Advice on how to handle refund with lost package insurance

[shoryureppa354]

I sold a high value item and took it to post office to get scanned but have gone missing since stuck on USPS in possession while other packages scanned that day got delivered or in transit. 

Luckily I did insure it. Question is how to handle the refund. It seems I can’t get it file insurance claim till 30 days past. So far buyer is reasonable but when do I refund the buyer? In perfect world buyer could wait until I get insurance money but I don’t know if buyer might be that patient since they paid hefty money for it. 
I can’t refund myself bc eBay will not help me charge buyer if item somehow gets found and delivered. I can ask eBay to step in and refund on my behalf in case item is found so I can appeal but that means I pay all the transaction fees out of pocket. 

Any advice on how best to proceed and claim insurance while still giving buyer the refund soon?

How did you guys handle yourself in similar situation?

[simba6]

No don't ask eBay to step in.  That is like using a sledge hammer to repair a watch.  Did you go to the USPS web site and enter a missing package case?  If not , do so. I have had many stuck packages get moving that way.  Keep your buyer informed.    Hope it's found soon.   You will have to issue a refund if they start getting yippy about it.   They are not required to wait out the insurance claim.

[shoryureppa354]

Package dropped off on Friday. 
No movement. Talked to manager yesterday he says he will research but says they ship out to distribution center every night and is out of their hands. 
USPS won’t let me file a search until 11/30th. 

[kingred69]

i have same issue I face

[kensgiftshop]

If you just dropped it off last Friday, it's only been 1 full business day.

Give it a couple days.

[shoryureppa354]

Buyer and I are hoping. But it’s hard to not have a scan for four days considering it was priority mail and expected delivery was yesterday. 

I mean I’ve been there where I left package in the mail box and no scan for five days until tracking says its out for delivery in buyers state all of sudden. 

This one hits hard bc it was real high value and buyer was so happy to finally arrive at a price and purchase. 

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@shoryureppa354 wrote: .... Question is how to handle the refund. It seems I can’t get it file insurance claim till 30 days past. So far buyer is reasonable but when do I refund the buyer? In perfect world buyer could wait until I get insurance money ...

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You can file a lost package claim with USPS for a lost Priority Mail page after just 15 days:

https://www.usps.com/help/claims.htm#

Yes the lack of scans is concerning but as you noted this does happen and sometimes a package only gets the delivery scan. Today is only the second business day after shipping, so try to be patient. It's way to soon to be thinking about a refund. Does the buyer share your concerns? Have they actually filed a claim for "Item not received"? 

[albertabrightalberta]

It's fairly common that items aren't always scanned while in transit. 

If there aren't any further scans and if the buyer opens an INR (item not received claim) after the estimated delivery date, you should wait until your required response day to see if there's movement. If nothing is showing, issue a refund to the buyer. 

Then you can go to USPS and file a claim. 

But I think you're stressing way too soon. (Did the buyer contact you about the lack of movement?) 

[shoryureppa354]

Yeah that’s exactly my concern. 

what happens if I issue buyer a refund and file claim and during that time the item magically shows up. Buyer is under no obligation to send me money. I understand there is mail intercept and I need to request immediately after refund but the mail intercept never worked for me. 

I'm not worried about the insurance claim or trying not to refund the buyer annd all that. Just worried or not sure to how to best handle the timing I guess. 

[ryry-jj]

As @nobody*s_perfect  says, "try to be patient"...patience, patience, patience....a very key component in shipping.   All these statements, file DNR after the first day past expected date is exhausting to hear.  You/we all have time to file claims, but for now communicate with the buyer and practice patience.  

[cambriachick]

As others have said, you really are jumping the gun here.  You can, however, enter the tracking number on the USPS website and get a more current picture of the where it is.  Remind your buyer that it's the holidays so it can take a  few extra days.  I would  get the buyer to wait until Monday and then I would call the help line, if there hasn't been any movement.  Good luck.

[a_c_green]

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@shoryureppa354 wrote:

I sold a high value item and took it to post office to get scanned but have gone missing since stuck on USPS in possession while other packages scanned that day got delivered or in transit.

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I see that routinely when sending several packages at once. It usually turns out that the one or two that seem to be lagging behind in transit scans had actually gone to a different origin sort facility, so the timing of their transit was already completely different than that of the others. 

I cannot agree that it's common for a package to make it all the way to delivery without a single scan along the way, unless its barcode is illegible. A Delivery scan is virtually guaranteed, though, because a carrier who discovers that his scanner can't read the barcode will key in the tracking number manually. He's accountable for it as the package is labeled for his route, and he would have no way of knowing that it has not been successfully scanned before reaching him, so his main concern is that he can prove he delivered it.

Especially in this season, it's way too soon to be concerned about where the package is. It will probably resurface in tracking soon enough, probably before next week.