Item not Received Time Limit and then Feedback Time Limit

[weezir]

I have a buyer who messaged me through Ebay that he  had not received his item.  It is/was exactly 30 days since the date that the tracking information reported the shipment as delivered.  The buyer has not opened an INR case, and as of today it is the 31st day, so I don't believe that the case can be opened.  So my question is, if I don't offer a refund or replacement, can he leave negative feedback for the purchase?  If I understand correctly the feedback time limit is 90 days?  Could he leave negative feedback about it?

Normally I would offer a replacement or refund, but...  It irks me that that the buyer waited so long, and the tracking info reported it as delivered.  It puts doubt in my mind that the item was actually delivered, and then either misplaced or thrown away at the buyer's address.  It was an Ebay Standard Envelope (ESE)  shipment tracking number and reporting, so it was just a small-ish envelope, not a package.  (I have had problems with their tracking information/reporting on these kinds of mailings, ESE, in the past--don't get me started on that)  So if the buyer didn't play by the rules of starting an INR case, or at least messaging me earlier, then do I have to suffer negative feedback because of that?  Like I said, normally I would just refund or replace, and probably still will, but I do have this question about  the (negative) feedback limit...

[klhmdg]

If the tracking shows delivered, do not refund or send another item!

IF the buyer is able to open an INR, put the tracking number in the case.

If the buyer gives you negative FB, try to have it removed. If it doesnt get removed, professionally respond to the FB "USPS item was delivered per tracking on ...."

[dhbookds]

Take a screen shot of the USPS site showing the delivery........and keep it handy in case they do open a case later........

[quicksilverdiecast]

Once the carrier scans it as delivered ebay considers the transaction closed as far as any INR claims..It then becomes an issue between the facing depot of the carrier who declared it delivered and the buyer. Once it get to the point of declared delivery any number of things can and do happen after the fact...Stolen off property, buyer trying to pull a fast one, someone else picked up the mail and set it down somewhere etc etc I have had them all over the years. In the case of the carrier misdelivering it, each time it is scanned it is sent to a GPS tracking recorder as well and they know exactly where it is. The buyer has to contact the facing depot and talk with the POSTMASTER to have his carrier go back and retrieve the misdelivered parcel and deliver it to the correct address. It does the seller no good to contact the carrier as they get evasive due to privacy law issues....In the case of claiming damage in order to file any claim you are required to provide proof of the damage as well as the package...if no photo proof is provided the claim will be denied, rightly so. These are the carriers policies that ebay must abide in also contractually...bottom line is no pics of damage...no further action will be done and denied, and buyer blocked and in a normal world a feedback would be left other than positive...so other sellers would be wary of the buyer's lack of co operation in resolving his claim.