ok, how long do i wait before using paypal's dispute resolution?

[Fillyjonk]

Bought some poncey organic grobags on the 13th Feb, and paid for first class delivery.

By the 18th they have not arrived

So I email the seller

She says she has had problems with her computer and they will be posted next day

They have still not arrived

Yesterday I emailed her and asked where they were

She has now emailed me proof of posting. Fine, BUT THEY STILL HAVEN'T ARRIVED.

Now I can see that she has sent something to me, my address is on the proof of posting. BUT I don't have it. So unless it turns up in the next few days, I am going to have to use dispute resolution.

Am also a bit annoyed by her rather dismissive attitude, tbh, and think it rather daft given that ebay has stopped sellers from leaving negative feedback for buyers...

you can open a dispute now, it can be closed should the item reach you.

may I ask? -Will your feedback be different with the fb changes in mind?

tbh, yes, spineless as that is

I have always avoided leaving bad feedback, because I don't want my own feedback affected

But really, this seller didn't even post until 6 days after the auction ended, and while SHE may have had computer problems-there are internet cafes, libraries with internet access. I am a seller and would never dream of leaving it 6 days to post without any contact with my sellers-and my god, if for some reason I did, I would be apologising, not waiting til the buyers actually contacted me .

So I'd be leaving feedback to that effect anyway.

To be fair I dont know how far you will get with the paypal dispute resolution at the moment, she has proof that she sent it to you so as far as they are concerned it is in the post. Perhaps ask her to put a trace on it at the post office but I dont think she can do that quite yet, you have to wait something like 2 weeks.

I thought the seller needed proof of delivery
proof of posting just enables the seller to claim from the PO

thinking on it, it MUST be in the post, mustn't it?

There is actual proof of posting, and I haven't recieved any empty envelopes...

I am mainly annoyed already because she HAS been faffing about, IMO (am deeply skeptical re computer issues, since she was oddly able to respond to my "where is my parcel please" email within the hour . But that IS a separate issue...I do know she has sent it.

A seller does have 7 days to post an item. Yes, it is annoying when you get no communication but still, she did post within the allowed time.

You would get a refund via paypal as she only has proof of posting, not proof of delivery. - It's up to you when you file for it.

thanks for replying to my question re feedback - although I must point out to you that the changes don't come in until May

oh i didn't realise that re the changes. then, tbh, i probably WON'T file bad feedback

The thing re 7 days-I take your point that she is acting within ebay's rules.

However, as a buyer I would normally buy from someone whose feedback showed that they dispatched quickly. In fact, looking at her feedback, she is known to take a while to deliver -of course I DIDN'T check the feedback, she got me on a second chance offer and I'd just had a baby 2 days before...

just for the sake of discussion, if we use this as a example can we see how the feedback change will have the wrong effect?
This particular seller, although not perfect, has, as far as we know acted appropriately yet will receive negs soon and eventually lose her account.
Just as buyers have good reasons for not checking things first, some sellers may have good reasons for not posting and communicating immediately. The sellers will disappear yet the buyers will remain untouched, and as indicated here will hit that neg button without a moment's thought. [sigh]

Hope you item arrives soon.

hang on here

I am only going to say what has happened.

I think other buyers have a right to know which sellers take a long time to post. As does ebay, which is why the feedback stuff is THERE.

Ebay is a business tool, and seller accounts run on the same supply/demand lines as any other business. This seller is in fact a power seller, so really should be on the ball.

If buyers want quick delivery, and not to have to remind the seller to post (as I am pretty sure I did), it is fair enough for sellers to be told of this. And it is fair enough for sellers who can deliver on this to get more custom than those who can't, at least when we are talking about power sellers.

I do actually welcome the feedback changes tbh, and I am saying that both as a buyer and a seller.

but the star ratings can be used to reflect poor communications and slow dispatch which is there for potential buyers to judge and then decide whether they want to go ahead.
Why introduce a system that will make sellers who have acted within the rules lose their account?

I'm not having a go at you in particular, but i fear that there will be too many buyers who will have a field day from May onwards

Oh no, I disagree. As a seller I really welcome the changes.

I dispatch quickly (normally same day or next morning-I time auctions so that I can do this) and I communicate and keep the buyer informed by email. My feedback reflects this. This is good, as I want buyers to see that I am a quick, reliable seller.

I don't think any of this is hard to do, tbh. Its not as though the ending of auctions is unpredictable for sellers.

The best sellers will stay in business, the less good, dodgy ones will go, or buck up their act. No great loss IMO.

IMO feedback is there to differentiate sellers who are already abiding by ebay rules. Its essentially a personal recommendation service. But right now it isn't working because buyers don't want negative feedback, and haven't got much to lose from leaving either no feedback (if they are mainly buying) or good feedback.

"The best sellers will stay in business, the less good, dodgy ones will go, or buck up their act."

As someone so wisely said on the forums - A seller gets bad feedback not necessarily because he did something wrong but because he came across a numpty buyer.
After years of reading boards including this one I agree that this is the case most of the time.

"Its essentially a personal recommendation service."

So why don't buyers read the feedback, or the actual item description for that matter, prior to bidding??