It's been 2 months now... Still no tracking updates

[Prince Primbrose]

Hi everyone,

The day before my birthday (March 8) I bought a G4 Lily Blossom for $6.99 from a Chinese seller. Around the same time I bought two other items from the same area, both of which arrived quickly.

Last month, the "estimated delivery" date ran out, and ebay asked "Have you received the item yet?" I said no of course, and it let me to open a case. I felt bad that I had wrongly opened the case without first talking to the seller, but I've been afraid to close it, because I know I can't open another after that.

It's been two months now. Still no pony in the mail, still no update to the tracking information. Here is the correspondence between the seller and I.

The message I typed when ebay opened the case for me:

The details you provided:
You haven't received the item.
You paid for the item on Mar 09, 2013.
Your phone number:
We will not share your phone number with the seller.
Additional information:
"Hello, I paid for a My Little Pony Lily Blossom on March 9, but she never arrived and tracking has not updated in over 30 days."
You've requested:
Item tracking information

The seller responded:

visitors can't see pics , please register or login


Okay, well... That's the same tracking info that had been there for over a month already?

It also told me to wait for the item to arrive and be patient- I thought that was a message from the seller but maybe that was ebay telling me to sit tight?

It's getting near the auto-close date for the case, so I contacted them again.

Your message to the seller:
"Hello, I'm sorry I opened a case without contacting you first; eBay was unclear with what I was doing. I bought a My Little Pony Lily Blossom from you 59 days ago, and the shipping last updated 55 days ago. I have bought several similar items from the same area since which have arrived quickly. But the item I bought from you has still yet to arrive or even have updated tracking. Do you know if there was anything about the package that may have caused a delay? I have been waiting nearly 2 months now."

I've got a bad feeling about this. I don't think I'm getting any pony, but I'm not sure what to do about that. Obviously the item was shipped, and it seems to me like it just drifted off the radar. The seller did their job and shipped it, but I'm out seven dollars and a pony. What happens in this type of situation? Do I ask the seller to pay for the missing pony and give them a positive for being kind, or do I cut my losses and note that the item just never arrived? I'm getting nervous about this. I've never had a problem with an item not arriving before.

Any help is appreciated. I know that there's probably not much that I can do other than keep waiting, but if there is something that I should be doing, like escalating the case, I want to know.

[HawaiianRain]

If you don't receive a reply to this last pm in a day or two, escalate the case.

[ponylady]

I would probably suggest the same thing that HR did, in that if you do not get a response, escalate the case. I do understand there can be delays but in it being two months I would not take any chances.

If they side with you and refund your money and the item shows then you can always send repayment for it. It's better to be safe than sorry.

[Prince Primbrose]

Got a response of some sort...

Seller's note:
"hi friend , the tracking number is that , i think mayne you can close the case , and give me email on ebay . because there have Customer service commissioner to solve your problem . because i see the case about some days later . this one hope you can understand "

It also included the same old tracking information I've been watching for 2 months...

What do I do now? The seller wants me to close the case, but then I lose protection there...

[ponylady]

Do not close it! If you close it you will not be able to reopen it.

[Galactica]

Looks like your pony might have gotten stuck in customs or maybe lost in one the sorting facilities.

I can see how this could happen (getting lost) since most of the Chinese sellers send their ponies in the absolute smallest size envelope possible...

Still, I bet it will turn up.  But I wouldn't close the case yet...

Even if you escalated, I think that ebay would pay for the pony rather than the seller, since they provided evidence of shipping.   It wouldn't count against them.

[Prince Primbrose]

Well, looks like I don't have to escalate... I checked my email and I guess the seller just sent me a full refund on their own. I wish I could have gotten Lily Blossom, but at least I got my money back.

[ponylady]

Hopefully she will still show up for you  I bet it as Galactica mentioned and that it is just caught up in customs.

That was nice of your seller to refund before you had to escalate though. Like I mentioned before perhaps when it does show you can just resend payment to her/him.

[Ringlets]

its good to hear you got your refund    Hopefully the pony will still turn up and you can always send the money back then as the others mentioned , but at least if the pony doesnt show up you wont be out of pony and monies. Sometimes it does take a crazy long time to get through customs/arrive from China.