Supply chain gaps - goof up by eBay.in CSAs and a total loss to me!

This is regarding a Canon SLR camera I 'tried' to sell on eBay. Being a new user, was not aware of some of the policies. A customer paid for the product and when I tried to ship the camera, no couriers were ready to ship fragile items including Blue Dart and Professional. As the delivery was a local one, I called up the buyer and ask him if he was ready to accept a hand delivery. He agreed. I hand delivered the item and he accepted receipt of the item on eBay. eBay told me that my payment had not been remitted because I would have to submit a POD,the transaction being a high-value one. I submitted the POD and did not hear from them and my payment was not remitted to me too for some time. Then I received an email and a phone call saying that all was clear and that my remittance is active and all dues would be paid to my account. When after a week of this intimation I called up eBay, they said that the payment had been refunded to the buyer. Earlier the same agent had assured me that inspite of the policy violation due to my ignorance of eBay policy, I would still receive the payment. The agent now told me that this would not happen. I asked him about the assurances he had given me and there was no concrete response to that and he kept repeating the same excuse. He said eBay would not be able to help in this case. I informed him that when the customer is acknowledging receipt of the item which had been verified also earlier in the transaction by eBay, then why was the POD receiving so much attention. I would have understood the concern if the camera was not working fine or the buyer had not received the delivery. But all was fine and the buyer was satisfied with the purchase as stated in one of the conversations I had with an eBay representative.

I approached eBay.com (US) this time and explained to them the issue and they passed me back to eBay.in. On sending them messages eBay.in has not bothered to reply.

So now, I do not have my SLR camera and the money has been refunded back to the buyer. This sets a great example for a supply chain gap. While I have lost my money, what is more important to me are the communication gaps and the way in which it simply dropped my case.

I was informed that the reasons for the issue were the rejection of the POD and the hand delivery of the product. I feel the real reason was that they never informed me about the rejection of the POD either due to system gaps at their end or just sheer lack of coordination. Also, eBay also probably did not realise that if they did not process the POD on time, then the refund would be triggered by their 'own' system. They were probably caught unawares and where they had informed me (seller) that the remittance would be made, by that time or at the same time probably the payment had been marked for a refund on the buyer's credit card. A goof up sure and probably will not know till eBay tells me. I am waiting and all ears!
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Supply chain gaps - goof up by eBay.in CSAs and a total loss to me!

linusstudios
Community Member
This is a real Classic case where seller's money is messed up. Now that it is already late But still here is a small solution to future sellers who might be falling for this local pickup trap.

Deliver him the item by hand. Send eBay invoice by local courier to the buyer. Enter shipping detail as this AWB.

It will cost you about 15 Rs, But that Booking copy and POD copy shall be your lifeline when it comes to keeping typical eBay tantrums at bay.

.
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Supply chain gaps - goof up by eBay.in CSAs and a total loss to me!

rishi15121989
Community Member
Ask buyer to do a offline payment. If he is good person he might pay you again. Me to suffered by the same thing when I sent a item by registered AD. But the delivery copy (AD) signed by the buyer himself was not accepted as POD thankfully buyer returned me the Item
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Supply chain gaps - goof up by eBay.in CSAs and a total loss to me!

dudepranay
Community Member
1st its your mistake that you have not contacted ebay customer care before giving a hand delivery. Now you have only one option of going directly to the same customer in person, explain everything and ask your item/money back.

As you are new to ebay; you don't know that ebay policies are very strict, They don't care whether u re a new/Big seller. You will be in a big disadvantage if you don't follow their policy.

3rd thing fyi- TNT allows frigile items shipment, With customer declaration.
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Supply chain gaps - goof up by eBay.in CSAs and a total loss to me!

dudepranay
Community Member
N lastly, don't ever think that ebay customer care are having full authority. from my point of view they are living puppet with policy rope tied on their neck. As they know that a seller/buyer can't held them legally if they follow company policy.
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Supply chain gaps - goof up by eBay.in CSAs and a total loss to me!

lotmany
Community Member
You mentioned that you gave it by hand.
Again, after few lines, you mentioned that you provided POD. How?

1. If you are saying that you didn't updated with any details on eBay system as shipped, money gets refunded and once refunded nothing can be done to credit back in most cases.

2. When buyer is able to acknowledge item receipt on eBay system, eBay should remit the money to you.

3. Now, apart from fighting with eBay, solution is to request buyer for payment else you can proceed legally to get your money from buyer.

You can always send any kind of items with declaration and proper documentation with any courier company. They may charge more, sometimes they may reject too.

@dudepranay, (just to have more insight) does eBay have a policy stating that hand delivery is not acceptable?
Does any policy exist, needs POD to remit money to Seller even after Buyer declares received?

Having a policy is always good and needed to make the world move balanced.

We found many issues can be validly and legally challenged even if a company has a strict policy and when a policy is totally unfair and doesn't imperatively addresses the scenario/issue in hand and when the poicies are trying to suppress the customers/consumers.

Regards
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