How long to wait

mudgekin

I wonder if anyone can give any advice. I won a small item for spectacle repair from the US on March 3rd and paid that same day. The cost of the item was only about £5 but importantly contained a lot of screws which is the part my DH looses regularly. The postage was USPS First Class Mail International.

I mailed the seller 2 days ago asking him if he had any idea how long items usually take to the UK and again today since there was no reply. He seems to be an extremely well established seller with excellent feedback so I am very hesitant to be pushy (can you tell I am a bit of a novice apart from this last 2 months and haven't dared brave the mysteries of selling despite needing to declutter).

Hoe long would folks wait before taking any more action. I think what is bothering me is the fact he isn't replying and I have had no communication at all from him.

thanks tons

Kestrel

Hi, have you been emailing the seller directly to an email address or have you been contacting him via ebay messages? - I know that some sellers (myself included) do have problems with sending and receiving messages via ebay from time to time

choc_mouse

For a UK seller, I'd give about 1 week. For international sales, I'd give about 2 weeks. Obviously, if the auction's delivery information says otherwise, I will adhere to that but 1 week / 2 week is my general rule. It's almost 3 weeks for you, so I'd put in an "item not received" claim through paypal so you'll be entitled to a refund if it never turns up. It can be cancelled if the item turns up.

mudgekin

Hi Kestrel & Choc-mouse

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I have been contacting him via ebay messaging. I will give it a few more days I guess. Is there a cut of where I cannot report if an item doesn't arrive?

thanks again

Kestrel

have you got an email address for him? it may well be worth trying to contact him that way, it may be that he genuinely hasn't received your messages via ebay, especially as you say he seems to be a well established seller with presumably good feedback

You have 45 days to open an item not received claim via Pay Pal (providing that you have a Pay Pal account that is)

cyberbob

Open a dispute (don't escalate give him a chance to reply). That will at least get his attention. I buy items all the time from the US and they are normally here within 7 days. Yours is a low value item so it is unlikely to get stopped at customs

As Choc mouse says you can always escalate if there is no response

mudgekin

Many thanks to you all for your kind replies.

The seller finally replied yesterday and said that it was only 3 weeks and add on a few days for dispatch and so we still had plenty time for delivery. He advised waiting another 3 weeks and then to mail him again.

I finally plucked up courage to open an item not recieved dispute this evening. My tummy is churning, I so hate doing this and I hope that he doesnt think I am some sort of chancer.

Fingers crossed that the item arrives

choc_mouse

6 weeks is slow. Too slow. It's probably gone missing in the postal system but the seller doesn't care. Just keep the dispute open as long as you can wait. I'd give them one more week/after Easter (e.g. 1 month in total) and then escalate the dispute to get your money back.

GregtheHammer

The longest I have waited for anything from the US was a month, so do not blame you for open a dispute.

mudgekin

wow the seller responded to the dispute and said that I lack understanding of what business days means and that it can take up to 15 business days. Hmm..I opened the dispute on day 23 after payment..to my reckoning that is more than 15 business days.

I actually feel a bit insulted and didn't really expect it from someone with such high sales and good feedback

cyberbob

I'd respond via the dispute stating how many days it has been. Then I would escalate the claim straight after. Once you get your refund then consider your Feedback and DSRS