Buyer Did Not Receive Item

[tpotterco]

Hey All,

Buyer opened a "Did Not Receive Item" request and states:

"The tracking information says it was delivered & left with an individual, however, I was the only one here and no package or postman showed up."

Checking on the USPS site, I concur that tracking does indeed, show delivery.  What are my next steps? How do I reply to the customer? How do I close this issue as resolved?

Appreciate your help - Thx, Tom

[soh.maryl]

Your first step will be the USPS and its carrier.  The carrier has GPS that shows exactly where the package was delivered.  They are not required to tell you where it was delivered, but will tell you if the address wasn't yours.

[tpotterco]

I appreciate your efforts but, respectfully 😁, unless I'm misunderstanding you, it seems that you think I am the Buyer. I am the Seller. As stated, both Buyer & I state USPS tracking indicates package delivered.  I'm asking:

What are my next steps? How do I reply to the customer? How do I close this issue as resolved?

Thank You, Tom

[12345jamesstamps]

Reenter tracking of item sold in claim.

I would google to see if it was a house or an office where buyer lives. To get an idea if someone else took package.

Notify customer someone picked up item for them.

I could be wrong, but buyers can always open a claim not matter if its been delivered or not.

It doesn't mean buyer will win.

Are the funds of purchase on hold in "available funds"?

[a_c_green]

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@12345jamesstamps wrote:

Reenter tracking of item sold in claim.

I would google to see if it was a house or an office where buyer lives. To get an idea if someone else took package.

Notify customer someone picked up item for them.

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According to the OP, the buyer is already aware of that as they mentioned it in their note. 

@tpotterco : In the INR claim form, there is an option to upload the tracking number showing Delivery. Do so. Assuming that it shows delivery to the City and ZIP of the Ship To: address you received with the payment, the claim should be closed in your favor. (It may take a day or two...)

[dhbookds]

In addition to AC's advice, I would email the buyer ........saying you're sorry for the problem, but after USPS confirms delivery there is little you can do...... Suggest that they talk to their mail carrier and/or the PO as they do have GPS that will show where it was delivered.  Show concern, without assuming responsibility........

[ten_o_nine]

As long as your tracking shows the package was delivered, you're in a good position to win the INR case. When communicating with the buyer, be friendly. Let them know that the post office won't assist with issues if the tracking shows delivery and ask the buyer to contact their local post office to initiate a trace investigation. Maintain a helpful and non-confrontational tone throughout the conversation.

[cstpos]

@tpottercoI would ask the buyer to check with their carrier or local USPS for more information. Make sure they have the tracking # handy (you could include it in your reply). If you prefer to look into it for them, you can open a Find Missing Mail case. Our mail carrier said that the USPS handheld scanner calibration can be off, so instead of Left by Front Door it selects Left with Individual. Maybe they can check around their property or ask neighbors.

They can open a refund request as Item Not Delivered, but since tracking shows that it was, you are covered for your part. If the Missing Mail doesn't locate it, you or the buyer can file a Claim if you sent it insured. ebay will sometimes refund the buyer without deducting the payment from your account, but the buyer has to open a case. Do not refund before you let it play out.

I think that the soh.maryl advice can apply to you and the buyer - if GPS tracking will verify the delivery location, that would answer both of you. I would confirm the address on the order that you shipped to - people move or have left a ship to address other than their if they purchased and had it sent to someone else and forget to update their ebay account. Good Luck!

[rosszonebricks · Accepted solution]

As others have said, be helpful but do not hint at assuming responsibility.  That ends when tracking says Delivered (and you sent it to the address from the order).

Make sure you add the tracking to the INR case.

My template for responding is below:

I understand you are indicating you have not received your package that tracking # [TRACKINGNUMBER] shows as [DELIVERED-WHERE]. Could it be possible the order was placed with an old address? From the order, your package was shipped to:

[ADDRESS FROM ORDER]

If this is your current and correct address, then other possibilities can be it was picked up by another member of the household. I'd recommend checking to see if someone else in the house has picked up your package. You may also wish to see if a neighbor picked it up either by mistake or intentionally, thinking your package was at risk of being stolen.

Sometimes it unfortunately happens that a USPS mailperson ends up behind in their route and scans a package Delivered at the end of their shift but ends up delivering it the next day. Now, they are absolutely not supposed to do this, but it does happen, so it may arrive tomorrow or the next business day.

Next, at the time of the Delivery scan, the GPS coordinates of where it was scanned as delivered are recorded. You could take your tracking number to your local post office, and as the recipient of the package, would have the right to request they give you the coordinates of where the package was delivered. This may assist you in locating your package.

Hope that helps! -Chad R

[gayaestore]

I don't know why USPS tracking details are not updating for Sri Lanka Post items. Is there any other way to get tracking details of the items in-transit and delivered items?

[brightlightbookseller]

I'd recommend starting your own thread, as this question is unrelated to the original post.  I don't know if Sri Lanka Post has tracking or not, but many items originating from other countries have trouble with tracking when they change hands.

[tpotterco]

Chad,

I LOVE it, and VERY much appreciate it!

Tom

[tpotterco]

Thx very much!

[tpotterco]

Thank u! Appreciate it!

[pjcdn2005]

@tpotterco 

When you look at the buyer’s profile are they in another country?   If they are and if you shipped this item to Illinois, it’s possible that it was shipped to the eBay global shipping center in IL as that is what the tracking says when it is delivered to the eBay hub.  If that’s what happened, let the buyer know that it will be processed at the hub and they will receive another tracking number when the package leaves the hub.