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I have a question about a very rare plant that was bought on Ebay. We have almost 100 positive feedbacks, 0 negs, and just purchased an amorphophallus konjac shattered glass, a 2 yr old plant thats variegated and extremely rare to find.
Now since we've bought our plants and seeds 98% every seller has offered delivery confirmation, unless it was 2-3 bucks, and after our auction was over the seller listed another plant a lot cheaper. We paid $175 plus $18 postage for this plant, and I noticed after we asked for a tracking number the second auction had been edited in its details, he added "Please note the previous buyer asked for a tracking number, this item sent priority mail does not come with a tracking number, so if you want to send it express let me know and i'll adjust the shipping".
What I get is priority mail from him does not offer delivery confirmation, I know this is a lie, because we sell on ebay and print the label and delivery confirmation is free from paypal. So it was mailed (says the seller) July 13, and it should have arrived saturday or today July 18.
We sent a message to this seller requesting a tracking number, he said he had it in his car and would go check on it, it was after this response from him that he edited the 2nd plants description. We got 2 bulbs in April from him and had no issue.
My question is if someone buys a very rare expensive item and does not offer any kind of tracking, what steps do I take after the expected delivery date has gone by, and if he says I'm lying about not getting it and I don't get a refund, what should I do? I've read a lot of complaints about sellers telling ebay the customer got his item, but didn't want it, so ebay without questioning that, never refunded. I'm stuck here folks.
Do you know where he is shipping it from?, wait for one or two days, if it doesnt arrive, then ask for the post office receipt atleast to make sure that he mailed it out, you can check the amount that he has paid for and i beleive that he has to declare what he is sending through mail, he must have copy of that too.
If he didn't use delivery confirmation or any method that proves delivery, he loses.
Really dumb not to buy it, even at full price.......what? less than a dollar?....especially on such an expensive item.
However, it may be too soon to worry.
If you don't receive it, you can make a claim with ebay. Without proper documentation on his end (ie tracking info), ebay or paypal can force him to pay you back.
eBay now requires tracking number for all shipments. If you don't receive the item, file a claim with eBay and they'll ask him for tracking. If he cannot provide one, you will get a refund.
The shipping company (post office here) is working as an agent of the seller. If the post offices lost your plant, your maximum liability is $18. Ebay/paypal will refund you a minimum of $175 purchase price up to the $193 total if the shipping was not what you paid for (ie you paid for tracked priority, but you got parcel post).
Spartac, it came from Massachusetts, he said he shipped it priority mail on July 13th, and still nothing as of yet (July 28). We sent a message asking for a tracking number, he said its shipped with tracking and he'll have to get it out of his car later. Well a day or so went by we got a reply that the tracking was for something else he shipped and not the plant. We asked for a copy of a reciept through Usps, and didn't get it. A week later we hear from him again after requesting proof of mailing, he proceeds to tell us that we need to wait another 2-3 weeks to see if it arrives, he said he's gotten lost packages much later than expected and the plants were ok.
Then the following day we got a message that the daylilies we sent him were rotted and smelled bad, and the box was crushed (we didn't sell him anything), so again we asked for some proof that the item was mailed. We got none. We then proceeded to let him know if no proof could be offered, we'd file a case with ebay on the 27th of July, His response was that it got lost at an airport somewhere and is probably baked. He didn't offer to replace it, he didn't offer a refund, but he did state she should not lose out on the sale, so we did file a case with ebay.
Here's the weird thing, the shipping method under the bid box has standard 6-10 day shipping, well he has in the description it would be priority mail, or express if you wanted that. He keeps saying if you want insurance you should have went express, unless Usps changed their rules, you can get insurance and tracking with priority mail, I just don't understand why he won't add tracking numbers with priority shipping, its free if you print a shipping label through paypal.
If he didn't use delivery confirmation or any method that proves delivery, he loses.
Really dumb not to buy it, even at full price.......what? less than a dollar?....especially on such an expensive item.
However, it may be too soon to worry.
Insurance exists to protect the seller. File a claim with ebay/paypal and get your money back! As for not adding a tracking number, there are possibilities:
~He's incompetent and lost the receipt.
~He never mailed the item.
~He mailed it parcel post or first class.
Nonetheless, if he will not give you a refund, paypal will. And they will take the money back from him. Here's his liability and why seller protection cannot help him:
~The USPS is his agent. If they lose the item, he is responsible for compensating you.
~Failure to produce a tracking number. As a matter of policy, ebay MUST have this if the seller is to protect his ass. (It's common knowledge that in buyer-seller disputes, ebay will side with the buyer 99 of 100 times)
~Failure to use delivery confirmation. When purchasing priority shipping through ebay's "Print Shipping Label" service, Delivery Confirmation is FREE (as you've pointed out)! Not having this is a BASIC failure.
When ebay investigates your claim, they will have NO PROOF that your item was EVER shipped in the first place. That said, you also stand a good chance of receiving your $18 in shipping.
file with Ebay. if you used paypal file with them as well. Leave neg feedback for the seller. IF he can't show proof of the shipment then he is at fault.
Delivery confirmations are free for email only with online purchases. Other then that is does cost a minimal fee someone said .70 and they are correct.
you need to make sure he send a copy of email confirmation on the shipping.
and lesson learned? if you don't want to lose the money pay extra for insurance! NEVER assume a good rating protects you from foul play or errors made by the seller. Protect yourself it is worth the extra costs. Or better yet.... when in doubt don't spend any money.
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