Ebay - Royal Mail not delivering item

[wigglebottom]

I've recently sold an item on ebay - Its been sent to Italy, tracked and insured (at the cost of £75!).
Now according to the tracking delivery has been attempted once, then the next day it started the process of being returned to me - I've no idea why this is.
It is currently in Germany awaiting coming to me in the UK and I don't know what to do really.

Can I claim back from royal mail? What if the buyer wants a refund - will I loose out on £75 postage?

The buyer hasn't opened a dispute but has contacted me, and I don't really know where I stand.

Cheers.

[ShadownINja]

I would want to know:
-if the buyer received any documents/cards stating a delivery was attempted
-if the address was found
-if the address you put on the package is correct

for a start. Good luck.

[Jackleman]

^ this, I think you need to speak to Royal Mail and get a definitive answer.

[wigglebottom]

Thanks,

I have a feeling it wont go down well for me...

I copied the address directly from what he sent me via message on Ebay - Will I have some comeback if he's written it down incorrectly?

I will speak to royal mail tomorrow, I will ask if he received a note for attempted delivery.

Thanks for your help - I will keep the thread updated!

[wigglebottom]

Well here's a little update,

I've not spoken to Royal Mail yet, but I've looked at the address he sent it to - which is the exactly as I have posted.

BUT

Having then looked on paypal his address is missing a house number, I wasnt aware of this as I dont know how Italian addresses are written and he missed it out on the message HE sent me (with the invoice).

I guess this still means its my fault?
Will I have any comeback at all?

Any help would be appropriately.

[jon-]

I would imagine getting money out of the Royal Mail will be near impossible in this situation, so it's down to whether you want to risk feedback by asking the customer to cover costs.

[wigglebottom]

I thought as much - This ebay melarkys just not worth it!

Although now having started its journey back to me, It made it to Germany and is now back in Italy to try to get redelivered!

[jsc15]

Italy's postal system is notoriously bad. Many Ebay sellers specifically exclude Italy from their shipping destinations. I've had a couple of delayed/lost packages, and would put the country on a par with some South American countries for postal reliability (in fact Italy is often slower)

[wigglebottom]

Right I think I'm going to need some help.

The item has now been delivered but he is saying that it contained cat food!

I sent the item he bought!

I assume ebay sides with him now and will take the money off me?

any help would be appreciated - I'm going to loose out on a lot of money I think!

[HellDiver]

EBay always goes with the buyer, not the seller. You're screwed, sorry.

Number 1 reason I don't sell on Ebay any more, and I was selling back in 2001 on EBay.

[H6CJF]

wigglebottom said:

The item has now been delivered but he is saying that it contained cat food!

This sounds to me like a paypal chargeback scam.. basically relies on the fact that by paying via credit card they can ask their credit card issuer to reverse a transaction after it has been completed.
This applies only to users who make a payment funded by their credit or debit card, which of course, you as the seller would have no way of knowing!

The usual 'complaints' are

1.The purchased item never arrived.
2.The item was significantly different than advertised. ... eg cat food!
3.Their credit card was used without their permission to purchase the item fraudulently.

Have a look here:
https://cms.paypal.com/cgi-bin/marketingweb?cmd=_r...

Good luck!

[wigglebottom]

Thanks guys,

Ive got to fight it - it is £300!

But i dont think I will win, I know they always side with buyers - but on both ebay and paypal i cant find anything that says about them claiming its totally incorrect item..

why would I send 7kg of cat food! Just stupid. What about closing paypal?

[jon-]

Have you asked for photo proof? I can't imagine he has a pile of UK labelled cat food in italy.

[H6CJF]

jon- said:

Have you asked for photo proof? I can't imagine he has a pile of UK labelled cat food in italy.

Trouble is that by asking for proof you sort of suggest that there might actually be some proof ... ie , what do you do when he sends a photo of 7kg of Whiskas Supermeat with Tuna?

[wigglebottom]

jon- said:

Have you asked for photo proof? I can't imagine he has a pile of UK labelled cat food in italy.

I think thats what I'm going to do - he's not opened a dispute yet, Is it worth me doing so? or just wait for him todo it? and do I dispute through paypal or ebay?
I did look through his feedback, all of which was positive, apart from one where the follow up said - be careful, expects new items for used ones.

[wigglebottom]

H6CJF said:

jon- said:

Have you asked for photo proof? I can't imagine he has a pile of UK labelled cat food in italy.

Trouble is that by asking for proof you sort of suggest that there might actually be some proof ... ie , what do you do when he sends a photo of 7kg of Whiskas Supermeat with Tuna?

I suppose then I'd be screwed. I insured the item for its value, put fragile stickers on it the lot. I cant see why he would claim I would do that if i was sending catfood!

[powerandtorque]

jon- said:

I did look through his feedback, all of which was positive, apart from one where the follow up said - be careful, expects new items for used ones.

Given that sellers can no longer leave negative feedback, the fact that a buyer has 100% positive feedback is now effectively meaningless I'm afraid

Edited by powerandtorque on Tuesday 11th January 16:50

[wigglebottom]

I've been looking through ebay to find how to open a dispute with him but as a seller I cant? do i just need to wait for him now then?

I cant believe this is happening, I did try and cancel the transaction before he paid due to him disputing postage costs.

[offroading.net]

clear out your paypal account and close it? (I would transfer it to a trusted friend if you have cash it it, that is instant rather than a few days transfer to a bank) Stops the scrote dragging money back, dunno if it is outside of paypal rules etc though

[wigglebottom]

I thought of that - but then it makes me look guilty.

The moneys been out of paypal over a week I think.

Odd thing is that its now being sent back to me - I didn't ask him to. And he only messaged me saying there was cat food in it the day after it was delivered. And it was back with the courier the same day as delivery. He said something about it being someone else's parcel that was delivered to him and mine is on its way back.

I've not a clue whats going on but I'm waiting for parcel force to ring me back about it!

All fun and games