I don’t do a LOT of eBaying – I buy things here and there, and have, on occasion, sold something I don’t really need anymore.
Right now, I’m going through a major annoyance with a seller on the site. Here’s the rundown – I bought a set of books from him on Oct 10, and immediately paid in full via PayPal. Our chain of correspondence started five days later, on Oct 15.
Oct 15, 2007
Dear booksandotheritems,
When can I expect these books to ship? Thank you!
– mattstratton2340
Oct 15, 2007
Dear mattstratton2340,
Hello, I anticipate on shipping these books today. I do apologize in the late response. I was experiencing issues with my mail scale; it was giving me false readings and as a result I am having hundreds of packages returned due to insufficient postage.
I appreciate your patience. Please contact me if I may be of further assistance.
– booksandotheritems
Oct 22, 2007
Dear booksandotheritems,
It is now 12 days since I paid for this item and I have not yet even received a tracking number. I do not want to hear about how you are having problems with your scale. I want my merchandise shipped immediately. If you have already shipped, it, please provide me with the tracking number, as I have not received any information from you other than a note that your “mail scale” was malfunctioning.
I paid you immediately for this item. 12 days to wait is unacceptable. Please make this situation right. Thank you.
– mattstratton2340
Oct 24, 2007
Dear mattstratton2340,
Hello, I apologize I did not give you the tracking number when I responded. I had several hundred packages that were returned that I had to ship out immediately. Item was shipped immediately and was returned to me due to insufficent postage as I had told you. We reshipped it immediately and the new tracking number is [redacted]. I realize the shipping mistake was my fault and upon receing the return all packages were remailed the same day. Please let me what else I need to do to make this a positive experience for you.
I appreciate your patience.
– booksandotheritems
Oct 26, 2007
Dear booksandotheritems,
Are you sure this was shipped? As of today, this is what the tracking information shows. I’m getting very frustrated. I ordered this books from you because I want to read them. I would like my merchandise.
Label/Receipt Number: [redacted]
Status: Electronic Shipping Info Received
The U.S. Postal Service was electronically notified by the shipper on October 18, 2007 to expect your package for mailing. This does not indicate receipt by the USPS or the actual mailing date. Delivery status information will be provided if / when available. Information, if available, is updated every evening. Please check again later.
– mattstratton2340
Oct 29, 2007
Dear mattstratton2340,
Hello, I realize that it can be frustrating and I am doing everything I can to get this resolved. The number I provided is actually a delivery number and not a tracking number. I contacted the post office and they confirmed that most items with delivery confirmations receive a scan but it is not required to scan delivery confimation numbers until the package is delivered. They also stated that transit time for an item varies by location and the number of packages being sent to that location. The Postal Service allows 2-9 business days for media deliveries and may take up to a month.
Please dont hesitate to contact me with any new developments and/or concerns.
– booksandotheritems
Oct 30, 2007
Dear booksandotheritems,
This is going on 19 days now since I paid for this item. I would think that if you knew you were shipping it late you would send it a more reliable way. I am becoming very upset. I want these books. In the future please provide a properly trackable shipping method when you have messed up the shipping as you did in this case. You have done nothing so far to alleviate this issue other than send messages. That is not good customer service. You messed up, you should do something to make it right. Giving excuses about the post office is NOT a way of making it right.
So far I have been holding off on feedback because I feel like you honestly had some issues. But you do not seem to be doing anything to make up these issues which were YOUR FAULT not mine.
– mattstratton2340
I then left the following feedback on his profile: 19 days after payment for this item and it has still not arrived.
Oct 31, 2007
Dear mattstratton2340,
Hello, I had several hundred packages that were returned to me and I have actually started to issue refunds for the shipping cost to all those have been effected and have already received their orders.
You are correct, the orderes should have been shipped expediated when they were returned. However, the last think on my mind was the shipping method, I had a heap of packages that had to be reprocessed and reshipped and contacting the people effected by it.
As for sending just messagers and your description of bad customer service. Once a package is delivered to the post office it is impossible to have it retrieved and reshipped expediated.
I also noticed this morning that you had left me negative, I dont know if you noticed, but the favor has been returned.
– booksandotheritems
He then left the following feedback on my profile: Books were mailed 3 weeks ago very abusive ebayer AVOID
A few days later, I opened a dispute with PayPal, and he has, as of yet, not replied to it. Unfortunately, eBay won’t remove his retaliatory feedback,but I’m not that concerned, as all my other feedback is good. Mostly, I’m just posting this so the handful of you who buy books on eBay can know to avoid this jerkface.