Payment held confirmation of delivery

[simpy]

I sold an item on eBay and accepted PayPal payment. The buyer asked me to ship the item to a different address other than his confirmed\verified address on file with eBay and PayPal.

After reading the PayPal sellers protection policy, I emailed the buyer and told him I cannot ship to any other address.

I spent over $200 overnighting the purchase and offering the buyer reimbursement to forward it to the other address he wanted to. The bottom line is I got the buyer is item overnight and now he has not signed for it and said he is "out of the country". I have signature required on the item yet if he does not sign for it what happens?  This is an expensive item and I don't like it floating around, will PayPal release my funds since I provided a tracking number and they can see that it has attempted to be delivered at the confirmed address

[DPCreations]

What was the product?

It seems like you knowingly accepted a high risk sale.  Why would you spend $200 of your own money for such as risky sale.

Did you investigate either of the addresses provided by the buyer?  My guess is there were many danger signals.

At this point it would be difficult to guess an outcome. 

My guess is that the buyer is very experienced and quite knowledgeable bout PayPal.  The person with greater knowledge has a big advantage in high value dispute cases.

[simpy]

Thank you for your response! I did investigate the buyers address and I have confirmed him as being "real" on social media as well. Because the buyer requested that I send it to his son, I wanted to accommodate him in someway. Therefore, I chose overnight delivery by FedEx, insured and professionally packaged so that he could turn it around The same day and ship it out to his son as it was supposed to be a gift. I don't do this for a living I have bought many things on eBay but I have only sold two things in the 17 years I've been a member. A tractor and this watch. I am very confident that this is a good transaction, I just want to make sure I can get my money because I did send the package and there is proof that it has been delivered (attempted)

[DPCreations]

What I meant about both of the addresses was the physical location, i.e., satellite view.  That type of investigation tells a lot.

Ok, a watch; it's like an open invitation for a scam, especially name brand watches subject to couterfeit fraud.

The buyer can claim non-delivery to the buyer's registered PayPal address.  Did you ship to the buyer's registered PayPal address?  Was there an "OK to ship" on the PayPal transaction page?

Did it indicate that you were covered for buyer protection?

What is the tracking number status now?

If it is not accepted then it should be returned.

[Whac-A-Mole]

If I undersatnd what you are telling us-the buyer asked you to ship to his son at a different address,but you refused.

Instead you expedite the shipment overnight to him via Fed Exp? to his Paypal address hoping he can forward to his son,but he is out of the country and no one is around to accept,sign the package?

first,if he wants you to ship to a different address,he can add that addr to his Ebay or Paypal ship to address ,you refund him the money,he resent with the new shipping addr and now you are protected.

so now your package is in limbo,attempted delivery?

There is a recent thread ,seller sent item but buyer never get it,status shows attempted delivery in UK and seller wins the dispute as Paypal rules attempted delivery is just as good as delivered,but thats UK?

But in the past,attempted delivery is not delivery and it sounds like your package should be signed for.

if it is Fed Exp,call Fed Exp and have them return the item.

then you get your item back ,not sure who is to foot the overnight expenses

[Whac-A-Mole]

Where is the buyer that it costs $200 to overnite the package?

FeD eXP has offices all over the world,so recalling your package should not be a problem.

you should call Fed Exp and find out what is the best way to handle this situation.

what does tracking show on Fed Exp?

It is quite common for a buyer to have multiple ship to address,as long as he adds it to his account and choose it as ship to address in his payment,you are protected.

if Paypal robot goes to Fed Exp website and deems attempted delivery is just as good as delivered,it is not 100% proof,when a buyer does not receive the item,he will do everything he can to get his money back,AKA credit card chargeback.

so call Fed Exp and make sure they have your package and contact your buyer .

[simpy]

I did a full investigation on Google and on Google Earth. I matched up the address that was verified on PayPal and eBay and match the buyers information to that address as well. It all checks out. As far as the FedEx tracking status it says that it was tried to be delivered but nobody was home redelivery again tomorrow morning by 10:30 AM

[simpy]

I shippedto the Midwest and between overnight express charges, signature charges, insurance and professional packaging the cost $215.

That being said I was trying to accommodate the buyer so that he could just turn it around the same day and express the package to the other address where his son is. I just try to protect myself by following all the rules on PayPal and eBay.

[DPCreations]

Trying to accommodate an extremely knowledgeable buyer is a way sellers gt taken on scams; the buyers play on the sympathy of the seller.  A better approach is to focus on your business accommodations without making exceptions to accommodate a skilled buyer.

Hopefully it will turn out OK, but I saw a lot of warning issues.