While it isn't my first time to order overseas and wait awhile for the package to arrive via PhilPost, I was still worried when the items I ordered from eBay were delayed. Due to the delay, I was forced to file a PayPal (the payment method I used) dispute to recover the funds and left the seller a negative feedback. However, I eventually revised the comment and paid the seller again. In an overview, here is what happened. It is also long overdue since this occurred last year.
October 11, 2015 - I ordered the products through eBay
October 12, 2015 - Seller supposedly shipped the items
November 4, 2015 - Sent a followup email to the seller
November 24, 2015 - Dispute filed at PayPal
December 3, 2015 - PayPal case was automatically closed to my favor since seller did not reply to arbitration
December 22, 2015 - Paid the seller again through PayPal after receiving a notification to claim the package through the local PhilPost office (and of course, I got the items)
Do note that our email conversation did not stop in Nov. 4; it continued until Nov. 21 after which, the seller no longer responded. While I did say that I'm used to waiting 1-2 months for regular shipments such as EMS and USPS for items ordered overseas due to an online selling attempt in the past (those were from Malaysia and the US, respectively), see this post "I Was Never Good with Sales and MLM but You Just Might Be;" there were at least some sort of tracking I can check during those past transactions. With this one, the seller wasn't able to provide any, which is what was bothersome. The items I purchased didn't really cost much, just $5.96 in total for both cases. I cannot find anything anywhere in malls and electronics shops spanning both ends of Metro Manila and even the province for the Nokia 808 Pureview so I was sure glad I found one through eBay. The shipping was even free, which I would have been willing to pay for. But even if it's not that much, it's still money and it's through eBay where other buyers may fall prey too. Hence, I went through the ordeal of a lengthy PayPal dispute before the allowed time lapses.
PayPal Buyer Protection
eBay is covered by the PayPal Buyer Protection even if you use a debit/credit card, so long as it's connected to PayPal. It covers not only incidences when items are not received but other factors as well. There is a 180 days limit to file a dispute though. See this page for more information:
eBay Feedback Revision
But since I did receive the item (albeit delayed), I scoured through eBay's Help Section about the feedback revision process. I was able to change the feedback originally placed to the seller into a positive one. I am posting a screenshot of the eBay email conversion about the feedback change below:
PhilPost Delay and Claiming
So what happened was that the package had already arrived at the post office on Nov. 21 (based on the package box stamp) but they only sent a claim card about a month after. This was what happened with other overseas orders before except that there were at least some form of tracking for the older ones, so I patiently waited with assurance of eventually receiving the items. This time around, the seller cannot provide any form of tracking whatsoever.
But all is well now. I got the phone cases. They were shipped from Singapore although the seller's page location shows Hong Kong. I didn't bother to ask about that anymore.
As for PhilPost and claiming a package, you just have to bring the claim card and pay additional fees (if any). It follows that the bigger the box or the price of the item, the higher the fee. You may also be charged with custom duty taxes for certain products. Mine didn't cost much and I showed the eBay purchase page as a proof of the phone covers' cost so I wasn't asked to pay much (just around 100+ pesos). Initially, the eBay page wasn't supposed to be accepted as they needed an actual receipt, but they eventually allowed it.
So as a final note, do make sure to be informed about certain processes when ordering online specially if it involves the same merchants above - eBay, PayPal, and PhilPost.
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