eBay & Postage issue, need help soon.

[tokyoracer]

I'm in a spot of bother with a certain ebay member. I sent a Hard Drive to this guy and hes reporting he hasn't had it. I thought I kept the receipt but I must have thrown it out by mistake thinking it was rubbish which had accumilated in my wallet. I'm sure he's honest, problem is I am too but he seems to be using that 'lack of proof' for a way of getting him a replacement or a re-fund. His feedback is patchy in places but is mostly positive so that could be a sign but it's unfair to use that against him I think.
I'v asked him to visit his local Post Office in case they may have it without informing him (it's happend to be more then once), Other then that i'm lost for what to do.
Any help would be great.

[redrumloa]

I guess you didn't you process the package with PayPal? You get free delivery confirmation with PayPal processing. If not and you didn't buy tracking, you may be SOL :-/

[arkanoid]

I guess there'll be a lot of buyers out there who'll be taking advantage of the fact that sellers are no longer able to leave negative feedback for buyers. I mean, it just throws the balance totally out of whack and now many unscrupulous buyers will be using this fact as a way to demand compliance from sellers. Beware.

eBay has totally lost the plot, imo. I can't wait for Google to open their own auction site!

[countzero]

how much was the hard drive ? if it's not expensive I'ld refund it and save the whole hassle.

[tokyoracer]

@ countzero, It was about £10 but please don't, your being far too kind!

@ Red, It was bought PayPal but I don't know of any way to track the item unless it was sent via 'Recorded'. How can it be deliverd with the backing by PayPal?

[maffoo]

I would be inclined to refund the buyer and try to get the money back off Royal Mail. Even non-Recorded deliveries are insured up to £36, IIRC. Not sure if they would need to see proof of delivery though (I have a feeling they would.)

This is why I always send anything I sell on Ebay by Recorded Delivery; I much prefer the peace of mind!

[jlmjr1957]

Remember this equation.



eBay + PayPal = seller gets hosed



If Royal Mail is anything like the US Mail then you're in for a treat when you try to make a claim on their insurance.

Sorry if I sound bitter, but I've had a couple of really bad experiences using PayPal.


-JM

[arkanoid]

I don't think it's "bitter", it's just not liking being "hosed"

and its what companies do when they have a monopoly. bring in gBay, I say! Give eBay something to think about.

[davideo]

maffoo wrote:
I would be inclined to refund the buyer and try to get the money back off Royal Mail. Even non-Recorded deliveries are insured up to £36, IIRC. Not sure if they would need to see proof of delivery though (I have a feeling they would.)quote]

I think this only counts if you've got proof of posting from the post office. I always get one because as you said it's free insurance upto about £35.00

Dave G  8-)

[amigadave]

arkanoid wrote:
I guess there'll be a lot of buyers out there who'll be taking advantage of the fact that sellers are no longer able to leave negative feedback for buyers. I mean, it just throws the balance totally out of whack and now many unscrupulous buyers will be using this fact as a way to demand compliance from sellers. Beware.

eBay has totally lost the plot, imo. I can't wait for Google to open their own auction site!

Oh you have got to be kidding!  The guy sells something, doesn't keep the receipt, and you start blaming the buyer and eBay rules!  

It was the sellers that were abusing the buyers on eBay that prompted the change in the rules, not the other way around.  Now it works like any other store when you buy something and don't have a good experience, you are free to post a negative comment without fear of having your own feedback score ruined in retaliation.

It is the sellers responsibility to make sure the item arrives and if the seller didn't send it with delivery or signature confirmation, then he has no way to know if the package arrived to the buyer and it is his own fault.  A refund needs to be sent to the buyer and a lesson learned by the seller.

[countzero]

if he opens a dispute he will probably win it and will be refunded. then you'll be out 10 pounds and get a neg.

sorry dude, I know how you feel but that's life.

[maffoo]

It was the sellers that were abusing the buyers on eBay that prompted the change in the rules, not the other way around.  Now it works like any other store when you buy something and don't have a good experience, you are free to post a negative comment without fear of having your own feedback score ruined in retaliation.

While I agree with the rest of your post, I don't fully agree with this part. In a normal online store such as Amigakit, the customer's item isn't "reserved" for them until they have completed payment. If I sell a DVD on Ebay and a buyer decides not to proceed without telling me, I have to wait for however many days in case they choose to pay, then go through the non-paying bidder process, then I can put it back on Ebay. Now I can't even leave a warning to other sellers that the buyer is a time-waster.

IMHO Ebay has swung too far in the buyer's favour. It needs some sort of balance to protect sellers.

[redrumloa]

@ Red, It was bought PayPal but I don't know of any way to track the item unless it was sent via 'Recorded'. How can it be deliverd with the backing by PayPal?

I'm sorry, I was thinking as a USA seller. I really have no idea how PayPal is set up with other Postal Services in other countries.

In the USA if you ship any way with USPS (except first class under 13 ounces), it automatically includes delivery confirmation. You could just go into paypal, view the transaction and it would give you the delivery confirmation number.

[redrumloa]

For the record, yes I agree eBay has swung way too far in the buyers direction, giving almost free reign to buyer fraud :-x  Also USPS insurance is pretty much a joke, that is true. You insure a package, get tracking information, the USPS LOSES THE PACKAGE, ADMITS THEY LOST THE PACKAGE, and you they refuse the claim as the insurance is for damage, not loss. :madashell:

As a seller I have to factor a certain percentage of fraud and loss into my prices, just another cost of doing business :madashell:

[tokyoracer]

I did forget to add that I clearly stated in my listing that "I cannot be resoncible for any wrong infomation supplied by the buyer and/or if lost in post".
Though it's annoying that I threw out the reciept not realising it could have been important (and it was in this case). I guess I find it hard to take in that I REALLY did send the item.

Oh and I agree on the feedback front, eBay is a right farce now, it's a load of crap about sellers being dodgy, there's more dodgy buyers then sellers I am positive. If there are some nasty sellers out there the negative feedbacks will soon accumilate thus being banned. Also it's down to the buyer to choose a trusted seller. Even if it was the sellers at fault it doesn't justify removing the possibility to send negative to buyers to warn other sellers about them. This will be a ream come true for net ASBO's.