Need help!

[whysheep4]

I sold a pretty expensive vinyl record to a buyer in the UK. sent it registered mail (in fact it was an 'upgraded' registered mail, with more tracking points). Tracking shows the package was delivered to an address in the UK, but the buyer claims he did not receive it.

Would ebay just give him a refund on my expense? Am I screwed? 

An advice would be very helpful.

Tnx

[whysheep4]

* just an insight. Buyer's feedback suggest he's an okay guy. doesnt seem to be a troublemaker.

[csbbct]

I had a woman from the UK tell me she didn't receive her package either, but a few weeks later wrote to say that a neighbor had it and it took her two weeks to bring it to her.  Ask him if the postal carrier may have given it to a neighbor for safe keeping because you see that tracking shows it was delivered.

I'm not sure if international deliveries are covered the same way, but in the U.S. eBay will not force you to refund to the buyer if tracking shows it was delivered.  If he opens a claim, you can call eBay customer service and see if they will close it in your favor.

[whysheep4]

Tnx for the reply. Yeah i'm located in Israel. not sure if that makes a difference to Ebay. 

The buyer just now opened a request so I replied by adding the tracking number that says the package was delivered. I don't know if it matters but the package was sent to the buyer's workplace.

Does it take long to get a hold of Ebay on the phone? those long distance calls are a killer.

[fab_finds4u]

You said it was sent to the buyer's workplace.  If their workplace address was provided with the PayPal payment you are OK.  If you sent it to a different address after they paid you are screwed.  

[whysheep4]

the workplace address was provided with the paypal payment. Does that mean ebay would rule in my favor? or do I still need to call them and plea my case?

[inhawaii]

Unless the rules are different for you in Israel, you're covered as long as the tracking indicates it was delivered.   If the buyer gets a refund, it will be out of ebay's pocket, not yours. 

If you're already responded to the case with the tracking info, you've done all that you can do.  Calling ebay is not necessary in my opinion.  

[whysheep4]

that's good to hear! tnx!

[soh.maryl]

There is tracking proving delivery to the address the buyer gave as the shipping address.

That's all that's necessary.  If the buyer opens an item not received case, you post the tracking # to the case.

[csbbct]

I'm not sure if your Registered Mail is the same as our Registered Mail, but in the U.S. identification is required at delivery time for that service.  You might want to check with your post office to see if they have a name or signature on file for the delivery.  Then you can provide that information to the buyer.  He should check with co-workers since it was delivered to his workplace.

Again, I'm not sure what eBay's policies are for international transactions so you need to check with them.  Maybe someone else here on the board has more information for you.

[this*old*attic]

I’d act caring and do what you can to help the buyer, though.

Ask him to check with neighbors and you can file a missing report with the carrier.

[whysheep4]

Well the tracking info states that the package was delivered to the address in the UK. it doesnt say what the address is. Theoretically the buyer can say it was sent to the wrong address to begin with, no?

[whysheep4]

The registered mail I used here does require identification and signature when collecting the package. I'm already in the process of dealing with the local post office here to figure out if they can tell me who exactly collected it. They dont work fast though, and these type of things take time.

[whysheep4]

oh i've running around like a headless chicken dealing with the post office trying to figure this thing out. I've been super nice to the buyer so far.

It's already been almost 2 weeks since the package was delivered. The buyer says nobody in his workplace (that's where he asked it to be sent) knows anything about it.

[femmefan1946]

I'm wondering if the service was technically the internationally recognized Registered that has been around for centuries. (Literally, and before that postal systems called it Money Letters.)

The problem is that these days most postal systems have pretty well given up on Registered Mail.

It was becoming a signal for theft within the postal system, and that was unacceptable.

So at least Canada Post, USPS, Royal Mail and Postes France (probably others but those are the ones I'm aware of) only accept Registration as proof of delivery domestically. Once a Registered letter crosses the border, the issuing postal service no longer tracks it.

And again, it is not necessary to show photo ID at the door to sign for a Registered letter through Canada Post, as long as the signer is an adult. It's different at the PO counter however.

Since this is an Israel to Britain question, all of the above is hypothetical.