Lost package help

[lazer*lightning]

I have a lost package which I have never experienced in all my years of selling. It was shipped on May 24th and tracking stopped updating June 2nd. I filed a missing mail search on June 11th but have not heard back about it yet. I then filed a USPS claim on June 18th but no update there yet either. The buyer has been extremely patient and polite about the whole thing which was good as I kept him updated the whole time. No INR case opened. But should I wait for USPS to refund me first if the item is truly lost or refund the buyer? When are these claims fully complete? It's really frustrating. It's a mens wallet I sold - very small package.

Here is the tracking number in case anyone is interested to see: 9339589768750158085587.

[kalyoth]

Just for future consideration: refunding your buyer is independent of you receiving a payment for a claim with a shipper. They are two independent actions. You have a duty to make the buyer whole when they do not receive their purchase. What you then have to go through to file a claim with the carrier is 100% only upon the seller, regardless of being paid on the claim or not.