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Lost in the Mail

  • Thread starter JRFxtreme
  • Start date
So heres the story. 2 weeks ago I ordered a game off of eBay. Today I got a message from the seller as a reminder to leave her feedback. I replied and told her that I hadn't received the item yet. She told me that she had shipped it out the following Monday via priority mail. It hadn't been insured and has no tracking number. Its been 8 'shipping days' so far so its long overdue. Is there some way to contact USPS and have then check around for it or am I screwed out of $10? I trust the seller, she had 2 games up for bid and the person that bought the other on Nov. 4th (same day as me) had already left positive feedback by the 9th.

My game.. NOO! :cry:
 
no insurance, no delivery confermation....your screwed....had a money order sent PO to Texas take two months to get there.....also had a first class letter take 6 months to get to the other side of the state.......
 
Be thankful that it was not a plant. I had a D. derbyensis take about a month. Needless to say, the plant didn't have a chance. Actually took quite a bit of effort to try and find anything resembling a plant amongst the formerly green mass of mush ... :cry:

Otoh, you still have a chance that it may someday appear ....
 
So, what kind of feedback should he leave?

Positive? And state that he never received the game however?
 
I'm turning the keyboard over to my mom, long-time eBayer and retired USPS worker:

- If she paid for the Priority Mail shipping online, there should have been a tracking number automatically generated. If she paid in the post office, however, and didn't specifically ask for one, there is no way to find the package.

- DON'T leave her any feedback yet. She doesn't earn a positive feedback from you unless you wind up with the game in your hand. Don't leave her a neutral or negative feedback either because that ticks a lot of Sellers off and they'll turn right around and leave a negative feedback for you - even though you did nothing wrong. Most likely the package is lost. It might still show up, but probably it won't. You can re-read the shipping terms that were described in the auction and see whether the Seller claimed she was going to have the package insured or have a tracking number added. If you paid to have the package insured and she didn't insure it, then she owes you the money you spent on the item and its shipping cost. If she wrote into the shipping terms that she was not going to either insure the item, or add a tracking number unless you requested and paid extra for them, then you are probably up the creek without a paddle. Get mad. Do whatever you need to do to get it out of your system, but don't leave her negative or neutral feedback because she might turn around and leave the same for you. More than anything else on eBay, you want to protect your positive feedback rating. If you win another auction, try to get the Seller to insure or at least add a tracking number to the item. Things usually don't get lost in the mail - it's basically a gamble - but every now and then they do. You have my sincere sympathy.


back to the real me: In summary, just leave it without feedback. If you end up eventually receiving the game, or if you work out an agreement with the seller, then you can leave positive feedback. But leaving positive feedback without having received your product isn't right, and as my mom pointed out, leaving neutral or negative feedback can come back to bite you.
 
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It is true that if you don't request insurance or at least delivery confirmation, you're pretty much screwed. And...although the seller SHOULD leave feedback first (as once you have paid and provided the seller all pertinent information, your end is done), they often wait to see what YOU have to say. I think its unfair and have often let a seller know my POLICY is for seller's to leave my feedback first. The BEST sellers on eBay always leave feedback upon the completion of the buyer's end of the transaction. Not to do so leaves the buyer's feedback as "hostage" in a seller's hand.

Delivery confirmation doesn't cost too much and is a good idea to request on all transactions.

Tamlin Dawnstar once won a set of numerous pieces of rare English fluorite for $40. A fantastic buy (probably worth a couple of hundred dollars). It was being shipped from England. He never got it. The seller did return his money. However, William suspected the seller didn't want to let such a nice set of fluorite go for that low a price, so he intentionally never sent it (which may explain his willingness to refund the money). That's an easy way to get out of a transaction when you think the selling price was far too low. No way to prove or disprove it was sent without a way to track it.

I agree Sellers have no control over what happens in the mail. Hopefully sellers with good feedback are responsible in their mailing practices. I don't mess with any sellers who's feedback is below 99.7%.

I hope you get your item. That sucks. :(
 
I've sold a lot of plants and other stuff on ebay, I always wait for the buyer to leave feedback or at least let me know they got it and it's all good because theres always people who'll leave bad feedback/complain even if they receive their stuff a few days after they paid the auction.

That said I've got 100% rating so far on ebay but I know from other sellers I've spoken with how people can be on ebay. I've only had a couple bad experiences on ebay in many years of being on there, all were plant related of the seller not sending them but constantly promising to.

Still, those bad transactions were few and far between, I'm just careful who I buy from. I now watch for high positive ratings and unless I must have it, I try and buy from sellers with at least 100 transactions. No ebay newbies is my main policy, you can usually tell the experienced sellers. I love ebay though, I'm such an ebay (evil bay) addict, I've nearly got my entire "fun money" of the next paycheck already tied up in bids! :)
 
Whew! It came today! Looks like the seller was mistaken when she said it was shipped priority mail, it was actually First Class (which is still a little late). Anyways, looks like everything worked out!

I know what you mean, swords, I do the same thing. Not so much to make sure that they don't leave unfair feedback, but just to make sure they got their package and everything is fine on their end.

Well, now I can finally play RESIDENT EVIL 4! The only Resident Evil to give me a scare before actually playing it, its that good!

(bad joke?... ok..)
 
I will never leave feedback for the buyer first. The transaction is not complete until the buyer has received the item, simple as that. The feedback system is seriously flawed, but until ebay fixes it, that's how it works.
 
  • #10
Well, now I can finally play RESIDENT EVIL 4! The only Resident Evil to give me a scare before actually playing it, its that good!

(bad joke?... ok..)
If you're old school like me, you won't like it as much as the older ones...


Gald you got your game though.
 
  • #11
Hey, glad you got your game!
That's happened to me a few times, whenever I choose priority mail when I buy a non-plant item I make a note in the message to seller box on the paypal invoice. Something like: "please note I have paid extra for priority mail". Book sellers are the worst, sending everything by media mail-I hate media mail, I'll pay the extra $2 send it priority! :)

Now see if you can get a refund for the difference in shipping costs...!
 
  • #12
I've sold a lot of plants and other stuff on ebay, I always wait for the buyer to leave feedback or at least let me know they got it and it's all good because theres always people who'll leave bad feedback/complain even if they receive their stuff a few days after they paid the auction.

I'm sorry...that's a huge eBay pet peeve of mine. I've had seller's tell me the same thing...and I just don't agree with those reasons. That makes no sense to me. That's saying "My opinion of YOUR performance depends on what you have to say about mine." I can't imagine anyone NOT contacting a seller if they had ANY question or concern about their item. And the fact remains, the seller is SUPPOSED to leave feedback based on the buyer's "performance" (quick pay, communication, etc.). Whether a buyer had a problem with you or the item is not relevant to the buyer's performance. If a buyer paid quickly, had good communication with you, then they are due positive feedback. If any buyer has a problem, they have the responsibility to contact the seller and work it out. Anyone who doesn't do that simply doesn't understand how eBay works to begin with.

I think the feedback system is simple and effective when used properly...seller's leave feedback upon the buyer's completion and buyer's leave feedback up seller's completion. But I (and others I know) consider a seller withholding feedback until they see what you say about them first, as holding feedback "hostage." Unfortunately, the burden of performance lies more heavily on the seller's end.

I've bought and sold on eBay and have 100% pos feedback. I need to start selling again to raise some moola.
 
  • #13
If you're old school like me, you won't like it as much as the older ones...


Gald you got your game though.

I was never really too into the other REs, but IGN gave RE4 a 9.8 and it looks reeeaally good so I figured I had to give it a try. I need a break from Viewtiful Joe anyways, been playing it for 2 days so far and its kicking my *** so bad its comical. :p

They should make more games of that difficulty.
 
  • #14
I'm sorry...that's a huge eBay pet peeve of mine. I've had seller's tell me the same thing...and I just don't agree with those reasons. That makes no sense to me. That's saying "My opinion of YOUR performance depends on what you have to say about mine." I can't imagine anyone NOT contacting a seller if they had ANY question or concern about their item. And the fact remains, the seller is SUPPOSED to leave feedback based on the buyer's "performance" (quick pay, communication, etc.). Whether a buyer had a problem with you or the item is not relevant to the buyer's performance. If a buyer paid quickly, had good communication with you, then they are due positive feedback. If any buyer has a problem, they have the responsibility to contact the seller and work it out. Anyone who doesn't do that simply doesn't understand how eBay works to begin with.

I think the feedback system is simple and effective when used properly...seller's leave feedback upon the buyer's completion and buyer's leave feedback up seller's completion. But I (and others I know) consider a seller withholding feedback until they see what you say about them first, as holding feedback "hostage." Unfortunately, the burden of performance lies more heavily on the seller's end.

I've bought and sold on eBay and have 100% pos feedback. I need to start selling again to raise some moola.

Howdy PAK,
I've also been an eBay seller, seems like I've always been an eBay buyer, probably be an eBay seller again someday soon. As an eBay buyer, I leave feedback immediately after I receive my purchase. Very few sellers have ever left feedback for me before they receive my feedback - though it has happened. As long as they leave accurate feedback, I don't really care when they do it. So far, my feedback rating is 100% positive -- I've been using eBay since December 1998. As a seller, I prefer to get my buyers' feedback after they receive their purchase - it gives me a chance to correct any problems before they leave negative feedback for issues that are initially beyond my control. I always use USPS Priority Mail with delivery confirmation and give my customers the means to track their own packages. This has helped keep it running more smoothly on several occasions. If a buyer fails to leave feedback, then he/she will not receive feedback, this helps motivate buyers to leave feedback and is the only real incentive a seller has to inspire feedback after the transaction is completed. Many of my buyers have needed some reminders to leave feedback and when doing this I explain the importance of feedback -- after my reminder and explanation most of my buyers and I then successfully exchange feedback. I've never had a buyer complain about this arrangement. I once had a customer in New England forget and leave his package in the mailbox overnight on a cold Winters night. I replaced his lost plant for the cost of shipping a replacement. Another customer in Los Angeles had their plant arrive too late and dead, likewise I sent a replacement for the cost of shipping. Many customers seem unaware the value of feedback and appreciate my help in understanding it better.
 
  • #15
I've actually had someone refuse to refund my mother's money an an item she wan (turned out to be a fake gemstone) until she gave him positive feedback. She did and he honored his word, but still....

She made it an ambiguous feedback. It was positive, but the message was like "Honest" or something. We don't think he KNEW it was fake but we did have it tested. People take feedback seriously.
 
  • #16
Hey Joseph!

My reply to your post is easy. You are a GOOD seller who does the right thing. You know that. I might know that. But when I buy from most sellers on eBay, they are total strangers. Here is what can (and DOES) happen when a seller doesn't leave feedback first:

William bought something on eBay (can't remember what...rock, gemstone, something like that). There was a big problem with the transaction (that I also can't remember...lol--that's what happens when you get old :D ). But you know William and he's a fair guy. William tried to settle the issue via email with the buyer. The buyer was being a real jerk and he was definitely in the WRONG. So after having given the guy a generous chance to make the transaction good, William's patience ran out and he finally negged the guy. Like most good eBayers, William knows negative feedback has great consequences and its only in the worst of situations that he'd do that at all. The guy totally deserved the neg.

Well, the guy was pissed and turned around and negged William despite the fact that William's part of the deal was eBay picture-perfect. He ruined Wms 100% positive feedback because he was mad that William gave an honest assessment of the deal.

Now...would YOU do that? No. Would *I* do that? No. But there are the eBay bad apples out there who think that nothing they do wrong deserves a negative. And every time the buyer leaves feedback FIRST, you open yourself up to revenge feedback like that.

There have been sellers I would have negged (or given a neutral) for really BAD transactions, but...instead I opted NOT to leave feedback at all because they hadn't left me MINE! And I don't think that is fair. I have been screwed out of many Pos feedbacks that I deserved to have because I couldn't be honest about the deal in my feedback. I feared revenge and I don't want to lose my 100% positive.

I still don't understand why you need FEEDBACK to know if someone has received their item. You leave their feedback...then they will leave yours. If you really want to know, you can email them and ask. I've had sellers do that. I try to be prompt with feedback but sometimes it takes me a while to get to it. I've had sellers write and ask me if I got my item.

The way I look at it is...if I, as a seller, do what I am SUPPOSED to do (accurate description, prompt shipping, good communication), then I will have no reason to worry about getting bad feedback. If I want to know, I can do a follow-up email with the buyer to make sure they are happy.

I have bought more than I've sold on eBay...and I know a lot of other eBay buyers. And across the board, I've heard them all complain about sellers withholding feedback. So I know I'm not alone in my thoughts on that. :)
 
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