INR case opened.... Buyer is upset, should I refund immediately?
I have a package that is in transit but hasn't had movement for a good while. The buyer finally opened a case today and on the case they state at this point they just want a refund.... They didn't say immediately, but I get the feeling they don't want to wait 10 days for the case to play out. Should I let the case play out regardless because that's what eBay system wants at this point, and is there a negative to immediately refunding them right after the case is opened?. Will eBay still likely help me out if I refund immediately and reimburse me like I've heard they often do in these situations?
11 comments
kalyoth
·4 months agoDo not depend on USPS to declare an item lost. They have no timeframe policy for doing that. What is of consequence is the timeline from date of mailing. For most insured services (Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, Registered Mail, etc.), you can file a claim no later than 60 days after mailing. This claim is also independent of refunding the buyer. You can't tie them together.
beyondfirstbase
·4 months agoContact the shipper 5 mins ago. Get a lost mail claim-type deal going
soh.maryl
·4 months ago1. You've heard that eBay often reimburses sellers in "these situations"?
2. Why does a case take 10 days to play out?
3. You are free to refund immediately.
4. You do know you're probably looking at negative FB, no matter what you do, right?
powell-collectibles
·4 months ago1. You've heard that eBay often reimburses sellers in "these situations"?
Yes, they do. Seller ships on time and buyer enters INR and receives refund, if that item is subsequently delivered, eBay reimburses seller.
2. Why does a case take 10 days to play out?
It might, if tracking hits and delays the INR case.
3. You are free to refund immediately.
Correct.
4. You do know you're probably looking at negative FB, no matter what you do, right?
Probably not, if seller accepts the INR now and refunds.
Accepting the INR makes sense. Accept the INR, file MM and a claim. Maybe seller gets claim approved by USPS, then item gets delivered - seller makes out like a bandit.
grand-and-glorious-purpose
·4 months agoI believe the 10 days they are referring to is...
ebay will put an INR on a 10 day hold if the item has a recent scan...I don't remember what qualifies as "recent"
I just had 2 of those in March.
Probably still accurate.
klhmdg
·4 months agoIf the buyer filed Not Received.
Enter the tracking number into the case. Even if it is there, enter it.
Put in a note that you filed for Missing Mail with the USPS.
Go back to the USPS missing mail case and see if there is any information from them.
Sometimes the emails USPS sends have a PO or Phone number you can call.
If USPS says it is lost - refund the buyer in the Not Received case.
Then file with USPS for the insurance. USPS will only refund you the cost of the item, not the shipping paid.
If the buyer receives the item at some point and you bought the label through eBay, you should get reimbursed by eBay.
jonathanbrightlight
·4 months agoIf you shipped it with a label printed through eBay, and you refund but the item is then later delivered, they should automatically reimburse you. How long has it been without movement, what shipping service did you use, and in what area of the country was it last scanned and/or heading?
leareamc
OP4 months agoIt was shipped on Mar 23, last update was "in transit to next facility" on Mar 28. I filed a missing mail search on April 4th. Do I need to wait for some sort of update or for USPS to officially state some sort of outcome on the missing mail search(and do they get a specific time frame to complete the search) before I can file a reimbursement claim, or can I go ahead and start a claim immediately? .... and like I asked before, is there any negative to going ahead and refunding the buyer as opposed to letting the 10 day case play out when it comes to getting reimbursed by Ebay? It's on hold until the 23rd to allow for documentation, but the system already states that I have provided tracking,so what automatically happens on the 23rd or 24th?
jonathanbrightlight
·4 months agoTo file for an insurance claim through the USPS (assuming it was a service that had insurance), they do often need it to be marked as missing before they'll pay out, but I haven't done that in a while so maybe someone who has can chime in. eBay will not reimburse you if the package is lost, that's the carrier's responsibility. What eBay will reimburse you for is if you refund the buyer, but then it is later marked as delivered.
For USPS, I would check the timeframe based on the service you shipped it with here, to make sure you don't end up waiting too long: https://www.usps.com/help/claims.htm
kensgiftshop
·4 months agoYou probably don't want to wait that long to refund.
You don't want Ebay stepping in and refunding.
grand-and-glorious-purpose
·4 months agoI believe the label needs to be uploaded on time as well for that to happen.