Chicken boarders

[Lydia]

I know quite a few of you use Ebay so I'm looking for advice please.

 

We bought a steam cleaner on 29 March using Buy it now and paid via Paypal. I then got an email via Ebay and one via Paypal saying the order had been sent the same day using Royal Mail Next Day Delivery. All good we thought.

 

However, the item has not shown up. We had the item sent to hubby's work address so there no possibility it would be missed. On 1 April I sent a "where is my item" request via Ebay to the seller and he/she replied saying it was in Royal Mail a holding centre and was being held there pending release. I thought this a bit odd at the time as this sounded as if it was coming from overseas and I only buy from UK sellers. The address of the seller was given as Reigate. Anyway latet that day I got another email saying it had been despatched and all way well.

 

On Wednesday afternoon I sent the seller another email saying we still did not have the item and, if it wasn't received by 5pm on Thursday, we would be seeking a refund. I did not receive a reply. Last night we sent the seller a further email asking for a full refund.

 

This morning the seller has emailed firstly denying that there has been any correspondence between us and complaining that it's the Royal Mail's fault and that he/she is out of pocket by £4500 whereas we're out of pocket by much less. They say that if the item has not arrived by Monday they will issue a refund.

 

However, I'm not convinced I should wait until Monday and insist on a refund now. What do you think? I'm not convinced this seller is UK based and I'm not convinced there won't be a struggle to get the refund when the item doesn't turn up on Monday.

 

Thing is we could really have done with the cleaner this weekend as we are decorating and wanted it to do the carpets etc while the rooms were clear. Oh well, best laid plans....

Edited April 12, 2011 by Guest

[rachel19]

Hi, we've had this problem a few times with things not turning up but have always had a refund. Regarding them losing out, if they had sent it next day royal mail im guessing it would have been insured and it is their fault if they did not insure it for the correct amount. They should give you a refund - maybe leave it until Monday, its an inconvenience I know and entirely their fault but i'm not sure if the seller can state when a refund should be. If there's no refund on Monday then launch proceedings against them through ebay. Its always such a gamble buying things on ebay isn't it and there's always the small minority who spoil it for others. Such a shame.

[Cinnamon]

How did you pay for it Lydia?

 

If by Paypal (& I am assuming its £45, not £4500......) then they will refund you.

You need to open a dispute today,or I suspect this seller will drag their heels.

Just open a dispute via your My ebay page,next to the item you bought,& let the process start- you can always close the dispute when they have refunded you.

I often find that on the few occasions I have been in this situation,opening a dispute spurs them on to give you a refund.

Also,if they DONT refund you & you have to get the refund via Paypal,you will also get your P&P fee back,which a seller will not always refund.

[Chucky Mama]

I am a bit confused. If they sent it using Special Delivery it is guaranteed for delivery before 1pm the following day but it has to be signed for. If it was sent on April 1st and your husband's work was closed on April 2nd (Saturday) there would have been no one there to sign for it and it would have gone back to the post office and would be held there until you contact them. If however they sent it on 29th, it would have arrived before 1pm on 30th which was a work day. I would ask them for the Special Delivery tracking number which they will have - if they don't, they haven't used Special Delivery. You can then look onhttp://www.royalmail.com and see what is going on and request redelivery if necessary online. A steam cleaner sounds quite heavy to me. There is no way they only spent £4.50 sending something using Special Delivery, the cheapest price for special delivery is around £5 and that is the price for sending something weighing 100g - I smell something not quite right here

[Lydia]

Thank you all. You are confirming my suspicions. Chucky Mama is correct - if it was on next day delivery, it should have been delivered on 30th or 31st at the latest. Although hubby's work is closed on Saturday, they also have no postal delivery on Saturday and everything is simply held until Monday, so If it was held up in a holding centre and despatched on 1 April then it should have arrived on Monday with all the other signed for mail.

 

I think I will start a dispute today. I did pay through Paypal so it should be straightforward I hope.

 

Thanks once again.

[Cinnamon]

It will be straightforward Lydia,but it may be lengthy if the seller doesn't refund you in the meantime.

He probably will as he wouldn't want this on his record.....

Keep all emails from him,as you may need to submit them to Paypal to help your dispute against him...good luck!

[Chucky Mama]

Although hubby's work is closed on Saturday, they also have no postal delivery on Saturday and everything is simply held until Monday, so If it was held up in a holding centre and despatched on 1 April then it should have arrived on Monday with all the other signed for mail.

 

Some post offices wait for a request to redeliver Special Delivery items so it is definitely worth getting that tracking number (if it exists).

[WarrensWorld]

edit:- Sorry I should have said he COULD be using a 'Drop Shipper'.....

 

He could be a Drop Shipper. I found this:-

 

"A drop-shipper is a business that stocks merchandise and sells it to you (the reseller) — but ships the merchandise directly to your customer.

By using a drop-shipper, you transfer the risks of buying merchandise, shipping it, and storing it to another party. You become a stockless retailer with no inventory hanging around — often an economical, cost-effective way to do business.

 

The following steps outline the standard way to work with most drop-shippers via eBay:

 

Read more: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/dealing-with-dropshippers-in-your-ebay-business.html#ixzz1IwJpRFlQ".

 

Your steam cleaner could be coming from anywhere, most likely China........

[Lydia]

Interesting Warrensworld, I will keep that in mind.

 

The seller has now sent me a mildly threathening email along the lines of "if you thought getting a refund was easy you are wrong". Ebay have accepted his/her excuse of being delayed and asked me to close the case upon delivery. I have no doubt that the item will not turn up on Monday but I have to wait 10 days before I can escalate via Ebay apparently. Oh well, I am patient.

 

I have asked for the tracking number for Royal Mail in the meantime but I don't think it will be forthcoming.

[Cinnamon]

You hold your ground and escalate it when you can.

[Chucky Mama]

Even if it does turn up, if you paid for next day and didn't get it next day, you should ask for the postage to be refunded.

[Lydia]

Even if it does turn up, if you paid for next day and didn't get it next day, you should ask for the postage to be refunded.

 

I intend to do just that.

 

The seller has sent us another threatening email along the lines of the first one about making it difficult to get a refund. Oh bless him or her! You will not be surprised to hear that he or she has so far failed to provide the Royal Mail tracking number or exact delivery date that we asked for.....

 

Anyone like to take a bet on whether said steam cleaner will turn up tomorrow?

[majuka]

That is really bad, experiences like this make people so wary of using e-bay. Any sign of it today?

[Lydia]

Funnily enough no...

[Lydia]

Good news! The seller refunded us in full yesterday evening.

 

We sent him a note via the Ebay open case thingy just explaining that the 3rd promised delivery date had been and gone and he had not sent any tracking numbers. Half an hour later the refund appeared in Paypal.

 

Just goes to show it pays to stand your ground. I have little doubt that he ever sent the item and certainly not via next day delivery and I think he would have continued to string us along with delivery dates.

 

Thank you all once again for your help and comments.

 

Now I'm off to buy a steam cleaner from a more reliable source.....

[Ain't Nobody Here]

That's great news .

 

Makes you wonder why people sell things on Ebay if they're going to behave like that . They're not going to make much money (thankfully ).

[Chucky Mama]

That is good news. Make sure you leave them negative feedback, you were more than reasonable with them and they have messed you around.

[Lewis]

Good news

[WitchHazel]

THat's good news, well done!