Does item not receive always mean a defect for the seller?

kalsha

Got a message from a buyer that she has not received her item - my very first one in the 2 years that I have been selling! I think I have been very lucky so far.
I have asked her to confirm her address- waiting to hear from her.
Is there anything else I should be doing before refunding her?
Is there any way to avoid defect?

mrcol1000

Other than sending everything tracked there is little you can do. People will claim for items not received even if they have and they will claim the second it has gone past the delivery estimate.

It is worth asking the buyer to wait a little longer. I have had a couple of international buyers open a case, only to close it a few days later as it has turned.

To be honest, I don't even bother claiming and just put it down as a cost on doing business on Ebay. Anything over £10 I send by My Hermes as it is fully tracked and no different in price (for heavier items cheaper) than Royal Mail small packet.

kalsha

Thank you mrcol1000.
I am not too worried about refunding as it was not a costly item. I just want to avoid a defect for something that was not my fault. OK, I did not send it tracked but for low value items, it is not worth it.
If I refund the full amount and she doesn't have to open a case, will I still get a defect?

TKPeters

kalsha wrote: »

Thank you mrcol1000.
I am not too worried about refunding as it was not a costly item. I just want to avoid a defect for something that was not my fault. OK, I did not send it tracked but for low value items, it is not worth it.
If I refund the full amount and she doesn't have to open a case, will I still get a defect?

If you tell them your refunding & will mutually cancel the sale [using buyer has changed mind] No defect will be issued.
If you had sent it tracked via MyHermes etc & it shown delivered, then you would win any INR case.

Due to the fraud on eBay, all our items are sent tracked with our courier & this includes GPS Geocodes when the delivery is made / Signature obtained, its great fun when we get one & the Geocodes shows the buyers front doorstep