# Curious about seeking resolution through PayPal.



## Ken from ontario (Feb 23, 2021)

I need your help to make a decision.

I bought a medical instrument(under $20) from a "reputable" seller  .

The seller sent a wrong item, I contacted him  and asked for a refund  and was not interested in a replacement, he agreed to his mistake and told me he would normally send a replacement but since I already showed no interest in that ,he also offered  a full refund and keep the item as well.

Here's my mistake, I was so impressed with his acknowledgment of his mistake (and his full cooperation /standing behind his word/product and service) , I thought if anyone needs a second chance it would be him so I told him the following:

If he could assure me that he would send the right item and ship it using the same method as the last time (took 7 days, Shipped on 2/4/21, received on 2/10/21) , I would accept his offer of replacement.

Then I received a  bogus tracking "Deutsche Post tracking " that shows an item was handed to their post office on a date that  Is totally wrong,  the date the item was handed over to their PO was 4 days before I even asked for refund/replacement.

I kept checking the tracking and there's no movement at all, told him what was happening and reminded him that the deal was to send it the same method, his response was that he did except he used  actual stamps on the packet.

Anyhow I think considering the wrong date on the tracking and no movement whatsoever on the status, I think I have been had.

Now if I file an "item not as described", with eBay, I may lose the case even though he originally agreed to a refund without me shipping the wrong item back. mainly because I agreed to  a replacement instead of a refund.

On one hand I say to myself ,just forget it, don't bother getting your $18 item back but the fact that I was taken as a fool bothers me.

My other option is to wait a couple of weeks so it will be a month and with ( most  likely)  no change in the status , I could go through PayPal   resolution but don't know if PP would still want me to send the item back.

My question to you is, what would you do ? PP or eBay to get this resolved?

To me it makes more sense to go through PayPal. but in your experience do you think I would need to re ship the original item? will it be at my expense?

Your help is greatly appreciated.


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## markba633csi (Feb 23, 2021)

Neither, contact your credit card company (I assume there is one involved) they usually are very helpful
If you didn't use a CC company you should have
-Mark


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## SLK001 (Feb 23, 2021)

The best thing to do in situations like this is to _immediately _demand a full refund.  Then, once you have your money back, you can simply reorder the item.  What you had happen to you was a typical Chinese "run out the clock" tactic - they delay and delay and delay until the time period for filing a dispute has expired.  It's happened to me a couple of times and now, I just file a dispute and demand a full refund, regardless of what the seller says.  The added protection of a credit card company is a welcome bonus.


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## Ken from ontario (Feb 23, 2021)

That's an option I had not considered.


markba633csi said:


> Neither, contact your credit card company (I assume there is one involved) they usually are very helpful
> If you didn't use a CC company you should have
> -Mark


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## tmenyc (Feb 23, 2021)

+1, PLUS file your claim through both ebay and Paypal. They are both highly customer-biased. Forget that you made any mistake, put it all on the seller, as you should. Your initial good faith does not vitiate the seller's mistakes or bad faith. 

Tim


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## Ken from ontario (Feb 23, 2021)

tmenyc said:


> +1, PLUS file your claim through both ebay and Paypal. They are both highly customer-biased. Forget that you made any mistake, put it all on the seller, as you should. Your initial good faith does not vitiate the seller's mistakes or bad faith.
> 
> Tim


I have read that paypal would not consider any claim for refund if it is already filed once with eBay. that's why I need to chose one, With eBay you only have 30 days (from the last estimated delivery date) to file a for "item not received" or "not as described" but with PP is 180 days.


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## Aaron_W (Feb 23, 2021)

I have found tracking since Covid to be worthless. I have received lots of things with completely inaccurate tracking info, including info that the shipper is still waiting for the item after it has been delivered to me. 

Has it been long enough that you are sure the item wasn't sent? Seems odd that a reputable seller would pull something like this over $20.


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## Ken from ontario (Feb 23, 2021)

Aaron_W said:


> I have found tracking since Covid to be worthless. I have received lots of things with completely inaccurate tracking info, including info that the shipper is still waiting for the item after it has been delivered to me.
> 
> *Has it been long enough that you are sure the item wasn't sent? Seems odd that a reputable seller would pull something like this over $20.*


The seller's first shipment took 6 days from Germany, my deal with him for the second shipment was to use the exact method of shipping and he assured me of that ,it has been 10 day but the status has not changed from day one, I normally would see some type of movement from international logistic center to Canada  border service and then to the local office, any change in the status would be a sign which would give me hope that it is on it's way.
With the first shipment  I could see the status changes every day , I honestly am not sure if anyone would pull a stunt like this for $20 ,  there's a part of me that still wishes that the seller would come through for me and but all the signs point the other way.


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## Winegrower (Feb 23, 2021)

eBay has so far quickly taken care of the few issues I’ve had.   I had one seller ignore messages, no shipment of product, no communication.   Turns out the seller died.   eBay gave a refund and later the widow fulfilled the order and we repeated the sale.

Weird things can happen, not necessarily through fraud or bad intentions.


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## Aaron_W (Feb 23, 2021)

Ken from ontario said:


> The seller's first shipment took 6 days from Germany, my deal with him for the second shipment was to use the exact method of shipping and he assured me of that ,it has been 10 day but the status has not changed from day one, I normally would see some type of movement from international logistic center to Canada  border service and then to the local office, any change in the status would be a sign which would give me hope that it is on it's way.
> With the first shipment  I could see the status changes every day , I honestly am not sure if anyone would pull a stunt like this for $20 ,  there's a part of me that still wishes that the seller would come through for me and but all the signs point the other way.



I just know that shipping has been awful this past year. With ebay and PayPal being pretty well known to side with buyers and the seller already offering a refund this just seems strange.

 I just went through the reverse, I ordered some inserts and the tracking just kept showing that the seller had not brought the item to the USPS for shipping. A week after it should have arrived I contacted the seller, who said they had shipped it, but had been having many of their items delayed. About a week after that they showed up, with tracking still showing that it had not been given to the post office. I went to leave feedback and found ebay on their own had refunded my purchase, so I had to contact the seller again so I could pay them.

I think the biggest issue will simply be communicating with a human to explain to strange situation. Ebay is impossible to communicate with intelligently it is all automated. Not sure if PayPal is any better.


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## Ken from ontario (Feb 23, 2021)

Aaron_W said:


> I just know that shipping has been awful this past year. With ebay and PayPal being pretty well known to side with buyers and the seller already offering a refund this just seems strange.
> 
> I just went through the reverse, I ordered some inserts and the tracking just kept showing that the seller had not brought the item to the USPS for shipping. A week after it should have arrived I contacted the seller, who said they had shipped it, but had been having many of their items delayed. About a week after that they showed up, with tracking still showing that it had not been given to the post office. I went to leave feedback and found ebay on their own had refunded my purchase, so I had to contact the seller again so I could pay them.
> 
> I think the biggest issue will simply be communicating with a human to explain to strange situation. Ebay is impossible to communicate with intelligently it is all automated. Not sure if PayPal is any better.


I agree with you, tracking shipments seem harder and harder to follow and accept what they show as facts in real time,  I myself have returned refunds at least 4 times in the last 2 years, it looks like the best course of action is to wait longer than the estimated delivery date  by 2 weeks. 
I'd like to think I chose the most reputable sellers to deal with so they would be least likely to lie or cheat to make a sale, this seller was and to be honest still seems to be a stand up guy so it is such struggle for me to do something to hurt his reputation.


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## tmenyc (Feb 23, 2021)

I ship restored fountain pens all over the world, and have stopped guessing when they'll arrive, twice recently two that I shipped in early December arrived in EU countries. But they've all arrived. So yes, I'd give it a lot more time to deliver.  It's really frustrating to the reputable shipper and the customer. 
Tim


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## sycle1 (Feb 24, 2021)

Get in touch with Paypal they have always resolved it in my favour on any disputes.


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## Ken from ontario (Feb 24, 2021)

tmenyc said:


> I ship restored fountain pens all over the world, and have stopped guessing when they'll arrive, twice recently two that I shipped in early December arrived in EU countries. But they've all arrived. So yes, I'd give it a lot more time to deliver.  It's really frustrating to the reputable shipper and the customer.
> Tim


It must be even more frustrating when (as a buyer) you know the seller you're dealing with is most likely a good honest man .
 I filed for a refund because as you might know, eBay gives buyers 30 days to file a claim, I only had a couple of days left.

The seller came through for me and refunded me soon after , I will return his refund when I eventually receive the order.


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