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 Replies: 12 / Views: 2,714 |
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Valued Member
United States
109 Posts |
Sorry in advance for the novel of a rant...Have had quite the day trying to deal with USPS and an ebay seller. - Preface with saying the coins sold for a pittance, although they were worth more, some semi-key wheats. - I bought the coins on the 30th of November, they shipped Dec. 2nd. Tracked for 2 days until they departed a sorting facility on the 4th and then dropped off the map. No more tracking updates. Figured it was the holiday rush, but called today after it being 3 weeks since the expected delivery day. Was told by the first CSR at the 1-800 USPS number, that the first few tracking entries (The package being accepted, leaving it's city of origin, scanning into and leaving a PO in the closest large city and scanning and leaving a second PO in the same large city) were system generated - based on estimates of where the system thought the package would be after the seller bought shipping...*Mind boggled* Sounded dubious. He said the problem was with the seller - that he probably never even shipped it - and I'd have to contact him. I honestly didn't trust what I had just been told, so I called the post office the coin last departed from and asked if they could help me with a tracking problem...Was given a different number to call. The CSR at that number said the package was definitely scanned into/out of the post office and it wasn't "system generated", but for it to have not been scanned or tracked in 3 weeks, it must have been lost or the label had been torn off. Said the only thing I could was contact the seller and ask him to open a case for them to search for it. Contacted the ebay seller, and he says he shipped it weeks ago, is willing to give me a refund, but it's not worth it for him to deal with USPS. So I guess besides venting, my question is do I do anything besides accept that either the seller bought tracking but didn't want to sell the coins for the price the auction went for. Or that USPS lost the package and neither side wants to be bothered with finding it? Anyone else go through anything like this with something they bought? |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1812 Posts |
It must be something with ebay tracking... Yesterday I received one item that was 2 weeks past its Expected Delivery Date, that also showed no movement after being scanned leaving the sellers Postal Area... I am still waiting for a second item that was mailed on the 4th., tracking again shows no movement after being scanned on the 7th leaving Louisiana, and I'm in N.Y. and still waiting... I place quite a few orders on Amazon, and this is the first December where all my orders have been delayed by weeks (I usually receive Amazon orders in 2 to 3 days), and one of my items was transferred from the USPS to UPS for faster delivery... The USPS must be overwhelmed this year, or there were cutbacks to the Postal System... |
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Rest in Peace
 United States
1380 Posts |
I doubt the seller didn't send the coins, but I can certainly understand his unwillingness to deal with complaining to them and opening a case. If the total was anything less than say, $25.00 (maybe even more), I would say to myself, refund $25 or spend hours arguing with the idiots at the Post Office? Refund wins!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1949 Posts |
Quote:
I doubt the seller didn't send the coins, but I can certainly understand his unwillingness to deal with complaining to them and opening a case. If the total was anything less than say, $25.00 (maybe even more), I would say to myself, refund $25 or spend hours arguing with the idiots at the Post Office? Refund wins! Exactly. I love my local post office, and my mailcarrier... But dealing with customer service on the phone or filing documents for a lost package? On a smaller valued package, I would rather just issue the refund... Quote:
Was told by the first CSR at the 1-800 USPS number, that the first few tracking entries (The package being accepted, leaving it's city of origin, scanning into and leaving a PO in the closest large city and scanning and leaving a second PO in the same large city) were system generated - based on estimates of where the system thought the package would be after the seller bought shipping...*Mind boggled* Sounded dubious. He said the problem was with the seller - that he probably never even shipped it - and I'd have to contact him With missing packages, I have been told completely contradictory things by various reps on the phone... I have a nightmare story from a couple of years ago regarding a very valuable registered package sent to PCGS that ended up with many, many, many hours on the phone, and being told completely different things by everyone I talked to... |
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Valued Member
 United States
109 Posts |
Of course after all that and the seller sending a refund, the tracking updated for the first time since the 4th to say the package proccessed through Chicago this morning. Nice and embarrassing. Will resend payment to the seller if/when they get here. A lesson is patience... Thanks and apologies to anybody that sat through my rant.  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10038 Posts |
Interesting... I see its not an isolated incident. I ordered a book from Amazon. They showed it as shipped and gave a tracking number. After 1 month it never got here. I contacted seller - said they never shipped it. I re-ordered with a different Amazon/seller company. Same exact scenario. Again the seller said it never shipped. I ordered a third time. The book was here in three days. A week later one of the previous orders also arrived at my door! It has nothing to do with whether or not we like our postmasters and mailman. They are employed by a messed up system. The USPS was complaining about losing business when people started using online sources to pay bills and do email. But while they lost a significant amount of (back then) 20-30 cent postage on envelopes, the explosion of mail volume consisting of much more expensive packages due to online shopping was also occurring. Its government run. They never have enough of our money, and they continue to amaze me at how inefficient they are becoming compared to what they used to be. Having said that - I am finding its not unusual to find the PO is the problem anymore. But your having the weird response from that weird phone call makes me wonder if it IS them this time or not. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7375 Posts |
I can relate. The package usually shows up, but sometimes not for 3 or 4 weeks. Just had a 3 weeker myself. Can be frustrating.
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Rest in Peace
United States
1380 Posts |
I'm waiting on a 2 euro coin that tracking says cleared customs in NY on Nov. 20. After that, it just disappeared.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1812 Posts |
I'm not 20,30 or 40 anymore, and not in a hurry for anything.. The ebay seller sent me a tracking number, and the only time I will file a Claim, would be if the tracking number says it was delivered... I would first contact my Local Post Office (in a friendly way) before contacting ebay or paypal. |
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Valued Member
United States
109 Posts |
I didn't file a claim, just asked the seller if he wanted to try and bother with USPS, or send a refund and be done with it. He sent the refund - which like was said is understandable.
Either way, I should have been patient enough to wait until after the holidays.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2189 Posts |
They usually show up. I had one last Christmas as a seller, tracking had stopped at the Des Moines Iowa Sort center. I refunded the buyer after 2 weeks.4 weeks later it showed up in tracking "out for delivery". Buyer repaid me and all ended well. so it does happen.
I was told some of the smaller padded mailers/envelopes can get stuck in the bottom of the large canvas push carts. when they empty the contents sometimes things can get hung up in them. I suspect mine eventually fell out when they dumped the contents....4 weeks later.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1601 Posts |
I had a similar situation just last month, Seller fessed up and admitted package wasn't sent because he didn't see an email from PayPal saying it was paid for and never bothered to check.
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Valued Member
United States
311 Posts |
Atleast your gonna get those coins. Hopefully the wait was well worth it.
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Replies: 12 / Views: 2,714 |
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Posted 12/23/2015 01:23 am
