Two first class packages went missing on May 20

[postholedigger]

What’s the best course of action.  My buyers have been patient, but I fear it’s wearing thin.

Is it best to just refund outright and eat the FVF loss?

Is is it best to ask them to open an item not received case and refund them through that?  Which is least damaging to my account?

Thanks for any advice.

[skipbif_72]

open a postal investigation with the USPS- you can either call the number 1 800 ASK USPS or go on their website and file a claim. Let them investigate first before you refund.

And you should never "eat the FVF loss" if you refund. Call up ebay and request them to refund it to you since you were forced to refund.

[a_c_green]

Two weeks of nothing on the radar is not good for First Class Package, but two of your packages have done that? Were they going to the same place? What was the last scan seen for each? (I don't mean the "In Transit" filler scans, but a real one, such as arriving at or departing from a sort facility.)

If your buyers are actively asking you for updates, I would ask them if they could be patient for one more week, and assure them that you're following the tracking closely. If they have not contacted you about this, don't disturb them. If you do have to assure them, tell them that you will refund them if there have been no further sightings in the coming week, and plan to do so.

One other thing you can do, which will not affect the package travel but will minimize your time spent checking on-line, would be to sign yourself up for text or email alerts the next time there is a scan of either missing package. You'll get the heads-up within minutes of the package scan. You find the signup link for that on the tracking results page for each of your packages on usps.com. That way your packages will be reporting to you, instead of you having to make regular checks to see if anything's happened. Good luck.

[toyshnip]

Do the shipments have tracking info? open a case with USPS and have them investigate. If customers see a case number, they know you are trying to help.

What we often do is give a date - "If by XXX the item doesn't arrive, we will assume USPS lost it and we will issue a refund". It shows we are willing to take responsibility, yet ask the customer to give us time to figure it out.

[forgottenape]

florida?  if you have volume sales wait it out as long as you can. if not ask the buyers and refund if they want, some buyers are excellent and will work with you others not so much. not received cases are by far better than snads

[postholedigger]

Thanks for the reply’s.  I have an acceptance scan at my post office (I stand in line), and a scan that it “departed” my post office, but it never arrived anywhere after May 20.

boh my buyers notified me to try and find it. I am stalling like crazy. I’m willing to refund at the end of the week. 

Do I just refund outright from PayPal...or do I ask them to “open a case” (which might buy me a couple of more days) and then refund before it closes on me?

[reda3615]

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@postholedigger wrote:

Is is it best to ask them to open an item not received case and refund them through that?  Which is least damaging to my account?

Thanks for any advice.

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Yes, tell your buyers to start Item Not Received refund requests. Don't outright refund, as that's damaging.

Then you'll refund before the 3 business days lapse to Ask eBay to step in. You'll get FVF and PayPal fees back, no defect (except metrics), but may risk feedback.

Simultaneously, get USPS to look for your packages, deciding if you want them delivered to your buyers or back to you if they're found.

[jewelbiz]

After selling here 21 years I learned USPS does NOT to consider a package missing until 1 full month passes.  That said...

2 different letters of mine within last few months with checks enclosed one for $1000. Went missing never to arrive at their destinations.  I waited about 3 weeks and then stopped 💰 payment.  That $1000. Check never arrived not came back to me.  Missing? Bank charge $35. each stop payment order.

The U.S. post office is not what it once was!!!

[jewelbiz]

Who thinks it’s a good idea to place a public toilet next to the post office box?

[forgottenape]

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@reda3615 wrote:

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@postholedigger wrote:

Is is it best to ask them to open an item not received case and refund them through that?  Which is least damaging to my account?

Thanks for any advice.

---

Yes, tell your buyers to start Item Not Received refund requests. Don't outright refund, as that's damaging.

Then you'll refund before the 3 business days lapse to Ask eBay to step in. You'll get FVF and PayPal fees back, no defect (except metrics), but may risk feedback.

Simultaneously, get USPS to look for your packages, deciding if you want them delivered to your buyers or back to you if they're found.

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why is that damaging? but wait 3 days and thats not damaging? time frame doesnt matter both will hit your metrics but at worst its a change to your delivery time shown and it falls off depending on your volume