"Lost" item

[ferretgalrn]

Sold an item, was paid, shipped in appropriate time, and delivered. Unfortunately the buyer didn't receive the item, even though says delivered. Was delivered to a postal locker (wrong one?). I have called USPS customer service #, checked with buyer & they checked with postal deliverer (not the same postal person that delivered the item) , they opened all the lockers, and no package. Am I now responsible to refund payment?

What are my rights as a seller?

[patd3283]

FWIW, I have gone a step further.  Called my PO and gotten the GPS of where it was delivered.  Given that to the buyer and asked them to check their GPS.  If it is not theirs, it  was misdelivered.  They reported to the PO who retrieved the package and delivered it correctly.  It is the POs responsibility.

[escapetoparadise]

Rest assured, the post office has assured me several times, adamantly, that if the item says it has been "delivered" you are off the hook. it is not in your control anymore. what happens after that, is on the buyer. The post office is not supposed to be delivering to the wrong address and they don't make mistakes like that. If you need to, call eBay talk to representative and have them put that in the notes in the transaction.

[justafemster]

I (fairly) recently had an experience with a customer claiming they didn't  receive their purchase.  

Sent to the address provided and delivered in 3 days.  Customer contacts me, well, customer yells at me and asks me why I shipped it to the address they provided.  Well, I shipped it to the address YOU provided, my ESP hadn't kicked in and I didn't know you moved, (3 years ago) and never updated your address!

I was proactive and reported the buyer to ebay before they opened a case for nondelivery.  And blocked the buyer.  

Never ending messages, most ignored.  Customer filed with ebay and lost, because...TRACKING.  Then they tried to file with ebay again, stating that their credit card had been compromised, they lost again.  

Then they filed with their credit card, using the same excuse that their credit card had been compromised.  Ebay actually went to bat on this one and forwarded all the messages the buyer sent, showing that the customer HAD ordered and provided tracking.  

I was asked 3 times to resubmit the ebay messages.  

It took months, MONTHS for the credit card to rule in my favor.  

Buyer started messaging me again after the credit card charge-back denial.  I'm assuming the customer used "reply", which is how the messages got through.  It's now been 4 months since purchase.  Messages have slowed down, but haven't completely stopped.  I don't answer.  

So there is hope of winning a charge-back.  Small chance, but a chance. 

I truly believe it's the amzn mentality.  Amzn will always rule in the customers favor, even with signature, part of the reason I no longer sell on amzn.  

[eleanor*rigby]

Agreed. Virtually every website on the internet that advises merchants on chargebacks states that responding to a chargeback with tracking information showing the item as delivered will cause the credit card company to rule in the merchant's favor.

Examples:

https://chargebacks911.com/delivery-confirmation-chargebacks/

https://www.chargebackgurus.com/blog/fighting-chargebacks-with-delivery-confirmation

[justafemster]

A small update on my mad mad mad messaging customer.

I peeked at a couple messages (still didn't answer them, HA!)  Now I'm the bad guy, because their credit card company cancelled their card. 

If only I had sent the purchase to the right address, that they never provided, their card wouldn't have been cancelled.  Too many chargebacks?

If only I had just refunded their money, they wouldn't have been forced to misrepresent the reason for the chargeback.  UH-HUH.

If only I hadn't given the tracking number, their card wouldn't have been compromised (??!!).   

If only I had given them a refund, they wouldn't have gone over their limit (again ???). 

If only I had my ESP on, the post office wouldn't be refusing to deliver mail to their residence.

Yeah, I did do that, I called their post office and told them that they had complained about not receiving packages.  I have to assume this has happened before, because the post office needs many complaints before they stop home delivery.  

Which leads me to another point.  If the post office won't deliver to their address, how was the address wrong?  GOTCHA!

This was a $23 purchase and it's all my fault (and I don't feel the least bit bad)