Ebay - When Should I refund?

helsbells

Hi everyone

I wonder if someone more experienced could give me a bit of advice? I sent an £30 item plus £5 postage 1st class last week, the 10th. It hasn't turned up and the person is leaving the country tomorrow and needs it as a present. In all fairness to them they did tell me this and bought the item at an increased BIN in order to have it in time. My PO reckon it's early days (!!**) but it will still be too late for the buyer who will have to get a replacement so i feel it is my duty to refund. The question is do i do this straight away and keep them happy? Or wait the 21 days before i can claim in case it arrives to make sure they return it. From my point of view it is better if it is lost now otherwise I will be double the postage out of pocket as opposed to th eone way postage I probabley wouldn't get refunded by PO. Hope this is clear. Any Ops gratefully recieved

charlottevwa

Did you not send it via any sort of trackable method? ie: recorded delivery or special delivery? If not, you can claim your money back off RM, but it will take you a couple of months, So you will just have to refund the buyer quite soon. Although RM do not consider a parcel lost until 15 working days has past. So you can either:
a) tell the buyer they are going to have to wait 15 working days for a refund... but risk negative feedback.
b) refund them now, and wait to start your claim with RM

HTH

helsbells

No I didn't send it trackable just got proof of postage - calculated risk really postage was expensive enough as it was in ratio to item plus never had anything gone missing before - it's just s*ds law it was something more valuable than i usually sell. I must say ebay does seem to be turning into a bit of a hassle these days with one thing and and another:rolleyes: i used to be quite enthusuastic about it!!

Many thanks

mookie

What level of postal service did you offer on the listing?

If I need an item off of ebay in a hurry I suggest and offer to pay the extra for special delivery as I am guaranteed the item will arrive. Although the person wanted the item quickly if the postage level was 1st class without a signature then you are within your rights as a seller to give the parcel time to arrive as they havent paid extra for an alternative service and you do have proof that you posted it as agreed, but this could backfire if the buyer is not happy with this decision and claims parcel never arrived if it does.

Its a choice of doing things by the rules or refunding out of goodwill, if you refund and the buyer says they will return the item they may not, with the communication so far you may of already established if the buyer seems trustworthy enough to do this. The other option is to agree that as the item has not arrived due to royal mail delay you will happily accept its return and offer to pay the postage costs for this, once you have it back you will refund the full cost to them. HTH

Sssssss

why do ppl buy of ebay if they need the item by a certain date, go to the shop instead.

I wouldn't refund it's early days and the item will turn up.

helsbells

I think you are right and that i should have done this.....I think because I have never had a problem before and don't sell heaps I thought everything would be fine. Over a certain value or if it needs to arrive by a certain time I will do this in future now I have been burnt.

They do seem ok as far you can tell and i think as i didn't point this out in some respects I am partly to blame, plus I am not good with hassle. Just thought I might post and everyone say NO Don't do it! As you are both quite measured about it I think I will just refund and hope for the best and learn for the future. Although that lesson increasingly seems to be Ebay is getting on my nerves:p

helsbells

Sssssss wrote: »

why do ppl buy of ebay if they need the item by a certain date, go to the shop instead.

I wouldn't refund it's early days and the item will turn up.

I agree in principle but I did know this when they bought item. In future if they say this, as mookie says, I will either say they need to pay for a guaranteed delivery service or i can't offer guarantee of arrival date.

cheers

pixelchick10

yes I had a potential buyer asking me today if I could guarantee delivery by Easter ... I replied that I could post it off first class tomorrow so should arrive, but as Friday is a bank holiday, can't guarantee it ... I don't think she bid after I said that, so did put her off ...

pinkgem

i had someone from germany buy and pay inc postage by standard airmail on sunday and ask if i can get it to them for thursday!?