USPS lost package, I refunded buyer, USPS delivered package, then...

[msflips]

I have had many situations where USPS loses a package I send, search request yields nothing, I refund the customer, then the item magically gets delivered. Every buyer has been honest and re-paid for or returned the item back to me at my dime. Recently I had this same situation happen but now this customer has not messaged me and is not responding to me. Has this happened to anyone else? What did you do?

[rosszonebricks]

The transaction ended when you refunded the buyer.   The buyer is not in any way obligated to respond.  Would it be nice if all buyers 'did the right thing' and offered to repay you even though they are not obligated to do so? Sure.

If it was a package of value, you could have put in an intercept, so if/when it is found it gets delivered back to you instead of the buyer.  At least that way you have your item back.

I sell lower $-value items, so it's not worth the ~$17 to me, but every business has to make the best choice for the item sold.

[ajs_coins_and_alchemy]

I don't have any answers for you, but I have questions...

Are you initiating contact with these buyers about delayed/missing packages, or are they contacting you? Are these buyers you are refunding opening INR's and forcing the issue?

How long between shipment date & you refunding buyer? For how long was there no tracking updates before you refunded? How long after you refunded until the next tracking update? How long after you refunded were the items delivered?

Are you only filing the Help Forms or the Missing Mail Searches? How much time do you allow for those to work?

How many times has this happened to you?

I've definitely had a good number of delayed packages, only one so far went fully missing. I've had a number of buyers open INR's. Some packages I got moving w/ tracking updates within the INR time frame, others, took longer but I was able to work with buyer and convince them not to escalate and just give it time. My goal, if a buyer opens an INR, is to get them to stay patient and not force the 3 business day (or whatever) time frame. I want to buy as much time  as possible for the package to turn up w/o me refunding, so I never have to rely on the honesty or kindness of said buyer. I've only once refunded a buyer due to lost package and it was lost for an entire month and never turned up afterwards. I got my insurance payout. I've never refunded where it turned up later. 

Thankfully most of what I sell is "unique" enough that it's not like you can get the exact same thing from 100 other people and therefore impatience takes over.

[movieman630]

You have to get used to the fact that once you initiate a refund the interaction is over.  If a buyer sends you an unpaid item back that's a bonus but not required.  

I find that asking them to wait 30 days from the initial shipping date before issuing refunds or replacements seems to work.  For some reason when a package is being scanned but is delayed by the USPS the magic number is 4 weeks.  I've had more delayed packages arrive on that exact 4 week mark than I can consider coincidence. 

If it takes longer, it's lost. 

Asking them to please wait, explain it's out of your hands and the USPS has delays a lot lately.  Explain to them that they HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE by being patient, that you'll refund them if it's truly lost but that you have more to lose if you refund them too soon.

I've had much success with this plan.  The only time there's a problem is if they open a case and you have to close it out before that 4 week mark.