Since March I have bought many items most of them arrived a few days late to a week late. What I have noticed is once it gets to distribution sites it’s heavily delayed. I waited for a comic for 6 weeks that was sent from New York to Chicago with 3 of those weeks being stuck at Chicago’s distribution center. I waited 8 weeks for a package from Japan however and item I bought from Japan that was shipped two days prior took two weeks. Under normal circumstances if a package is heavily delayed I’ll become a nervous Mervis (this is my name lol) but I would talk with the seller and the post office first. Under current circumstances I’m thinking a month minimum for domestic two months international, although that probably will change since places are starting to open back up
What annoys me the MOST is the my buyer will get his item and now it’s free because he took advantage of a shitty situation and screwed me out of my money.
THANKFULLY, it’s only going to total about 60 bucks between the two items in limbo, but for anyone shipping expensive stuff, it really stinks!
Yeah I would NEVER use FF as a buyer or seller unless you really know the person. FF just as much of a risk to a seller as a buyer. Guy pays you ff using a cc or bank acct and all they have to do is pull the cc or call there bank and you as a seller are then scammed. Also if a package gets lost in the mail or damaged and you try to go to usps with a ff transaction as proof of payment thats not going to work.
I had a scenario where I sold a card and paid for signature confirmation. Due to corona virus, it was not required to be signed for and was left in the mailbox without being scanned. Tracking showed it was at the local post office, yet it had already been delivered. The buyer hadn’t checked his mail in a week and happened to randomly find it.
If it hadn’t been for the buyers honesty, I would have assumed it was lost and would have been forced to refund the buyer.
Question. Would you guys reach out to a buyer during this time if they have been waiting for a while but have not reached out themselves yet? I see it as seller assurance to the buyer. At the same time I don’t know if it’s something thats needed unless they reach out themselves or file a claim.
I think eBay completely dropped the ball on offering sellers any kind of protection during the pandemic. The moment postal services were announcing restrictions or reductions in service, eBay should have either 1. Extended the “delivery window” to account for shipping delays so buyers couldn’t just initiate a claim the moment the regular delivery window is up or 2. Disabled the “item not received” claim entirely until things returned to normal.
I’m more of a buyer than a seller on eBay, but on a few of the cards I did send over the last couple months three of them got “item not received” claims, one being domestic (Canada). Granted they were very small $ items, so it didn’t bother me to refund, but for any large ticket items? Yeah no thanks, not selling them until I know I won’t get screwed by postal delays.
I’ve still got a few packages coming in from Australia that is going on 2 months. I didn’t claim item not received because I know the restrictions from parcels leaving Australia, but unfortunately there are many other buyers who would gladly make premature item not received claims to get free stuff when the cards eventually do arrive.
If you have a big item to sell I would not use eBay to move it unless you absolutely need to.
Had to refund 3 packages. $210, $46 and $49.
Destination : USA, Italy and UK
The same can be maneuvered internationally using g/s. Plus you pay an extra 4% every time. Add up that 4% and compare it to one loss a year on average.
eBay did extend the window for arrival of sales, BUT it is not long enough still clearly.
Just to clarify, if I ship GSP I only need to get it to Kentucky and then I am not liable for how long it takes at that point? No way to lose money if it gets to that point???
Yes I definitely would I track all my packages regularly to make sure there are no issues and if I see something hasn’t updated in a while I will call the shipping company and then relay the info to the buyer informing them of the situation so they feel comfortable and know you are handling it as you should as it is ultimately your responsibility.
UPDATE: One of the cases that was opened against me for an item not delivered has since been closed and the buyer got a full refund.
HOWEVER, I just noticed that the tracking updated for the item and will most likely be delivered soon. I called eBay and they told me that upon delivery of the item I can make an appeal and get ALL of my money back. They assured me that I would win the appeal in this situation.
ANOTHER claim opened against me was for an item that has not been delivered, but the tracking says “out for delivery”. It has said this since early May though. Upon talking with eBay, they said since the item was out for delivery that they would actually side with me in this case because USPS successfully mailed the item to the intended destination. This is despite the seller not receiving the item yet.
Very interesting stuff…
With the amount of sellers and buyers here in this post dealing with similar issues as my own it’s both frustrating and reassure. As is, I am sure most of us sellers that are now dealing with refund claim issues will recieve updates at some point and packages will show up. One of my buyers just escalated a case on my first ever international shipment. While I am confident that the package will show up it’s honestly deterred me from ever bothering with international shipments again. To many loops and hurdles and I can’t help but feel like some buyers could be potentially taking advantage of the situation. Not to say all buyers are but at some point it’s got to be understood shipments will be severly delayed when large parts of the world are shut down and screening what comes in. In the end though the one that loses is either eBay or PayPal so no skin off my back but it’s the principal’s that makes it frustrating.
Good question from what I read answer is yes but I’d like confirmation myself. And sorry for shitty situation 
UPDATE: The first item that I sent to the UK has now arrived and waiting for import fees to be paid. I called eBay and they immediately reversed the decision and gave me my money back.
The other item to Canada still says in transit now, so it may actually be lost. I have no idea what happened there.
The moral of the story is that you need to keep up on the tracking yourself in this situation because no one else is going to watch for the delivery. Also, use the damn GSP.
If he doesn’t pay the import fees, the cards will come back to you.
In this case, I wonder if you have to pay again the shipping fees…
I just had a buyer in the UK open up a case against me for not getting his item that was sent through GSP over a month ago. Package made it to Kentucky and on its way overseas into limbo.
GSP is responsible for the package at this point and will pay the refund?
No idea, but some people have said that it should be covered. A call an eBay rep may answer this question once and for all.
You’re 100% covered if it made it to Erlanger KY (GSP) within the stated delivery time frame. Easy 5min call with eBay will get that case closed in your favor.
Just got word this morning. eBay is refunding the buyer, but I am not to blame. So it is out of their pocket.
Looks like the buyer may get a free card. I’m sure it will arrive eventually.
Yup! if this is the first time the buyer has made this claim usually eBay will choose to refund them at no cost to you. Whether they get a free card or not just be happy you didn’t get burned 