Ebay Query

[Minder]

I sent an item to a punter in Denmark last Wednesday and he emailed me today to say he hasnt received it yet. What happens in a dispute like this? Does Ebay/PayPal take the money back off me? I have no proof of postage and for all i know he has the item and is trying it on.

[Down Gael]

Too many scammers on ebay.
You should always send items by registered/recorded delivery, especially if its valuable. Paypay will take his side as you cannot prove that you sent it.
But its less than a week, so it may turn up and he may be an honest ebayer. Be warned for the next time, always cover your arse.

[Minder]

Aye i usually do send recorded, but if i was offering recorded services to Denmark the postage would prove prohibitive to the buyer and they probably wouldnt have bought. Hopefully he is honest, though he hasnt been about for too long.

[The Iceman]

sounds like a scam artist - you'll either have to send it again or send him his money back to avoid a black mark against your name

[mylestheslasher]

I posted payment by registered post from 26 counties to Glasgow a few weeks ago and it took 15 days to get there!!!! An post blamed Royal mail of course.

[Lar Naparka]

I sent an item to a punter in Denmark last Wednesday and he emailed me today to say he hasnt received it yet. What happens in a dispute like this? Does Ebay/PayPal take the money back off me? I have no proof of postage and for all i know he has the item and is trying it on.

I'd imagine that, if you have no proof of postage, you could be in trouble.
There is a dispute resolution procedure in My EBay, where you can set up an investigation if it comes to that. [I never had to use it but I've read the details.]
If you email yer man and tell him the item was posted and you ask him to make allowances for delays in posting, it might be the right way to begin.
After all, he agreed to carry out the transaction by post and you are not liable for delays in that system- the EBay policies state that clearly.
However, if you have no proof of postage, you can't prove you posted the item. I don't think PayPal can remove money from your account but EBay could ban you from selling again and it would be up to the buyer to seek redress legally if he pursues it further.
[ I'm not sure here but if you don't have sufficient funds in your credit a/c, PayPal can't take it off you.]

[Over the Bar]

NEVER EVER sell anything on Ebay unless you send it recorded delivery.  If you can't produce proof of delivery, PayPal which is owned by Ebay will refund the money to the buyer.      Scammers will trawl Ebay for high value items sent normal post.   They pay by paypal thus seeming legit then claim they never got it.   Seller beware!

[Lar Naparka]

NEVER EVER sell anything on Ebay unless you send it recorded delivery.  If you can't produce proof of delivery, PayPal which is owned by Ebay will refund the money to the buyer.      Scammers will trawl Ebay for high value items sent normal post.   They pay by paypal thus seeming legit then claim they never got it.   Seller beware!

You're right, OTB, I didn't stress PayPal will refund the buyer alright, but it could also blacklist the seller and so could EBay. That would mean having to come up with a complete new identity if you want to continue using either- if you have had good feedback on EBy, that would mean you'd have to lose that.

[Doohicky]

Does the buyer have much of a history? Is it a good history? If these are both yes, then it is likely that it is simply a delay in the post.. hopefully!

[Minder]

Does the buyer have much of a history? Is it a good history? If these are both yes, then it is likely that it is simply a delay in the post.. hopefully!

His score is 20 i think, he has bought stuff recently with good feedback. The item was only worth £27 so hopefully just a delay in the post.

[Bomber]

Did you not get any type of receipt at all? Usually if I don't send by recorded delivery I get a receipt and the person behind the counter has written the address it has been sent to on it, which is a proof of postage, albeit not as secure as recorded delivery.

Is there much eBay or PayPal can do in this instance though? There is no rule stating things should be sent by recorded delivery so they don't have any proof you didn't send it. What did you have as the postage Minder, did you simply say a price with standard service delivery? If the buyer wanted recorded delivery he should not have bought off you or else requested recorded delivery and paid you extra.

Are there many sellers on eBay here?

[Minder]

Did you not get any type of receipt at all? Usually if I don't send by recorded delivery I get a receipt and the person behind the counter has written the address it has been sent to on it, which is a proof of postage, albeit not as secure as recorded delivery.

Is there much eBay or PayPal can do in this instance though? There is no rule stating things should be sent by recorded delivery so they don't have any proof you didn't send it. What did you have as the postage Minder, did you simply say a price with standard service delivery? If the buyer wanted recorded delivery he should not have bought off you or else requested recorded delivery and paid you extra.

Are there many sellers on eBay here?

I just told him it would be standard Airmail - Small Packets. I read online though that even getting proof of postage is not enough, PayPal/EBay need you to show that delivery was attempted at his address.

[Minder]

Call off the dogs Ebay he received the item today ! 

[The Gs Man]

But let that be a lesson to you young man......

[Minder]

But let that be a lesson to you young man......

Aye recorded delivery all the way now and my works franking machine will be footing the bill !