Ebay not refunding for package that didn't arrive

[consumerbattlerk1]

Can anyone please give me any advice on what I should do?

 

I placed an order for two items from an ebay seller that never arrived at my address. I asked for tracking info the day after the estimated delivery date and to my astonishment found that my order had allegedly been delivered the day before.

 

I chased up Royal Mail and after two weeks investigating they told me my package got delivered to another address and signed for. No red delivery card was issued to my address on that day and when I went to the other address given to me they claimed that no one there had signed for my item on that day.

 

The thing is that I had asked for a refund from the ebay seller but both cases were closed against me because allegedly proof of postage to my address had been given in the tracking info. But that was not my signature. No one at my address signed for it. Now my ebay appeal has been closed.

 

I have not received my items nor my refund. Does anyone know how I can go about taking action to get my refund?

[Vermillion]

Ebay actually don't refund. What they do is just take the money from the seller's account and say they have refunded you. It sounds like the seller did everything required and should not therefore be penalised. Royal Mail are the people you should be tackling, speak to your postman, or that neighbour of yours. In the latter case, has the person done it more than once? My new neighbours, even if I don't know them have all signed for a number of parcels and given them to me. It works both ways. The seller should not be reimbursing you for the cost - eBay is not being honest in that way.

I am sorry for the loss you have had however, if you can't get parcel back from neighbour ask postman never to deliver there. But, the postal service is at fault. Visit Royal Mail on twitter and express your annoyance in public.

[ashmk]

If you are on Twitter tweet @askebay and they are normally pretty quick at replying.

 

But it is Royal mail that is at fault here, ebay however might want to make you happy and reimburse you if you are complaining on Twitter and the world can see.

[rebel11]

Hi consumer

 

Welcome to CAG

 

You have quite a few options:-

 

Have you got a copy of the signature? Can you read it? if so you can use online resouces to see who the signature belongs too, as long as you have a road name.

 

How did you pay for it? Credit / Debit Card

 

Write a Formal Letter of Complaint, mark it as such. Explain what's happened, how they have let you down and what you want them to do.

 

Send it to:-

 

Ms Tanya Lawler

Managing Director

ebay UK

[email protected]

[raydetinu]

All ebay require is it is tracked and signed for.

So maybe need to check out with PO or courier as to what happened; could be fraud? has been known. not really ebay fault!

[rebel11]

The fact that Ebay has closed the complaint is their fault, they have taken the easy option. The seller should be chasing the delivery company about delivery information. The Post Office don't have to talk to the OP if they don't want to, it was the seller who sent the items.

 

'The thing is that I had asked for a refund from the ebay seller but both cases were closed against me because allegedly proof of postage to my address had been given in the tracking info. But that was not my signature. No one at my address signed for it. Now my ebay appeal has been closed.'

All ebay require is it is tracked and signed for.

So maybe need to check out with PO or courier as to what happened; could be fraud? has been known. not really ebay fault!

[ericsbrother]

RM consider it delivered if they leave it with a neighbour, even when there are other considerations such as you live next door to a bail hostel. You need to get the seller to help you with this an get them to write a letter of complaint to RM and claim for the lost goods. You need to get them to forward that letter to you and you can send it in with your similar letter.

Sorry to say it is a totally useless sytem RM brought in to save themselves time and money when they were privatised. I wish you luck but you may have to get what info about where it was delivered as possible and make a complaint of theft to the police.

[consumerbattlerk1]

Thanks for the replies. I'll be considering those options now. I paid by paypal if you're wondering.

 

In the summary given by the Royal Mail investigation, the delivery person wasn't 100% sure about where he had delivered the tracked package, so now I don't know if a delivery was even made. The seller also did practically nothing to help me find my item and ebay was so quick to come to a decision to close my appeal/case - literally within hours of me speaking to them on the phone about my appeal.

[Vermillion]

Thanks for the replies. I'll be considering those options now. I paid by paypal if you're wondering.

 

In the summary given by the Royal Mail investigation, the delivery person wasn't 100% sure about where he had delivered the tracked package, so now I don't know if a delivery was even made. The seller also did practically nothing to help me find my item and ebay was so quick to come to a decision to close my appeal/case - literally within hours of me speaking to them on the phone about my appeal.

If the seller sent by royal Mail and it was tracked they can't do much - what specific service? Check on your details from seller. It does take time to for a seller to chase up a parcel and really once it is posted it is the responsibility of Royal Mail. You say Delivery Person, not a postman? Well, they should be sure whether they've delivered it or not. There is an electronic signature to take. Sounds fishy to me. RM will never admit to thieving employees but my mum & neighbours never got their parcels and the culprit was the post girl. Don't bother with the seller. The 'person' at Royal Mail is the one who has done wrong. If you have a local delivery office you need to contact or visit them. If it was signed off as delivered it is a 100% delivered. The seller can do nothing and neither can eBay. Tweet to RM. Just imagine it was a fiend who sent it, not eBay. What would you do? Chase up RM.

[Vermillion]

I chased up Royal Mail and after two weeks investigating they told me my package got delivered to another address and signed for. No red delivery card was issued to my address on that day and when I went to the other address given to me they claimed that no one there had signed for my item on that day.

 

The thing is that I had asked for a refund from the ebay seller but both cases were closed against me because allegedly proof of postage to my address had been given in the tracking info. But that was not my signature. No one at my address signed for it. Now my ebay appeal has been closed.

 

 

Two weeks investigating? Why? No red delivery card... Why not? But that was not my signature. How did you see the signature? Did postman print it out, show it on the machine

I don't know how expensive your item was, but RM should be refunding. Sounds fishy.

[Vermillion]

PS Paypal don't refund you. They just take the money from the seller's account. Seller won't be impressed that he/she is expected to supply free item and pay for posting too. They may help you with details of their post office, but the fault is at your end with final delivery.

[rebel11]

Hi consumer

 

You paid by Paypal, how did you fund your paypal account, was it by debit/credit card?

 

If so, did your Paypal account have a zero balance when you made the purchase by debit/credit card?

[consumerbattlerk1]

I paid by credit card via paypal with zero balance.

 

You can see the signature if you type the tracking number on the Royal Mail tracking website. Someone else signed whilst my name was printed underneath.

 

It took 8 days before I could get ebay to look into my case. No response from the seller. It was closed and I appealed about two days later(no response from the seller who restated the tracked delivery confirmation from the very beginning)

 

At the same time it took about 10 days of me contacting Royal Mail and trying to get information and updates of the investigation to get to the point where someone there advised that the package had been delivered to another address and a red card left for me. That was when I went to that other address and they claimed no one had signed for anything. Royal Mail told me to claim a refund from the seller.

 

Even after I told ebay that Royal Mail had advised that they had delivered to another address they told me they would contact the seller for a refund and get back to me within 48 hours. Within a few hours my appeal had been closed. I contacted the seller but the appeal had been closed already. I got no response.

Edited October 27, 2014 by consumerbattlerk1

[rebel11]

Contact your card provider, ask to carry out a Chargeback, explain that you have not received the goods you have ordered.

The card provider will want proof that you've tried to resolve this and that the goods haven't been received, so you can send a print out of the signature, a printout that you raised an Ebay dispute but they closed it a couple of hours later etc.

 

Send the following amended template to your card provider, send it Recorded Delivery.

 

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/problem/how-do-i-use-chargeback

 

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/action/letter-to-make-a-chargeback-claim-

 

 

I paid by credit card via paypal with zero balance.

 

You can see the signature if you type the tracking number on the Royal Mail tracking website. Someone else signed whilst my name was printed underneath.

 

It took 8 days before I could get ebay to look into my case. No response from the seller. It was closed and I appealed about two days later(no response from the seller who restated the tracked delivery confirmation from the very beginning)

 

At the same time it took about 10 days of me contacting Royal Mail and trying to get information and updates of the investigation to get to the point where someone there advised that the package had been delivered to another address and a red card left for me. That was when I went to that other address and they claimed no one had signed for anything. Royal Mail told me to claim a refund from the seller.

 

Even after I told ebay that Royal Mail had advised that they had delivered to another address they told me they would contact the seller for a refund and get back to me within 48 hours. Within a few hours my appeal had been closed. I contacted the seller but the appeal had been closed already. I got no response.

[raydetinu]

I cant see a chargeback working! as it has been delivered and there is have proof of that!

The problem is with RM!

The fact they have delivered to another address and have admitted that? ( in writing or email? ) is enough for them to be responsible.

So you need to take that further, hopefully with the sellers help, as it was them that paid for the service.

RM have special procedures when dealing with Ebay purchases and posting; see website. ( like proof of posting, address etc. ).

Most packages are also insured up to a certain amount, it is the recipient that has to claim, I think! with all the details; this where the seller has to co-operate.

[rebel11]

The routes of complaint are pretty clear, they aren't reflected in your post.

 

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/action/how-to-complain-if-your-ebay-item-doesnt-turn-up

 

I cant see a chargeback working! as it has been delivered and there is have proof of that!

The problem is with RM!

The fact they have delivered to another address and have admitted that? ( in writing or email? ) is enough for them to be responsible.

So you need to take that further, hopefully with the sellers help, as it was them that paid for the service.

RM have special procedures when dealing with Ebay purchases and posting; see website. ( like proof of posting, address etc. ).

Most packages are also insured up to a certain amount, it is the recipient that has to claim, I think! with all the details; this where the seller has to co-operate.

[rebel11]

Please take note:- http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/action/how-to-complain-if-your-ebay-item-doesnt-turn-up

 

If the seller sent by royal Mail and it was tracked they can't do much - what specific service? Check on your details from seller. It does take time to for a seller to chase up a parcel and really once it is posted it is the responsibility of Royal Mail. You say Delivery Person, not a postman? Well, they should be sure whether they've delivered it or not. There is an electronic signature to take. Sounds fishy to me. RM will never admit to thieving employees but my mum & neighbours never got their parcels and the culprit was the post girl. Don't bother with the seller. The 'person' at Royal Mail is the one who has done wrong. If you have a local delivery office you need to contact or visit them. If it was signed off as delivered it is a 100% delivered. The seller can do nothing and neither can eBay. Tweet to RM. Just imagine it was a fiend who sent it, not eBay. What would you do? Chase up RM.

[raydetinu]

I understand the frustration here, however the goods have not just gone missing, it was tracked and delivered ( signature was obtained, all be it not the right one ). so seller and ebay are have done what they should.

Something has gone wrong at RM!

Rebel, what the which article does not cover is the fact it was tracked and signature obtained saying it was delivered!

Buyer could sue seller and/or RM, but would depend on value of item if its worth the hassle.

I stand by what I said in that RM have virtually agreed its their fault, so they should refund or claim on insurance. ( they should not deliver to another address, and should post card and take back to sort centre.)

[citizenB]

ray, you say that the they should not deliver to another address. However, it looks as though this is now standard practice if the intended recipient is not home - the postman is to attempt to leave a package/signed for item with a neighbour to avoid taking it back to the sorting office.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2210583/Royal-Mail-start-leaving-parcels-door-ones-home.html

[Migster]

I cant see a chargeback working! as it has been delivered and there is have proof of that!

The problem is with RM!

The fact they have delivered to another address and have admitted that? ( in writing or email? ) is enough for them to be responsible.

So you need to take that further, hopefully with the sellers help, as it was them that paid for the service.

RM have special procedures when dealing with Ebay purchases and posting; see website. ( like proof of posting, address etc. ).

Most packages are also insured up to a certain amount, it is the recipient that has to claim, I think! with all the details; this where the seller has to co-operate.

We use Royal Mail Special Delivery and have had chargebacks even when we have proof of delivery to the correct address, but where the signature does not belong to the cardholder who placed the order (or so they claim). The seller has the contract with Royal Mail so they should be the ones sorting this out. If they won't/can't help any further (which seems to be the case) then a chargeback should resolve things.

[letsgetitsorted]

this is one of the reasons i have CCTV, i had a package due for delivery, waited in all day, postman turns up ib van and drives off, next thing i know package had been signed for.

if i didnt have video evidence that there was no delivery attempt, i would not have been able to get the items resent....by the way postman stole the items and was later charged....hope you get your problem sorted

[raydetinu]

A few points here;

Leaving parcel at another address; It does happen, but with me only goes to neighbour who postie knows and still leaves a card to tell me where it is; but never if it has to be signed for, always have to go PO to collect, and even have to show ID. PO are leaving them selves open to claims if they do this!

Claiming for items that have been signed for; surely it can be signed for by somebody else at the address, so how do PO or CC know this did not happen ( fraud other way round ) I cant see a CC falling for that one!. Often a signature is not required to place an order anyway. ( I do not find this credible )!

 

 

Anyway any feed back from OP?

[consumerbattlerk1]

I am pursuing my enquiries and this will take a while. I will let you all know once the matter has been resolved.

 

Thanks for your replies.

[*RainbowTears*]

ray, you say that the they should not deliver to another address. However, it looks as though this is now standard practice if the intended recipient is not home - the postman is to attempt to leave a package/signed for item with a neighbour to avoid taking it back to the sorting office.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2210583/Royal-Mail-start-leaving-parcels-door-ones-home.html

 

This happens a lot where I live. I'm mostly home all day & a few times a month I'm taking in packages & deliveries for my neighbours & vice versa..

 

We all know each other & get on, so no issues with passing the deliveries on.

 

For the OP. Did you not receive a red card that stated at what door number your items were taken in by?

 

As our Postmen do write on the red cards stating "your item is @ 74 etc".

 

Lastly as a Postmen gets you to sign for the items, would there be an electronic/written record of which door number it went too?