Fucked over by ebay. Utterly miffed.

[BigbreastsBiggerbeard]

Wasn't sure where to post this, guess I just needed to get it off my chest as it's actually really upset me and put a dampener on my day.

I ordered a computer from ebay. After an initial mix up with the courier service (UPS) the seller told me it would be delivered a few days later than originally stated. I didn't have a problem with this. There was apparently, an attempted delivery on the stated day, for which I was not available. Consequently, I made sure I was in all day the next day as that was when the final delivery attempt was scheduled.

No delivery was attempted.

Looking at the tracking information, it also states that there was an attempted delivery two days later - this DID NOT HAPPEN!

Cutting a long story short (ish) the item was scheduled for return to sender. I opened an INR (item not received case) with ebay and was told that if the case had not been resolved by 15th (today) I should ask them to step in and help. So today, I did that. The outcome? Despite the fact that they can see clearly I do not have the item (it's on it's way back to the sender) they will not refund me.

I appealed this decision and the outcome was the same.

They can see that I have been in contact with the seller all along, and that I only requested a refund after UPS lied about attempting to deliver my order. Obviously, ebay don't know for sure that UPS are lying, but I have told them that I have proof via my intercom system that logs the callers. No-one attempted delivery on the stated days.

There reasoning is that the seller fulfilled their part of the deal by sending the item. I'm utterly confused at this point, and a tiny bit distraught. I'm out of pocked and have no computer! I just can't get my head around their reasoning.

If anyone can make me see this differently - am I looking at it from the wrong angle - please help me out. I can't believe how easy it is to lose money!!

Thank you for reading

Can’t the sender just resend it to you when it arrived with them? Ask them to use a different courier this time.

Seems weird, as an eBay seller I find they normally side with the buyer! If you paid with PayPal then open a dispute with them.

Also, surely the seller should refund you anyway as they now have your money and the computer!

This sounds really bizarre on eBay's part given they can see you don't have the item. I am guessing this was a private not a business seller, but even still.

File a claim with PayPal and if that doesn't work with your card issuer. I am sure you will get your money back one one of those ways. But odd that you have to go that far. Chin up.

hettysdrawers - The buyer was rather shirty with me when I initially requested a refund, which is why I opened a case. The seller told me to go to the UPS site and arrange a redelivery. I went to the site, but found that I would have to create an account in order to arrange redelivery. I didn't want to do this only to possibly wait in for another delivery that didn't take place.

I explained to the seller that I wasn't confident with UPS given that they'd already blatantly lied and therefore, please could I have a refund? (Also, I needed the item by 13th and it clearly would not arrive by then) He said that when the item was returned to him he would refund me minus postage plus any other fees he was charged. This didn't seem fair given that I hadn't, as he put it, "refused delivery" I was in all fucking day, mate

At this point I thought I'd leave it up to ebay. And now, having had the case closed in the sellers favour, he isn't obligated to give me a refund of anything at all!! I would have been better off leaving ebay out of it.

Honestly, it was like banging my head against a brick wall this morning.

golddigger79 - I've been in touch with Paypal and will hopefully hear something by Friday. I'm resigned to hearing them say the same though - that they won't refund me. My pessimistic head is well and truly screwed on today.

You know, I wouldn't have minded so much if I'd had any kind of apology from the seller but he's been really quite horrid. I even acknowledged in an email that I realised it wasn't his fault, it was UPS, but he's not once apologised for the inconvenience or initial delay. I'm a seller on ebay and even if something is not my fault, I will acknowledge the inconvenience or frustration the buyer may be feeling if delays occur.

I think the seller was fair offering you refund minus fees and postage.

You should of made an account to manage the delivery if you could and book a specific day, you would have had more of a leg to stand on.

What was the issue making an account?

I’ve had similar before. I called eBay, spent ages holding the line, speaking to a couple of different people, but in the end they refunded me as they could see from my buying history that I didn’t have form for making claims.

Because I have issues with my current laptop continually freezing and some of the numerical keys don't work, thereby making it impossible to key in my phone number end email address, which contains numbers. I did try, but gave up in end. And, as already stated, I I didn't have any faith that they would actually try. As it happens, since speaking to ebay I can see that UPS have lied again about another attempted delivery!

Needallthesleep - that's what I was hoping for. I buy items from ebay every week (have a minor clothing addiction...) and this week alone have had seven items delivered! I also have 100% on my sellers rating. I've also ordered another laptop since this fiasco (god help me!) but this time I've arranged for click and collect at the local store so there'll be no issues with delivery. I just can't grasp how they can find against me when it's clear I don't have the item.

Do you have a mobile you could create an account on? Take the refund minus the delivery charge. It isn't fair that the seller should be out of pocket. I understand your frustration, delivery companies are generally rubbish. But it's not the sellers fault

For me you would be a nightmare purchaser on eBay. I box up a computer carefully, get courier labels printed, wait in for it to be collected. Inform you of the scheduled delivery and tracking. You aren't there for the 1st and 2nd attempts, if I understand that correctly and UPS lied about the 3rd. You could have taken control of delivery by setting up an account on your phone. Instead of waiting for the computer to be returned to seer (seller has agreed to refund you minus shipping) you don't wait - you put a claim in with eBay. You took the refund process out of the seller's hands.

Why do you presume I could set up an account on my phone Diana? Because everyone has a smartphone?

No, UPS lied about the second and third delivery attempts. I'm sure they must have tried once. No idea why I missed them, but that happens. Hence me making sure I was available for the second and as they said, final attempt. Which didn't happen.

I opened a case with Ebay as was advised to do so by ebay. When I received the unpleasant response from the seller, I contacted them to ask their advice. They said I should open an INR case as, well, I hadn't received the item.

I made it clear to the seller that I realised it wasn't his fault, that it was UPS.

And as it happens, the seller didn't keep me informed of the progress. The item was scheduled for delivery on the 4th and when it didn't arrive, I contacted the seller to ask why and got "oh, UPS didn't collect it, I've started the process again, it's due next week now".

I also have proof that the further deliveries did not take place as I have an intercom system. There were no callers on the days specified by UPS. None.

Have you checked UPS have the right address and not trying to deliver it elsewhere?

I think it is fair that they refund less shipping costs, you should have contacted UPS to sort out redelivery

So you do not have a phone or access to a computer?

I was about to say the same as Raindrops
This kind of thing has happened to me multiple times in the past as there is another house in our village that shares the same post code and has a similar name. I have had failed delivery notifications several times when couriers have been to the wrong house and I imagine it has happened to the other people too. Once I got an email notification from a courier when DH and I were both sitting in our front garden so we knew 100% no delivery had been attempted at our house. DH jumped straight in the car and arrived just in time to see the driver leaving the other property. DH flagged the driver down, and he was incredibly apologetic but wouldn't deliver our parcel. He said once the failure notice was in their system he couldn't override it and would lose his job if he didn't take the parcel back to the depot.
It is immensely frustrating when stuff like this happens and I do understand why you are angry. But my first thought would be that UPS have been incompetent rather than deliberately deceptive. It is understandable that you are upset, but you might have a bit more success resolving things if you moderate your language a little and maybe talk in terms of a mistake being made rather than being lied to? In my experience, people tend to become defensive and inflexible if they feel they are being unfairly accused, and more willing to help if you use a conciliatory tone. I hope you get it sorted out soon.

Yes, I have access to a computer, SheChoseDown - I explained upthread why I couldn't do it via computer. I have a mobile phone but it's not 'smart'.

I now have an email from UPS confirming that at least one attempt wasn't an attempt at all. Hoping this will help. Checked address with UPS, and all correct there.

Will send UPS proof that no-one rang my intercom on the date claimed (managed to take a photo of image capture of last caller).