Am I Being Impatient? USPS/eBay Question

[Flkrsn5]

First off, I looked and didn't see anyone with the exact problem though I'm sure it has happened plenty of times before (this being my first, luckily for me). I purchased a card on eBay from a seller on July 10th. The seller claims delivery would be within 6 business days, cool! A shipping label was created on July 12th, and there has been zero updates since (I checked USPS, eBay and PayPal just to be sure).

On July 21st, I contacted the seller and they said they would look into it, which is exactly what I wanted to hear. I see the seller has had a few negatives/neutrals (which the neutrals were from box breaks, I'm good with that), so my first assumption is that it will be taken care of, but here we are three days later and I have heard nothing. At this point I'm wondering if it is time to hound the seller before the July 27th recommendation by eBay to proceed further and open up a case.

As someone who has a side business, and prides themselves on customer service, even on these boards, I would have expect to have received an e-mail by now at least saying "we contacted USPS and they are getting back to us," but still nothing. Granted this is not a high dollar card ($12), but I still hate seeing my money tied up into something I do not have in hand.

So, my question is, should I start to worry? Am I being too impatient? Should I not expect the same customer service as I give to those on these boards or my side business? I would like to think USPS is at fault, but could it be the card was never shipped in the first place (what I am beginning to think). Has anyone had these same issues and later on received the card? At this point I'd honestly just like a refund, even if the card does arrive (at least it would save the seller negative feedback from me). Let me know what ya'll think and thank you in advance for any input.

[daviswr7]

If a shipping label has been created 12 days ago and there is zero movement regarding tracking, then yes. It is time to hit the panic button.

[Flkrsn5]

I am leaning that way, though I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt (I know USPS screws up a lot too).

[go_steelers07]

Don't over think it...... Sometimes packages don't get scanned or get rerouted or just flat out take a long time to arrive...

7/31 will be 3 weeks, if it doesn't get to you by next week, file a claim and get your money back..... then don't buy from him again.

was the "6 day delivery" in the seller's description or that little blurb hat eBay puts on auctions as expected delivery date?

[houstonrules51]

I am leaning that way, though I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt (I know USPS screws up a lot too).

I am in the same boat but I got a great price on two relatively high dollar cards ($200 total). Seller has 100% positive but I am pretty sure they realized I got a deal and they don't want to honor it. Chickencrud, but that is the sad world we live in.

Still, I am giving them the benefit of the doubt and if they don't come by Monday then I will get a refund. I had the same time frames, btw. Sold on the 9th, label on the 12th, no tracking info, though. Seller said they mailed before the went on vacation. Maybe they are telling the truth but I highly doubt it.

I should say, though, that there are a lot of great sellers out there and it is always a pleasure to but and sell from those good folks. I don't want to let the losers spoil the day.

[Flkrsn5]

Don't over think it...... Sometimes packages don't get scanned or get rerouted or just flat out take a long time to arrive...

7/31 will be 3 weeks, if it doesn't get to you by next week, file a claim and get your money back..... then don't buy from him again.

was the "6 day delivery" in the seller's description or that little blurb hat eBay puts on auctions as expected delivery date?

Just says "Delivery: Estimated within 6 business days."

Their description says "...shipped quickly, and securely."

I must also note the estimated delivery above the tracking number says "July 15 - July 20."

[MeetJSquared]

If it hasn't gotten scanned as "accepted" or something similar, it is either:

1. Lost
2. Not yet shipped

I'd go with waiting till Monday. If nothing, then file the claim.

[go_steelers07]

Just says "Delivery: Estimated within 6 business days."
Their description says "...shipped quickly, and securely."

I must also note the estimated delivery above the tracking number says "July 15 - July 20."

yeah.. the bolded is eBay....

although the seller says "...shipped quickly, and securely.", he has no control over the PO.... and contacting them for info is useless. and you really have no way to know if the seller actually has sent it out.

Like I said, if nothing shows on the 31st then file a claim.... 3 weeks is long enough to wait.

[Flkrsn5]

I am in the same boat but I got a great price on two relatively high dollar cards ($200 total). Seller has 100% positive but I am pretty sure they realized I got a deal and they don't want to honor it. Chickencrud, but that is the sad world we live in.

Still, I am giving them the benefit of the doubt and if they don't come by Monday then I will get a refund. I had the same time frames, btw. Sold on the 9th, label on the 12th, no tracking info, though. Seller said they mailed before the went on vacation. Maybe they are telling the truth but I highly doubt it.

I should say, though, that there are a lot of great sellers out there and it is always a pleasure to but and sell from those good folks. I don't want to let the losers spoil the day.

Where was it shipping from? Mine was coming from Iowa (if that makes a difference).

[seabass97166]

The key is to get that initial "process thru sort facility" on their side. If that hasn't happened then Maybe they just printed a label and never shipped.

I just mailed something from California to Texas and it took a week.
Processed on 16th...no updates for 7 days....then finally delivered today.
Delays happen here and there but this case it sounds like the seller never shipped anything.

[Flkrsn5]

The key is to get the initial process they sort facility on their side. If that hasn't happened the. Maybe they just printed a label and never shipped.

I just mailed something from California to Texas and it took a week.
Processed on 16th...no updates for 7 days....then finally delivered today.
Delays happen here and there but this case it sounds like the seller never shipped anything.

I'm thinking the seller might not have, maybe it got lost in their pile, but should it take three days to find it? Does it matter that much to them to even look quickly? I just don't want to open a case through eBay if it isn't their fault (hell, it could happen to me one day), but I've also given them the chance to keep me informed of their progress (which I would do to my customers on a daily basis).

[shrevecity]

The key is to get that initial "process thru sort facility" on their side. If that hasn't happened then Maybe they just printed a label and never shipped.

I just mailed something from California to Texas and it took a week.
Processed on 16th...no updates for 7 days....then finally delivered today.
Delays happen here and there but this case it sounds like the seller never shipped anything.

Even that fisrt part does not always happen, USPS has gotten better but earlier this year they were horrible at scanning anything, some of it was their system was not updating scans at all. I actually watched the clerk scan some packages and handed me the receipt but online it showed nothing. Had several packages going to the NE take over 3 weeks to arrive.

[houstonrules51]

Where was it shipping from? Mine was coming from Iowa (if that makes a difference).

Pennsylvania for me. Frustrating but what else can you do. I really want the cards, so I will probably try and wait it out as long as I can. I have no info other than a tracking number, no acceptance, no scans, nothing. It is like a label was printed and then nothing but I have seen on other posts that USPS is having issues with packages being scanned.

[MeetJSquared]

I'm thinking the seller might not have, maybe it got lost in their pile, but should it take three days to find it? Does it matter that much to them to even look quickly? I just don't want to open a case through eBay if it isn't their fault (hell, it could happen to me one day), but I've also given them the chance to keep me informed of their progress (which I would do to my customers on a daily basis).

I've had it before where there were no updates for 3 weeks (and I know I shipped it) so I just refunded. I at least kept in contact once a day and got to the point where I said, if there is no scan update or it doesn't arrive in ___ days, I'll contact you and give you a refund.

And on the flip side, I had one that was stranded for 3-4 weeks and finally asked for a refund (this was on BO), but the card came about a month after that, so I just told the guy that it actually arrived and paid him again.

So basically, anything can happen. I'm always scared of the Moreno Valley sort facility, but it's been much better the last few months.

[seabass97166]

Even that fisrt part does not always happen, USPS has gotten better but earlier this year they were horrible at scanning anything, some of it was their system was not updating scans at all. I actually watched the clerk scan some packages and handed me the receipt but online it showed nothing. Had several packages going to the NE take over 3 weeks to arrive.

That is true actually - one time I shipped something to New Jersey and no updates - then one day a week and a half later all the updates hit at once

[Tom Oates]

I've had cards get stuck in the U.S. postal Service many times. Usually they show up and when you check the tracking it has not changed in two weeks even though it has been delivered. Sometimes the package stalls on the front end and sometimes it will get stalled in Virginia, Maryland, or the S.F. Sorting facility.

[Flkrsn5]

I've had cards get stuck in the U.S. postal Service many times. Usually they show up and when you check the tracking it has not changed in two weeks even though it has been delivered. Sometimes the package stalls on the front end and sometimes it will get stalled in Virginia, Maryland, or the S.F. Sorting facility.

I do live in the Maryland/Virginia area so this maybe the reason...just have never had this issue happen recently or in the past. I really just wish the seller would at least keep me posted. I'm not going to do much hounding. I will contact them on the 26th. If they can't answer me then, that's really going to get under my skin.

[Skipscards]

$12? Meh. No need to "panic". Email him for an update and if you don't hear back in 24 hours, start the claim process.

[SadPenguiNinja]

Yeah USPS has been terrible lately. I sent a package on July 1st and it was not scanned until it was delivered on July 17th.

So if it follows that path it will be delivered on July 29th!

I also had a package just sit at the sorting facility for like a week and then all of sudden it was scanned and then continued on its way. Guess it was misplaced for a week.

Also I found that if you go to usps.com and enter tracking number and sign up for email alerts it somehow magically gets scanned in the next few days. At least it seems that way.

[Flkrsn5]

$12? Meh. No need to "panic". Email him for an update and if you don't hear back in 24 hours, start the claim process.

For $12 I'm not too worried about it. Though if I'm going to throw money away I'd rather at someone who could use a meal. I contacted them they contacted me back saying they'd look into it, I waited a few days and asked if they heard anything and haven't heard from them since. Maybe the seller and I have different priorities, but I'd damn sure make sure my customers were updated on any issues.

[Flkrsn5]

So my next question is...if I do receive it a week or two after the estimated shipping date...does that warrant negative feedback? If it shows up in say, Chicago tomorrow and is scanned, does that mean the seller didn't ship it on time and does THAT warrant a negative feedback in your eyes'? I've never given a negative even if it was a few days late, just wondering how much ya'll take before you give the negatives as far as late shipping.

[shrevecity]

So my next question is...if I do receive it a week or two after the estimated shipping date...does that warrant negative feedback? If it shows up in say, Chicago tomorrow and is scanned, does that mean the seller didn't ship it on time and does THAT warrant a negative feedback in your eyes'? I've never given a negative even if it was a few days late, just wondering how much ya'll take before you give the negatives as far as late shipping.

No, not unless it suddenly shows as accepted now. Even if you never receive it if the seller is working with you no way would I leave a neg, even if it is never received if the seller takes responsibility I would not leave any feedback. A seller has to really screw up for me to leave a neg. It may not be the sellers fault. Remember as a buyer the feedback you leave is more important than what you get. I and many other sellers will block sellers for their feedback they have left others and it does not have to be negs, I have blocked for positive feedback they have left. If it suddenly shows up at your door it likely means the item has been in the void for a while, it happens.

There is little the seller can do if it was mailed, the USPS will not do much until 21 days have passed, they will tell you they will look into it, but it does not go very far. If it were me as the seller I would refund you in full after 21 days have passed, usually if they have not shown in that time they are not going to. Another thought if the seller was not going to ship, would he have printed the label and not ship it, when you request a refund on a label the buyer is notified. 12.00 is not very scam worthy, but we have seen stranger things.

[Flkrsn5]

No, not unless it suddenly shows as accepted now. Even if you never receive it if the seller is working with you no way would I leave a neg, even if it is never received if the seller takes responsibility I would not leave any feedback. A seller has to really screw up for me to leave a neg. It may not be the sellers fault. Remember as a buyer the feedback you leave is more important than what you get. I and many other sellers will block sellers for their feedback they have left others and it does not have to be negs, I have blocked for positive feedback they have left. If it suddenly shows up at your door it likely means the item has been in the void for a while, it happens.

There is little the seller can do if it was mailed, the USPS will not do much until 21 days have passed, they will tell you they will look into it, but it does not go very far. If it were me as the seller I would refund you in full after 21 days have passed, usually if they have not shown in that time they are not going to. Another thought if the seller was not going to ship, would he have printed the label and not ship it, when you request a refund on a label the buyer is notified. 12.00 is not very scam worthy, but we have seen stranger things.

I'm going to give the seller 21 days. By the end of this month it will be that time. Im really hesitant on giving any negative feedback because I want to give them the benefit of the doubt ( some of the negatives were from breaks, and we ALL know how people can be when they don't get something pulled they paid for), so I won't even count those feedbacks against them. I guess I'll contact them every 3-4 days to see if they have made any progress, and will definitely give them until the 27th to respond to me (even if it's a "we contacted USPS, and they said..." Thanks for the input!