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eBay

If you buy or sell items on eBay, you will find tips and advice on this forum.

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Original poster

Am I being conned?

26 replies

CasaBevron · 29/12/2011 10:04

I bought a cushion from someone on Ebay, paid on the 3rd December and heard nothing. It should have been sent 2nd class recorded delivery, so I expected to receive it well before Christmas. I contacted the seller on December 16th to ask if she had dispatched yet and she told me that she had contacted Royal Mail and been told that my parcel was being returned to her as 'uncollected.'

As far as I was aware, with recorded, although you get a receipt etc, it is not possible to track your parcel, just to show that it has been delivered once it reaches its destination. Is this correct? Looking at her feedback, everything seems above board - she has no negative comments. I think she has either forgotten to post, or couldn't do it in the time promised and is making excuses. She did apologise for the delay in contacting me as her mother is in hospital, but looking at her feedback she has posted to other people in the meantime so it seems to be only me that she has had a problem getting post to and I'm wondering if that 's just an excuse?

What do you think?

OP posts:

catsareevil · 29/12/2011 10:06

If she cant prove that you received it then you will get your money back, so while you might have some hassle, you will get a refund if you dont get the cushion.

fergoose · 29/12/2011 10:10

Has the seller offered you a refund because I reckon they should now. If not start a dispute for your money.

The item may be being returned to the seller - have you asked for a tracking number?

Ineedacleaneriamalazyslattern · 29/12/2011 10:13

You can't track recorded in the same way you can other delivery methods but royal mail themselves will know if it has been returned to sender uncollected. They will only keep a recorded delivery for a week before returning it so it is possible I suppose that you postie never put a card through or something to tell you it was delivered.

Original poster

CasaBevron · 29/12/2011 10:42

Thanks for your quick replies!

I don't believe the parcel ever got to me, tbh, we know our local postie and he would always leave with a neighbour if we weren't in. Neighbours are trustworthy too. I think she is genuine but disorganised - giving her the benefit of the doubt - and maybe just forgot or didn't get round to posting. I have also tried to make allowances for it being Christmas and (if her story is true) her mother being in hospital, but as I say others have received parcels since I paid for my item, and she is still advertising loads for sale so I can't help being a bit cynical about her excuses.

I have never, in hundreds of transactions, had a problem before and don't want to open a dispute if I don't have to, but something about this just doesn't ring true to me.

I think I will contact her again and ask what the state of play is. If she can't get the item out to me by the end of next week I will request a refund and if necessary open a dispute.

Thanks again.

OP posts:

fergoose · 29/12/2011 11:05

I think that's fair enough - you are being very patient, but if mother is in hospital that could be why I guess, also Royal Mail do sometimes not leave a card.

Either way, you only have 45 days to open dispute, so don't run out of time and leave it until after 18th Jan.

lljkk · 29/12/2011 12:45

I don't think she's made excuses, I think something was recorded wrong with your address or Royal Mail are so over-whelmed they ballsed up; now it's post Xmas so delivery still slow & full of errors. When did she get the uncollected parcel back to her? Wouldn't surprise me if she still hasn't had it back.

Original poster

CasaBevron · 29/12/2011 13:56

But regardless of whether her mum is in hospital she has still found time to list other stuff and post items out to other people, I can see that from her profile. That's why i'm a bit cynical about it tbh. There's a lack of communication on her part, the item was never marked as dispatched in the first place, so i've no idea if it's back with her or not. I don't want to hassle her if she does have a sick mum but I think I will have to contact her and set out my expectations as I do feel in the dark with it.

OP posts:

fergoose · 29/12/2011 14:05

Ask her for the tracking number maybe? that will prove if she has dispatched it anyway

I'm a bit cynical and wonder if some people make up a sick relative - is difficult to know though isn't it.

But after nearly 4 weeks I would be expecting a refund or immediate delivery - and I wouldn't want to leave them good feedback either.

ChippingInLovesChristmasLights · 29/12/2011 14:09

I actually think it's much more likely to be a Royal Mail screw up, it's hardly unknown is it?! Or a incorrectly written address or something - you need to clarify yours with her. It sounds like she has stock and has good feed back, so I can't see why it would be deliberate?!

gallicgreetings · 29/12/2011 14:13

Royal Mail have been bad recently. DP has had 4 items go missing in the last few months, from 3 different post offices. Strange thing is, the buyers haven't been in touch to say the item hasn't arrived. Track and trace is showing the items still in the system but the buyer isn't complaining which suggests they have the product. very odd.

In this case I think the seller should be offering you a refund asap.

fergoose · 29/12/2011 14:33

Gallic - they must have been delivered but Royal Mail just neglected to get a signature.

gallicgreetings · 29/12/2011 15:09

That's what we're thinking but the people haven't left feedback either.

DP might have emailed them to check it's arrived. I'm not sure.

Original poster

CasaBevron · 29/12/2011 16:06

I posted seven items in the week before Christmas, all second class recorded, all have reached their buyers, most of them the following day. My payment reached the seller on December 3rd, plenty of time to get to me before the Christmas rush I would have thought?

The thing is I really want the cushion, so I really want to give her the benefit of the doubt. If, however, things go wrong I don't want to be left out of pocket. I didn't know it was possible to do any kind of trace with 2nd recorded, that's why I was a bit suspicious. As I said upthread, I'll contact her and ask for a refund if she's unable to re-send by a specified date. That way I give myself time to open a dispute if the refund doesn't reach me by that date.

OP posts:

fergoose · 29/12/2011 16:25

Gallic - lots of people don't leave feedback. If you haven't heard from them don't worry about it.

Casa - a recorded item will track to show where and when it was posted - it doesn't just show the delivery.

lljkk · 29/12/2011 16:46

I would contact her now about when does she expect to post it and when does she think it will arrive. That is perfectly reasonable to ask. Tell her that if it doesn't arrive by date X you would like to cancel the transaction . You can always mark her low down on DSRs or Neg her so she's being a bit of an idiot not to be more helpful (or her family crisis is huge).
Just because you posted loads of stuff 2nd class that arrived fine says nothing about whether delivery of other items 1st class was successful/ran smoothly, sadly the RM machine doesn't work that consistently.

I don't blame you for being cheesed off, I would keep you more informed if I were a seller & had those problems in delivery, but also as a buyer I would give benefit of the doubt about the family illness because that's how I was raised (to be gracious). At least until the point when it was an obvious failure of her side of the contract.

If she hasn't posted it back yet, could you buy the item elsewhere? Coz you could just cancel the transaction & buy it elsewhere, I'd be seriously tempted.

Original poster

CasaBevron · 29/12/2011 18:33

lljkk I hope from my posts you can see that I am indeed trying to be gracious about the whole thing. I have every sympathy for her if she has a family crisis going on, but - again - I can see from her profile that she has items ending every day for the next week or so, so she obviously thinks she is in a position to honour any sales she makes. From her feedback, she has been posting right through the Christmas period. If it is just a case of 'lost in the post' then all I want is for her to communicate with me!!

Sadly, I can't buy the cushion elsewhere. They are no longer being made and it matches the fabric etc in my dd's bedroom. I've been after one for ages!

OP posts:

FabbyChic · 29/12/2011 18:36

She can see if she enters the tracking on the RM website that it will be being returned to her, don't they only hold Recorded for 7 days.

If she does not refund you file a dispute with eBay or PayPal as she cannot prove delivery via online tracking you get a full refund of what you initially paid.

shuckleberryfinn · 01/01/2012 16:22

Gallicgreetings the delivery drivers with the handheld computers may not be uploading them at the delivery office, apparently this happens when it's very busy and they'll all suddenly get uploaded at once after it quietens down.

80sbabe · 02/01/2012 14:20

If you honestly suspect the seller is not being truthful then ask for the 13 digit Recorded Delivery Number - the Royal Mail website will give you the details of attempted delivery and return to the seller.
It is a possible scenario and the cushion may well be going back - this process can take 7-10 days without a load of Bank Holidays in the way so the seller may be still waiting at her end.

With regards to other items having been posted out in the meantime - how exactly have you seen when the seller has done this? If you are looking at feedback then that is meaningless because some buyers wait ages before leaving it. I received lots of feedback over Christmas even on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, feedback can be left for items which were bought quite sometime previously. Feedback shows the date it was left but not the date the item was posted out to the buyer.

The fact that the seller has other items for sale also proves nothing, I am an Ebay seller with a shop and my son is going into hospital later today for a week or so. However my listings will remain active and a friend will be sending any purchases out on my behalf. What my friend won't do is answer queries or deal with returns - she will just pack and post for me.

It is entirely possible that the seller hasn't got the cushion and that you will end up disappointed and with a refund, but in the meantime please don't jump to conclusions unless you have firm proof.
The vast majority of Ebay buyers and sellers are honest and above board, yes at times we all come across deceitful ones and sometimes mistakes are made, but I always like to think the best until proved otherwise.

Original poster

CasaBevron · 02/01/2012 15:28

80sbabe her transactions are not private, and it is possible to go into items sold and look at the date the auctions ended. Items sold after mine have since had feedback left for them. I do honestly understand how the whole thing works, I have been lucky enough never to have come across this scenario before so I just wanted some views on whether it sounded genuine or not.

I contacted the seller with a date by which I would like a refund if I did not receive the item, and she replied to say the cushion has been returned and she will resend it. Hopefully I will see it before too long...Thanks for the advice, all.

OP posts:

80sbabe · 14/01/2012 22:54

Just popping in (as I've been away for a couple of weeks) to see if you had any resolution to this yet ?

Sorry I didn't realise from your thread that the item was an auction, I thought it was a Buy It Now so I appreciate now how my advice may not have been relevant, sorry about that. I mainly sell on Buy it Now so my listings and feedback are often out of kilter.

Hope you either have your refund or the cushion by now.

Original poster

CasaBevron · 19/01/2012 09:38

Just noticed your reply, 80sbabe. I still haven't received anything from the seller and have opened a case with Ebay. Whatever she has going on, I think I've been more than accommodating and I just want my money back now.

Wish me luck!

OP posts:

80sbabe · 22/01/2012 01:12

I would have to agree now that it looks very likely that for whatever reason she did not have the cushion.
You shouldn't have a problem getting your money back because she can't prove delivery.
You have, as you say been very patient and you have done the correct thing in opening a case now.
Good luck and hope you get your refund soon.

lisaro · 22/01/2012 01:29

Recorded doesn't track to that degree, you're right. So firstly, she's lying. If you paid by paypal you have only so long to register non delivery - you're pushing time, she probably knows this - open a resolution - now!

lisaro · 22/01/2012 01:29

Sorry - just seen you have - you've done the right thing, and don't forget - she has lied, so neg her.

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