Packages received after refund for lost package

[spacey425]

I had a package that was considered lost because there were no updates for almost a month, so i had to refund seller now it shows delivered a few days ago. The buyer is saying they haven't received it though.  What can I do? It's over 800$ I can't afford that big of loss.

[therogue-trader]

Generally when that advice (i.e. contact ebay via [insert social media]) is given, they mean message the ebay support staff who run the account.

[aproudparent2010]

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@baba_ganoush617 wrote:

Question - when you say you contacted Ebay via Facebook, do you put them on blast publicly?  I have heard of people going on say Twitter when they do not get the resolution that they are looking for and because of public pressure the company capitulates.    Could you explain in greater detail your process?    Thanks in advance.  

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I message eBay on Facebook and explain. I don't do public blasts

[aproudparent2010]

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@mam98031 wrote:

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@aproudparent2010 wrote:

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@spacey425 wrote:

I have asked a few times now and they haven't responded.  So im just out the 800+$ then?

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Contact eBay through Facebook. I've done it many times when I refunded on an INR that later got delivered. eBay has returned my money every time

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That only happens, or usually only happens when the seller does NOT voluntarily refund the buyer.  You can only appeal when Ebay forces the refund.  If you got a refund outside of that, you got lucky as it isn't normal.

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I always voluntarily refund and if it shows delivered later on I contact eBay on Facebook and get my money back.

[mtgraves7984]

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@spacey425 wrote:

No I didn't ever file claim. I just assumed since it had been over 30 days since it showed any updates that it was lost. And the buyer filed a refund claim on ebay and I had to honor it since it had not been delivered yet, but a week after I did the package was delivered 

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@spacey425 

Expand on this ^^^, in case it makes a difference. 1) Did the buyer open an INR? 2) If so, did you upload the USPS tracking number? 3) And if that all was so, did the case time out due to inactivity (no scans)... and was the refund issued? 

Afterthought: 4) And if all that was so, did the package show any USPS scans after the refund was issued?

[chevymontecarlo88]

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@slippinjimmy wrote:

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@chevymontecarlo88 wrote:

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@spacey425 wrote:

It even shows it was signed for ar delivery but the buyer is saying it wasn't them that signed...

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It may be a good idea to visit your local USPS and speak with the postmaster. You don't have to go into details of the eBay transaction. Just stick to the facts that it was delivered with signature, and the buyer is disputing the delivery. It is Fraud or it was stolen. 

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What do expect USPS to do?

It was late but it was delivered, any insurance there might have been will not pay out, it really doesn't matter what the recipient has told the shipper, none of that is a concern of USPS.

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Don't they handle stolen mail and/or fraud? It does not matter if it was on time or late. The delivery was made and signed for. I would assume they would be ones to contact for theft. No?

[wholesaletansforu]

Call ebay and ask for the dispute dept, had this happen many times, buyers never admit to it of course, so you have to call ebay and as lomg as you can show delivered to address listed on the payment they have to refund you. Its not right they force a refund but dont do anything unless you call and fight. Call them

[mam98031]

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@baba_ganoush617 wrote:

Question - when you say you contacted Ebay via Facebook, do you put them on blast publicly?  I have heard of people going on say Twitter when they do not get the resolution that they are looking for and because of public pressure the company capitulates.    Could you explain in greater detail your process?    Thanks in advance.  

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NO.  You send a private message and they also respond to you privately.  Why in the world would you think Ebay would put your personal stuff on blast?

[mam98031]

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@aproudparent2010 wrote:

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@mam98031 wrote:

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@aproudparent2010 wrote:

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@spacey425 wrote:

I have asked a few times now and they haven't responded.  So im just out the 800+$ then?

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Contact eBay through Facebook. I've done it many times when I refunded on an INR that later got delivered. eBay has returned my money every time

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That only happens, or usually only happens when the seller does NOT voluntarily refund the buyer.  You can only appeal when Ebay forces the refund.  If you got a refund outside of that, you got lucky as it isn't normal.

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I always voluntarily refund and if it shows delivered later on I contact eBay on Facebook and get my money back.

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I know you've told me this before.  I do not honestly know why this works for you as it will NOT hold true for most.

The following is the best approach for the majority of sellers.  So PLEASE be careful when you give advice on it.  The vast majority of packages shipped via USPS do NOT get lost, but some get significantly slowed down.

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When you get an INR filed against you, IMHO these are the steps to take.

Enter your tracking number into the INR.

Go to USPS website and review the detail tracking info.

On this tracking screen there is a place to file for email updates as there is movement on the tracking. Sign up for that so you get informed right away when something gets entered to the tracking.

Go and file for a TRACE, I don't recommend filing for Missing Mail just yet. The two are completely different actions. The Trace usually gets the job done quicker.
https://usps.my.site.com/emailus/s/package-inquiry

Contact your buyer. Keep all contact inside the INR filed so everything is recorded on the claim. Let your buyer know you are working with USPS to get their package delivered. Apologize for the delay. And let them know you filed a trace which takes between 48-72 hours for USPS to respond. As you get any information you will update the buyer right away. Assure your buyer that you are working this problem and will continue to do so until a proper resolution.

If there is movement on the tracking within the last 7 days, Ebay will keep the INR open. Do not voluntarily issue the refund yet. It is highly likely the package is going to get delivered, it is just late. Annoying for the buyer for sure. Just stay in touch with them and assure them you are working on a resolution.

[vintagecraze50]

When you see that’s a package especially a high value transaction package is becoming late you contact the buyer early in this late game and tell them you are going to do a trace of the package on USPS.COM. ThIS WILL alert the USPS and they will locate the package and try to get it moving. In cases where buyers are screaming I WANT A REUND because it is late, I do a USPS package intercept on USPS.COM. THESE ARE COSTLY, 17 dollars for the intercept and you must pay for the return to sender postage as well, on Priority Mail that is about 26 bucks. For an 800 dollar item where you will loose the valueable item and your money, it is worth the intercept, just ad the cost to the item when you list it again. I have done several intercepts thought the years on here and tey have always caught the package and sent it back to me. If buyers scream they do not want to wait, I take care of the scream.

[fbusoni]

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@sodelight wrote:

You may casually want to let the buyer know you'll be filing these reports since the USPS has signed proof of delivery, and you need to know what happened to this valuable package! Tell them the USPS fraud dept and police may be investigating and want to contact them. On occasion a buyer has suddenly 'found' the package.

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This ^ is something I have direct experience with.   The operative word is "casually."

Buyer wrote to me, "I cannot locate the package."

I said no problem, I will be glad to refund you.  "But before I do please give me 24 hours to call your post office and open an investigation for mail theft... it's such a shame that you were victimized by a petty criminal."

Needless to say, the item was "located" shortly thereafter.   

[vintagecraze50]

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@fbusoni wrote:

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@sodelight wrote:

You may casually want to let the buyer know you'll be filing these reports since the USPS has signed proof of delivery, and you need to know what happened to this valuable package! Tell them the USPS fraud dept and police may be investigating and want to contact them. On occasion a buyer has suddenly 'found' the package.

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This ^ is something I have direct experience with.   The operative word is "casually."

Buyer wrote to me, "I cannot locate the package."

I said no problem, I will be glad to refund you.  "But before I do please give me 24 hours to call your post office and open an investigation for mail theft... it's such a shame that you were victimized by a petty criminal."

Needless to say, the item was "located" shortly thereafter.   

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That is a fairly good after the fact suggestion, but this poster should have taken care of this late package WAY WAY before 30 days late. The way you take care of this is you watch the tracking and for ME with a package even 4-5 days late I AM ON IT and doing a package trace. AND if this does not show up or track and it is eligible for an insurance claim that gets filed ASAP as well. Yes, it it gets delivered technically insurance is void, that’s why I INTERCEPT these package when they are ungodly late to prevent this mess.

[albertabrightalberta]

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@vintagecraze50 wrote:

 I do a USPS package intercept on USPS.COM. THESE ARE COSTLY, 17 dollars for the intercept and you must pay for the return to sender postage as well, on Priority Mail that is about 26 bucks.

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Although I agree that it's costly to intercept a package, AFAIK, return shipping on a priority or GA package doesn't come with a cost. 

[chariot_badges]

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@spacey425 wrote:

I had a package that was considered lost because there were no updates for almost a month, so i had to refund seller now it shows delivered a few days ago. The buyer is saying they haven't received it though.  What can I do? It's over 800$ I can't afford that big of loss.

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You shouldn't list anything here that you can't afford to lose.

It just isn't safe.

Are you new?

[mam98031]

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@albertabrightalberta wrote:

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@vintagecraze50 wrote:

 I do a USPS package intercept on USPS.COM. THESE ARE COSTLY, 17 dollars for the intercept and you must pay for the return to sender postage as well, on Priority Mail that is about 26 bucks.

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Although I agree that it's costly to intercept a package, AFAIK, return shipping on a priority or GA package doesn't come with a cost. 

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That is my experience Too !!!

[mam98031]

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@chariot_badges wrote:

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@spacey425 wrote:

I had a package that was considered lost because there were no updates for almost a month, so i had to refund seller now it shows delivered a few days ago. The buyer is saying they haven't received it though.  What can I do? It's over 800$ I can't afford that big of loss.

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You shouldn't list anything here that you can't afford to lose.

It just isn't safe.

Are you new?

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Yet many sellers do sell items that expensive and higher and do make it work for them on Ebay.

While there are some significant risks, not all transactions are going bad.  If that were true, there would be no sellers here.  I'm not trying to minimize some serious issues we have on this site for sellers.  But it isn't most transactions either.