What is the best way to refund for a lost package?

[richard1rst]

eBay only offers 3 reasons for cancelling an order:

I’m out of stock (which gets a defect)

The buyer requested it

There is something wrong with the address.

But none of those reasons apply for the following.

What if a package gets lost in transit? I don’t have a problem giving a refund for a lost package. But what reason should I use? I can issue a refund through Paypal but then eBay will show the sale as unpaid and start hounding me about an invoice (or at least they did the last time). Plus I don’t get my FVF back as I would with a cancellation.

I can’t really say there is something wrong with the address. I can try to get the buyer to agree to a request a cancellation but that puts the onus on them when they would rather have the item.

Suggestions?

My experience with the post office is that they very rarely lose a package. But they do occasionally lose one. I have seen tracking suddenly “lock up” and report “package is on the way to the next destination” - and there it ends eventually becoming a no show.

If I have another copy I do not have a problem sending a replacement. If I do not have another copy I have no problem giving the buyer a refund. That is not the issue here even though I suspect there are some who will disagree.

[femmefan1946]

Has the buyer opened a dispute?

Has the estimated last day for delivery passed?

Is the parcel tracked?

At the moment it sounds as if this is a hypothetical situation.

If there is a Dispute and tracking does not show delivery, you can refund through the Dispute.

If there is no Dispute, what is your concern?

You are responsible for getting the item to the buyer. You chose the shipping service.

It may not be your fault, but it is your responsiblity.

The shipper (USPS?) is responsible to you, so file for your costs with them.

[missjen831]

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@femmefan1946 wrote:

Has the buyer opened a dispute?

Has the estimated last day for delivery passed?

Is the parcel tracked?

At the moment it sounds as if this is a hypothetical situation.

If there is a Dispute and tracking does not show delivery, you can refund through the Dispute.

If there is no Dispute, what is your concern?

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His concern is that the buyer has contacted him and asked him where the package is and he (the OP) knows the package is lost....

[bubbleman2010]

Just refund through paypal keeps you off the radar and write the loss off on taxes....

[femmefan1946]

Sometimes just asking at the PO counter starts a 'lost' or delayed item back into motion.

In person.

Not by phone or email.

[buyselljack2016]

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@missjen831 wrote:

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@femmefan1946 wrote:

Has the buyer opened a dispute?

Has the estimated last day for delivery passed?

Is the parcel tracked?

At the moment it sounds as if this is a hypothetical situation.

If there is a Dispute and tracking does not show delivery, you can refund through the Dispute.

If there is no Dispute, what is your concern?

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His concern is that the buyer has contacted him and asked him where the package is and he (the OP) knows the package is lost....

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Well,..............   it may. or may not be lost. 

The in transit default "event" generally comes up 3 times when an item does not get a scan during that time. I had a 1st Class package take 22 days to get delivered. I was fortunate. The buyer did not message, or report a problem.

Last slow one I had was estimated for a Saturday delivery. Monday morning the buyer opened an INR, and wanted to know if I knew any more about the tracking that he could see that was showing in transit. Item delivered 2 days later.

[sam9876]

How does the OP know that the package is lost?

[fashunu4eeuh]

The eBay policy for final value fee credit states this:

“...You may be eligible for a final value fee credit when:

• You and the buyer agree to cancel the sale
• The buyer doesn't pay and you report it as an unpaid item
• You resolve a transaction issue and refund the buyer”

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/fees-credits-invoices/fee-credits?id=4128

Just a thought—If you refund your buyer from the PayPal transaction, i would then call eBay Customer service and quote this policy to them, the third bullet point, and request your FV fees be credited. While the policy is vague, it could apply to your circumstance. (If you opt to use PP’s Send Money feature, FV fees are forfeit fyi.)

My Plan B, if the FV fee is substantial, would probably be to cancel the sale with “problem with address,” to make the buyer whole again and trigger the FVF credit. (Since the package was lost in transit, and there is no provision for refunding and crediting the fee in such a case, out of the three options to cancel, ‘problem with address’ comes closest to the actual reason, i believe.) But if the fees were small, i likely would refund the buyer and eat the fees.

Good luck in whatever path you decide to take. It is commendable that you are dedicated to your buyer’s best interests. We are all here to make a profit, of course, but sometimes it isn't about money first, customer service second.

[missjen831]

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@sam9876 wrote:

How does the OP know that the package is lost?

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Going by message #7 where he says sufficient time has passed and he’s been in contact with the PO, he says he’s satisfied the package is lost—so that’s all that matters here.

[Anonymous]

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@buyselljack2016 wrote:

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INR cases will be used in the new metric to possibly increase seller's FVF by 4% if they are too high compared to their "peers".

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This is not true.

[richard1rst]

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@missjen831 wrote:

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@sam9876 wrote:

How does the OP know that the package is lost?

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Going by message #7 where he says sufficient time has passed and he’s been in contact with the PO, he says he’s satisfied the package is lost—so that’s all that matters here.

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Thank you for your support.

sam9876 has stated in several posts on various threads that he never (at least not willingly) issues a refund. So, it appears, he will demand all kinds of proof and duck bob and weave as much as he can. Personally, I thank that is bad business but that is his choice.

I choose to be more ethical. All indications are that it is lost. That’s good enough for me.

Some time back I had a similar issue with another buyer. Shortly after resolving the matter he bought some additional items from me. Because, he said, he knew he could trust me to do the right thing.

[sam9876]

Is it possible that the buyer has the package?

[bubbleman2010]

You could always upgrade shipping to 1st class package rate rather than letter rate if items getting lost seems to be a increasing problem....

[richard1rst]

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@bubbleman2010 wrote:

You could always upgrade shipping to 1st class package rate rather than letter rate if items getting lost seems to be a increasing problem....

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I never use letter rate. It is always FCM or PM with tracking.

[bubbleman2010]

If you're not using letter rate then why don't you have a twacking number? 1st class letter rate has no twacking 1st class package rate comes with a twacking number. It just doesn't leave much meat on the $7.00 with free shipping bone...

[pjcdn2005]

The op didn't say that there is no tracking number.

They stated that the tracking has not been updated for an amount of time that indicates the packages is lost.