Refunding a customer who has reported me for a lost item

[no_mo2]

I sent an item that is probably lost forever. The customer just started a case against me before i even knew it was missing. I informed the customer and am trying to refund them but the system wont let me

[dbfolks166mt]

     A little more information would help. Is this the black jack you sold on 19 January? How did you ship the item, first class, priority mail, and what  was the expected delivery date? Do you have tracking information from when you shipped it? Did the buyer open an eBay case or a chargeback and was it an INR or a NAD case? When you say the system won't let you refund can you find the case and open it and if you can do you simply not have any option to refund or are you having problems finding the case in your seller hub?

[luckythewinner]

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@no_mo2 wrote:

I sent an item that is probably lost forever. The customer just started a case against me before i even knew it was missing. I informed the customer and am trying to refund them but the system wont let me

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Blackjacks and saps are against eBay policy, even when you call them "book weights" manipulate search by sneaking the words black, jack, and sap into the title under a false pretext. 

So I'm putting this one down to karma. 

[lamber9347]

@no_mo2 All you need to do is follow the procedures. Once you receive notice that your buyer has opened an item not received case, all you have to do as the seller is note the tracking number in the case. From there it is all automatic and you don't have to do anything. The system will look at the tracking number and deduce that the estimated date of arrival has passed. After so many days the system will automatically close the case in favor of the buyer, thus issuing them a full refund and deducting that amount from your account. You literally only have to add the tracking number in the case and nothing else. Best of luck to you....

[mam98031]

When a buyer notifies you that an item has arrived, here is what I do.

1.  I review the tracking to see where the item might be.

2.  I sign up to get email updates on the tracking as the package moves [with USPS].

3.  I file for a TRACE on the package with the carrier.

4.  I go to the INR claim and check the box to communicate with the buyer.  I apologize to them for the delay in them receiving their package.  I let them know that I've filed for a trace on the package and I will keep them fully informed on anything I find out.  It will however take 48-72 hours to hear back for them most of the time.  I also assure them that I will work the problem until we have a resolution.