Another bizarre Ebay experience.

[smitty190373]

This site never fails to amaze me.

11/08/23 : I sold a watch on Ebay via the Global Shipping Program to a U.S buyer.
12/08/23: Watch is shipped to the UK GSP hub. Delivery is confirmed to me.

Today at 3.30pm: Ebay email me to say the buyer has opened an enquiry case, as the watch is delayed at Newark, waiting for customs documents to be supplied from the seller.

4pm: I email Ebay to say that they are in charge of the package, as it was shipped by them, via GSP.

4.30pm: Ebay email me to say the case has been put on hold for 10 days, to allow delivery of item.

4.46pm: Ebay email me to say the case has now been reviewed, and ruled in favour of the buyer. Funds will now been removed from my account, and will be returned to the buyer in full.

5.01pm: I call Ebay to explain that the watch is still due to be delivered to the buyer, and that there is no way that the funds should be returned to the buyer.

5.09pm: Ebay call and tell me I will also now be refunded in full... and according to their UPS records, the watch has now been released from Newark for delivery.

So the buyer is likely receive the watch in the next day, and has now been fully refunded. I asked if they have to return the watch on delivery, and they said, no, they can keep it.

Just so you know, it's not a cheap watch, it's almost $4k worth.

 

[filfb22]

So let me understand. Everyone got a refund plus the buyer got a watch for free basically?
Usually in such cases wouldn't be normal for eBay to revoke the buyer refund?

 

[smitty190373]

filfb22

So let me understand. Everyone got a refund plus the buyer got a watch for free basically?
Usually in such cases wouldn't be normal for eBay to revoke the buyer refund?

From what they have said to me on our last call, both myself and the buyer have now been fully refunded....the watch is now due to be delivered, and the buyer is not required to return it.

I suggested that is utter madness, and was told that since the case has now been closed, it can't be amended in any way, and all decisions are final.

 

[filfb22]

smitty190373

From what they have said to me on our last call, both myself and the buyer have now been fully refunded....the watch is now due to be delivered, and the buyer is not required to return it.

I suggested that is utter madness, and was told that since the case has now been closed, it can't be amended in any way, and all decisions are final.

Well... indeed a great day for the buyer and not the worst one for you.

As someone who has been on eBay for a while it is the first time I hear something like this. Usually for a refund they are required to pass through the seller, who has 3 days to take care of the issue. To be honest, knowing about the somewhat strange approach of eBay towards such things, I think the buyer clearly took advantage of them. In the end the only part that suffered a loss is a multi-million dollar company so, in my opinions, things could be worse.

 

[filfb22]

This brings to memory a recent issues with an eBay GSP package from the US.

Everything all right until the parcel is handled to Italy postal service. The envelope is then delivered to my workplace during lunchbrake simply by leaving it on the front door on a busy street. Then gone! Cameras shows that someone picked it up and left with it. Obviously not me.

Opened a case with them. They said that the tracking resulted in a successful delivery. Pure madness...

 

[smitty190373]

filfb22

This brings to memory a recent issues with an eBay GSP package from the US.

Everything all right until the parcel is handled to Italy postal service. The envelope is then delivered to my workplace during lunchbrake simply by leaving it on the front door on a busy street. Then gone! Cameras shows that someone picked it up and left with it. Obviously not me.

Opened a case with them. They said that the tracking resulted in a successful delivery. Pure madness...

I try to avoid using Ebay unless I really have to.

 

[Dan S]

Another odd quirk about eBay is that they consider a delivery successful as long as it has been attempted. I once bought a watch and it was shipped with signature required. I was not home when delivery was attempted, so the mail carrier took it back to the post office. Unfortunately, it was lost at that point and never found by USPS despite a lot of escalation. eBay determined that the attempt to deliver satisfied the seller's responsibility, despite the fact that the listing indicated that the package would be insured in full but they did not insure the package.

 

[pdxleaf]

smitty190373

From what they have said to me on our last call, both myself and the buyer have now been fully refunded....the watch is now due to be delivered, and the buyer is not required to return it.

I suggested that is utter madness, and was told that since the case has now been closed, it can't be amended in any way, and all decisions are final.

Sounds like ebay is not so much evil as incompetent, at least in this case.

Congrats?

 

[smitty190373]

pdxleaf

Sounds like ebay is not so much evil as incompetent, at least in this case.

Congrats?

These stories never fill me with confidence.

 

[paddymoran]

I’m definitely not a fan of eBay’s Global Shipping Program. In general the more convoluted the process the more likely it will fail. I recently bought Omega accessories on eBay from a reputable Australian seller. I paid for the item which included VAT/ customs and it was posted to me in Ireland, via the GSP.

When the package arrived in Ireland I was notified by the carrier that I had to paid customs in order to release the item. eBay had omitted to include an IOSS number on the package.

Myself and the seller resolved the issue between us as the alternative was to return the package to Australia and recommence the payment and shipping process. So essentially customs was double paid because of eBay incompetence.

 

[Donn Chambers]

I’ve had nothing but problems with the global shipping program, which hands off packages from one countries postal service to another. It has gotten even worse post-pandemic. I will now only ship internationally using FedEx next day, and let buyers know this and that it won’t be cheap. Has limited international sales, but I don’t want to mess with situations like this.

 

[Omegafanman]

Show the importance of using the global shipping programme even if it is a rip off. They (eBay) had nowhere to go on this one.

 

[Shabbaz]

Do you have any other watches for sale?

 

[Shabbaz]

But bizar story. Hope you really get a refund.

 

[watchyouwant]

Just a normal day at eBay. As long as you have funds sitting with eBay, they can do everything. Once they go to your bank to claw back the refund, they can't. You order your bank to get the funds back (unauthorized transaction, Scam , change your bank password aso....). Then the eBay refunded Watch becomes ebays property and if they advise the buyer to keep it, not your problem.

 

[Joe_A]

Once upon a time I bought an ice maker on Ebay, advertised as no returns accepted.

Well . . . It did not make ice, lol. I figured that an ice maker that did not make ice would be an exception to the "no returns" rule. Twice Ebay decided on behalf of the seller and twice I protested. Third time was the charm. In the end, the seller got my money, I got Ebay's money and I was told to keep the ice maker or dispose of it as I saw fit.

Amazon has a transaction policy that may end with a similar result. When an item is very late in delivery, say, it was supposed to arrive overnight, but a week later it has not showed up. Seller gets paid; buyer gets a refund, and if the item eventually gets delivered, you are told to keep it. I've had this happen three times over the years with items valued at a few hundred dollars each time.

I guess that, for major commercial entities, the execution of policy trumps exception to policy. So long as these things don't happen too often and don't exceed a value known only to Ebay or Amazon, such loss results in a relatively small write-off, I would suppose.

 

[filfb22]

paddymoran

I’m definitely not a fan of eBay’s Global Shipping Program. In general the more convoluted the process the more likely it will fail. I recently bought Omega accessories on eBay from a reputable Australian seller. I paid for the item which included VAT/ customs and it was posted to me in Ireland, via the GSP.

When the package arrived in Ireland I was notified by the carrier that I had to paid customs in order to release the item. eBay had omitted to include an IOSS number on the package.

Myself and the seller resolved the issue between us as the alternative was to return the package to Australia and recommence the payment and shipping process. So essentially customs was double paid because of eBay incompetence.

In that specific case you can ask eBay for a VAT refund...

Seems easy but it is not. They have a very convoluted system that for Europe pass through Indian Customer Service. They do not care for official receipt but just for a proof of payment.

At the end You'll receive the refund after sending 3 or 4 times an invoice image. To be honest I'd rather just having to pay for the customs when the item arrives and not have to go through this issly mechanism.

 

[ErichPryde]

I don't think that Joe is ever going to get out from under that intern status at this rate.

Edit: absolute talk text fail

smitty190373

From what they have said to me on our last call, both myself and the buyer have now been fully refunded....the watch is now due to be delivered, and the buyer is not required to return it.

I suggested that is utter madness, and was told that since the case has now been closed, it can't be amended in any way, and all decisions are final.

Edited: Aug 31, 2023

 

[ToddWard]

Wow, talk about a rollercoaster of events! eBay's handling of this situation is seriously something else. I can't believe how quickly they went from opening an enquiry case to ruling in favor of the buyer. It's great that you took the initiative to contact them right away though. That watch is no small investment, and the fact that they're allowing the buyer to keep it even after a refund is mind-boggling. At least the UPS records finally reflect that the watch is on its way – hopefully, it arrives safe and sound. Let's just hope you get some clarity and resolution on your end too. Fingers crossed!