Buyer says item not received. Tracking says otherwise

soolin

rose28454 wrote: »

I am an honest E-Bayer who is trusting of people. Funny thing is I had a bad feeling about this buyer because he suggested I send second class as he had made a lower offer but I was a reassured when he made further purchases the same week. However when I looked at the notes on his order page ( that I didnt see originally he asked me to use stamps and not a postage label from Royal Mail ( because he collects stamps). Dont know if this was his way of ensuring I just bought stamps and didnt get proof of posting. Anyway I didnt see the note so posted it 2nd class and used signed for. I asked in the post office yesterday and they said if it has been signed for then nothing can be done about it.
Nice for a change on here to see someone taking the op's side instead of being so negative and accusing me of being dishonest. I think he is trying it on and I was contacted through an ebay link and not directly by buyer. You would have thought he would have just sent me a message. I have sent him tracking no so now its up to him. I posted it in good faith with a signature. What more can I do now?

Firstly make sure you have the tracking details in both paypal and ebay in case he comes back in a few months time and tries a chargeback hoping you have not kept the details.

I would continue talking to the buyer for a while, suggest he speaks directly to his local mail centre that are responsible for the deliveries , but I would not be making any suggestion that I would be looking to refund. If he starts getting unpleasant or pushy insist a case is opened so that ebay can see the messages.

Stay polite and helpful but keep gently suggesting that this si something he will need to take up with his postman.

theonlywayisup

soolin wrote: »

On the other hand buyer has item, decides to bully seller into refunding (they were not expecting it to be sent signed for after all), seller refunds and buyer does it again and again to other sellers.

Personally I would refuse a refund here but keep on at Royal Mail to get their complete acknowledgement that item went to the address stated, and not a neighbour. If this was a courier I would be considering a dumped delivery, but it is Royal Mail.

And this is the problem. No one knows what has happened. But, I know from first hand experience and we all know from threads on here that carriers sign for items when they aren't delivered. Soolin, you yourself have had it happen to you.

The seller needs to be reassuring the buyer and making enquiries with the carrier. As far as I can see from this thread this seller has not done that.

theonlywayisup

rose28454 wrote: »

I am an honest E-Bayer who is trusting of people. Funny thing is I had a bad feeling about this buyer because he suggested I send second class as he had made a lower offer but I was a reassured when he made further purchases the same week. However when I looked at the notes on his order page ( that I didnt see originally he asked me to use stamps and not a postage label from Royal Mail ( because he collects stamps). Dont know if this was his way of ensuring I just bought stamps and didnt get proof of posting. Anyway I didnt see the note so posted it 2nd class and used signed for. I asked in the post office yesterday and they said if it has been signed for then nothing can be done about it.
Nice for a change on here to see someone taking the op's side instead of being so negative and accusing me of being dishonest. I think he is trying it on and I was contacted through an ebay link and not directly by buyer. You would have thought he would have just sent me a message. I have sent him tracking no so now its up to him. I posted it in good faith with a signature. What more can I do now?

Who has accused you of dishonesty?

Certainly not me. I will stand by my opinion that you are not doing enough to make enquiries with the carrier. In fact everything you have written shows you as a seller not willing to help. Sending the COP to a buyer is not help. Posting 'in good faith' isn't enough.

I hope you never find yourself in this position, but karma has a way of biting you on the bum when you least expect it.

soolin

theonlywayisup wrote: »

And this is the problem. No one knows what has happened. But, I know from first hand experience and we all know from threads on here that carriers sign for items when they aren't delivered. Soolin, you yourself have had it happen to you.

The seller needs to be reassuring the buyer and making enquiries with the carrier. As far as I can see from this thread this seller has not done that.

In my case item was a courier dump and when I spoke to courier they admitted it. My mothers issues were due to 2 similar retirement properties with almost identical names- but again once we contacted the courier they realised what they had done- delivery to say king George court rather than the St George court.

if sellers are going to refund even with proof of delivery what is the point of using any form of tracking? Surely easier to save money and just refund everybody when they ask.

alykatz

Also i would just like to add if the buyer is indeed genuine then even with the COP they are not going to be able to claim back all of their money so are not going to be happy.
Whilst i agree with Soolin that a seller should not just refund on the spot. As theonlywayisup has pointed out the seller should be making an effort to at lest sort this out, which judging by their posts they have little inclination to do.
RM can and do just sign for and leave parcels where they may think are safe if the item cannot be posted its not just limited to couriers that do this.

theonlywayisup

soolin wrote: »

if sellers are going to refund even with proof of delivery what is the point of using any form of tracking? Surely easier to save money and just refund everybody when they ask.

Soolin, that's a silly remark even for you and is not vaguely what I am suggesting.

I have not said the OP should refund, I have said they need to make a dispute claim with the carrier if the buyer disputes the delivery.

There are times when proof of delivery isn't a failsafe. Those are the times when you see the difference between a good seller and a poor one. The OP has shown no evidence of giving any assistance to the buyer.

If (and I don't think the buyer has come back to the OP yet), but if they dispute the delivery, then the seller should be disputing the delivery with the carrier. As I said in one of my first posts on this thread, I have not lost a disputed claim with a carrier and if/when I have been compensated I have ensured the buyer has a replacement or a refund.

theonlywayisup

Different carrier, same scenario, just turned on it's head.

Here is a buyer in a similar situation. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5461699

rose28454

theonlywayisup wrote: »

Different carrier, same scenario, just turned on it's head.

Here is a buyer in a similar situation. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5461699

For your information my buyer contacted me today ( after I messaged him yesterday ) and said he has been to the Royal Mail and they have questioned the postman who said he cant remember who signed for it. It transpires there are many flats in his building and he has question these people too. But nobody has admitted signing for them. He is going to the police so asked for proof of posting so I sent him a picture and said I would start a claim against Royal Mail ( although I dont hold out much hope ).

Nice of you to link my thread to another.

theonlywayisup

rose28454 wrote: »

For your information my buyer contacted me today ( after I messaged him yesterday ) and said he has been to the Royal Mail and they have questioned the postman who said he cant remember who signed for it. It transpires there are many flats in his building and he has question these people too. But nobody has admitted signing for them. He is going to the police so asked for proof of posting so I sent him a picture and said I would start a claim against Royal Mail ( although I dont hold out much hope ).

Nice of you to link my thread to another.

At least it has spurred you into action, finally.

I'm glad you found the link helpful. Sometimes it takes another view to make you see an issue from another perspective.

rose28454

theonlywayisup wrote: »

At least it has spurred you into action, finally.

I'm glad you found the link helpful. Sometimes it takes another view to make you see an issue from another perspective.

He has been driving me mad with emails and is actually being quite rude. I keep sending him photos of the receipt and he keeps saying he cant read them ( even though last one taken with a really good resolution). This morning I find Paypal have frozen my payment but then after lunch get a message to say E-Bay found in my favour. End of story as far as I am concerned.