Buyer is claiming package did not arrive in her locked mail box DC shows it has

[eastcoastmermaids]

We shipped an item via first Class package 10 days ago. We are fairly diligent about updating buyers when a package goes out we give them an idea of arrival.  On top of that,  we also notify the buyer again the day that the package is going to arrive. We Notified this buyer that the package was going to arrive the day of arrival.  & sure enough Delivery Confirmation showed it had arrived, a few hours later.

Three full days later the woman doesn't contact us-- she contacts eBay to file a " Did not receive package.  We filed a "Where is my package" with USPS  and so far have not received a response. Generally we do receive a call from USPS.  In the meantime, it is a holiday weekend, and eBay has given us very little time to get this resolved.  I talked to eBay through Chat, and they said "Seller Protections" Etc. but now I am not so sure. If you have been in this predicament or  know what to do, please let me know. Thank you. 

[pickermall]

Just because it says to resolve by July 5 means basically you need to upload tracking by July 5. And then the buyer has until that time to escalate. If they do, the claim will be found in your favor with confirmed delivery from that tracking number

[eastcoastmermaids]

I have never had this happen, I wasn't sure what that meant resolve by the 5th.  It sounded pretty ominous to me and didn't give me a lot of options or time. I uploaded tracking every time of the 4 times that ebay contacted me about Buyer didn't receive package. I use eBay shipping and all of the bells and whistles doesn't seem to matter. Anyway, I did finally get eBay on the phone & the guy said I actually have until July 6th & then I go back in and respond. He said the same thing, you just said, but they weren't saying that this AM when they were sending the message to me over and over even after I answered the message. I was just concerned because they kept sending me the same message over and over & I kept responding by uploading tracking.  We will see what happens. I hope it works out. Thank you. 

[simply-the-best-for-you]

You're fine.  All you had to do was upload the tracking once & wait.   That said, there's an excellent chance that your buyer is telling the truth.  Packages get misdelivered ALL THE TIME.  Esp w/cluster boxes.  Every one of these I've had, the buyer was telling the truth & to provide good service, I will ususally either call their PO or request that they do.   The USPS can tell with GPS coordinates WHERE the pkg was delivered.   That can be really helpful if it was delivered to the wrong house.  Not so much help with cluster boxes.  But those usually turn up in a couple of days, when the neighbor who got it, brings it over.   

I still uploaded tracking into the case, but I also try to genuinely help the buyer, since I know they are likely telling the truth.  Never had even one that was lying.  Of course, if you sell a high scam item, YMMV.   

[femmefan1946]

Don't communicate so much.

Most people have way too much junk email and it gets annoying.

You can't accurately predict delivery time, so don't try.

A lot of unsolicited communication makes you look nervous -- as if you are up to something.

[simply-the-best-for-you]

I  agree with @femmefan1946  about the massive amount of communication.  It would drive me nuts to have updates on my package.  eBay already sends way too many & to have a seller send more, would make me want to avoid that seller in the future.   The tracking is there for any buyer to look at.   Just seems to be OP's style, since they said they uploaded tracking into the case 4 or 5 times also.  When once is all that's necessary.  

[eastcoastmermaids]

I always help my buyers.  I filed a "Where is my package"  immediately we opened  a case with USPS on June 30th  immediately with USPS. Look at my Feed back. I've been selling to some of these people for years and years.  We know some of their addresses by heart. 

In this particular case it was a new buyer. After eBay sent me the message  I uploaded tracking & I WAS going to sit back and wait but they  sent me reminders over and over, apparently once was not enough.  I ended up having to call them.   

I always genuinely try to help my buyer and resent what you are implying.   I pray this works out but it might not. We have been in a pandemic, the post office has changed. Things have changed.  Some things have changed for the better and some have changed for worse.  The best we can do is try to find a way around it and to report when things go wrong.  I sell in some very poor areas, where people are desperate, their neighbors are not going to come bring stuff over that's been misdelivered.  

Are you kidding? Really?  

[eastcoastmermaids]

too bad. If I don't let them know. They always message me. Why don't you just stop following the thread? In other words Simply-the-best-for-you leave me alone. 

[eastcoastmermaids]

Nah, everytime we have tried this unless it's a seasoned buyer  people write back and tell us they don't have tracking. They complain about lack of communication. Although it's set up in our preferences  for tracking to be sent to them immediately after that stamp is printed- they write back.  Anyway, I'm done in here. Thank you and I'm going to look for a different shipping service. 

[simply-the-best-for-you]

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@eastcoastmermaids wrote:

I always genuinely try to help my buyer and resent what you are implying.   I pray this works out but it might not. We have been in a pandemic, the post office has changed. Things have changed.  Some things have changed for the better and some have changed for worse.  The best we can do is try to find a way around it and to report when things go wrong.  I sell in some very poor areas, where people are desperate, their neighbors are not going to come bring stuff over that's been misdelivered.  

Are you kidding? Really?   

 Wow.  I wasn't "implying" anything.  I was explaining what I do to help, since 99% of the time, these buyers are telling the truth & the pkg hasn't actually arrived.  I wasn't sure if you knew that the USPS can provide GPS tracking coordinates.   

And no, I'm not kidding about pkgs being brought over by a neighbor.  Again, 99% of the time the pkg is located & very often, a neighbor comes over with it.  I see it time & time again.   Since 1997, I've had exactly 1 pkg get truly lost.  The rest, all showed up within a few days, typically they were simply misdelivered.   

The Post Office had difficulties, MAJOR ones, during the pandemic, but with localized exceptions, things have been back to normal for quite some time now.  It is rare that a pkg is taking more than 3 days to arrive for me & I'm finding service to be back to pre-pandemic levels.  The USPS is not perfect, but they generally do a pretty decent job outside of pandemic times. 

When you post for help on a public board, you can't control the input you receive.  I'm sorry if you didn't like my input, but I have been through this many times & my info was correct & my only intent was to help you with the problem *you* posted about it.   

[femmefan1946]

We were chatting one time with the Postmaster General of Canada, Andre Ouellette, and he told DH and I that the biggest problem Canada Post has with deliveries is "mantelpiece mail".

This means the carrier goofed and dropped the item with a neighbour (or the sender mis-addressed the envelope, for example reversing numbers 123 becoming 321).

The neighbour then delays passing the item back either to the proper address (even though he means to) or dropping it in the nearest mailbox.

The fault lies with the carrier, but the neighbour is also involved.

[simply-the-best-for-you]

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@femmefan1946 wrote:

This means the carrier goofed and dropped the item with a neighbour (or the sender mis-addressed the envelope, for example reversing numbers 123 becoming 321).

The neighbour then delays passing the item back either to the proper address (even though he means to) or dropping it in the nearest mailbox.

The fault lies with the carrier, but the neighbour is also involved.

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Yup.  IDK if these are common in Canada, but in the US, we have a lot of "cluster boxes", esp in new developments (meaning last 20 years or so), where the carrier delivers to a bunch of addresses in 1 cluster.  These often have package boxes & it's SUPER common for the carrier to mix up which box they leave the key in.   And yes, the neigbor often has to get involved & there is typically a delay b/c some will wait & give it back to the carrier.  Others will take it to the house where it should have been delivered, everyone handles it differently.  

[chevymontecarlo88]

I am going through the same issue except i shipped Priority mail. I was told the customer needed to file a claim to the post office to let them know it was not delivered. If they can not find it, they should file a police report on stolen mail as well. My customer did not contact me at first but gave me neutral feedback (never received package) and still has not filed anything with the post office or police. 

I commend you for communicating with the customer like you do.  The same goes for me on messaging them follow ups. Typically every morning i look what is scheduled to be delivered and message them to keep an eye out for it. Not much more you can do but include signature required and insurance on items that financially sensitive. 

Good luck and would love to hear how it resolves itself.

Chevymontecarlo88

[eastcoastmermaids]

 Yes, the people on here that had issue with contacting the buyers twice just don't get it. I have a reason for doing that, it's new. At the beginning of the pandemic a Buyer bought A large item heavy-- it went Fedex. He claimed he never got it. He said if he had just  known it was coming & by  Fedex--- He said they probably sent it to the Office at his Apartments and that they stole it. Fedex is indeed insured but no one ever contacted me back. I tried over and over, I put it down to the pandemic. I ate that one.   Period. 

 A few months Prior to the pandemic  we sent an item out priority to a woman in California.  

She claimed she never got the package and if she known it was coming...she would have been on the "lookout" claimed she lived in a bad Neighborhood. This time I filed a "Where is my package"  The Post Master called  my Cell phone from her Main Post office. He said, "I will let you talk to the Carrier" The carrier said, "yes, it was delivered" They said I had no claim.  That once he scanned it. No claim. Priority is insured up to $50 or it was...don't know USPS seems to change stuff daily. 

A couple of those and I couldn't do it anymore. 

Also, even though eBay sends a notice out that the Stamp has been downloaded, even if you drop the package off within seconds, if it's not scanned as received 7/10 buyers get antsy and I will get a message--It goes like this, "I've noticed the item hasn't been received by the post office" Did you mail it? When is it going out? " This often from people that purchase items on a Sunday Morning or Saturday night. I mean seriously! 

This isn't even the half of it and for the sake of any  new sellers I don't want to scare them off, but better safe than sorry.  Communicate w/your buyer. 

Anyway, according to eBay from what I understand from my convo yesterday with the rep,  if he filed a Did not receive item then all you have to do is upload the tracking when they send you the notice.  Supposedly they will file in your Favor. 

Good Luck to you and thanks for the kind post. 

Marie 

[worldwidetreausures]

A day before you posted this, I, as a seller on many platforms, had to deal wth an ebay purchase, which USPS placed in a wrong mailbox. I was quick to realize it (I monitor all packages), and it was recovered very quickly. So it is not necessary that your buyer is lying. Of course, I didn`t bother seller with this issue, as it was not his problem once it was scanned as delivered. You are covered as well. 

[worldwidetreausures]

Here is my post a day before your post about a package being misplaced by USPS:

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Misplaced-USPS-packages-do-happen/m-p/33042561#M2027810