Ebay Item Not Received Help

On ebay, I purchased three items on three separate orders (and three separate payments) all in one day from the same seller. The seller indicated all items would be sent in one package. I received the contents of two orders in one package and asked the seller if the contents of the other order shipped separately? The seller indicated he mistakenly sent the contents of the other order to another buyer and offered me a refund, which I accepted, but has not been issued yet.. Thus far, all communication has transpired through "contact seller" through the ebay messaging system. No formal case has been opened.

The tracking for the package I received is only connected with/applied to one of the three orders with this same seller on my ebay order history and shows delivered. The item that I did not receive that the seller claims he mailed to someone else still shows an estimated delivery date a few days away. If I do not get a refund from the seller by the estimated delivery date, I will file a claim.

Preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best, if I file an INR claim, could the seller reply and attach the tracking number for the package that was already delivered to me and applied to another order, to the order with the item I did not receive and then I would automatically lose my INR case, or can only one tracking number be applied to one order? If that's the case, then I would be scammed and have no recourse, correct?

It is good that you went through ebay's messaging system when contacting the seller. If you have to contact ebay in the future, they will review the communication that you had with the seller where he acknowledged offering you a refund for the auction that did not arrive.
How long has it been since you were offered a refund?

It has been two days since I was offered a refund. I went though the contact seller option next to the item on my ebay order history instead of opening a case because I wanted to give the seller a chance to make things right.

I was happy to have been offered a refund. I am hoping those aren't empty words and want to be prepared for the next step if necessary, filing an INR through the resolution center. I am just concerned that the seller could copy/paste the tracking number for the previous order that shows delivered to the one I didn't receive and then I would automatically lose.

Take a screen shot of the page now just in case, without the tracking number showing on the unreceived item. Make sure it includes today's date (if possible).

Strange he would promise a refund and then let 2 days go by. docgfd's idea about a screenshot is a good idea. Also, if you paid with Paypal,
I once had a seller refund me directly through Paypal without going through ebay. You could check your account if you paid that way.

I have had something close to this happen and there are two reasons. One could be to charge you extra posstage and the other to get a review on each item. About reviews, you do not need to mail them separately to get individual reviews. But, they do not all know that. Also, some sellers wait and wait to send the item.

People get busy. I'd give him a week, as long as you use the proper channels ebay will almost always side with the buyer.

As an aside, why would you buy 3 items from the same seller and make 3 separate payments?

The first item was a buy it now. Then a few hours later, I made an offer on another item from the same seller that was accepted. Then several hours later I made another offer on another item the same seller was selling that was accepted. A win-win for both parties since I was able to get the other two items at a lower price and the seller could (but in the end did not, since one item never arrived) put all item in one package.

I contacted the seller again a couple days ago asking about my promised refund, he indicated it would be sent tomorrow, but it never arrived, so now I have formally opened a case in the resolution center and we will see what happens. One wonders why sellers bring these problems on themselves. The seller in this case could have easily given me a refund. Now he has to deal with an open case, a defect and my right to give negative feedback for receiving the run-around and having to open a case.

Torin, So sorry to hear the seller did not keep his word about the refund. Please keep us posted on this.

About 5 hours after formally opening a case, I received a refund from the seller. Happy about that, but perplexed about why this and other sellers would let a situation escalate to a buyer formally opening a case. Do they think a buyer will be appeased by false promises or not be persistent in requesting a refund and/or forget about their right to open a case.

For sellers that truly never send an item, I'm wondering if from their perspective, the interest free loan for a week or two and the risk of negative feedback is cheaper for them than a payday loan.

Glad you got the refund.

More and more sellers will not do any refund unless a claim is opened.

Torin, Glad you got the refund, but it sucks that it went that far. It happened to me as well. it sucks.