Paid for mattress and wool bedding paypal, seller is not replying to my emails or tel

Tim_Deegan

soolin wrote: »

OP states end of April and it was NOT an ebay purchase.

They did also say that it was previously listed on ebay.

If the item was only ordered at the end of April, then there may be nothing to worry about. As many of you know I sell beds on line, so I know what a nightmare it can be to find a courier who will deliver beds or mattresses when you are first starting out in the business, as most of the couriers who will take them insist that you have an account. Even when you do find a courier who will deliver them, you usually end up spending hours each week chasing them up for deliveries that they have lost or damaged. We actually gave up with couriers, and now deliver using our own transport for this reason. So I imagine that if this is the first mattress they have sold, then they may be having the same problems, or they could be waiting until they have a full van load before they deliver.

mookie

Tim_Deegan wrote: »

They did also say that it was previously listed on ebay.

If the item was only ordered at the end of April, then there may be nothing to worry about. As many of you know I sell beds on line, so I know what a nightmare it can be to find a courier who will deliver beds or mattresses when you are first starting out in the business, as most of the couriers who will take them insist that you have an account. Even when you do find a courier who will deliver them, you usually end up spending hours each week chasing them up for deliveries that they have lost or damaged. We actually gave up with couriers, and now deliver using our own transport for this reason. So I imagine that if this is the first mattress they have sold, then they may be having the same problems, or they could be waiting until they have a full van load before they deliver.

Surely if this is the case the buyer deserves an explanation. The longer spent discussing whether to dispute means the buyer is having a lesser chance of recovering funds. The deal was done outside of ebay meaning there is a chance of the goods never turning up. I would dispute it now, if arrangements are made and the goods arrive it can always be cancelled.

wornoutmumoftwo

Taffyscot
With the seller back in the country tomorrow, see what happens, i.e exact date of delivery, any more stalling from them and go for the paypal dispute.

Tim_Deegan

mookie wrote: »

Surely if this is the case the buyer deserves an explanation. The longer spent discussing whether to dispute means the buyer is having a lesser chance of recovering funds. The deal was done outside of ebay meaning there is a chance of the goods never turning up. I would dispute it now, if arrangements are made and the goods arrive it can always be cancelled.

Absolutely......the seller is probably stalling for time, either because it is either a scam, or for the reasons I said previously. Whatever the reason you can still open a dispute and then close it if all is resolved.

I wasn't making excuses for the seller. We all have logistical problems occasionally, but all they need to do is communicate rather than avoid the customer.

soolin

OP has contacted the seller who has stated item was sent, then said his brother forgot to arrange it, now says he is abroad and will be back tomorrow.

This does not sound like a professional company and as this was an off ebay sale the paypal protection will be limited and the longer the OP waits the less chance they have of seeing any return for their money if this does turn out to be a scam.

Tim_Deegan

It would be a good idea to actually speak to Paypal. They have quite a few get out clauses for their buyer and seller protection policies. Some of these policies are actually illegal. We sold a top of the range bed to a customer who paid through Paypal. We delivered the bed a few days later, but then Paypal took the money back off us saying that there was a problem with the buyers card that was registered with the account. So we asked Paypal about our seller protection policy, and their reply was that we weren't covered because we didn't use a courier with on line tracking. Well we actually use our own transport due to the reasons I mentioned in an earlier post, so we actually took our shop to their door. But Paypal wouldn't budge.

I know this is the other way around to Taffyscot's problem, but it shows how Paypal can sometimes wriggle out of situations.

soolin

Tim_Deegan wrote: »

I

I know this is the other way around to Taffyscot's problem, but it shows how Paypal can sometimes wriggle out of situations.

That is not wriggling out of it though, that is paypal's stated policy and is something we must all be aware of. In fact the checklist for using paypal is in the 'helpful hints' thread on this board. Obviously the policy is easier to adhere to for sellers that use the 'allowed' couriers but larger businesses, knowing and understanding the policy, can set their own comfort levels about how to minimise their business risk.

Your case appears to be something different though, it sounds more like fraudulent use of a card and nothing would help you there unless it was an ebay item and you are a power seller. However where fraudulent use is claimed this becomes a police matter and since a business should know where their goods were delivered they can persue the customer outside of the paypal system as this is fraud.

Knowing how paypal work both with ebay and without is why I am concerned in this particular thread.

Tim_Deegan

soolin wrote: »

That is not wriggling out of it though, that is paypal's stated policy and is something we must all be aware of.

The difference is that we didn't let the bed out of our possesion until it was signed for. We didn't use couriers because they are too unreliable. So our method of delivery is far safer than using couriers. Our solicitor was chomping at the bit to take on Paypal because their policy is illegal.

soolin wrote: »

Your case appears to be something different though, it sounds more like fraudulent use of a card.

It wasn't actually fraudulent use of the card, it was just someone who spends beyond their means.

frivolous_fay

Tim_Deegan wrote: »

The difference is that we didn't let the bed out of our possesion until it was signed for. We didn't use couriers because they are too unreliable. So our method of delivery is far safer than using couriers.

Safer for the buyer, far riskier for you if you continue to take paypal.

Tim_Deegan wrote: »

It wasn't actually fraudulent use of the card, it was just someone who spends beyond their means.

Did they say that? Sounds more like fraud to me. Credit card payments aren't known for bouncing, and hardly any banks will recall a debit card payment.
You'd have had a route of appeal if you had paypal-approved tracking, fraud, overspend, or whatever.

Tim_Deegan

frivolous_fay wrote: »

Safer for the buyer, far riskier for you if you continue to take paypal.

Believe it or not it is also safer for us as couriers are a nightmare. When they do damage or misplace items they deny all liability. We actually sent seven consignments via N####freight, and three of the mattresses were damaged. The two most expensive items that were pocket sprung/memory foam mattresses looked like they had been deliberately slashed with a very sharp blade. One driver actually showed our customer the damage, but the other one tried to hide it.

Also our drivers won't deliver to anywhere that appears suspicious.

frivolous_fay wrote: »

Did they say that? Sounds more like fraud to me. Credit card payments aren't known for bouncing, and hardly any banks will recall a debit card payment.
You'd have had a route of appeal if you had paypal-approved tracking, fraud, overspend, or whatever.

No it wasn't fraud. We have been in touch with the customer (when she isn't trying to avoid us). The payment to Paypal was cancelled by the bank because she was overspending.

All credit card companies and Paypal can bounce a payment up to six months after the transaction.