Missing package shipped to forwarding service

[yaffep]

I shipped a package via USPS to a forwarding service in Miami, FL. The buyer is located in Granada. Apparently the item never arrived in Granada, but by the time the buyer contacted me, according to the USPS, it was too late for me to submit a claim. Now I assume I have to reimburse the buyer and take a loss for the purchase and shipping? Is there a way to avoid such a situation going forward? Thanks!

[toomuchstuffagain35]

As long as the tracking showed delivered to the FF in Miami, USPS wouldn't pay a lost mail claim anyway.

As far as ebay goes, the buyer 'should' have lost their MBG as well.

I would ask the buyer to ask their FF what they did with the package.

[heckofagame]

As @toomuchstuffagain35   mentioned, using a freight forwarder voids the MBG.

[buyselljack2016]

@yaffep 

What does tracking show?????

[12345jamesstamps]

"Apparently the item never arrived in Granada"....is this what the buyer said? I would do nothing.

You kinda sell small items so I am thinking package is small. The way freight forward sometimes works is packages and letters are on hold until there are enough to send to those countries and to those buyers. I wouldn't say your package is lost. Might be taking longer than normal to get to buyer.

I had a standard letter that went to that address...buyer decided to use his freight forward address which was crazy...letter took forever to get to my buyer. After I questioned buyer why did he use freight forward he just ghosted me...never heard from him again. I also used USPS for the letter.

As long as your package made it to the address stated there is nothing to do.

You can email buyer package is taking longer than usual due to freight forward services which are not under your control. And just keep in contact with buyer by emails. That usually works. If it was a repeat buyer now,

situation would be different of course.

[yaffep]

This is a copy of the tracking to date. I did initiate a missing mail search, but per my phone call with USPS today, they couldn’t provide any information other than what’s shown here (and telling me it was too late to file a claim). Thanks!

[yuzuha]

What does the USPS tracking show? If it shows 'Delivered' to the freight forwarder, then as said, USPS would not pay a claim anyway. You're off the hook, because you did your job and got the package to the address given with the transaction.

If it DOESN'T show that it was delivered to the freight forwarder, then yes, you should reimburse them.

[wastingtime101]

The USPS window to file an insurance claim on Ground Adv and Priority @yaffep :

File no sooner than 15 days after shipping and no longer than 60 days after shipping.

You shipped July 3rd so your window closed on September 1st.

Having said that, what was the estimated delivery date on the order? Buyer is probably past their 30 day window for MBG coverage.

Either the package was delivered but not scanned and all this time later it made it to the buyer overseas and when they saw a lack of tracking they sent you a message to see if they could get a refund. Or the buyer is honest and never got their package so refunding is appropriate. Only you can make that call.

How much money are we talking? If it's a lot, I'd contact the buyer's FF and see if they can confirm receipt of and reshipment of the package and/or status. Go from there.

[yaffep]

Thank you all for the valuable information you provided! I corresponded with the buyer again and am hoping that in the end the package reaches its destination. However, my understanding of the implications of some of your messages is that I am not responsible for any loss in this case, as the buyer waited well beyond the eBay allowable refund  time  limit before communicating with me. Especially since it then became too late for me to file an insurance claim with the USPS.  

I wonder if this kind of situation may occur anytime a buyer who is located overseas and using a forwarding service experiences a package lost in transit to the service?  That is, they might not realize the package wasn’t delivered to the forwarding service for weeks, unless they’re actively tracking each package, which seems unlikely.  Anyway , thanks again for all your assistance!  Best, Pat.