I am so mad........ebay vent...plz read

[shayk]

Ok, I have never had a problem on e-bay. I have 80 positves, no nuetrals or negatives. I sold something, guy sent me a money order. I mailed the item out. This guy did not purchase insurance. I had to have mailed this at least 7-10 days ago if not longer...maybe even two weeks ago. So, today I get a nasty e-mail from this guys saying what gives, I havent recvd my package..do I have to contact e-bay? Well, Im pretty upset about this!!!!!!!! I mailed out your stupid package. What am I supposed to do? This guy didnt purchase insurance. What is going to happen if he contacts e-bay? I have no proof that I mailed out the package. I am sooooooooo mad right now. Please, give me some advice.
Thanks.

[suziebee20]

Did you keep the PO receipt?

[odyssey]

shayk I assume you went and mailed this through:
the post office
Fedex
UPS
not just stuck stamps and put it in the big blue box.

your out of gas if you didn't mail it one of those ways and kept the receipt.
sorry.
I had one buyer tell me it never arrived. BUT I had the receipt, copied and was able to scan it and email to her. She quited it down and then several days later, she emails me saying it had arrived and was on the patio and she didn't see it until then. It was no hard feeling I left postive feedback to her and she did the same for me.

[shayk]

OMG. Now Im really freaking out. Yes, I went to the PO and mailed it, but I dont think I saved the receipt. Never do. Im so upset right now I just feel like crying!! I know that I have no proof that I sent it. But, he dosent have proof either that he didnt receive it. So, what will e-bay do? Make me refund the money??

[DreamWarrior]

Thats why no matter how big or small the package is.... I ALWAYS get delivery confirmation... that way they cant say they didnt get it :)

[odyssey]

shayk - I hope I didn't sound rude in my post above.
You must look for your receipt. How did you pay? check, cc, debitcard maybe that can prove you mailed it out.
Be always honest with the buyer. Even if you did mail out later then what was said. Things happen.
The buyer will probably file a complaint with ebay.
I would after maybe another week or so, try to deal and refund some money if not all the money.
BTW how did you mail it? Priority, first class parcel or media mail? Parcel can take WEEKS sometimes and so can media/book rates.

[schsa]

Well, he didn't ask for insurance so there is no guarentee that he will get it. Does your auction state that you will not be responsible for packages lost in the mail? If so I would think that he is out of luck. I would give it at least 30 days. And I would start putting delivery confirmations on everything. But you cannot be held responsible if he fails to insure. In that case I might be willing to offer half back but not the entire amount. Both of you acted in good faith and no one is at fault. Contact e-Bay and see what they say. If he does post something negative, reply that the package was sent and the sender refused to insure the package. If it got lost, there is little you can do about it.

[justinenycole26]

I always buy delivery confirmation at my expense. The 55 cents is well worth it to me for my own peace of mind. I have not sold on ebay but I let everyone know in my FSOT thread that I buy delivery confirmation at my expense. I just wouldn't want to sell without it.

[SilverKittyNH]

First, IF he files a complaint with ebay, you're probably going to be OK as long as this is the first time this has happened.
Second, you probably won't be able to avoid a negative if that's what he wants to do..with your excellent feedback until this point, I'd still buy from you.
Third, what did he buy, what did it cost, how did he pay, and what method did you ship. Media mail and parcel post sometimes take a REALLY long time. If it went one of these methods, there's no helping if he gets his panties in bunch.
Fourth, the NEXT time you sell, you should definitely check out the community boards at ebay BEFORE selling another thing.

The rules are different for paypal, you MUST have proof of DELIVERY, not just proof of SHIPPING in order to protect from chargebacks. You should always use a delivery confirmation. If you use the online webtools from USPS, e-delivery is free for priority and only 13 cents for every other kind (including first class, parcel, and media).

Lastly, if you haven't left feedback yet, WAIT. Wait until there is NO HOPE that the package will turn up. When you leave feedy, make is short and to the point. Also, the fact that he didn't purchase insurance is NOT the problem. The problem is that you are required as a seller to make sure that he GETS the item, NOT that you shipped it. Also, even if you add "not responsible for lost, missing, blah blah without insurance" it's not enough. Either you can refund if it doesn't show up, start self-insuring, or you can use another form of insurance such as UPIC.

There is a TON of really valuable advice on the Community boards at Ebay (notwithstanding the few weirdos).

Good luck.

[Kyla Kym]

shayk, I feel sorry for you. I know how upsetting that is. I had it happen just once. I knew I sent the package. She wanted book rate. I had been told by a physco postmaster in our area that I couldn't get confirmation or insurance on media mail. Since it was a set of books I let the lady pay me with media mail and of course since it left my home without ins. or confirmation I get a email from her saying she didn't get it like a month later. I freaked out. It was a $30.00 set of books. And the first thing that ran through my mind was she was trying to pull a fast one and I got real upset. And explained to her that I couldn't see how it didn't arrive because I had printed out her address and put clear tape over it. It also had my address printed out and clear tape over it. So how could it have not gotten to her or at least sent back to me. She never emailed me back. But it was real upsetting to the point I got sick to my stomach. And since then I never ship anything without confirmation.

I'm not sure, but I think the insurance doesn't cover lost items. It only covers damaged. Correct me if I'm wrong on this. That is just what someone told me that was having a round over trying to collect insurance from the post office. They say it's like trying to pull teeth to turn in a claim.

[peaceluver]

Let me tell you I have had this problem also. Always keep your receipts, so that you can look up the when it was sent. Also I add the cost of delivery conformation onto the shipping cost. It really saves you a bunch of hassle when something like this happens. I hope you get this worked out.

[luvs2shopalot]

If someone doesn't purchase postal insurance when they purchase one of my auctions then it's tough nuts on them.

I'll gladly take the negative because you always get the chance to respond to his negative...

Maybe he did get it and is just trying to get his money back because he changed his mind or didn't like the merchandise.

There are all kinds of idiots out there and eBay seems to bring out the worst in all of them.

{{{hugggzzz}}}

[ebgreen74]

hopefully you get this worked out-sometimes packages can take a really long time. BUT do try and think about how your CUSTOMER feels here-they have no idea if you actually shipped their package or not, they have no idea if you are ripping them off or not. I don't sell and seeing stuff like this makes me wonder why I buy. I would think trying to make your customer happy would be part of the equation also, not just "if he didn't buy insurance, he's out of luck, right?".

[Kyla Kym]

Originally posted by ebgreen74
BUT do try and think about how your CUSTOMER feels here-they have no idea if you actually shipped their package or not, they have no idea if you are ripping them off or not. I don't sell and seeing stuff like this makes me wonder why I buy. I would think trying to make your customer happy would be part of the equation also, not just "if he didn't buy insurance, he's out of luck, right?".

That is the reason you should always get confirmation. It is free for priority and only 13 cents for other types of mail if you use the shipping assistant. You as a customer should request the seller to do this. I do. And if they don't know about the shipping assistant, I will tell them about it. They will thank you most of the time if they didn't already know about it because it will help them in the long run. And you both will have proof that way. You as a customer should also be sure if you plan on not getting insurance requesting the seller to package it extra good. I do when I'm buying something on there if it's say a cheap item but kinda fragile. I don't want to shell out extra for insurance for a $3.00 item that I have already had to pay $5. for shipping on. Most sellers are easy to deal with if you are polite to them. I always request special packing because my mail carrier throws my boxes out her car window and half the time they roll down the ditch. Ebay customers can be very demanding, and in some cases expect more out of a seller than they would a retail merchant. Always read the auctions closely. And if something is missing e-mail and ask. Dont just assume it will be the way you think it should be. And as far as the INS. goes. I would say yes he is out of luck if he was offered INS. and didn't take it. In the same situation as a buyer I would say Oh well that was my stupid mistake and I will be sure and buy it the next time. It can get very expensive to sell on ebay. The seller's that try to be good and honest and don't over charge cannot afford to foot the bill for the INS also. You should try to sell on ebay sometimes and see just how expensive it can get. Ebay gets a percentage, square trade gets $7 a month if you use them. The auction listers cost money if you use them. The one I use is around $100.00 a year. Then Pay Pal tries to get the rest if you the merchants account set up. Sorry to get so long winded, but there is allot more to it than meets the eye sometimes.

[luvs2shopalot]

I guess the point I am trying to make is that I have been an eBay member for several years. After a while you just get sick and tired of every single person whining over every minor thing.

I can honestly say I have NEVER ripped a person off.

Most of my items sell for $5 and under each. Kyla Kim said it best when she spoke of just how much it costs to sell. Of a $5.00 item, I'm lucky if I make $1.75 when all is said and done. Because shipping is so high, I offer 2 different shipping rates. Priority or Parcel Post. Parcel Post - I have to purchase all my own shipping supplies, packing materials, etc.

I spend a lot of time making sure everything is just so. I email every customer as to exactly when their items are mailed also. Most eBayers don't even take the time to do that.

I'm not complaining. I'm simply saying that you can't make everyone happy all the time.

I will shut up now. :D

[Barbi_Route66]

I sell on ebay sometimes. Like Dream Warrior suggested, I ALWAYS buy the delivery confirmation.

[Kyla Kym]

Originally posted by luvs2shopalot
I have to purchase all my own shipping supplies, packing materials, etc.


That stuff can be soooooo expensive !!!!!! A huge bag of packing peanuts is outrageous! Ever priced them things? And since they come in a over sized box the shipping for the peanuts is out the roof!

My husband works at a lumber mill and the ladies in the shipping dept. save all the peanuts, packing pillows, and bubble wrap for him. In exchange I send them small gifts as a thank you. They normally throw that stuff away. But they are saving me a ton of money. So I send them things so they will save it all for my husband.

I've been told that if you go to gift shops and ask them for things like that they will give it to you because they have to pay to have it hauled off. I don't know if it's true or not, but would be worth to see if you could get it in your area.

A good way to store packing peanuts if you don't have much room is put them in trash bags and keep them in the attic. Or in my case I tie the trash bags full of peanuts to the rafters in my barn. That way they won't take up floor space. :)

[luvs2shopalot]

Originally posted by Kyla Kym
That stuff can be soooooo expensive !!!!!! A huge bag of packing peanuts is outrageous! Ever priced them things? And since they come in a over sized box the shipping for the peanuts is out the roof!

My husband works at a lumber mill and the ladies in the shipping dept. save all the peanuts, packing pillows, and bubble wrap for him. In exchange I send them small gifts as a thank you. They normally throw that stuff away. But they are saving me a ton of money. So I send them things so they will save it all for my husband.

I've been told that if you go to gift shops and ask them for things like that they will give it to you because they have to pay to have it hauled off. I don't know if it's true or not, but would be worth to see if you could get it in your area.

A good way to store packing peanuts if you don't have much room is put them in trash bags and keep them in the attic. Or in my case I tie the trash bags full of peanuts to the rafters in my barn. That way they won't take up floor space. :)

Thanks for the wonderful idea Kyla Kim. I never even thought about craft stores or the like.

I do have my neighbors save them if they happen to have a package delivered containing them. :)

I'm also not as heartless as I sound. ;)

[harloo]

I understand the vent, but next time make sure you keep the receipt at least. And delivery confirmation is a must, I don't always use it but now I'm reconsidering after reading this. I did have someone tell me that they did not receive my package 3 weeks after it was sent priority, so I sent them a copy of the postal receipt and never heard from them again. No feedback, nothing.

You see you have some buyers on ebay who like to run scams like that. They know that it's your words against their own. I bought a game and the seller put .37 cent stamps on the package and sent it like that. Mind you, this was a 15.00 game. I could of easily said that I didn't recieve the game, but I'm not scandalous like that. But sometimes I wonder what sellers are thinking when they put stamps on a package and send it in the mail. That means they have no receipt, no confirmation, no proof that they sent anything.

I say wait it out, and see if the person gets everything. You never know, because the package might be held up or something. Otherwise, I would just take this as a lesson learned. This happening can only make you wiser about selling.

[quill]

I always get Delivery confirmation of the packages I send out. Protects them (buyers) - they know that I sent it out when I said I did & protects me (seller) I know when it arrived (or when it didn't).

I include the price of the confirmation in my shipping quotes and state it in all my auctions.

I've found it's a simple, fast way to avoid situations like this.

[shayk]

Yeah, you live and you learn. I have learned my lesson. I havent heard anything from the guy or ebay so maybe he recvd it and just dosent have enough decency to let me know since he was so nasty in his e-mail. Im not gonna worry about it.
Thanks for all the tips.

[hotdeals]

same thing happened to me. I just refunded the persons money back and made it an exception. But since this guy is an a**jerk I would say ******* but i'm pretty sure they will x it out hehe like they just did, i would just accept the negative feedback and get on with life. That's just my two cents.