paypal screws up royally

[gypsumoon]

http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y07/m09/i11/s02

PayPal Glitch Sends eBay Packages to Wrong Buyers

A spokesperson has confirmed that a "PayPal database issue" has caused a problem in a small percentage of eBay transactions that mixes up ship-to addresses. A few reports began surfacing late last week that eBay sellers were sending packages to the wrong users due to an apparent glitch. PowerSeller Evan Prytherch said he bought a toner cartridge from another eBay seller using Buy It Now and using eBay's PayPal payment service. He said he was surprised to receive a call from a person he had formerly sold something to who had received his package in error. "It's a potentially very, very serious PayPal issue with a lot of very nasty ramifications," Prytherch said, adding that he wouldn't have believed if it had not just happened to him.

PayPal spokesperson Sara Gorman said the shipping team has been working on the problem over the last day or so. She said there would be no announcement made to the eBay System Announcement board because it affected such a small percentage of sellers. "We are going to work with the affected users individually." Gorman was referring to users who contacted PayPal or posted on the PayPal board. She could not say whether PayPal would actually send an email to every user affected by the problem.

Cindy at Gypsum Moon
http://stores.ebay.com/Gypsum-Moon?refid=store

[TxRed]

Uh oh! I just shipped a bunch of packages yesterday. Thanks, Cindy for the heads up.

[LisaMarie]

Not at all surprising! But that really sux - especially for the sellers who are going to have to deal with all those irrate customers!

[Floridachickadee]

Not at all surprising! But that really sux - especially for the sellers who are going to have to deal with all those irrate customers!

No kidding! And the fact that they're not going to make an announcement about it?! So are they going to refund the cost of shipping to these people?
Oh I sure hope that none of my packages are affected!
And of course how on earth would we know till the buyer wonders why they've gotten the wrong item? What a mess!

[TxRed]

So are they going to refund the cost of shipping to these people?
Yeah...right!

And of course how on earth would we know till the buyer wonders why they've gotten the wrong item? What a mess!
Exactly! http://www.buildaforum.com/inkforums/img/smilies/mad.gif

[multipaws]

TxRed
I don't understandhttp://www.buildaforum.com/inkforums/img/smilies/confused.gif The labels that are printed should show the buyers name and address...Yes? I check the buyers name and addy with a index card that I write out for each buyer...

Initially when I auction off an item I write a short description of the item, and the auction # on a Index card...Then when the Item sells I write the buyers name and address and the amount of $$ the item sold for,then I place the Index card in the invoice sent section. When it is paid for I mark the item paid PP or Check etc...

When I go to Print out the Label...I check the Index card with the Label and staple it to the Label Record part...

It sounds like a lot of work, but truly it isn't..
http://www.buildaforum.com/inkforums/img/smilies/grin.gif

MP
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Animals are such agreeable friends--they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms.

[Floridachickadee]

It sounds like a lot of work, but truly it isn't..

Oh gosh yes! LOL It does sound like a lot of extra work... but I suppose that once you get into a routine then it doesn't seem like too many extra steps. And it gives you a perm. hard copy of the information...

I'm so disorganized as it is, I can't even imagine how something like that would work for me! http://www.buildaforum.com/inkforums/img/smilies/lol.gif I'd likely have some done and some not done and then get frustrated with the whole system! LOL

[TxRed]

It does sound like a lot of extra work... but I suppose that once you get into a routine then it doesn't seem like too many extra steps.
I'm not that organized, but maybe I should get better organized. Very good idea, MP!

[allabouthorses]

I'm seeing posts on the Paypal message board about this starting to surface.

What a mess! How will they ever get it straightened out and the correct packages to the right people?

I also am one who has a hard copy that follows each item from beginning to end. This wouldn't work if you listed thousands of listings but for the amount I sell it is just fine.

As long as Ebay sends me the correct name and address of the winner I know I would catch an error on PayPal's part.

Were these just listings that people printed Paypal labels for or random auctions paid for with Paypal?

My computer and the whole Internet could crash and I would still know exactly what I wrote up for each listing, if it sold or not, who bought it and at what stage it was in (invoiced, paid, shipped, received, feedback left).

I love computers but I'm still an old school pen and paper sort of gal when it comes to keeping up with information.

You can never have too many Jack Russell Terriers.

[yesanon]

I always check the end of auction email confirmation from ebay with the one from Paypal.
Some people don't realize that they ship to addresses given to Paypal according to their location of their CC on file. And on eBay they may have a different shipping address; like their office, where they are at during the day. So packages are not sitting out on door steps...etc..

I always track the eBay userID and name/address and also if different the PP userID/email address and street address. It is a bit of extra hassle but have caught quite a few discrepancies. Some people move and only contact PP with their new addresses or vice versus only contact eBay with new addresses....thinking both and the same and that is all they needed to do. This has saved me lots of trouble just taking time to double check.
It's like a carpenter...measure twice cut once.
Check twice, ship once.
http://www.buildaforum.com/inkforums/img/smilies/wink.gif

[multipaws]

I'm not that organized, but maybe I should get better organized. Very good idea, MP!

TxRed ... It is very simple system that I worked out and it has caught many address mistakes..Like, the shipping address on Ebay not being the same as the shipping address the buyer would have on PP ... So I just email to tell them I would be sending the package to their PP shipping address only...

All you need is a index file holder, small black one for the top of your desk....and Index cards...I bought mine at Sam's Club...Total cost $8.00 with enough Index cards to last me a very long time...

If help is needed to set this up, please don't hesitate to ask me... http://www.buildaforum.com/inkforums/img/smilies/wink.gif

MP
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Animals are such agreeable friends--they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms.

[TxRed]

Thank you, MP! That's very kind of you. I usually don't have that many packages going out at one time, so it's been easy for me to check the information without a hard copy. However, the way things are going, it's a really good idea to keep on top of everything. http://www.buildaforum.com/inkforums/img/smilies/grin.gif

[twisttolife]

Thanks Cindy!

This is not the first time this has happened.

We ship ship out alot daily and had this happened last year...all supposed "confirmed" addresses too.

We had to pay for all the return and resend shipping.

Paypal was in denial.

[biggfredd]

Imagine that there would be glitches when using a place owned by a company that's the biggest glitch on the Internet.

[jvl1929]

Initially when I auction off an item I write a short description of the item, and the auction # on a Index card...Then when the Item sells I write the buyers name and address and the amount of $$ the item sold for,then I place the Index card in the invoice sent section. When it is paid for I mark the item paid PP or Check etc...

I have a similar system, I have a spiral notebook that I keep all the info in of sold items.

I take it with me to the p.o. so I know I'm not paying more for the shipping than I charged. I have the item, buyers id, how to ship, address to ship to , date it was paid for (and how) if it was a store, auction or fixed price item and then on a column on the side the price of item, shipping, insurance (if it applies) tax and total. Plus the date I ship and a box I check once it's shipped.

It doesn't take that much time. I can fit 3 on each page. I go through a few notebooks a year and it makes it so easy to locate the selling and shipping of an item so if there's a problem down the road, I know exactly what's what.

It really helps to keep me organized (I'm so disorganized with everything else) and I just staple the shipping, insurance, tracking, etc. rcpts each time I go to to the p.o. to the last page used so I know it goes to all the items listed on that page and the previous pages (up to the previous rcpt I have stapled in the book.

Once you start doing it (at least for me) it's impossible to do without it. It keeps track of every sell and it helps to keep check on the correct address, I always double check the addresses.

I thought I might be a little weird for doing it but I guess I'm not the only weirdo lol http://www.buildaforum.com/inkforums/img/smilies/lol.gif

Thanks for tip MP, I'm sure it will be useful for a lot of other froggies selling on ebay.

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Just thought I'd throw in my 2 cents, since that's about all I can afford these days with all the ebay fees! lol
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ebay id: jvl1929

eBay Store: http://stores.ebay.com/PUZZLES-and-OTHER-STUFF-YOU-NEED

eCrater Store:
http://dillsdeals.ecrater.com/

[queenrob]

I just print off the ebay/paypal payment page then use IF profit report.