Aquabid and Paypal

I ordered some redfaced topminnows from aquabid and specifically told the person who was shipping them to ship to one address, they shipped to an address I lived at nearly 3 years ago and never had as my paypal shipping address.

So pist right now

I always choose goods when I am doing the Paypal part. It automatically places my confirmed shipping address in the transaction. I haven't had the problem you describe.

I've had that problem with PayPal/Ebay before. Lesson learned is to always keep your PayPal shipping address current, even if you tell Sellers what address to use. Many will get some sort of export from PayPal that they use to create labels.

-Jase

...they shipped to an address I lived at nearly 3 years ago and never had as my paypal shipping address.

How do you suppose they got that address, then?

Jase is absolutely correct.

As it turns out I just received two shipments of fish from aquabid auctions yesterday (05/08). I had problems with both, but they were both due to errors with UPS and the local U. S. Post Office. Both required careful attention to rather limited tracking information provided to be resolved. One of the shipments through UPS (according to their tracking system) had arrived at a local Customer Service Center about 20 miles away, but delivery was being delayed for some unspecified reason. After several attempts to call the center via the 1-800 number and getting run through automated systems, I was finally able to talk to a live person by repeatedly pressing 0 (as if I didn't understand the question) in response to the automated phone system. The person in charge told me that although the tracking system indicated the shipment was scanned in, it in fact wasn't an actual "physical scan" but rather some information based on estimated arrival times. I told her bull****, and she finally admitted they didn't have a clue where the package was. Fortunately, it showed up later that day at my correct address.

The USPS delivery, via Express Mail (sortof, maybe overnight...but maybe not, according to them...but still $30.00) was even worse. Their tracking system indicated the delivery had been made and signed for by 12:00 noon, but not to my address and signed for by someone I had never heard of. Of course, when I saw this I immediately drove down to the local post office. I explained to one of the clerks at the front desk (in a very friendly manner) what had happened and asked a question. This, being very unusual, made the clerk mad and she informed me I would have to fill out some paperwork and she didn't have time to mess with it right now. Still trying to maintain a friendly (outward) composure, I asked to speak to a supervisor. The supervisor came out and in five minutes I had my box of fish and left. I didn't even try for an explanation, and I'm pretty sure they didn't want to give one.

I emphasize trying to maintain a friendly attitude because you never know when you're going to need one of these people again. So, even though it took some extra time and effort (which I actually thought I had paid for up front for them to handle), I did get my fish and they were all alive and healthy. As for shipping, with the USPS, I have had expected results (on time delivery of package) about one-third of the time. Never had any problems on the aquabid end of things.

Rick

Edited by drewish, 09 May 2008 - 04:01 PM.

One thing to keep track of is which carriers tend to have the best service in your area. When I used to ship fish and plants a lot I used specific carriers for different regions. As examples all from Knoxville, TN: FedEx - exceptional to all but Arizona and some parts of Florida, and all received packages on time; UPS - Poor to everywhere, but received on time from the northeast states; USPS - great to everywhere outside of a 300 mile radius of Knoxville (i.e., a package from Knoxville to Lexington KY would take 7-8 days no matter what service, but something to Oregon would take 2 days).

As for the seller using the wrong address, I would guess they may have simply forgotten. If they do a lot of shipping and they are just a hobbiest it is easy to miss the address when you have three or four sources for that address (e-mails, Aquabid/Ebay, or PayPal). I'm not saying the seller isn't at fault... but hopefully you can get things resolved in a friendly manner. I'll be honest, I've shipped fish to the wrong address before, but after we (the buyer and I) figured out what happened I sent another box of fish at my expense. Luckily they were only some young pearl gouramis that I had breeding regularly and had plenty of young for the replacements... those things are prolific when they get going.

Hope you get it worked out.

After several attempts to call the center via the 1-800 number and getting run through automated systems, I was finally able to talk to a live person by repeatedly pressing 0 (as if I didn't understand the question) in response to the automated phone system.

If you ever have to do this again and have the tracking number for the package, say "Representative". It will say something like "I'll connect you, but first I need your tracking number." Give the tracking number and it should connect you through to a live person. I have to do this sadly frequently for work.

I had this happen with a recent live culture purchase from Aquabid via paypal. My "confirmed" address was still Davis CA, where I lived 4 YEARS AGO, but even though I had used Paypal since and recieved shipments in Syracuse NY, when the seller printed is label, as Jase said, it pulled up the old address. The location on the Paypal site where I needed to changed my shipping address was not apparent, and that peeved me abit. I spoke with the seller and we got it straitened out and I got my cultures....