USPS Lost 24 Packages of Ebay Orders, how do I protect my seller rating/balance refunds?

[pauld5999]

I had a USPS package pick up on 1/8/24 where USPS picked up 24 packages from my house, all scanned into USPS systems at the time pick up 

Since 1/8 nothing has happened on any of the 24 packages; no further scans or movement at all. 

I have opened a Missing Mail search for all 24, I contacted my local post office about it (they were not helpful at all besides confirming the packages were picked up and actually hung up on y and would not answer calls back), I opened a case with OIG as I feel something is not right/potential theft within USPS and I have open Customer Service requests as well with the are office; nothing has helped at all and there is no change in status on any of the listings

Buyers have started opening Item not received cases and a few have been refunded already by ebay

I am worried that if I proactively refund buyers ebay would not reimburse if the packages do eventually deliver but I am also concerned that all of the Cases opened against me will effect my top rated seller status with ebay

Is there any advice on how to handle with Ebay? Welcome to any advice on dealing with USPS that I have not tried as well! Thanks 

[klhmdg]

If eBay steps in and refunds you get a seller defect. 

When a buyer starts a case you need to put in the tracking number in the case. 

USPS is a mess in certain areas of the US. I have lately opened a missing mail case and it shows in eBays tracking. 

IF you refund there is no "eBay reimbursing you"

IF you refund you will not get the item or the money.

[albertabrightalberta]

Gosh, that sounds like a nightmare and I don't have a lot of advice beyond what you've done and are doing. 

I do have a comment on your statement of "a few have been refunded already by ebay." 

For those few, you got dings for not issuing the refunds yourself! You should not have forced the buyer to have ebay step in! 

As for issuing refunds and expecting ebay to help, I don't think that's going to happen. My opinion is that if the items ultimately get delivered, your dispute/claim is with USPS. 

[stainlessenginecovers]

1st, do NOT allow ebay to 'refund' as that is making things WAY worse. 

When you get an INR, respond, and when ebay says to 'pay', you need to pay the refund.

I would've taken all my tracking and WENT to the post office in person. 

In the future, look at your 'orders' to see items have been delivered within a reasonable time and get to the post office after 5 days of 'nothing', in person, so someone can look into it. Possible the carrier quit, left truck, everything stolen, wrecked ....who know?? But, the 'local PO' would know something 5 days later but almost a month- that's a tough one. 

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@pauld5999 wrote: ... Buyers have started opening Item not received cases and a few have been refunded already by ebay

I am worried that if I proactively refund buyers ebay would not reimburse if the packages do eventually deliver but I am also concerned that all of the Cases opened against me will effect my top rated seller status with ebay

Is there any advice on how to handle with Ebay? Welcome to any advice on dealing with USPS that I have not tried as well! Thanks 

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Yikes, if you let eBay close those "not received" cases you will start to accumulate a serious number of defects which could jeopardize not only your TRS status but also your ability to sell on eBay at all.  You need to respond and refund when a buyer opens a "Not received" case.

USPS packages shipped via Priority Mail and Ground Advantage automatically include up to $100 of insurance. According to the USPS page linked below, you can file a lost package insurance claim after 15 days. Today is day 21, so you can file right now for all of those missing packages.

https://www.usps.com/help/claims.htm#

The nature of the response from your local Post Office implies that they know that something has gone seriously wrong with one of their staff.  I wouldn't be surprised to see a news story in a few weeks revealing that an overwhelmed exhausted carrier dumped all the day's packages down a highway embankment.

[heckofagame]

Here is some advice. Step up and refund before the deadline on those INR cases. It you keep letting eBay do it for you, your metrics will go into a flaming spiral, and you may not have an account to worry about. 

[fern*wood]

What a mess!!   As others have mentioned, never let ebay step in and refund your buyer on a case.  That will harm your seller rating.  Hopefully you didn't mean it that way. 

You should have insurance for lost packages that you can file on eventually. 

[rosszonebricks]

Ouch.  As I ship 10+ packages a day on average, I fear this scenario too, is some 20+ day... THAT's the day they lose the whole bin....    so I truly feel for you here.

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@pauld5999 wrote:

Buyers have started opening Item not received cases and a few have been refunded already by ebay

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That said, the worst thing for you is if eBay has to 'step in'.   If they filed an INR (Item not received) and you just let it sit there until eBay stepped in for the buyer... that's a ding against your seller account.

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@pauld5999 wrote:

I am worried that if I proactively refund buyers ebay would not reimburse if the packages do eventually deliver but I am also concerned that all of the Cases opened against me will effect my top rated seller status with ebay

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If you refund (don't wait on eBay to do it for you) you will NOT get a ding on your account for these.  It's when eBay has to step in, you'll get a "Case closed without seller resolution".  And you can only have 0.30% before this starts to negatively impact your seller account.

Once you/eBay refunds, that's it.  Transaction OVER.   If the buyer eventually does receive their package, there is no automatic way to force the buyer to pay again once they've been refunded.   There may be honest buyers that wish to pay you again, but... that also dips into the  grey area of 'taking the transaction off eBay' which is a no-no according to eBay policies.

If they are highly valuable packages, you can put an Intercept on them and if found, they will be rerouted back to you instead of the buyer.  However, there is a per-package charge.   https://www.usps.com/manage/package-intercept.htm

[dirk12955]

Here's a question for the OP:

Have any of the 24 buyers received their package?

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@dirk12955 wrote:

Here's a question for the OP:

Have any of the 24 buyers received their package?

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OP said, "Since 1/8 nothing has happened on any of the 24 packages; no further scans or movement at all."  Hence my "down the embankment" scenario.  

I looked back at the seller's Sold items, January 8 was a Monday so the 24 packages were a few days' worth of items.  There were a couple of items sold for about $35, a couple at about $25, and everything else was under $20.

[pauld5999]

None have received it, all 24 are in exactly the same status; picked up and then nothing after that

It was not my regular mail carrier who picked them up and all of my shipments since have flowed through the same post office without issues

[retro_entertainment_collectibles]

I'd get into contact with your local or regional postmaster versus clerks or phone support at the USPS rapid like.

Try get statement, written, even if you need go pick it up and you want send that certified overnight mail to eBay legal with a very well written explanation including all item numbers, description per item, tracking number.

If the parcels show no movements at all I'd contact every single customer immediately with a well written message.  Write it in notepad so you can copy/paste.  Explain the situation, including that "As you can see I've 100% Feedback, Over 4,000 transactions without issue", "I am attempting work with the Postal Service to locate and find out whats happened to the 24 packages etc" (so customer doesnt think 'well just me').  I'd ask if they want immediate refund along with "should the package arrive I'd appreciate it if you'd please contact me blah blah or let me know if you'd like wait whilst I try find out whats happened and solve it..."

You need be pre-emptive and proactive here and try protect you're eBay account.  You may be out 24 packages and money but your goals better be focused on not loosing you're eBay account and making those customers whole.

[dhbookds]

Could be a truck accident.......I've seen that mentioned on Google news lately.......

[dirk12955]

The reason I asked about actual delivery,   Sometimes we see things get delivered that were 

not scanned for whatever reason.

You have my sympathy for this disaster.    

[dbfolks166mt]

     Others have already covered the INR's. I have had a few packages lost by USPS and when it happens I NEVER both with the missing mail request I simply file an insurance claim. The first thing USPS will do as part of that process is to run a package trace which is the same thing they would have done with the missing mail request. The only difference is if/when they don't find it the claim keeps on processing. If it's just a missing mail package trace you initially file and they didn't find it you now have to file an insurance claim and the first thing they will do is do the package trace again. 

     EBay is going to be of little to no help. While they like to think they are part of the logistics process, in most cases they have NOTHING to do with it. For those buyers who have NOT filed an INR I would proactively reach out with a brief message describing the issue and let them know what you are doing to resolve it. Don't proactively refund the buyer will be fully refunded and eBay will still retain their fees.