Buyer asking for a refund on item not delivered. He hasn't opened a case.

[delmarva_figures]

Tracking says it was delivered to his PO box.  He claims he went there and the PO box was empty and no one can find it.  

I've been threatened with negative feedback in a similar situation until the person found the package.  Would you risk a negative over $25?   I'm not sure what to tell this person.  I don't believe insurance covers something if tracking says delivered, but if the people at his post office can't find it where's it's supposed to be maybe that's a different scenario. 

[ebooksdiva]

All you can tell the buyer is tracking shows delivery to PO box it is on the buyers PO to figure out where they delivered it. 

If the buyer opens an INR as long as tracking says the item was delivered you are good you did your job. Make sure you upload tracking showing delivery in the the INR case.

If the buyer should leave negative feedback after the INR case you can go here to request removal of negative feedback by selecting case found in my favor (or similar verbiage). In the comments box you can say something like"tracking shows delivery to buyer, buyer left negative feedback INR found in my favor." 
Postal insurance doesn't cover items that show delivery.

[dbfolks166mt]

     Kindly respond to the person letting them know that according to the tracking the item was delivered to the PO Box they specified in their address. Suggest they check with the PO regarding the delivery. Feedback extortion is a violation of eBay policy. This person may be just phishing knowing you are a fairly new seller or they may be telling the truth but there is no way to really tell but do not encourage bad behavior by refunding or offering the buyer any kind of partial refund it just sets bad precedent. Following is the eBay policy on feedback extortion. 

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/feedback-policies/feedback-extortion-policy?id=4230 

[1stclass_2ndhand]

I had the same thing happen.  The buyer said it wasn't delivered and it was marked delivered.  She threatened ebay would force me to return her the money, but I didn't refund her and asked ebay to step in.  I didn't have to refund her, she left a negative (which doesn't show on my account), but I saw ebay also refunded her (not from my money).

[lakefor94]

The buyer needs to go back and chew some post office butt until they fork over the shipment.

If a INR is filed, just follow the process. Upload tracking and then deal with the negative, IF, that happens. 

The package shows as delivered to the post office, the package is there. 

[delmarva_figures]

Can they even leave a negative if they open a case and lose?    I've had to open a case on a seller before for something unrelated and won, and after the case was closed I couldn't leave any feedback.

[yoonix1]

Advise the Buyer to open a case. You have to follow EBay policies. Otherwise, everything else seems like a scam.

[brightlightbookseller]

Sometimes they can leave negative feedback, but then it’s removed, sometimes they can’t leave it at all. 

[sextons-sweet-deals]

The buyer should be able to contact the local postmaster and put a trace on the package. 

Tracking shows delivered. There's really no more you can do, and you do not owe them anything. 

They can open a case. eBay will side with you as long as you respond to case and provide the tracking information. 

Could the package be too large to fit in their P.O. box and they need to go to the counter and ask for assistance?

[ittybitnot]

 Would you risk a negative over $25?  

@delmarva_figures 

Personally, I always favored MONEY over green donut reviews.  Negative feedback does not count against your seller rating anymore, and making business decision based on "maybe" getting a red donut is usually not a sound plan.  

Buyers can leave negs now even if they haven't paid.  In your case scenario, even if they did leave a neg, it would likely be removed.  It is also not a good idea to provide a 'refund' based on the word of a buyer.  Some buyers will try this tactic (not filing a claim for INR), and are often successful with newer sellers who live in fear of a negative review.  The even have a name:  Tree Shakers

[soh.maryl]

Usually, if a package is too large for the box, the PO clerk leaves a card in the box for the buyer to go to the window to claim his package.  

If "no one can find it" it seems like he's already traveled that road.   

[sextons-sweet-deals]

yes, there normally is, but it seems the buyer has not done anything but make a threat of negative and has yet to open a case. 

[stuff4divas]

@delmarva_figures   another possibility that nobody has said, but i will

the buyer is lying

[stetbooks]

Without an open case, you could petition eBay to remove the negative feedback once you "prove" to eBay (via the order tracking) that the order was delivered. I've been having more than a few of those lately. 

[bennotbill]

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@ittybitnot wrote:

It is also not a good idea to provide a 'refund' based on the word of a buyer.  Some buyers will try this tactic (not filing a claim for INR), and are often successful with newer sellers who live in fear of a negative review.  The even have a name:  Tree Shakers

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I've always suspected that there are some buyers who send an email to every seller they've bought items off in the last six months, saying they've just noticed they never received the item and can they please have a refund.

I'm betting they get some takers.