mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999
Regards,
Did you wait a week to ship the item? If so why?
Did you not provide the tracking number to your buyer? If so why?
Be the voice of reason with your buyer. ALWAYS stay polite and professional. Stay calm when they aren't and it will help. To engage with the fury a buyer might send your way will only add fuel to the fire and complicate things.
Have you put a trace on the package? If you haven't, that is the first thing you should do when a buyer lets you know there is an issue about non delivery. You let them know you will put the trace on the package and USPS usually responds within 48 to 72 hours. Often times just putting the trace on the package is enough to get the item to start moving.
It has been a long time since the package has moved so you need to be careful here or Ebay will have you refund the money soon. While you are correct that we as sellers can't really do much when the carrier has an issue, it is still our responsibility to make sure the customer receives the item they purchased and paid for.
Putting a recall on the package may work and you could try that. It does come at a price, but if that is what you want to do, then do it. But let your buyer know you are doing it. Don't do it as a surprise. Personally I'd get a trace on the package ASAP and notify the buyer you have done so.
@deepsells I think when eBay eventually has their phone system restored from the Pandemic from China you can have the neg FB removed because the Buyer's offer to remove the FB if you refund them violates the Feedback Extortion policy. For any INR claim eBay will extend the delivery window up to 4 days but the problem there is no phone service so you have to reply on the email method of contact to request the extension. If there is "some" activity on the package movement that's great, if not then you will eventually have to refund ... I like @vrie39 's suggestion to wait until the end of the refund period to process the refund ... after that you can pursue a lost package issue with USPS ...
Sadly, people freak out when something like this happens and of course you are the only one they have to point the finger at since you Sold it to them ...
@vrie39 wrote:The best I can tell you is when I am in your situation (i.e.: package "in transit" AND an "Item Not Received" case open against me) here is what I do:
- I issue a refund during the last few hours of the last day before the deadline, ebay will tell you that you have to take action by a certain date... That date, at PST midnight ebay will default the refund to your buyer and you will get a super defect so make sure to refund before that happens but I am not afraid to wait until say 8-10p PST that day.
- I put in a lost mail claim as soon as humanly possible at the post office and mark the item to be "returned to sender."
That unfortunately is all I know to do, I have lost several parcels already in this covid situation.
Keep in mind those time frames are extended due to Covid19.
@deepsells wrote:
Thanks for the helpful info.
I shipped as soon as I was able to and updated tracking info. I had opened a case with USPS but it seems as though it was closed without my knowledge, will followup on that. I guess I'll shift focus to USPS to either move the package or recall it to me. Ebay support notified me they will give me an extension on the open case so that's helpful .
USPS contacts you via whatever method you told them to when you opened the trace. I always have them send me an email. So you may want to check your emails.
However just to add a little confusion here. Their Trace # or communication does not reference the tracking number. So when you have a few of these going on at the same time it can get a bit confusing. I keep notes.
