ebay issue - buyer says it never arrived

I sold my Nexus 10 last week on Ebay and sent it off. I really didn't think much about it because I have sold tons of stuff. I got delievery confirmation from the Post Office and went on my way.

Today he contacts me saying the item hasn't arrived. I look it up on USPS's site and they say it was delieverd on the 30th! So now I am worried. I called Ebay and they said there was nothing I could really do since the buyer hasn't filed a claim but I am still worrying.

What does happen in a case like this? Ebay seems heavily geared towards buyer protection - and rightly so but this person could just be claiming it didn't arrive and be trying to pocket the N10 and the money too.

Anyone else dealt with this kind of thing?

You have confirmation of delivery? If so I think that should absolve you in this case. At least that's how it was back when I did a fair amount of ebay selling which was...wow, 7 years ago.

Did the USPS delivery confirm require a signature or other verification of receipt? Was the package insured? Follow up seems like it should be between the recipient and USPS at this point.

Kind of, but it was with Amazon. Sold a Gamecube game to someone, shipped it, got delivery confirmation, and forgot about it. 36 days later, I got an email saying it was sent to his old address, and asking if I could send another to his new address. Told him it was my only copy, and he should've checked the shipping address, or gotten off his ass and driven the two miles to pick it up from the new residents. It finally got returned 8 weeks later by USPS, after I'd refunded the money.

I've also had two experiences with GWJers and missing deliveries. Sent Mass Effect to Coldstream, got delivery confirmation, and there was a slit in the bottom of the package where someone had removed the game. Traded blackanchor for Alan Wake, which he shipped, and it never arrived.

Never ship games or DVDs media mail, since those are stolen more often, in my experience. Always get insurance on anything you don't want to eat the cost of losing.

It might also help to make a boxing video, showing you putting the item in the box, sealing it, showing the tracking ID, and showing you handing it to the postal employee. Sounds like it's probably a scam.

I have delivery confirmation so I feel pretty confident it arrived at the address. I have shipped tons of stuff with the Post Office and they are incredible really.

I honestly didn't worry about it at all since, as I said, I have shipped lots. Now, of course, I am kicking myself for not requiring a signature (although I don't see why someone couldn't fake that)

Proof it was delivered to their address should be all you need to get out of responsibility.

I hope so. I mean I feel bad if it honestly was stolen from him but it also seems too easy for him to just claim it never arrived.

farley3k wrote:

I hope so. I mean I feel bad if it honestly was stolen from him but it also seems too easy for him to just claim it never arrived.

Unfortunately, this. It happens frequently enough that you really can't risk selling anything without at least delivery confirmation. Sad but necessary.

Does he live at a house or an apartment complex? I've had things left at the door of my apartment, confirmed delivered by UPS, but I never received them. In one instance my fiance and I thought one of my neighbors stole it. This purchase was from, I believe, Crate and Barrel. CB ended up sending us a new product without much thought or questioning as to whether the product had actually arrived which I found surprising.

The only reason I wanted to bring this up is I don't think you should feel 100% comfortable with the above responses that UPS delivered it so it's not your fault. Obviously you learned a major lesson for the future but I would spend a little more time researching your options and talking to eBay to make sure you're in the clear.

I don't feel comfortable either. I don't feel like it is my fault but I also don't want to blame him. It is an annoying situation all around.

SixteenBlue wrote:

Proof it was delivered to their address should be all you need to get out of responsibility.

Yes. I got scammed by a lot of people saying they didn't receive items, which I know they did, before I started getting delivery confirms on everything. That is all you need to prove that it was sent.

SallyNasty wrote:
SixteenBlue wrote:

Proof it was delivered to their address should be all you need to get out of responsibility.

Yes. I got scammed by a lot of people saying they didn't receive items, which I know they did, before I started getting delivery confirms on everything. That is all you need to prove that it was sent.

farley3k wrote:

I don't feel comfortable either. I don't feel like it is my fault but I also don't want to blame him. It is an annoying situation all around.

I hate to be so cynical but you're assuming it was actually lost.

SixteenBlue wrote:
SallyNasty wrote:
SixteenBlue wrote:

Proof it was delivered to their address should be all you need to get out of responsibility.

Yes. I got scammed by a lot of people saying they didn't receive items, which I know they did, before I started getting delivery confirms on everything. That is all you need to prove that it was sent.

farley3k wrote:

I don't feel comfortable either. I don't feel like it is my fault but I also don't want to blame him. It is an annoying situation all around.

I hate to be so cynical but you're assuming it was actually lost.

And you're assuming it was automatically stolen. Either way the only thing he has to go off is the UPS confirmation delivery, and the buyer's word. No reason to jump to either conclusion as it's a relatively moot point at this point in the discussion. Only thing he can do is tell the buyer that shipment was confirmed, hopefully with a signature, and to either file a claim with UPS or initiate a claim with ebay/PayPal.

Bottom line is that you need to put some details in your selling terms. I always put that money will be refunded if the buyer is not happy, but that lost items are the buyer's responsibility to file a claim with the shipper.

nel e nel wrote:
SixteenBlue wrote:
SallyNasty wrote:
SixteenBlue wrote:

Proof it was delivered to their address should be all you need to get out of responsibility.

Yes. I got scammed by a lot of people saying they didn't receive items, which I know they did, before I started getting delivery confirms on everything. That is all you need to prove that it was sent.

farley3k wrote:

I don't feel comfortable either. I don't feel like it is my fault but I also don't want to blame him. It is an annoying situation all around.

I hate to be so cynical but you're assuming it was actually lost.

And you're assuming it was automatically stolen. Either way the only thing he has to go off is the UPS confirmation delivery, and the buyer's word. No reason to jump to either conclusion as it's a relatively moot point at this point in the discussion. Only thing he can do is tell the buyer that shipment was confirmed, hopefully with a signature, and to either file a claim with UPS or initiate a claim with ebay/PayPal.

Bottom line is that you need to put some details in your selling terms. I always put that money will be refunded if the buyer is not happy, but that lost items are the buyer's responsibility to file a claim with the shipper.

And personal history as well as history of friends.

Also you can't really just put something like that in your terms. You can say a lost item is the buyer's responsibility but it won't matter. PayPal and eBay will side with the buyer every time if you can't prove delivery. This policy is exactly why there are a high number of scams on ebay.

Definitely don't encourage to open a claim with eBay or PayPal either. As a seller, that is asking to get screwed.

I just dealt with this recently, having sold a hockey jersey on ebay. I received delivery confirmation (USPS Priority) but the guy said he never got the jersey. I called ebay and they said he needs to contact USPS and track it down. He initiated a case with USPS. I told him that I would help in any way I could. I even scanned and mailed him a copy of the USPS receipt with the destination zip code on it. I made sure to send that copy to eBay as well.

As it turns out, this guy lived on a street in Brooklyn that apparently existed in another part of Brooklyn. Same street name, same city, two different zip codes. The post office that got his package manually scribbled over the zip code I wrote, and instead put the zip code of the other street by the same name. The guy I spoke to at the local USPS sorting facility was instrumental in learning what had happened with the package. Luckily, the guy who DID receive the package did a return to sender, I got the jersey back, and setup an alternate shipping address with the guy.

Since that transaction, I always take short videos of the item being packed and sealed up and then pictures of the address label on the box and the receipts from the delivery service.

Try getting in touch with USPS and open a case. You will get routed to the local sorting facility for the destination where you can speak to someone to figure out what happened.

Bonus_Eruptus wrote:

I've also had two experiences with GWJers and missing deliveries. Sent Mass Effect to Coldstream, got delivery confirmation, and there was a slit in the bottom of the package where someone had removed the game. Traded blackanchor for Alan Wake, which he shipped, and it never arrived.

I remember that! I filed a complaint with the USPS, which predictably didn't give me so much as a return phone call or postcard to let me know that they gave a damn. From what I gather, certain areas of USPS delivery have rampant issues like this, but no-one seems to give a crap at the managerial level.

I always do signature confirmation. It is like a buck more and it is worth my piece of mind.

SixteenBlue wrote:

Proof it was delivered to their address should be all you need to get out of responsibility.

That's my experience with eBay. I had this problem in 2001, but it was confirmed delivered to the buyer. He calls at 1am in the morning and asks where his item is. I told him 1am phone calls are not called for, take it up with eBay. Never heard about it again and didn't get negative feedback.

karmajay wrote:

I always do signature confirmation. It is like a buck more and it is worth my piece of mind.

Yeah, and you have the buyer pay for it. This is how I handled selling my Motorola Droid a couple years ago.

Unfortunately, ebay has been anti-seller for a while. It's a matter of rushing to satisfy the buyer so as to never make them cross, get more in, etc- the problem is that in many cases there that buyers are given much, much more benefit of doubt than sellers.

Everyone seems focused on the negative here, and forgetting the cool fact that I got a Nexus 10 absolutely free.

kuddles wrote:

Everyone seems focused on the negative here, and forgetting the cool fact that I got a Nexus 10 absolutely free.

Eventually the item was found. The buyer had two addresses one in ebay one in paypal. I used the wrong one. It is stupid that the buyer keeps two addresses - when he only lives at one. I find it annoying but at least it wasn't stolen or lost.

farley3k wrote:

Eventually the item was found. The buyer had two addresses one in ebay one in paypal. I used the wrong one. It is stupid that the buyer keeps two addresses - when he only lives at one. I find it annoying but at least it wasn't stolen or lost.

Yeah, hate that. I've gotten into the habit before shipping of contacting the seller, copying the shipping address from PayPal (I ship to where the money comes from) and confirming with them, "This is the address I will ship to, is this correct?"

Glad it all worked out for you.