Ebay standard envelope tracking issues

[wds_collectibles]

I sell some vintage currency using ebay standard envelope as my main shipping method. I have a customer who says she hasn't received her purchase. The tracking shows that the last location of the item was Cincinatti Ohio, she is in Indiana. The item was mailed on Jan. 10th, today makes 11 days with no delivery. There was a message on the tracking page saying "running behind" with an updated delivery date of Jan.13-Jan.17.  My question is, if I have to give this person a refund because the post office screwed up, will they reimburse me the money. It's supposedly insured up to $20, how do I file a claim?

[garnetteb]

Give the post office more time.  I once had a package shipped around the country (I tracked it) before it finally arrived at the buyer's home.

[12345jamesstamps]

It probably didn't get scanned along the way. Buyer probably already got it. I have never had an item lost last year by the USPS. 

Buyer probably didn't see a scan so they are saying it has not been received. And you do have to give a refund. You would file a claim with eBay...and I believe it does take a while to get that refund.

What would I do? Probably block the buyer. Buyer probably knows how it works with these eBay standard envelopes...these eBay envelopes do not need a scan at the beginning and not at the end. Only eBay will actually know it has been mailed.

[onefootflippers]

The filing process is very straightforward but you can't do it until after it has been 30 days, and for 2 dollar card orders I have often forgotten the entire thing by the time it gets to 30 days.

[wds_collectibles]

That is what I was thinking, that the buyer might have it and is taking advantage of the situation. Thanks for your reply.

[az93]

I have never used the ebay envelope deal, bur I would send her the info about running late and ask her to be patient. I wouldn't refund unless she asks. Then you can legitimately cancel the sale with buyer requested.

[12345jamesstamps]

I have open tracking on envelope items since February 2023 that are still open in tracking but got positive feedback from the buyers a long long time ago.

My buyers were honest so far. 

The only positive thing is you can eventually get a refund.

I never lost an item without tracking last year. Guess I saved a lot of money on postage

[wds_collectibles]

She has already opened a refund request case against me, I had until Jan. 24 to reply. My reply WAS for her to give a little more time.  Thanks for your reply.

[spark-chaser1]

I can comment as a buyer that I have been on the receiving end of some of these that never arrived, and early on also didnt understand that “delivered” did not mean “delivered to me”.

i would be very unhappy as a buyer to have a seller block me or just arbitrarily assume I was a scammer when in fact i did NOT receive my item.

if you’re going to sell using  ESE you need to assume the risks and not put it on the buyer when some of these go wrong. 

[12345jamesstamps]

Having never lost an item in the mail last year and I mailed out a lot.

Why would I block thus a buyer in this situation. Well, as the saying goes if it didn't get there the first time,

should I try try again. Could be a very honest buyer...but maybe something wrong with the buyer's address or the mailman who mails their mail.

[doc-holmes]

So, when tracking shows something as not delivered, and the buyer confirms this, automatically they're lying?

[wds_collectibles]

Yes, you're right, that's why I said "might".  Thanks for your reply.

[pjcdn2005]

If the item doesn’t show as delivered make sure that you do refund before the deadline.  If ebay is asked to step in, that isn’t a good thing.

I wouldn’t assume that the buyer is trying to scam you as the ESE often takes longer to deliver than a regular letter size item.  If there never is a delivery scan, then you should be able to collect insurance,

[pjcdn2005]

Do you use ESE?

[wds_collectibles]

No, my point is that the tracking shows last location of Cincinatti Ohio(Destination Processing), mailed from Virginia on the way to Indiana. Mailed Jan. 10, only took til Jan. 12 to get to Cincinatti, but has never been delivered. Where's it been for the last 9 days?