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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

Buyer gave me the wrong address

24 replies

HopefulHamster · 07/06/2014 09:20

Six days after payment he's got in touch to give me the correct postcode. I posted it last Mon or Tue - it should've reached him by Wednesday.

I hope the post office would figure it out but I've just looked up the address and there are two roads with the same name in Oxfordshire - he didn't put a specific region down beyond Oxford. From what I can tell the two roads are actually quite close together. But in slightly different villages.

I posted first class with proof of postage but not sign-for. Am I screwed?

I just can't believe after I marked it dispatched last week he's now saying 'I'm giving you the correct address so it can go to the right place'.

I've responded to him suggesting he try the sorting office, the other road near him, and that unfortunately I can't help further but best of luck.

OP posts:

lljkk · 07/06/2014 09:21

Did you put your return address on the parcel?
Might come back to you.
You're obliged to use the address on his paypal account, did that have wrong postcode?
It's messy, but I wouldn't despair just yet.

Original poster

HopefulHamster · 07/06/2014 09:56

I just used the address that came up on eBay but I checked the paypal transaction and it's the same there.

I can't recall re the return address on the back - I usually do but may have forgotten this time. I've told him if it comes back to me I'll send it on.

OP posts:

starsandunicorns · 07/06/2014 10:17

Posties go by the postcode first how close are the post codes is
OX 10 5AY OX9 5BY if the postcode he has given is connected to either postcode the postie will do a educated guess ie there is no road by that name in OX10 they send it the postcode that is connected to the rest of the address

This happens alot with the liverpool postcode and area of Bootle it has L20 and L21 L30 and also a village in Lancs i used to see a good few letters going through the sorting office with not L20 try L30 on it

you have proof you sent it and by him in the emails that he has given you the wrong postcode

if the package goes to the other address and is not collected and there is no RTS it goes to Belfast and is opened up and checked it see if there is a RTS inside

Original poster

HopefulHamster · 07/06/2014 10:34

It's one number out - OX24 instead of OX29.

The rest of it is correct.

However there are two roads with the same name in OX29, sigh.

Hopefully they will match the name of the addressee as well, though. My concern is it should've reached him on Weds and I'm not sure how much of a delay that would normally cause. Even if the postcode was totally wrong I'd assume it would get there if it wasn't for the two roads called the same thing, thing!

Definitely no RTS on the inside (I wrote a 'this is your item' type note on a post-it at work, gah), so if there isn't one on the outside that doesn't help either.

OP posts:

starsandunicorns · 07/06/2014 11:08

He needs to check with other the address you can only start a investigation with royal mail after 14 days and you can explain on the form also print off the emails to support it and photocopy your proof of sending if his PayPal also says the wrong the postcode it really his fault I would print screen his address off PayPal and eBay also so you have to prove to eBay its his fault by giving the wrong address

NorbertDentressangle · 07/06/2014 11:15

My guess is that with 2 roads with the same name so close together (not to mention the fact that the buyer himself also has the wrong details on his ebay and Paypal account!) that the Royal Mail, postman, person who lives in the corresponding house in the village are used to this happening.

Hopefully this should mean that someone will use their common sense and match the buyers name with the correct address.

Original poster

HopefulHamster · 07/06/2014 11:22

Fingers crossed. I suspect the buyer is a studenty/geek type (not judging, I'm certainly the latter!) given the item I've sold, so probably will really feel the loss of the money (approx £20), so I will expect a claim at some point.

Maybe it'll be one of those no-fault refunds I've heard eBay sometimes does? Who knows.

OP posts:

Original poster

HopefulHamster · 08/06/2014 08:12

Sigh, have now got:

"Should I also check the post office, can you tell me all the places I could check for my order?"

I'd already told him to go to the sorting office. Thinking this is a kid now. I feel bad, but what else can I do if he gave me the wrong address? I've just repeated my advice about the sorting office and dropping a note in at the similar address to him.

OP posts:

Butterflyspring · 08/06/2014 08:17

you sent it to the address from paypal? You should never send to an alternative unless it is provided by paypal. Without tracking you are pretty stuffed now really tbh.

Original poster

HopefulHamster · 08/06/2014 08:51

Butterfly Sorry I'm confused, I've said several times that I sent it to the address provided, which was identical in eBay and Paypal - ie I did it correctly. Thanks for the supportive post, though.

OP posts:

Butterflyspring · 08/06/2014 08:53

I thought you said he gave you an alternative postcode though?

Original poster

HopefulHamster · 08/06/2014 08:57

Six days after payment he has given me the 'right' one. I used the one that was in Paypal and eBay last Monday.

OP posts:

Original poster

HopefulHamster · 08/06/2014 08:57

ie he put his address incorrectly into eBay and Paypal and has only just noticed.

OP posts:

Butterflyspring · 08/06/2014 08:58

so report him for false contact details, refund and claim for the loss.

Original poster

HopefulHamster · 08/06/2014 09:01

How do I claim for the loss when I haven't sent it to a real address - I have proof of postage from Royal Mail but they're going to realise it's not a real postcode pretty quick.

OP posts:

Butterflyspring · 08/06/2014 09:04

but they accepted it at the counter with that postcode?

Original poster

HopefulHamster · 08/06/2014 09:10

I don't think it will matter - it's not Royal Mail's fault is it, so why should they pay out? I don't meant to sound combative but am frustrated by the situation.

It's not clear on this page: www.royalmail.com/personal/help-and-support/claims-process-for-inland-items but given all the info they want, and the fact they want the recipient's address, I don't think they'll say 'oh yeah you sent it here but the recipient actually lives here, and you're wondering why it didn't arrive. Full refund!'

The buyer is the one at fault - and I have exacerbated the situation by not using tracking. So I am reliant on him not claiming, then on eBay if he does. Given there's no tracking there's a good chance I'll have to refund.

Which is shit.

OP posts:

Blondieminx · 08/06/2014 09:20

Can you raise a dispute with eBay now, dispute the entire transaction?

Something along the lines of " re transaction [listing number] in good faith I despatched the parcel to the address provided by PayPal. I got proof of postage (see 2 screenshots below to illustrate these points). Nearly a week after I sent the item on [date] the buyer then got in touch to say they had provided me with the wrong details. By that stage, obviously I had already posted the item. I do hope that given the circumstances, you will be reasonable and NOT award a refund as it is clearly not my fault that the buyer has supplied incorrect address information. Please confirm, many thanks"

Butterflyspring · 08/06/2014 09:21

well I would ask the buyer to contact their sorting office - don't panic yet. But if he does open a case yes you will have to refund.

Butterflyspring · 08/06/2014 09:22

no there is no the dispute seller can raise - no tracking = refund. There are no exceptions.

Original poster

HopefulHamster · 08/06/2014 09:28

I've asked him to contact the sorting office then he got in touch this morning asking how to do that :). He must be young or finding it all very hard. Sigh.

In the past I've been prepared to refund for missing items or to claim via proof of postage if under £20 say. I do use tracking for over that amount. But it's the first time I've had one go missing through buyer's error. Luckily for me the item was effectively a freebie so I can 'afford' to lose it - but I'm saving up for maternity leave too so not really ideal.

OP posts:

Blondieminx · 08/06/2014 09:33

I am not a lawyer but it can't be enforceable as a contract surely, as the buyer gave incorrect delivery details? And didn't bother to correct them till nearly a week after the item was marked as despatched?

At best it's scatiness on the part of the buyer but on an item worth more than a tenner, starts to look a bit fraud-y

Original poster

HopefulHamster · 08/06/2014 09:35

Well yeah, for all I know he has got the item and is trying it on! But unfortunately eBay doesn't work like that (which is great when you're a buyer, which I normally am). It's all in the buyer's favour.

It's not a maaaassssive amount of money, but really really annoying.

OP posts:

Butterflyspring · 08/06/2014 10:06

report for false contact details Here

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