Shipping problem. I shipped an item to a repeat customer. Shipment did not arrive

[seconds638]

When I view the tracking number, it shows that I shipped it and the post office received it.   Then nothing.  Buyer did not receive the package.  I contacted the postmaster general and he passed the problem down to the postmaster of "my" town.  He claims that they have no record of receiving the box.  But the tracking number indicates that the post office did receive it.  According to the guidelines, I should only try to get help from ebay if the tracking shows that the package was DELIVERED.  I do NOT have that information.  Should I just bite the bullet and refund my buyer's payment?

[slippinjimmy]

When did you ship and what is the date of the last tracking?

If the buyer has opened a refund request your time to respond is very limited, if there has been a scan in the past week you might be able to get an extension from eBay, more than that since the last scan.....get the bullet ready to bite.

[reallynicestamps]

Does the tracking show Delivery?

Has the last estimated date for delivery passed?

Has the buyer opened a formal eBay Claim?

If tracking shows Delivery, it doesn't matter what a postmaster or your buyer says, you have filled your end of the transaction.

If the delivered parcel was snatched by porch pirates, that is not your responsibility.

If the last estimated date for delivery has not passed, the buyer must wait out the whole period.

If the last date has passed and you have no Proof of Delivery, tell the buyer to open a formal Claim.

Then promptly refund.

You want this on paper, just in case. Settling through eBay will not harm your seller account and will stop any attempt at double dipping via a credit card chargeback.

And watch the tracking.

When the shipment shows Delivery, you can try re-billing the customer. About half will cough up.

The others .... well, the refund is a tax deduction.

[slippinjimmy]

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@reallynicestamps wrote:

Does the tracking show Delivery?

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Did you read the OP?

When I view the tracking number, it shows that I shipped it and the post office received it.   Then nothing.

[dbfolks166mt · Accepted solution]

     Not a lot of specifics with regards to dates and timeline or the class of postage you used, what the item was or where it was shipping to. How did you "contact" the postmaster general? When you dropped the package at the post office did the postal worker scan the item and give you a receipt. If you pull up the tracking information in USPS tracker does it show the following somewhere in the tracking history?

If you shipped through one of the USPS classes that has insurance you can file a claim with USPS based on the following schedule. 

[reallynicestamps]

Putting the tracking number into a Dispute usually gives at least an extension from eBay since the seller is showing that they did ship.

But only a Confirmation of Delivery allows the seller to win a Dispute.

What happens when you enter the tracking number  here:

https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction_input?_gl=1*16cte88*_ga*MjYyNTc3OTM5LjE2Njk1OTM3ODg.*_g....

?