Buyer not received item - next step for me

fifeken

I've had a buyer message me that they've not received an item I sent and there's no sign of it at the sorting office either.

What do I do next? Do I just refund what they paid or do they have to instigate some sort of formal procedure via eBay or PayPal?

I understand about claiming from the PO (after I've refunded the buyer), although the value hardly justifies it. Do I have to get any evidence if I do make a claim, and is there any way not to get stamps as compensation?

No_Eye_Deer

fifeken wrote: »

Do I just refund what they paid or do they have to instigate some sort of formal procedure via eBay or PayPal?

Yes, just refund what they have paid.

I assume that it has been a while since they paid and that you believe that the item is lost.

If that is the case, then it is better to refund your buyer than let them open a dispute - each case opened counts against your seller account.


.

punkpink

A case only counts against your account if you do not refund within the first 3 days of the case being opened, but it can be worthwhile asking them to open a case so paypal/ebay can keep track of refunds obtained by the buyer.

CouponWoman

fifeken wrote: »

I've had a buyer message me that they've not received an item I sent and there's no sign of it at the sorting office either.

What do I do next? Do I just refund what they paid or do they have to instigate some sort of formal procedure via eBay or PayPal?

I understand about claiming from the PO (after I've refunded the buyer), although the value hardly justifies it. Do I have to get any evidence if I do make a claim, and is there any way not to get stamps as compensation?

Phone the sorting office yourself. Never believe what the customer tells you, check.

I have had several occasions checked with the sorting office and caught the buyer out.

1 - buyer said not got item. Called sorting office and the post man remembered giving it to her as she had to collect a huge pile of parcels. My parcel was quite distinctive. Told buyer, oh yes, got it now.

2 - buyer said not got item and not at sorting office - I phoned sorting office and it was sat there with a load of other parcels waiting for collection. No comment from buyer, just positive feedback a couple of days later.

3 - buyer said not got item. I called the sorting office and actually got the postman who delivered my parcel to his next door neighbour (signed for) and told the buyer when he saw him in the pub that afternoon where his parcel was. Told buyer - got positive feedback.

If all the above fails, you need to refund the buyer and put in a claim with Royal Mail.

xx

Crowqueen

punkpink wrote: »

A case only counts against your account if you do not refund within the first 3 days of the case being opened, but it can be worthwhile asking them to open a case so paypal/ebay can keep track of refunds obtained by the buyer.

If someone said that to me they would get a dispute opened, but they would also get a neg.

If there has been communication between buyer and seller prior to the opening of the case, it does count against you.

To be quite honest, it's unfair to hold a buyer obliquely responsible for what is the seller's job. If you are doing this, please note it offends more than just the scammers - just like a strip search on leaving a shop would.