Buyer has not received item, I do not know how to refund.

[tankbr_59]

Hello, I am a rather new seller to ebay, and the inevitable has happened to me. An item I shipped on ebay got lost by USPS while in transit to the buyer.

I luckily have the money to refund the buyer, but the problem is I have looked around and I am unsure how to do so. I can't find anything on Ebay telling me where to go to refund the money for the item.

I am reading that if the buyer contacts Ebay about the issue, then the money is automatically deducted through my account by the money back guarantee. How ever I'm unsure as to whether I had that or not on the item page as I can't find it.

Simply put how do I refund the buyer?

[tankbr_59]

Nevermind, I found the refund option on Paypal. Refunding the buyer now.

[simba6]

If you sent it priority mail, that includes some insurance.

[little*blackdog]

I see you sold some rather expensive items.  I hope you put in a "lost item" report to USPS so they can track down your item and return the package to you. 

Also, hope you had the buyer wait at least 2 weeks before refunding.  Just because a buyer says they didn't receive the item doesn't mean it's not STILL on the way, or that it hasn't been delivered and you're being scammed.  Just saying...

There are a lot of things to consider and look into when a buyer tells a newbie seller they didn't get their item.  Hope you are careful, waiting awhile, investigating, do all you can or should do to protect yourself and not being taken advantage of. 

[tankbr_59]

Well it's almost been a week (6 days to be exact) and the buyer has not received the item. The tracking information stopped about halfway on it's way to the buyer and it's been sitting there for a week so I assumed it was lost in the shipping process. I haven't refunded the buyer yet, as I was looking more into how this worked. I will notify them that if they haven't received it after the two week period, that they will receive a full refund then. I will also look into contacting USPS about the lost item. thank you for your help. 

[disneyshopper]

Instead of refunding through Paypal, I suggest you do it through ebay.  If you refund through Paypal, your FVF on the sale will not be credited, and to get that back, you will need to file a Cancellation on ebay.  Save yourself the extra step.

Go to your Orders > Paid & Shipped.  Click the down-arrow and then select to Cancel Order.  The buyer will be fully refunded and your FVF will be credited.  You can then file a Lost item report with the USPS online.  I don't believe the USPS considers an item lost until 3 weeks have gone by.

[tankbr_59]

I'll be sure to do that instead, thank you.

[buyselljack2016]

@tankbr_59 

Has the buyer asked about the item?

I never poke the bear.

Sometimes scans are missed. Buyer gets item. Happy. Says nothing.

When you alert them to the fact that you will refund there are those buyers that will take advantage of that even when they have the item in hand.

6 days is far from lost.  I had one item sit in Michigan for over 3 weeks before it moved again.