Options for eBay no-show package
March 6, 2023 6:32 AM
An item I purchased on eBay was scanned as delivered, but didn't show up. What are my options?
I was home when the item was supposedly delivered, so I can say it did not show up. I wrote the seller, and she responded that it's scanned as delivered, that I should report it through the USPS missing mail page, and that my next option after that is to contact the police. I think it's pretty obvious that contacting the police will get me nowhere.
I've now tried the USPS missing mail site three times. Every time, I go through several pages of inputting information, only to get a note at the end saying something didn't work and I should try again later. So that page just doesn't seem functional.
The item itself was not that expensive. $17.95. With shipping it was $37.10, which thought was high. (It was a picture frame, so not super heavy.) The seller says it was sent USPS Priority.
I'd like to know what else I can do at this point and what other options might be available to me. The item was shipped as priority mail. My local post office is terrible BTW. It's not at all unusual for me to get someone else's mail. And once I never did get a certified letter after multiple promises when I called.
I was home when the item was supposedly delivered, so I can say it did not show up. I wrote the seller, and she responded that it's scanned as delivered, that I should report it through the USPS missing mail page, and that my next option after that is to contact the police. I think it's pretty obvious that contacting the police will get me nowhere.
I've now tried the USPS missing mail site three times. Every time, I go through several pages of inputting information, only to get a note at the end saying something didn't work and I should try again later. So that page just doesn't seem functional.
The item itself was not that expensive. $17.95. With shipping it was $37.10, which thought was high. (It was a picture frame, so not super heavy.) The seller says it was sent USPS Priority.
I'd like to know what else I can do at this point and what other options might be available to me. The item was shipped as priority mail. My local post office is terrible BTW. It's not at all unusual for me to get someone else's mail. And once I never did get a certified letter after multiple promises when I called.
If you paid with PayPal, you'll get buyer protection on eBay. Report it to eBay. On the odd occasion this has happened to me, I've been refunded almost immediately.
posted by essexjan at 6:47 AM on March 6, 2023
posted by essexjan at 6:47 AM on March 6, 2023
How long has it been? Several times a year I get a notification that a package has been delivered, but it actually shows up several days later.
posted by gregr at 6:57 AM on March 6, 2023
posted by gregr at 6:57 AM on March 6, 2023
It was supposedly delivered last Tuesday, so I did give it time to show up late or have a neighbor bring it by.
posted by FencingGal at 6:59 AM on March 6, 2023
posted by FencingGal at 6:59 AM on March 6, 2023
Take the tracking number and actually drop into your nearest post office.
posted by DarlingBri at 7:04 AM on March 6, 2023
posted by DarlingBri at 7:04 AM on March 6, 2023
Doesn't help with the current situation but you can sign up for Informed Delivery that will email you photos of what mail you're going to get as well as tell you if any packages are set to be delivered.
posted by Diskeater at 7:07 AM on March 6, 2023
posted by Diskeater at 7:07 AM on March 6, 2023
I've recently had a couple packages marked as delivered or attempted delivery when that's been physically impossible: I've been home and watched my mail person deliver the mail (and except for these two things our mail here has been great! So I don't think she was doing anything funky).
Trying to track things down on the website caused a similar issue to the one you encountered. The packages eventually showed up (on preview-but I think your approaching the point where that not likely). At some point in the process a different shipping company was involved, which I think broke the post offices website: it was showing as delivered/attempted delivery when really it meant my local Post Office had finally gotten it or was getting it. These were books that I ordered to be shipped USPS, so I'm not sure if the other service was something used by the shipper or by USPS themselves. So massive caveat that I can't be sure the same thing is happening to you.
The first time it happened I actually went down to my local Post office and spoke to someone in person. They asked a few questions and explained that the website was wrong, and I should probably be getting it within a day or two. The second time I just waited it out.
In general, I've found going in person has worked for me at various Chicago/suburban Chicago post offices and for my sister in NYC when we've had various package issues: the website is finicky, phone calls very hit or miss, but in-person either got us the package or got whatever we needed to get the shipper to acknowledge the package was lost.
That's of course a big chunk of time and may not be an option if you have concerns about being inside in a potentially crowded space. But if you can do it it may be worth the hassle if prior experience at your specific location hasn't told you otherwise.
posted by ghost phoneme at 7:07 AM on March 6, 2023
Trying to track things down on the website caused a similar issue to the one you encountered. The packages eventually showed up (on preview-but I think your approaching the point where that not likely). At some point in the process a different shipping company was involved, which I think broke the post offices website: it was showing as delivered/attempted delivery when really it meant my local Post Office had finally gotten it or was getting it. These were books that I ordered to be shipped USPS, so I'm not sure if the other service was something used by the shipper or by USPS themselves. So massive caveat that I can't be sure the same thing is happening to you.
The first time it happened I actually went down to my local Post office and spoke to someone in person. They asked a few questions and explained that the website was wrong, and I should probably be getting it within a day or two. The second time I just waited it out.
In general, I've found going in person has worked for me at various Chicago/suburban Chicago post offices and for my sister in NYC when we've had various package issues: the website is finicky, phone calls very hit or miss, but in-person either got us the package or got whatever we needed to get the shipper to acknowledge the package was lost.
That's of course a big chunk of time and may not be an option if you have concerns about being inside in a potentially crowded space. But if you can do it it may be worth the hassle if prior experience at your specific location hasn't told you otherwise.
posted by ghost phoneme at 7:07 AM on March 6, 2023
Go to the Post Office. Ask them to assist you in filing your claim.
Priority Mail Express Insurance (for merchandise) is provided automatically up to $100. Documents are insured against loss, damage, or rifling at no additional cost to mailer. Coverage is limited to the actual value of the shipment.
posted by theora55 at 7:44 AM on March 6, 2023
Priority Mail Express Insurance (for merchandise) is provided automatically up to $100. Documents are insured against loss, damage, or rifling at no additional cost to mailer. Coverage is limited to the actual value of the shipment.
posted by theora55 at 7:44 AM on March 6, 2023
FYI, since people keep saying to go to the post office, I'm immunocompromised, so that's not going to happen.
posted by FencingGal at 7:48 AM on March 6, 2023
posted by FencingGal at 7:48 AM on March 6, 2023
I know you say you can't go to the post office in person, but do you have a friend who can do it for you? We've had several delivery problems that could only be resolved by going in person because the local PO is so busy that they never answer their phone & the website is useless. When I never got a supposedly-delivered box, I went to the post office & they were able to look at their delivery records & see a GPS location of where the box was actually delivered (several houses down the road).
posted by belladonna at 7:54 AM on March 6, 2023
posted by belladonna at 7:54 AM on March 6, 2023
Do you actually have the tracking number, or just the word of the sender that the package was delivered?
posted by sriracha at 8:19 AM on March 6, 2023
posted by sriracha at 8:19 AM on March 6, 2023
Yeah, you’ll need the tracking number. Also, I just had something delivered from ebay this week. I’ll forward you my delivered message from them so you can compare it against the message you received.
posted by mochapickle at 8:23 AM on March 6, 2023
posted by mochapickle at 8:23 AM on March 6, 2023
Yes, I have the tracking number. And I got the delivery message from eBay, which was identical to every other delivery message I've received from them.
posted by FencingGal at 8:29 AM on March 6, 2023
posted by FencingGal at 8:29 AM on March 6, 2023
They also provide support via phone and email, so if going in person isn't an option that might be a good thing to try next. Main thing is to try to get in touch with a human.
posted by Aleyn at 11:39 AM on March 6, 2023
posted by Aleyn at 11:39 AM on March 6, 2023
The email form may give you some trouble with the track your package: one of my recent packages says the tracking number isn't eligible (no idea why) but another one let me get all the way up to submitting (didn't want to actually submit, as it's successfully delivered). At least with the ieligible # it flagged it before I needed to enter other information.
The 800-275-8777 number has worked for me in the past for packages stuck in the system between USPS and UPS. I think the problem registered at a higher level and then got handed down to someone at the top of the hierarchy at the local PO. This was pre-covid, though. Word of warning now: there's a lot of preamble before you even get to the phone tree.
posted by ghost phoneme at 12:10 PM on March 6, 2023
The 800-275-8777 number has worked for me in the past for packages stuck in the system between USPS and UPS. I think the problem registered at a higher level and then got handed down to someone at the top of the hierarchy at the local PO. This was pre-covid, though. Word of warning now: there's a lot of preamble before you even get to the phone tree.
posted by ghost phoneme at 12:10 PM on March 6, 2023
I went through exactly the same thing - the seller said it was delivered and gave the confirmation but it just wasn't there. My seller wasn't helpful and stonewalled me.
This resolved it - follow the steps on the eBay support article for Ask eBay to step in and help for buyers.
1. You first need to officially report it as item hasn't arrived yet. Sounds like you're in this process now?
2. Ask eBay to "step in" per the instructions on the Purchases page > See request details
3. eBay will do an investigation and likely offer no resolution because Seller will give them the confirmation.
4. BUT from this step there's an appeals link in that email, I used that to explain my situation and it resolved with eBay giving me a refund.
This whole process took a really long time but wasn't a lot of work per se.
posted by artificialard at 10:26 PM on March 6, 2023
This resolved it - follow the steps on the eBay support article for Ask eBay to step in and help for buyers.
1. You first need to officially report it as item hasn't arrived yet. Sounds like you're in this process now?
2. Ask eBay to "step in" per the instructions on the Purchases page > See request details
3. eBay will do an investigation and likely offer no resolution because Seller will give them the confirmation.
4. BUT from this step there's an appeals link in that email, I used that to explain my situation and it resolved with eBay giving me a refund.
This whole process took a really long time but wasn't a lot of work per se.
posted by artificialard at 10:26 PM on March 6, 2023
Update:
The post office was no help at all. I wrote eBay, and they denied my claim because the package was listed as delivered. Thanks to artificiallard, I knew to appeal with eBay. I just got a message from them that they are refunding my money.
So good outcome - thanks to everyone for your help.
posted by FencingGal at 6:08 AM on March 16, 2023
The post office was no help at all. I wrote eBay, and they denied my claim because the package was listed as delivered. Thanks to artificiallard, I knew to appeal with eBay. I just got a message from them that they are refunding my money.
So good outcome - thanks to everyone for your help.
posted by FencingGal at 6:08 AM on March 16, 2023
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posted by nanook at 6:41 AM on March 6, 2023