Quick question RE: feedback extortion....

[theguitarpartsguy]

OK, so, I have a customer in North Carolina that I sent an item to just over two weeks ago.  Tracking shows that the sorting center in Greensboro, NC re-routed it to Baltimore, Maryland, where it got turned around and routed back to Greensboro, NC.... I am pretty sure that Greensboro is my customer's local sorting center.  Anyway, if you search via google, there are a LOT of complaints about the Greensboro sorting center getting packages mis-routed and such. 

Fast forward to this morning, and I have a message from the customer.  Mind you, this package has been in the mail since 2 hours after the customer ordered it on March 20th.  Here is part of the message:

"Two Estimated Delivery Dates have come and gone and I still haven't received the Item I ordered and paid for on March 20th. Where is my Item? Do I have to open a Case with ebay over a $10.99 Item and post the appropriate negative Feedback?"

So, I sent them a message and explained that they could click on the tracking number provided and see exactly where their package is and that I can't do anything with it once the Postal Service has it in their hands.  My question is, should I hang on to this message from the customer and does it qualify as feedback extortion if the customer continues to be irate?  I HOPE they calm down and actually look at the tracking information and can understand that I did my part as best as I could.  I've just never had a customer come at me like this before....

[loveyourimagination49]

Hi gpg.
From a buyers point of view. I think they have waited the appropriate amount of time before contacting you. After 14 days I would want to know where my item is as well. My message wouldn’t include negative feedback though.
It’s not buyers fault either, they paid and want there money or the widget.
As a seller I would contact Usps and see if they can give you anymore info as to where the package is. Perhaps you can call eBay and get an extension on delivery.
I’m not sure if that area got hit with any bad weather or not. If Usps can’t provide you any info. I would probably refund the buyer and hope they repay you when received.
I think it’s 30 days (may be wrong) before you can file an online lost mail claim.
The buyer shouldn’t have mentioned bad feedback, but in this case I don’t think eBay will do anything about it.
Good Luck and keep us updated.

[theguitarpartsguy]

I just got a response from him and he seems to have cooled down. He ran the tracking and found out for himself that I did in fact mail it two hours after he paid, and that it has been at his local sorting center twice. He mentioned he may run by his post office and have them see if they can call the sorting center and get it expedited since it is on the postal service's end of things. I'm just glad he cooled off. Mentioning negative feedback as a possibility in the very first contact is a bit excessive, in my opinion. I would never do that to a seller I had bought from. But then, I would also have checked the tracking number before contacting my seller, too.

[loveyourimagination49]

Was he able to find out any info?

[theguitarpartsguy]

Well, I don't really know if he was able to find out any info or not, but it showed up at his place a couple days ago, so he's happy now, fortunately.   And he left me good feedback as well.