Buyer claims item not received but tracking shows delivered

Princess_x

I sent an item via Royal Mail first class recorded and it was delivered on the 3rd. Buyer messaged me on Monday asking when she should expect to get the delivery by and I sent her the trackig saying it was already delivered with her name. She replied back saying that she hadn't received anything so I told her to ask her postman and also any other household members if they had signed for it. At that point she said she was away with her family until Sunday so none of them could have signed for it but that she'd ask her postman.

Today I got a reply back saying that she spoke to her postman and he said he wasn't the one doing the rounds that day so she'd like a refund.

I've read several threads about similar situations but in my case the item is only £11.

I don't know whether I should just refund or not. I'm a small time seller with 100% feedback and I have a feeling if buyer doesn't get her refund I'll get a neg.

Is there anything extra I could do to help the buyer? I know on one of the threads someone said to dispute the delivery but how do I do that with Royal Mail? From what I know Royal Mail are less than helpful when items show as delivered. Tbh I don't know whether I even believe the buyer or not but willing to give benefit of the doubt.

Flyonthewall

Ask her to check with neighbours. However, if it's signed for and her name then sounds like she's trying to get a free item.

It shows as delivered so you'd win an item not received case.

Royal Mail won't compensate you, it shows it's been delivered. You could contact them and ask them to investigate, but sounds like the buyer is probably trying it on.

If you get a neg for INR then contact ebay to try and get it removed.

You could tell the buyer that tracking shows as delivered and signed for by her, ask her to double check with neighbours and open an INR case if she doesn't have it. You may find she suddenly has it! If not, it's up to you whether you enter the tracking number and win the case or give her the benefit of the doubt and just refund.

campdave

Inform the buyer you will contact Royal mail and ask them to investigate.

Don't refund unless the buyer opens a case - as it shows as delivered, you will win the case, but morally you should still check with Royal Mail. A won case will also make negative feedback removable.

custardy

Princess_x wrote: »

I sent an item via Royal Mail first class recorded and it was delivered on the 3rd. Buyer messaged me on Monday asking when she should expect to get the delivery by and I sent her the trackig saying it was already delivered with her name. She replied back saying that she hadn't received anything so I told her to ask her postman and also any other household members if they had signed for it. At that point she said she was away with her family until Sunday so none of them could have signed for it but that she'd ask her postman.

Today I got a reply back saying that she spoke to her postman and he said he wasn't the one doing the rounds that day so she'd like a refund.

I've read several threads about similar situations but in my case the item is only £11.

I don't know whether I should just refund or not. I'm a small time seller with 100% feedback and I have a feeling if buyer doesn't get her refund I'll get a neg.

Is there anything extra I could do to help the buyer? I know on one of the threads someone said to dispute the delivery but how do I do that with Royal Mail? From what I know Royal Mail are less than helpful when items show as delivered. Tbh I don't know whether I even believe the buyer or not but willing to give benefit of the doubt.

phone RM and start a denial of receipt inquiry.
first stage will be to check the PDA tracking and GPS co-ordinates.
Then move from there.
Often nailing down the postie/location solves these issues.

Princess_x

Thanks for all the responses. I'll call up Royal Mail tomorrow.

19lottie82

This has happened to me once or twice.

I stay polite and inform them that as the parcel shows as delivered then I cannot refund at this point, but suggest they open an item not recieved case with eBay.

Upload the tracking details, if you haven't already and if the buyer escalates the case, you will win, or the buyer will get a non fault refund (not sure if the latter is the norm but it happened to me once). The buyer all then NOT be able to leave you negative feedback.

Then chase up with Royal Mail and see if you can get a result to refund buyer.

barbiedoll

I'm sure your buyer is perfectly honest, but why did she buy a "signed for" item if she knew that she and her family were going to be away when the item was due to be delivered?

And what a coincidence that the postman was away too! (Although to be fair, it was half-term week, wasn't it?)

CouponWoman

Was the item small enough to fit through the letter box. Chance the postie signed for it and put it through the letter box and the buyer is trying to pull a fast one.

If it was too big for the letter box I would phone the sorting office and ask them to check.

The same thing happened to me once and I rang the sorting office and luckily the nice man went and got the actual postman who delivered it. He remembered the parcel and had given it to the next door neighbour who signed for it. He also told the buyer in the pub that night (he recognised him) where his parcel was. Funnily enough the parcel turned up when I told all this to the buyer.

CW

N9eav

Last month I did not receive my e-bay parcel which was sent by Hermes. The tracking number said it had been delivered, but it clearly had not.
I asked the seller to chase it up, but Hermes were somewhat slow on getting back to them.
To cut a long story short. E-bay gave me my money back!


The parcel did arrive 3 weeks later, so how could it have been tracked as delivered?
Royal mail may well be more secure, but its not impossible for things to be mis tracked.


(I did re-pay the seller)