Ebay question. Product not received.

I am relatively new to Ebay. Everything was delivered to me promptly, until now. I won an auction on 12/13 & the item was supposedly shipped 12/16. The item was insured. I have been in contact w/ the seller & he is checking on his end, but I haven't heard anything since 12/31. Any recommendations on what you normally do in this situation? Any deadlines I need to be aware of when it comes to reporting the problem to ebay/paypal? Thanks.

Andy
(I'm patient. I'm not itching to send any negative feedback. I just want to make sure I'm not TOO patient where it causes problems for me.)

Deadlines for Ebay and Paypal are 30 days from the date of payment, as far as I'm aware.

Threaten negative feedback and threaten that you'll file a report with Ebay and Paypal. For experienced users, this will usually get their attention. I've threatened negative (or neutral) feedback eight or ten times over the past couple of years, and almost every time I've had the seller take care of the problem. Medium to long term users (except for those with feedback in the thousands) usually don't want to risk negative feedback.

The one time I didn't receive the product I paid for through ebay/paypal (a car hood), I kept after the guy, and within 30-60 days I got my money back. Several times when a product was described in "like new" or "perfect" condition and then wasn't, I threatened negative feedback after receiving the item. Twice I've gotten part of my money back due to the condition of the item being misrepresented. It feels a little like extortion to me (threatening to leave negative feedback, then receiving money), but I don't like buying something in worse condition than is advertised.

-Keith

NO MATTER WHAT file with PayPal before 30 days is up, even safer 25 days. Once the 30 days is past you are out of luck. I had a sale go bad but I was patient and believed that the seller was operating in good faith, he wasn't and after about 40 days I filed with ebay and paypal. He wound up being thrown off ebay. But I was still out about $30.
I try and believe the best of people but if I have sent money and don't see product I'll get it back. I can always pay again if needed.
FYI: E-Bay's policies regard feedback blackmail unkindly I believe

Andy, would you be so kind as to post a link to the item listing in question?? I am a veteran eBayer also. Maybe I can spot something you may have missed.

The last item I got via eBay (recieved), took 9 days via US Domestic Priority Mail from California to Ohio, which is waaaay too long. (Athlon XP 2500+ new retail package)

If it was shipped by US Mail and/or has to go through Customs, you may be waiting a while. If the item was used by an Al queda member, then Welcome to the Suspected Terrorists Club (product profiling by homeland security). This is the reason my item took so long as noted above. Only, my problems didn't begin with the item above.

Just to reiterate...
You have 30 days to file a complaint with PayPal and 90 days to leave feedback on eBay.
PayPal will not likely help you unless you opted for their "money back guarantee" but you may as well try.
The shipping insurance protects the shipper not the recipient so if you paid for it the shipper really has no excuse to not make things right by you. I'd say it's time to start making a pain of yourself.

Here is the link to the auction. It wasn't expensive, but it's a replacement for a tool I used a lot and lost.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3644722902&category=16042&rd=1

It should have been shipped from CA to IL. The seller has 68 positive feedback with 0 negative. He told me he shipped it on the 16th, but I don't have a tracking #. (Didn't request it until yesterday.) This is way beyond anything has taken from Ebay. I have received flashlights from Hong Kong in less time.

I am going to start making a pain of myself. I figure tomorrow I will have waited long enough. Will send him an email asking for my money back, a replacement package or a really good reason for the delay.

Andy

This problem has a happy ending. I just checked my mail. It was there. It was postmarked Dec 17th. Hacienda Hgts CA to Chicago in just 19 Days. You have to love the USPS. Maybe we should bring back the Pony Express.

Andy

[ QUOTE ]
Wits' End said:
FYI: E-Bay's policies regard feedback blackmail unkindly I believe

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I've read ebay's policy concerning feedback extortion, and I know I'm walking a fine line sometimes, but I usually let the seller suggest sending a few bucks my way for the damaged or misrepresented product. That way I'm not directly soliciting the money from the seller. The only other option as I see it is sending the item back at the sellers expense, and demanding a full refund, which would be a hassle for me and the seller. I always describe the damage in detail and offer to provide photos of the damage. The way I look at it is that in these circumstances, the seller screwed up and needs to make it right. I'd want to do the same thing if/when I'm the seller and the buyer has a problem. If the item is damaged very badlyor is unusable for whatever reason, I'd just send it back though.

If someone tried actual feedback extortion on me and I truly felt I was in the right, I'd take the negative feedback instead of paying and encouraging the extortion.

-Keith

Andy, exactly which method was that mailed: Parcel Post, Priority, etc.??? Being that it is a knife, I suspect it got routed through Homeland Security for evaluation by anal retentive BureauRats.

I am amazed that it got delivered at all! Let the seller know that he should change shippers to UPS or something to avoid fraud complaints generated from Homeland Security induced delays or confiscations.

I suspect this is what happened to the company that I bought my XP1700+ from: fraud investigation by the US Secret Service generated by fraud complaint(s) to eBay!

It was shipped via USMail. $4.05 postage on a round shipping tube. I think that would make it 1st class mail. It appears it was opened at some point. I can see where tape has been removed from the ends of the tube. It didn't have any tape on it when I received it, so it was either recycled on his end or opened on the way.

Andy