What to do when Ebay purchase gets lost in post?

[MultiMat]

I bought a S2 LM Juice from a US based Ebay seller on Aug 2 & it has not arrived it looks like it has been lost in the post. I have asked for a refund/replacement the seller has stated to me that they do not take any responsibility once a item is posted , this is also stated in her listing information. As a customer to pay for a item/service & not receive it is totally unacceptable in my eyes . The seller is a power seller with a feedback score of 3069 with 3 negatives. Am I expecting too much ? I have told her that as a seller there needs to be some good faith covering postal losses to offer nothing seems a bit crappy. My last message was if she can provide nothing to me I will leave negative feedback.What do ya reckon ?

[Splat]

I'd tell her to prove she actually sent it. That's why I always use some type of trackable shipping... usually UPS, but for small objects US Postal Priority Mail. If she can't prove she shipped it then she owes you either a refund or the item in question.

[MultiMat]

I'd tell her to prove she actually sent it. That's why I always use some type of trackable shipping... usually UPS, but for small objects US Postal Priority Mail. If she can't prove she shipped it then she owes you either a refund or the item in question.

Yes she has sent me a copy of the custom's number. So it does look like item got posted & then lost . Australia post provides compensation for lost items but only to the person who sent the item(ie the seller) , they told me most postal services have similar policies .Is this the case with US post ? I asked her but she did not answer that question.It was sent via USPS First class mail international which apparently can not be tracked . Just got a reply from her that besides contacting US post she will not provide a refund or replacement      

[max6166]

Are you sure it was lost? If I am looking at the right auction, it only ended a week ago. That doesn't seem nearly long enough to assume it was lost.

If you paid with PayPal, you can file a PayPal dispute.

[MultiMat]

Are you sure it was lost? If I am looking at the right auction, it only ended a week ago. That doesn't seem nearly long enough to assume it was lost.

If you paid with PayPal, you can file a PayPal dispute.

6 weeks today mate. Does paypal cover postal loss ?

[Poncho65]

Never hurt to try the Paypal recovery path

It does seem  unfair that 1 pays for something and doesn't get it Perhaps paypal will help out some cause apparently the seller isn't gonna Sorry to hear about this MM

[Freudian Frog]

Are you sure it was lost? If I am looking at the right auction, it only ended a week ago. That doesn't seem nearly long enough to assume it was lost.

If you paid with PayPal, you can file a PayPal dispute.

6 weeks today mate. Does paypal cover postal loss ?

That handshake looks painful...

And no, they don't. But I think he can dispute it as he never recieved the item? Worth a shot.

[max6166]

It may very well still arrive. A 6-8 week delivery time is very common for overseas shipments. I work with an eBay power seller myself, and that type of waiting period happens to about 1 in 30 shipments. The stuff eventually shows up 99.99% of the time though.

Still, that doesn't mean you shouldn't protect yourself just in case. Here is the info regarding the different options available to you. These are all time sensitive though, so move quickly. You can always withdraw them at any time.

[AndyTiedye]

ebay sellers are supposed to use delivery confirmation (at least) according to ebay t&c.
If they do not, they lose any Paypal dispute because they cannot prove they shipped anything.

6 weeks is not unheard-of for international shipments if Customs gets involved.

Some credit cards provide purchase protection that includes coverage for loss in shipping.
I always use one of those for ebay (and other on-line) purchases.

[MultiMat]

Are you sure it was lost? If I am looking at the right auction, it only ended a week ago. That doesn't seem nearly long enough to assume it was lost.

If you paid with PayPal, you can file a PayPal dispute.

6 weeks today mate. Does paypal cover postal loss ?

That handshake looks painful...

And no, they don't. But I think he can dispute it as he never recieved the item? Worth a shot.

look closer 
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll287/multimat426/multitools/S6300585.jpg[/img]]

ebay sellers are supposed to use delivery confirmation (at least) according to ebay t&c.
If they do not, they lose any Paypal dispute because they cannot prove they shipped anything.

6 weeks is not unheard-of for international shipments if Customs gets involved.

Some credit cards provide purchase protection that includes coverage for loss in shipping.
I always use one of those for ebay (and other on-line) purchases.

Thanks Andy & co . I have contacted customes & no joy as item is not illegal or subject to fees there is no reason for holding. I paid with my Paypal account which is not linked to a credit card . I have initiated a dispute with paypal though.

[ultimaonliner]

That totally sucks.

I was always under the impression though, that the seller would not be responsible for any problems that are shipping related.  I usually purchase the optional insurance when I buy something on eBay, unless the item is really cheap.  I have no idea if this is the case though.  A lot of times consumers have rights that are not obvious and sellers can try to make it seem as if they are not liable when they might actually be liable.

I also thought that PayPal was biased towards taking the buyer's side instead of the seller's, so you may have some luck pursuing this through payPal.

[Rodion]

Open a Paypal dispute, state there is no delivery confirmation by USPS.(never is)

One of you may eventually receive the package, even if it got "lost" temporarily.

[Neil]

Sometimes overseas deliveries can take a long time.  I had some knives from Canada take three months.

From a moral standpoint, if the seller made insurance available as an option and you declined it then so long as they provide proof of dispatch I think that should be that.  If they didn't even offer an insured option then that's different.

Practically, Paypal does tend to favour the buyer so there's a good chance they'll refund your payment.  I'm no legal expert though so take this with a pinch of salt.

Neil

[Tarrodemierda]

i ordered about year ago some cheap tattoo stuff that got lost,it had tracking code but it was never found.

[EZ822]

Does this particular seller use the name gadzooks?  The reason I ask is because about a year ago I ordered a LM Blast as a birthday present for my brother in law from her. I also purchased the item in early August and it did not arrive to me in Norway until almost October.

[MultiMat]

Does this particular seller use the name gadzooks?  The reason I ask is because about a year ago I ordered a LM Blast as a birthday present for my brother in law from her. I also purchased the item in early August and it did not arrive to me in Norway until almost October.

No e-dog , Gadzooks does not sell LM products to Australian customers , I think the official LM importer has stopped her selling to Ozzie's. maggred is the seller , she sells 2nd hand knives & MT's. That is a awfully long time for your Blast to arrive.It normally takes 7-14 days for post to arrive from US to Oz.

[EZ822]

Does this particular seller use the name gadzooks?  The reason I ask is because about a year ago I ordered a LM Blast as a birthday present for my brother in law from her. I also purchased the item in early August and it did not arrive to me in Norway until almost October.

No e-dog , Gadzooks does not sell LM products to Australian customers , I think the official LM importer has stopped her selling to Ozzie's. maggred is the seller , she sells 2nd hand knives & MT's. That is a awfully long time for your Blast to arrive.It normally takes 7-14 days for post to arrive from US to Oz.

Yeah, it's never taken over 10 days for all of my other MT's that I've purchased from Ebay to get to me. I wouldn't lose hope though.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Tough break mate

I'd ask to see there proof of postage, then go through paypal

[Neil]

Does this particular seller use the name gadzooks?  The reason I ask is because about a year ago I ordered a LM Blast as a birthday present for my brother in law from her. I also purchased the item in early August and it did not arrive to me in Norway until almost October.

No e-dog , Gadzooks does not sell LM products to Australian customers , I think the official LM importer has stopped her selling to Ozzie's. maggred is the seller , she sells 2nd hand knives & MT's. That is a awfully long time for your Blast to arrive.It normally takes 7-14 days for post to arrive from US to Oz.

I'd like to add that I've had several dealings with this seller and class her as one of the good ones.  I think you can rest easy that its been posted.

Neil

[max6166]

I still think the odds are very high that it will magically appear within the next 2 weeks, perhaps a little later.

Despite what customs said, I'll bet you the Juice that it is sitting there waiting to be processed. 

[jzmtl]

Or a custom agent liked it more than you do. 

[MultiMat]

Tough break mate

I'd ask to see there proof of postage, then go through paypal

She emailed me a copy of the customs details , so I am as sure as I can be it has been posted & I think it has been lost in transit .
 

I still think the odds are very high that it will magically appear within the next 2 weeks, perhaps a little later.
OK I shall put a little faith in magic & the rest is invested in the paypal system I have started the dispute process  :

I'd like to add that I've had several dealings with this seller and class her as one of the good ones.  I think you can rest easy that its been posted.

Neil

Neil I agree looking at her feedback she appears a good seller & I am as sure as I can be it has been posted , I just do not agree in her zero tolerance to postal losses. I would be happy with a partial refund or a cheaper replacement.To say as a seller that you take NO responsibility for a item once posted does not seem like very good customer service , she has sold 1000's of items there is going to be some postal losses(I would have thought low % )& posting to Australia is not a high risk proposition . 

[DaveK]

Mat - if you paid through PayPal, and at the time time you were not warned by PayPal that buyer protection was not vaild (you'd have noticed if that were the case), and the seller is an ebay Power seller - you WILL get your money back.

Many sellers on ebay claim no responsibility for delivery, or offer insurance in addition to their normal P&P charges, but they have no grounds for this. Paypal's view on these things is totally arbitrary. You didn't receive it, they can't prove you received it - therefore it's the seller's problem. Insurance protects the SELLER, not the buyer. It is the seller's responsibility to insure the goods - not yours, regardless of what they put in small print in the listing. There are loads of precedents for this and liability isn't in question.

Raise an "Item not received" dispute with ebay and you'll get your money back when it is confirmed as missing.

Good luck buddy - I'm sure it'll turn out OK though. Even better the goods will turn up in the next few days!

[Splat]

FWIW, it took 17 days to get a small package via USPS sent to me from southern New Jersey, USA, to my location here in central New Jersey. 17 days! That's inexcusable, yet it happened. I would give her another 2 or 3 weeks and if nothing by then I'd open a PP dispute. I'm sure you'll get refunded.

[eodtech]

1. Ask item be insured - it's offered on USA shipment to foreign countries ( #2 may apply to the insurance ).
2. Registered Mail is $10 from USA and won't get lost as it travels in locked bags with hand receipts when passed on.
3. Track it by using UPS / FedEx  shipping service who issue a tracking number.
4. Tell the seller to show customs declaration as an encrypted description  "Multitool" = metal grabbers, "Flashlight" = LED + parts , Knife = "cutter". Believe me it works.

[silentio]

For what it's worth, I've bought from maggred and she shipped to Singapore quite fast. Good seller.

that said, I totally understand your pain because as an non-US buyer, a large percentage of the price goes into shipping, and to not receive it sucks.

I would advise settling it amicably though, because good ebay sellers who ship tools and knives internationally aren't all that common and you may end up buying from her again.

[MultiMat]

For what it's worth, I've bought from maggred and she shipped to Singapore quite fast. Good seller.

that said, I totally understand your pain because as an non-US buyer, a large percentage of the price goes into shipping, and to not receive it sucks.

I would advise settling it amicably though, because good ebay sellers who ship tools and knives internationally aren't all that common and you may end up buying from her again.

This has been what I too have been thinking about, you are right re the lack of US sellers willing to ship outside of the states. I am a little annoyed at her lack of compromise at this point though.

[MartyMcFly]

You know it really doesnt matter that she says she has a zero tollerance policy or whatever she calls it.  If you payed thru paypal and she cannot prove that you RECEIVED it.  Not that she shipped it.  SHE must prove that it or atleast something was received by you.  If she didnt get insurance or whatever thats her problem.  You will eventually get your money back. 
Otherwise I could sell whatever item I am selling.  Collect the money and either not ship or ship some rocks and say Sorry not my problem...meanwhile Ill keep your money.  Dont think so...

[MultiMat]

I got this reply after I said to the seller I would accept a refund - postage or a replacement" Why don't we finish up with Paypal and hopefully it will still show up in the mail. Thanks" . What the fu#k , so I have escalated to a paypal claim , so hopefully I will eventually get my $ back.

[Benner]

Sorry to hear you are still having probs.  I was hoping that this would have arrived by now.