Seller: My Package Was Stolen Before the Mailman Could Pick It Up

[vanvi01]

Hello 

My package was stolen from my mailbox this morning before my mailman could get the chance to pick it up. What steps should I take to refund the buyer? Is there a specific process through eBay that I have to initiate or do I simply do it through PayPal?

TIA

[mavericktradingpost]

Perhaps you can cancel the order, issue a refund and then contact the buyer explaining what happened.

[buyselljack2016]

@vanvi01 

You should contact the buyer explaining what happened.

 you can then cancel the order as "out of stock" (unless you have another.

That will issue a refund to the buyer.

[7606dennis]

First: I would file a police report.

Second: Contact the buyer and advise him of the situation and refund his money if you don't have a duplicate to send him.

Third:  I'd consider looking for another neighborhood if this sort of thing becomes a frequent occurrence.

[dhbookds]

Need to report to your post office also.....pretty sure that's a federal crime.

[chapeau-noir]

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@7606dennis wrote:

First: I would file a police report.

Second: Contact the buyer and advise him of the situation and refund his money if you don't have a duplicate to send him.

Third:  I'd consider looking for another neighborhood if this sort of thing becomes a frequent occurrence.

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Another neighbourhood will do nothing - this is a problem almost everywhere.  It's better to just not leave valuables out by the side of the road and take the packages into the post office.

[montana_echoes]

You can specify a spot for your package when you do a request for pickup. Like "package is in plastic tub by front door." This allows you to have the package hidden but the Post Office knows where it is. Then its not just sitting out in the open or in your mail box with the flag up, signaling to thieves that you have outgoing mail! 

[chapeau-noir]

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@montana_echoes wrote:

You can specify a spot for your package when you do a request for pickup. Like "package is in plastic tub by front door." This allows you to have the package hidden but the Post Office knows where it is. Then its not just sitting out in the open or in your mail box with the flag up, signaling to thieves that you have outgoing mail! 

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That's better for certain than putting it into the mailbox!   I live in a semi-rural zoned area where almost nothing ever happens, and we still have mailbox theft.  It's just rampant.

Since COVID lockdown I've been doing volunteer deliveries on my bike (I have a trailer) for people who can't get out - one thing is taking this and that to the post office. It's easy to load it into my trailer with my stuff.  I'm semi-retired so it's not a big deal, but the tub, etc., instructions are a good idea for really bad weather, etc.

It's just important for folks to realise that where they live really is no immunity to mailbox theft - it's more what kind of mailbox one has. Even then, someone here posted a pretty rough photo of their cluster boxes that had gotten pried open. 

[coolections]

@chapeau-noir 

Many years living at several different locations and have NEVER had a package stolen. It is NOT a problem everywhere as you say.

OP, how could you possibly know the package was stolen ?

[drusalina]

Put a note in your mailbox that you have a package and for them to knock on the door.  I do this all the time and my carrier doesn't mind.  She is the best.   I never leave a package by my door.  Do the Schedule A Pick Up option on the USPS website.  It is FREE!  Has to be done the day before the mailing and you can specify that you want them to knock on the door.  It is is the Postal Carriers job to do this.   If you aren't going to be home that day, take it to the PO.

[chapeau-noir]

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@coolections wrote:

@chapeau-noir 

Many years living at several different locations and have NEVER had a package stolen. It is NOT a problem everywhere as you say.

OP, how could you possibly know the package was stolen ?

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Good grief - YOU are not the only person in the world. 

[tools*]

I live in NYC, the safest big city in America. USPS, UPS, FedEx, and Lasership leave valuable packages on people's doorsteps in my neighborhood every day without incident. What is it about the suburbs and rural America and petty thievery?

[southern*sweet*tea]

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@coolections wrote:

@chapeau-noir 

Many years living at several different locations and have NEVER had a package stolen. It is NOT a problem everywhere as you say.

OP, how could you possibly know the package was stolen ?

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Same here, 22 years and never a package stolen, but I'm also intelligent enough to realize that my  area may be different than other areas, and that porch pirates are not fantasy - they do exist. Just because it hasn't happened to you doesn't mean it doesn't happen to others.

That said, we have mailbox baseball players out here. Some people say they don't exist, but they do. That's why I've always been hesitant to get a jumbo mailbox - it would be a larger and therefore easier target for those late night misfits with their baseball bats.

[7606dennis]

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@chapeau-noir wrote:

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@7606dennis wrote:

First: I would file a police report.

Second: Contact the buyer and advise him of the situation and refund his money if you don't have a duplicate to send him.

Third:  I'd consider looking for another neighborhood if this sort of thing becomes a frequent occurrence.

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Another neighbourhood will do nothing - this is a problem almost everywhere.  It's better to just not leave valuables out by the side of the road and take the packages into the post office.

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Not in mine. 

Of course, if they are stealing it from the mailbox in broad daylight before the mailman arrives, I would recommend scheduling a pickup or dropping it off at the PO.  However, I'd still be looking for a different neighborhood if it was me.

[7606dennis]

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@dhbookds wrote:

Need to report to your post office also.....pretty sure that's a federal crime.

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Yes, that should also be done.