Getting very upset with university mail!

[hathorcat]

In all honesty even though it's neither Glitzy or the seller's fault, getting her money back would be the kind thing to do. I know Glitzy personally and this has, in fact, been a reoccurring issue with her university's mail. She can't afford to just throw money away and get nothing. She's a college student. If something similar happened to you, you'd more than likely want your money back as well.

Wait...so its not the sellers fault but the seller should be out the money and the pony too?

[kotty]

As someone who lives in a household that needs to live paycheck-to-paycheck, constantly, and i mean CONSTANTLY watching every cent we spend, i'm sorry to say that i think somebody who makes hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month selling things on ebay could possibly sacrifice 10 dollars on a pony that was already unpopular to begin with and probably wouldn't have sold very quickly anyways.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

She can't afford to just throw money away and get nothing. She's a college student. If something similar happened to you, you'd more than likely want your money back as well.

Exactly, it doesn't matter one's social circumstance when a transaction is involved.  It's super-frustrating and really can make a bad mood, but it's not under anyone's control.  We are trying to help Glitzy find a way to end the postal theft -  I am sure she's not the only one missing "Grandma's quilt" or "cookies from home" or "holiday presents".    I am thinking the item was a small enough value that insurance wasn't deemed necessary?  That's soooo aggravating, we have all taken that chance.    I've lost high-value things that way and will not go without insurance again, but low-value.... yeah... the postal service doesn't treat it as well, so you have to risk that handling. 

I think that by resolving the postal delivery situation, a lot of pony buying and trading will go much easier, with way less losses.  What about renting a PO box off-campus instead? 

Low-budget collecting is a real challenge, that much I'll say!  I am there right now, as well as a lot of people I'm sure.    *pony hugs*  But I am guessing you collect to make you happy, so try not to focus on how angry you are right now about this situation because it's not supposed to be personal, against you and your person, it's just one of those things that happens to all of us and we can share your irritation but yeah.  Nobody's fault but the postal service.  That needs to be followed up on!   

[hathorcat]

Ok...I am not entirely sure how we deteriorated into an argument or got so wildly off topic. In this thread Glitzy asked for opinions and help. She got lots of lovely comments, she got help and she got asked some questions. That's what happens in a TS thread. She is frustrated and completely understandably in the circumstances as she clearly has a terrible mail system but at the same time surely its fair to see there are two sides to a seller/buyer problem?

She got instant help from her seller - whose personal circumstances you do not know in regards sales, etc - and she is getting sound advice about trying to ask her post office for a complaints/compensation process in order to get refunded for the missing parcel.

Perhaps Glitzy if you speak to your post office ask them for details about a complaints/compensation process? I am sure your seller will do everything she can in order to confirm the parcel was sent and the dates of attempted delivery/confirmed delivery. Even if it does not track this precise parcel down it will make them even more aware of the problem if people make the effort to complain.

[Whippycorn]

Ebay changed their system so now when you click contact seller there's a tick list of reasons for contact and if you click 'I haven't received my item yet' it opens a case automatically. I did this once by accident, so now I always tick 'other' to avoid this.

Glitzy, you need to take this all the way to the top with your university mail system, it is not o.k. for so much of your mail to go missing. If other students have had the same problem, get them on board! Hopefully you can get some kind of compensation from them.

[Skeen]

As someone who lives in a household that needs to live paycheck-to-paycheck, constantly, and i mean CONSTANTLY watching every cent we spend, i'm sorry to say that i think somebody who makes hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month selling things on ebay could possibly sacrifice 10 dollars on a pony that was already unpopular to begin with and probably wouldn't have sold very quickly anyways.

Living paycheck to paycheck doesn't mean other people should bend over backwards to let you have your way, though.  (Glitzy, that comment was not aimed at you.   )

You don't know the seller's financial situation. $10 could be as much to her as it is to Glitzy.  It doesn't matter how much or how little the pony cost, or how popular it might be, the fact is it was delivered, and it isn't fair to ask the seller to be out both product and money.  I agree it isn't fair for Glitzy to be out money on this either, but it isn't the seller's fault and isn't her responsibility to reimburse either. 

Glitzy, since this is an ongoing problem, could you rent a PO box in town?  I had much better luck at the official PO than with campus mail when I was at school.   



EDIT - I forgot, Glitzy, I THINK I have a Baby Frosting kicking around my sales bin.  If you can't find the one you bought, I'd be happy to trade her to you. 

[banditpony]

Just as a note,

I recently wanted to tell a seller I had not received an item (30+ days, but it's China, not worried yet). I really didn't care to open a case, as I kind of just wanted to give a "heads up". I was going to wait till my 45 day before I wanted to open a case for more time. but because it was over the estimated time-- ebay automatically opened a case when I tried to communicate with the seller.

And my advice-- if your school post office is really known for losing packages. Either you got to fight tooth and nail with them... Or just have packages sent to your home address, and not get mail until you can go home and pick them up in bulk. I can't imagine how frustrating it is to order things and not get them.

You need to keep track of all these packages you are losing-- and how much money it's costing you. :/ And somehow, you need to fight it. Contact every single person you can about it.

And just kind of a general question, what happens when you get items sent to you with a signature confirmation?

[Ghost]

Well, if they can't be bothered to deal with finding lost packages maybe it's time to see how seriously they deal with inquiries into allowing mail theft.  If a package was clearly delivered to them, was never delivered to the owner, and can't be found then I would say it is reasonable to assume someone is taking them.  Whether that is really the case I would think the potential would be something they have to address or else.  Some possible results are catching the thief if there is one or finding the package as proof of them not allowing theft if there isn't.  If all other options go nowhere it's something that might be worth a shot.

[ponylady]

Glitzy has been refunded in good faith and I am going to consider the matter closed.

I do suggest that you do not have mail delivered to your dorm any longer.

As someone who lives in a household that needs to live paycheck-to-paycheck, constantly, and i mean CONSTANTLY watching every cent we spend, i'm sorry to say that i think somebody who makes hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month selling things on ebay could possibly sacrifice 10 dollars on a pony that was already unpopular to begin with and probably wouldn't have sold very quickly anyways.

I also want to note that Ebay is my only means of income. So ten dollars to me is also equally important to live.

[partypony566]

In all honesty even though it's neither Glitzy or the seller's fault, getting her money back would be the kind thing to do. I know Glitzy personally and this has, in fact, been a reoccurring issue with her university's mail. She can't afford to just throw money away and get nothing. She's a college student. If something similar happened to you, you'd more than likely want your money back as well.

Yes but if it's tracked as delivered then it's certainly NOT the sellers fault!

Post Merge: October 14, 2013, 09:26:25 AM


I am also a university student and I have 3 kids, so I certainly cannot afford to lose money. But to me, seeing as Glitzy has this same problem two years in a row, I would be using an alternate address. Family, friend, work colleague.....SOMEONE will be kind enough to let you use their address for a while.

That's what I would do, rather than risk losing money. It's common sense and the loss of just **one** parcel would be the last straw to make me sort out the situation.

[Loa]

As someone who lives in a household that needs to live paycheck-to-paycheck, constantly, and i mean CONSTANTLY watching every cent we spend, i'm sorry to say that i think somebody who makes hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month selling things on ebay could possibly sacrifice 10 dollars on a pony that was already unpopular to begin with and probably wouldn't have sold very quickly anyways.

Goodness me you're being presumptuous.
How do you know how much this seller makes? Are you living in her house? Are you paying her bills?
I think you are doing your friend a disservice by being a white knight.

Her university is mishandling mail and you are encouraging ripping off the seller.
For someone with 7 posts you are showing your true colours very early.

[partypony566]

As someone who lives in a household that needs to live paycheck-to-paycheck, constantly, and i mean CONSTANTLY watching every cent we spend, i'm sorry to say that i think somebody who makes hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month selling things on ebay could possibly sacrifice 10 dollars on a pony that was already unpopular to begin with and probably wouldn't have sold very quickly anyways.

What?!!!!!!

[kitkatvintage]

In regards to the University losing mail: when I was in college (many moons ago) the mail room people would place a card in your post office box to tell you there was a package. More than once, I got cards that were meant to go in the boxes next to mine. Is it possible that the missing packages were collected by the wrong person because the package notice card was put in the wrong mail box?

I put a lot of thought into an appropriate reply to kotty's posts, and I'm still at a loss for the right words. In this world, a lot of people live paycheck to paycheck, and no one has the right to make assumptions about who can & can't afford to lose a few dollars on a lost package. I would say that if a buyer has an on-going problem receiving mail, that buyer should stop making purchases until their mail situation is resolved. As someone who relies on income from eBay & online sales to pay my own bills, I would not be so gracious as ponylady has been to give a refund in this situation.

[Loa]

As someone who lives in a household that needs to live paycheck-to-paycheck, constantly, and i mean CONSTANTLY watching every cent we spend, i'm sorry to say that i think somebody who makes hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month selling things on ebay could possibly sacrifice 10 dollars on a pony that was already unpopular to begin with and probably wouldn't have sold very quickly anyways.

What?!!!!!!

I'M FIRING YOU AND KEEPING YOUR WAGES.
TSK TSK TSK.
All the naked men pics you get as wages are all mine!

[tulagirl]

In regards to the University losing mail: when I was in college (many moons ago) the mail room people would place a card in your post office box to tell you there was a package. More than once, I got cards that were meant to go in the boxes next to mine. Is it possible that the missing packages were collected by the wrong person because the package notice card was put in the wrong mail box?

I put a lot of thought into an appropriate reply to kotty's posts, and I'm still at a loss for the right words. In this world, a lot of people live paycheck to paycheck, and no one has the right to make assumptions about who can & can't afford to lose a few dollars on a lost package. I would say that if a buyer has an on-going problem receiving mail, that buyer should stop making purchases until their mail situation is resolved. As someone who relies on income from eBay & online sales to pay my own bills, I would not be so gracious as ponylady has been to give a refund in this situation.

I just totally agree with everything said here.  Ponylady has been incredibly nice to send a refund for something that had nothing to do with her selling practice or shipping.  I only hope I have as much integrity as a person.  I know as a buyer I would not have asked a seller to refund me in this type of situation, but I realize that must have been an accident as stated by the OP.