I need some advice on how to deal with a sour buyer on ebay. I sell a coin, receive payment and have the item shipped within two business days. I ship through ebay and print the shipping label through Paypal. I sent the item on the 1st of Sept. Well two days ago I get an email saying he hasn't received his coin yet. I thought lets give it another day with Labor Day things get slowed with USPS. Yesterday he wants more information. I do some checking send him the details from the tracking which he can look at if he would like, well the status showed it out for delivery at a different zip. Well now I'm in a panic thinking I sent it to the wrong address. I do some checking and it was sent to the right address so I call USPS. They say that their was an error and that the coin was in the right zip code and that the tracking had not been updated. Well today the tracking is updated and it is in the right zip. My thoughts it will be delivered tomorrow. I have sent maybe 5-6 emails to this guy explaining what I am finding out and trying to do everything I can over a 1000 miles away to help out. My emails are professional, unlike his. The guy has been rude via email. I understand the frustration, but I've done everything right. He is demanding a full refund tomorrow, ya right. and has opened a claim in ebay with me. Ebay sends me a message and says that it is too soon and I should email this guy and work it out, well no kidding. What should I do now, I'm thinking this guy might be a scammer. What protection do I have with ebay as the seller? How do I protect my feedback?
From what i can gather, it is pretty much set up against the seller right now. Sorry, but that seems to be a fact. You are in over where I can take you, but the last time I had a problem, I received an email stating; I was absolutely flabbergasted at how easy and responsive they were. However, I was on the other side at the time. There is the number they sent.
so you are saying even though I have the professional one, done all of the calling to USPS to fix the problem, shipped with confirmation, tracking etc. I am SOL as the seller.
Sad truth is that you have very little protection as a seller. If the item was <$250 and you got delivery confirmation (tracking), you SHOULD be protected and PayPal SHOULD decide in your favor once they look at the tracking info and see that it was successfully delivered to his address. I learned my lesson the hard way. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS get signature confirmation with items $250 and over, and ALWAYS get tracking information for <$250 items.
That,s the problem when you try doing everything right on e-bay and you end up getting The thumb tacks!! My advice cut your loses and refund his money and maybe he wont Leave negative feedback!! as we all know that is death in that forum!!
I usually get signature confirmation on things over about $150. This one was $89. I'm willing to refund but this guy needs to give it a chance. I'm not going to refund now and have the coin show up tomorrow at his door.
It hasn't been anywhere close to long enough to even consider giving the buyer a refund at this point. It sounds as if you are handling it as best you can - just keep being polite and informative and resist the temptation to reach through your computer and strangle him.
Exactly. This is all happening too quick. Give it a few weeks to see if what happens. Communicate with him. Be polite. He'll get it. Beware--ebay cares more about the buyer than the seller.
I make it a rule in all my auctions. Shipping price includes insurance for and signature confirmation. It usually runs me about $5.50 to ship and get ins and sig confirmation, add the .45 for the envelope and poof $6 for shipping. That way I am protected and the buyer is protected.
Call the number provided above but you can also let the buyer know that you are committed to working things out with him and if he is unhappy with the coin or the transaction for any reason, he can send it back and you will refund his money when it is back in your possession.
