Buyer says never received: tracking shows " Delivered to agent"

[jet_joa]

A buyer opened a return request today saying they never received the item. However on my end tracking says that the "item was delivered to agent." Never had this happen before -- not sure what to do. Anyone else have experience with this? Thanks. 

[zoda99]

Ask them to open up a missing mail case with USPS.

[worldwide_ship]

Yes I did 3 times in the last couple months! It's delivered you're ok. It's some new delivery text USPS is using and it's confusing some people. eBay will close the case in your favor. If they don't, appeal the case and they'll reimbuse you and remove it defects.

[richard1rst]

Was this an international sale? I see that a lot on European addresses. The "agent" is apparently a separate (private?) delivery service that handles the last mile.  And then nothing.

[jet_joa]

No, not international. Never happened to me before. 

[jet_joa]

Thanks -- so are they lying to me or...did they just not see it, or are you saying it's not even there yet? Sorry to clarify, I just find it so odd. 

[1800barb · Accepted solution]

I recently had that message on an  email about a package delivery I was expecting. The message was confusing since no one here had accepted any package delivery. I called the local post office, and they told me the post office has changed the notice mesages. In my case it meant the small package was in my box at the bank of boxes where we receive mail and it was.  

[buyselljack2016]

I called the local post office, and they told me the post office has changed the notice mesages. In my case it meant the small package was in my box at the bank of boxes where we receive mail and it was.

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I think someone at the local post office was blowing  .  Delivering a package to a "parcel locker, or mailbox" should not be scanned as  "delivered to agent".  The carrier hit the wrong button when choosing from the list of action choices.

@1800barb 

[buyselljack2016]

@jet_joa 

You have marked a post a"solution", but I do not believe this is the end of what you need to do.

You posted that your buyer has opened a "return request".   Is that what was done?  If it is a "return request", you must reply to that.

If it is an item not received (INR) "refund request" you need to reply to the request by entering the tracking # to the request.

You could suggest that they check with their PO to determine the GPS location of delivery.

[jet_joa]

Hiya: 

You know it's kind of weird. I saw a notification in my email that there was a "request" on my account. When I looked for some record of this thing on my overview screen, there was nothing listed. I also got a message from the buyer who said they had never received the item, and I wrote her back relaying the information I already posted here. It doesn't look like a request for either one, INR OR return.  I think I'm just going to call Ebay tomorrow and ask them what I should do here, because the post office says it's there and they say it isn't. The suggestion that the buyer check their delivery box seems like a possibility; otherwise the whole thing is still murky. 

[lightlily_arts]

Did your buyer open a request for an "Item Not Received"  or a return request?  If the opened a claim for a return it's going to be very difficult because you can't return something you never received.  If this is for an "item not received" you just need to upload the tracking information to the claim and eBay will close that claim in your favor.  The buyer needs to contact their postal service to determine where the package was left.

If the buyer opened a return request  you need to accept it and issue a return shipping label.  The label will not be charged to your account unless it is used by the buyer.  They won't be able to return something they don't have and that claim will close as well.

[1800barb]

Oh, I figured it out. As long a the item arrived I saw no need to do battle with the post office.  I haven't had too many wayward packages and they have been more than helpful each time so I just let it go.