through customs. So I'm out $200. Can I file a claim somewhere? eBay is encouraging this buyer behaviour by auto-refunding them. I just don't understand how they can give the money back if the item isn't lost and is trackable! The best part is that they said I can "maybe" get the money back by asking the seller to pay for their item once it's inevitably delivered. What?!

Thank you!

[femmefan1946]

but tracking hadn't been updated for some time, so they gave the buyer's money back.

Was your account debited for the refund or was it a 'courtesy' refund from eBay's own pocket?

eBay is encouraging this buyer behaviour by auto-refunding them.

Delivery is not really in your control, but it was your responsibility.

Your buyer did not, at the time of the Dispute, have the parcel.

You are responsible for getting the purchase to the buyer in the window allotted. That's what he paid you for.

You chose the shipping service based on your best knowledge of the service.

The shipper, your sub-contractor, let you down. The shipper is responsible to you for delivery. That's what you paid them for.

So you should be contacting the shipper and asking for a refund. Try for the value of the contents (yeah, well, good luck with that, but if you don't ask, they can't say yes).

You may only get the price of the service back, which is more than you have now.

When you see the parcel has been delivered, send the buyer a polite note and an invoice for the amount of the refund (maybe less the shipping if your shipper refunded it).  You can do this through Paypal's Send Money service.

Now.

EBay gives the buyer a last estimated date for delivery and she can't open a Dispute before that.

To win an Item Not Received Dispute, you have to show that the shipment has been delivered. Not shipped, delivered.

Did you foolishly decide that Surface was a good idea? If so, you were wrong.

Surface can take two or three months to arrive. That your shipment has only taken a month and a half to get to the destination country is normal. It will take another week or more to be delivered.

Sometimes a sketchey customer will ask for cheaper Surface shipping.

Guess what happens then?

Basically, if the customer can't afford tracked Air Mail service, he can't afford your stuff.

And that is not your problem.

[esclyons]

it's not fair, but if the item's expected delivery date has passed, then a buyer has the right to ask for a refund.. if there is tracking, i cannot understand how ebay  auto refunds, it is there own fault for setting unrealistic delivery expectation dates..  i would call ebay and explain that the item was received, and that they issued the refund too soon,, and perhaps they should pay for the mistake..

[electronicifycanada]

No, you should call the post office and get it returned to sender if possible. Once the buyer gets the item you bet they won't pay you. Some will but it's rare. You don't want that package getting to the buyer now since you refunded.

To eBay it looks like the package got lost and the buyer waited longer then expected and they are eligible for a refund. I know it sucks, but there is some things you can do like go for insurance or return to sender.

[femmefan1946]

The package is now in the hands of another postal system. Canada Post is helpless in this case.