Ebay experts, Help needed!!

[scooby074]

Hi all.

I currently am trying to gather parts for a stovepipe alarm setup https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/my-digital-stovepipe-thermometer-build.105401/#post-1375546 , and have just had a huge issue with a parcel delivery failure. Here is the description of my problem from the other thead:

Went to the mailbox today and it was open! As in, the front door to the whole mailbox was not locked and swinging in the breeze. For you guys in the US, I dont think you have our style of rural "super" mailboxes where several people share one common box, that has individual boxes within it. Pic below. When the mailman comes, he uses his key that opens the entire front door so he can fill the boxes without it taking too long.

Now what Canada post does is put any parcels in the large box (left picture, bottom row) and put a key in your personal box (smaller boxes) that fits the "parcel" box. They used to send these parcels to the main post office for pickup, now only extremely large parcels have to go to the post office building.

Now guess what... thats right, there was the key to the parcel box in my personal box. That means I had a parcel! But the front door of the mailbox was open (all boxes on the left hand mailbox were open to the outside, including the parcel box) and there was nothing in the parcel box!

I imagine that that parcel was one of the ones I was expecting for my build!

I called canada post, and they sent out an investigator who said i need to contact the shipper.. except I have no idea what parcel it was (expecting 3). And it gets better, the delivery guy that day was a substitute. Which explains why he forgot to lock the main door. Anyways they wont take any responsibility for their obvious negligence, nor do they know what parcel it was. Im so friggin pissed!

What do I do now? Should I wait till the remaining parcels come in, so I know whats missing? Should I file a claim with paypal? Do I have a time limit? Its not really the shippers fault that it got lost, its the damn post offices fault..

Im not a regular on ebay, only a few purchases that went through without problems, so any advise here is appreciated!!

I dont like to cross post, but I hope this will get more attention over here as opposed to the Hearth Room.

 

[scooby074]

I should add, all 3 sellers I used have very good feedback. I wont damage their feedback over Canada Posts obvious negligence!

All items were coming from Hong Kong or Taiwan, I think.

Shipping was "free" Economy International

Items were ordered abut 17 days ago.

 

[BrotherBart]

For "buyer protection" eBay requires sellers to ship via a "trackable" service. Chinese sellers use China post and put the tracking number into the eBay system. Go to your "myebay" page after logging into eBay and look at your summary page. The items you ordered should be there and the tracking numbers. Click on the tracking numbers for the status of each. And see which one Canada Post delivered today. The U.S. Postal Service picks up the tracking number in their system when they take possession of the package and surly so does Canada Post.

After you find out which item it was contact the seller. The seller is responsible until the item is in your hands. They will argue that CP shows it delivered by it is their job to contact the postal service. And to get an item to you.

If in fact they used a tracking number a Paypal dispute is gonna be kinda hard if the tracking shows it delivered.

 

[scooby074]

Brother Bart, thanks

I logged into Ebay to check, no tracking # listed that I can see. I took a screenshot and circled where I think the number should be, is this correct.

I agree 100% that its CP's fault. They left the darn box unlocked. But CP is USELESS!! They are adamant that I need to contact the seller. I dont know where to go from here. If its just one of the cheap items, like the buzzer or the thermocouple I'll re-order. My luck is it's the expensive PID's.

I emailed the sellers to see if they have a tracking number, but I guess it is new year over there and they are all out until at least the 17th as indicated on their ebay pages.

 

[heat seeker]

Just as a bit of info - we do have similar boxes in the US.

And if it's any comfort, in my experience, our Postal Service is just as inept at times. Other times they are excellent. It's the luck of the draw, mostly.

A mail truck took out my friend's mailbox, but at least they sent someone out to fix it. Two days later the snow plow punted the box into the neighbor's front yard. Just can't win sometimes.

Good luck, I hope it gets resolved for you!

 

[JustWood]

International tracking ends at the country of origin border unless its dedicated like UPS worlwide.
Your beef is with CP for the loss.

 

[woodgeek]

When I get stuff from HongKong, the seller always sends it 'certified', requiring a signature. They hold it in the post office and stick a note in my mailbox. If I don't see the note in ~2 days, they send the package back to HK. IOW, I usually wait weeks to get the parcel, and then about half of what I order gets sent back (no refunds). And the seller doesn't say its 'certified' until after I place and confirm the order, an then there is no way to change it. Grrr.

In your case, though, 'certified' might get it held at the office for your pickup.

 

[scooby074]

WG, this stuff wasnt certified. I received the key in my box which means "parcel". There was no other indication, like a door knocker or card in the box to indicate I had a parcel waiting at the post office.

I sure wish it was at the post office though

 

[scooby074]

Some sort of good news today.

I got the remaining 2 packages! One was the expensive PID's and the other was the alarm buzzers.

So that means, that it must have been the High Temp Thermocouple that was taken out of the box. Certainly not as bad as it could be. Still not sure what I'll do. Maybe wait a bit just to be sure it doesnt turn up.

I was so excited, i set up a test with a glass of water :D Thanks for the assistance.

 

[woodgeek]

WG, this stuff wasnt certified. I received the key in my box which means "parcel". There was no other indication, like a door knocker or card in the box to indicate I had a parcel waiting at the post office.

I sure wish it was at the post office though

Got it. I was suggesting using certified in the future. For me its a PITA, for you it might be just the ticket.

 

[Swedishchef]

WOw. I bet you're not the only one who didn't receive mail that should have...the entire door was open! THat's insane!

I often get parcels the same way you did. I would hold them liable. I would contact CP and request to speek to a manager and explain the situation. There is no way I would want that to happen. Some parcels I order are $300 and once it is placed in the box it says it has been delivered (unless signature required; then you go to the post office).

Crazyness. I hope CP try to help you out however it is unlikely.

Where in NS do you live?

Andrew

 

[scooby074]

Andrew, I contacted CP. They basically washed their hands of it. Yeah, im pretty ticked. The parcel managed to find its way here from Taiwan without issue, but Canada Post dropped the ball at the goal line! No excuse for that.

 

[BrotherBart]

Every eBay item I have received from China but one two dollar item had the China Post label on one side and the USPS label with DC on the other.