Buyer waited over 30 days to open INR case

[rebby-clothes]

Can they still escalate it or do I have longer to see if USPS can find the package? The item was purchased Dec 3 and estimated delivery date was by Dec 11 (34 days ago)  and they waited until today to open an INR case. The last scan was Dec 9. I wish they would have let me know sooner because I feel like USPS might have had a better chance at locating it if I knew earlier. Can they still escalate the case in 3 days when it opened after 30 days of estimated delivery date and I'd get a case closed without seller resolution, or can I wait a few days to see if USPS can find out what happened to it? I would still refund them if USPS can't find it since the tracking doesn't show a delivery. Just wondering if I should go ahead and refund them now or if I can afford to wait to hear from USPS first since they waited over 30 days to open the case....

[duncanvr]

Since the tracking shows non delivery and the buyer waited so long, I'd refund them immediately to try to avoid a negative feedback. I'd also message the buyer and ask them if they were interested in anything else in your store, and at the same apologize to the buyer. If refunded can you try and claim a missing item refund back from USPS? It sounds like the item was stolen in the mail. Buyer not to blame so do anything you can to win the buyers back to your store. Even offer discount on another item.

[castlemagicmemories]

You are responsible to your buyer, USPS is responsible to you.

[mam98031]

It is likely that since Ebay allowed the INR to be opened that the buyer could escalate it in 3 days.  You could call Ebay and ask them why they allowed it to be opened late.

With that said, if it were me, I'd work with my buyer.  I would contact them and let them know I was sorry their package had not yet arrived.  I would also tell them that I would put a trace on the package right away.  And ask if they would be willing to give you a few more days to allow time for USPS to respond.  If they say it is OK, go to USPS.com and file for a trace on the package.  They actually may locate it.  

I had a similar situation recently.  I had a buyer that was willing to work with me and she was terrific.  I felt after waiting a week and a half or more for USPS to find the package, I wrote my buyer and said with their permission I would reship the pattern to her as I had another one here.  She said she was fine, but if I wanted to do that it would be terrific.

So I reshipped the package to her.  The VERY next day I got notification that USPS had delivered the original package.  Just my luck!!  

Just work with them.  See if they will work with you and allow you to do the trace.  If not, refund and move on.  Hopefully it wasn't an expensive item.

Please let us know what you decide to do.