Had a buyer purchase an item, PO Box Shipping Address. Used FedEx SmartPost. FedEx tracking was showing the packaging jumping back and forth a couple times between two different locations and finally tracking said unable to deliver 'two labels on package' or something like that. I thought maybe I reused a box and didn't see a previous label on one side of the box. Buyer and I waited and tried to resolve with FedEx. When I called FedEx they said the package must be lost so I asked buyer to initiate a claim on Ebay and refunded the buyer and filed a claim with FedEx on Ebay site. A month later I was wondering status of my claim with FedEx. Seems to be a function to file a claim on Ebay but not view the status as I couldn't find one. All I could do was check the tracking and low and behold it shows the package as finally being delivered 6 days after issuing the refund.
Ebay says since at the time of the claim it was not delivered I had to refund and they won't reverse the refund. Can't say I'm surprised as Ebay has always acted more as a Buyer Advocate than a Seller Advocate. They buyer is of course unresponsive. They got a free Xbox 360! Not sure but almost wondering if it was some sort of scam the buyer figured out. Using a PO Box is sort of the tip off. (In previous years a never shipped to PO Boxes but since FedEx Smartpost does that, I figured no big deal this time around. Regretting it of course.)
I've seen other messages about other similar situtations where only recourse is to file police report and sue buyer in small claims court. Ya liked I'm going to hop on a plane to show up in court. Or even if I did win good luck getting the buyer to pay.
What I'm wondering if is maybe I still have a chance to win against Ebay, not the buyer, under the Seller Protection Policy. But seems that would only be feasible if there is some lawyer out there that specializes in handling small claims against Ebay and can represent me in arbitration.
It's not a lot of money but it's the fact I feel bamboozled by the buyer and by Ebay and times are tough with COVID so every bit of income is important.
I suppose the best thing really I can do is write the loss off on my small business income tax and be done with it.
