Buyer Threatening Malicious Feedback For Item They Claim Not Delivered Yet Tracking Shows Delivery

[bighossthetoyboss]

I have responded to this customer very quickly after first message,The buyer didn't say anything further and has not opened a case yet but is now weeks later beginning to threaten bad feedback because I won't send out replacement or refund.The tracking details show full delivery history.   I will contact eBay later today however I am asking for some help from other sellers who hav dealt with this type of issue.Our store policy is no refunds or replacements for items delivered,If an issue would arrise,We always address those issues quickly and in the customers benefit often alowing them to keep items and full refund so I am not one to turn my back on my customers however the item in question has a high rate of claims for items not received yet they always have tracking.The item is high demand and fast selling so i am afraid this might be a scammer trying to get me to fold rather than contacting ebay to step in which will protect me.Anyway here is the second message they sent me   "Hi this is the second time that I trying to contact you about that I never received this item If I don't get any answer from you soon I will live you a very bad review

Now this was my response

"The item was delivered,Please do not threaten my business or myself. Please contact eBay in regards to this matter if you wish to further escalate the issue. You may open a case with eBay if you wish by selecting item not received option on the order details form or call and speak with a eBay representative. Threats will further disregarded and will be reported to eBay as they are against policy,Please contact eBay and do not threaten to use malicious feedback against my company. The item was delivered and the tracking shows full delivery details.Malicious feedback is against Policy. Our company policy is just that,We do not issue refunds or replacements for items that were delivered and show proof of delivery.If the item was lost in transit,We have stepped in many times and corrected the issues with replacement or refund immediately.

Please contact eBay Or Open Case for item not received (report a problem or item not received)"

What are your thoughts

[dk0 · Accepted solution]

First, it's my understanding that when an item is scanned as delivered, the GPS coordinates are recorded.  I'm not sure how it's done, but somehow the USPS should be able to confirm whether or not it was delivered at the correct location.  I've seen instances where it was not, and the postal carrier was able to retrieve it from the incorrect location and deliver it to the correct address.

Second, yes, if they file with eBay, and you provide tracking, eBay should give them a courtesy refund out of their own pocket.  Any negative fb should be removeable.  I wouldn't contact eBay unless/until the buyer follows through with the threat, as I imagine they are pretty busy at the moment.

[fern*wood]

Personally, I don't care for your response at all.  Sure, you would probably win a case if filed, but did you first try to help the buyer by directing them to check with their mail carrier?  USPS can check a delivery GPS location.  I have even called a buyer's post office myself to help.  If it is a dishonest buyer, then it usually reveals itself that way.

Maybe you did some those things, but your post didn't state so.  I avoid discussing feedback and such issues with a buyer, even if they bring it up.  I like to stay on the topic of the problem only. 

[bighossthetoyboss]

Thank you

[bighossthetoyboss]

I contacted their local post office prior to this threat ,Weeks prior when they initially asked me to check into it. The item was confirmed by the post office in their community to have been delivered and later verified by carrier the next day when i called back. At that time I told them to contact eBay for further help.

[luckythewinner]

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@bighossthetoyboss wrote:

Anyway here is the second message they sent me   "Hi this is the second time that I trying to contact you about that I never received this item If I don't get any answer from you soon I will live you a very bad review

What are your thoughts

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Buyers are permitted to threaten to leave bad feedback. 

There is a difference between threatening to leave bad feedback and using the threat of feedback to extort a return, replacement, refund, or something not included with the listing. 

Based on what you posted, your buyer is threatening to leave bad feedback because he did not receive his item. That is permitted. 

You response says "the item was delivered". That is not necessarily true - just because delivery confirmation says "delivered" does not mean it was actually delivered. 

I have had packages returned to me as "no such address" that were scanned as delivered. I have even had post office clerks accidentally scan my packages as delivered when I dropped them off to be mailed.

And while I have no doubt a carrier told the postmaster that it was delivered, I suspect he simply checked the delivery confirmation status. I sincerely doubt a carrier remembers every package he delivers. 

[lightlily_arts]

When buyers contact you for an item not received and the tracking shows that it's been delivered they need to check with their postmaster to determine the location of the delivery.  They need to ask for the GPS coordinates for the address location.  If the post office mis-delivered the package they would need to retrieve it for the buyer.  If insured then a claim could be filed.  Sellers are not responsible to provide a replacement or a refund for items not received when the tracking shows delivery.  If the buyer threatens you with a negative review then you should be able to get that removed.