Been getting an influx of buyers not receiving their delivered ESEs, how can I handle this better?

Have shipped near 1k standard envelopes over the past couple of years. A couple times a month I get a buyer saying they didn't get their order and I have a standard copy paste message explaining delivery may be delayed by a day or two and that the orders are delivered with regular mail, and for a while I'd offer a replacement/refund if the item never showed since the items I sell are relatively low value and I have others.

This worked fine for hundreds of orders and a large majority of buyers I replied to said they'd received their item after a day or two. This month though I've an influx of nasty buyers demanding replacements, leaving negative feedback (fortunately removed) , and overall expecting prime level delivery speed and support.

I am not offering refunds or replacements from now on in my copy paste message to buyers but I am unsure how to go about the frequent "where's my item? it says delivered but I can't find it" messages. Lately, stalling for a couple of days isn't working and I've had 4 buyers either not receive their order or lie that they didn't receive their order after trying to make them wait a bit longer. A couple were over a week and I just sent replacements to not have to deal with it.

Should I direct them to filing an INR, knowing that it'll be closed in my favor with the delivery scan? I hate doing this for the honest buyers but I have no way to know. Is there an insurance option that my buyers can use if it shows delivered but they didn't receive it? Or an option that I can use even if the item shows delivered? I figured maybe I can refund buyers and file a claim on these orders. But I'm not sure. I've never dealt with this at the quantity I am and want to get a standard message and procedure to make this process smoother.

postcardjohn

39 View listings

Posted 1 year ago · Edited 1 year ago·Last reply 3 months ago

10 comments

kh_femi

·3 months ago

0 View listings

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thank you for understanding.

johha-9281

·3 months ago

64 View listings

Yes, I'm turning eBay into the better barrel of buying.\nI am turning him into everything that I can.You can order off eBay and they help scammers.Scam, you and because they say it was delivered number tracking number that doesn't even assist.I've been at FedEx.I've been to everything and eBay has dot helped at all.They've helped the scammers , but not the buyers

1qualityspectacles

·1 year ago

3455 View listings

It sounds like you're dealing with a frustrating situation that unfortunately comes with selling on eBay. Managing buyer expectations while protecting your business can be challenging, especially with standard envelope shipments. Here are a few tips and ideas to refine your approach and establish a smoother process:

1. Standardized Message for "Where's My Item?"

Craft a professional yet empathetic response to buyers who inquire about their orders. For example:

"Thank you for reaching out. Your order was shipped with standard mail, which occasionally experiences minor delays. While tracking shows it has been delivered, itâ€™s possible it was delivered to a neighbor, placed in an unusual location, or still in transit despite the scan. Please check with your household members or neighbors and let me know if it doesnâ€™t show up in a day or two."

This response keeps it neutral and directs buyers to double-check without implying dishonesty.

2. Handling INR Claims

If youâ€™re confident that the delivery scan will protect you, directing buyers to file an Item Not Received (INR) claim can be a practical solution. For honest buyers, this ensures eBay evaluates the claim objectively, and for potential scammers, it might deter further action. Make sure your listings clearly state:

Items are shipped via standard mail with limited tracking.
You are not liable for items marked as delivered unless the buyer opts for an insured shipping option.

3. Offering an Insured Option

Consider adding a premium shipping option for buyers who want extra peace of mind. For example:

Offer USPS First-Class Package or another insured method as an upgrade.
Clearly state in your listings that buyers choosing standard mail assume some risk if an item is lost or misdelivered.

4. Claims on Delivered Items

Unfortunately, standard envelopes donâ€™t come with insurance. Youâ€™d need to use an upgraded shipping method (e.g., USPS First-Class Package) to file claims for missing items. If upgrading isnâ€™t feasible, you might offer to split the cost of a replacement item to maintain goodwill with buyers.

5. Refining Your Replacement/Refund Policy

To balance fairness and avoid abuse, you could implement a tiered approach:

First-time issue: Offer a replacement or partial refund.
Repeat issues from the same buyer: Politely decline further replacements without evidence or suggest an upgraded shipping option for future orders.

6. Managing Feedback and Nasty Buyers

Since eBay is removing negative feedback for these cases, keep requesting feedback revisions when applicable. You might also want to block repeat offenders from purchasing from your store.

7. A Standard Policy in Your Listings

Clearly outline your policies in your listing descriptions:

Items are shipped with standard mail and may take extra time to arrive.
Tracking shows delivery, and issues related to misdelivery or non-delivery may require filing an INR case.

By implementing these steps, youâ€™ll have a consistent process for handling inquiries and reduce stress from these situations. Over time, youâ€™ll also attract buyers who are more understanding of your shipping process.

Good luck! ðŸ€â¤ï¸ðŸ€

bdmh-enterprises

·1 year ago

4638 View listings

@1qualityspectacles wrote:

2. Handling INR Claims
If youâ€™re confident that the delivery scan will protect you, directing buyers to file an Item Not Received (INR) claim can be a practical solution. For honest buyers, this ensures eBay evaluates the claim objectively, and for potential scammers, it might deter further action. Make sure your listings clearly state:
Items are shipped via standard mail with limited tracking.
You are not liable for items marked as delivered unless the buyer opts for an insured shipping option.
3. Offering an Insured Option
Consider adding a premium shipping option for buyers who want extra peace of mind. For example:
Offer USPS First-Class Package or another insured method as an upgrade.
Clearly state in your listings that buyers choosing standard mail assume some risk if an item is lost or misdelivered.
4. Claims on Delivered Items
Unfortunately, standard envelopes donâ€™t come with insurance. Youâ€™d need to use an upgraded shipping method (e.g., USPS First-Class Package) to file claims for missing items. If upgrading isnâ€™t feasible, you might offer to split the cost of a replacement item to maintain goodwill with buyers.
ðŸ€

Good grief. If you're going to post AI produced nonsense then please make sure it's at least somewhat accurate..

ESEs DO come with insurance, far better and easier than any carrier insurance at that. AND there's no longer a 1st class package and hasn't been for some time now..

bdmh-enterprises

·1 year ago

4638 View listings

I sell TCGs and it's been close to a year since getting any "where's my item"/"it says delivered" messages. The service itself seems to be improving overall. It sounds like you're usually getting "delivered" scans, but still have customer claims of INR? That would mean your packaging is fine and IMO, as you describe it, it should be. Maybe just a fluke of impatient or bad buyers coming at once?

I hope you're aware that in cases w/o a delivered scan, but with any other scan, if the buyer files INR the insurance is quick and easy right through ebay (NOT the USPS). I've never tried to use the insurance when there is a delivered scan with an INR, but it seems to be implied you could do so (I've only had 2 and it seemed safer to just win the INR).

tobaccocardyahoo

·1 year ago

5488 View listings

Since you have not said what you sell and are using a posting account it is hard to respond.

Since you claim success in past use of ESE, the first question to ask is what have you changed about how you pack your orders.

ESE had size and rigidity limits which exist because it is letter mail and must pass through a letter sorter to be scanned.

A card dealer might find it impossible to get good results using a standard toploader because it is too rigid for the sorters. A shift to a standard toploader could cause lots of problems. So could a thinker piece of cardboard to stiffen.

Different types of merchandise get packed differently and it would not be surprising if you added a different product to ship ESE you would have different success rates. Stamps sellers have good results, coin sellers less, card sellers are highly packing dependent.

postcardjohn

OP1 year ago

39 View listings

It's an item I produce myself, tiny, thin and lightweight plastic part for a niche use. I ship in standard A7 envelopes with 5x7 cards. I have a bulk supply of these envelopes and cards and have used the same ones for every order. I really feel it's a mix of shady and honest buyers and poor delivery estimating on eBay's part with the ESEs.

12345jamesstamps

·1 year ago

8698 View listings

'shady and honest buyers and poor delivery estimating on eBay's part with the ESE's'...sounds just about right.

Why do ESE?...Curious.

I never had anything lost in years using just postage stamps to ship out my items.

My items get to buyers quicker. And I end up with 'repeat happy buyers'.

Plus, my buyers prefer real stamps on their envelopes and not labels.

1786davycrockett

·1 year ago

5692 View listings

@postcardjohn

"It's an item I produce myself, tiny, thin and lightweight plastic part for a niche use."

Just to be clear, are these items that you "produce" even permitted under the ESE regulations? --

Eligible categories

As of Nov 2023, four additional categories are now eligible to use eBay standard envelope, expanding the service to eight categories. See the full list of category paths.

Patches
Stickers & Decals
Greeting Cards
Seeds
Trading Cards
Coins & Currency
Postcards
Stamps

You are not permitted to use the ESE for items not listed under those categories, and any insurance claim should be disallowed by eBay for that reason.

Could you be a little clearer about what exactly it is that you are manufacturing, and how those items comply with ESE restrictions?

bdmh-enterprises

·1 year ago

4638 View listings

Didn't even think of that. Whatever it is, it seems to go okay as they say they normally get del scans. I can't imagine what thin plastic item would fall into any eligible category though, so they must be miscategorizing it to have the ESE option available..