Postal Delay

[pjsell53]

This has never happened to me before. Interesting.

I sent the buyers item out in a 2 day turnaround.

However, there is a problem on her end with the postal delivery. 

The tracking says it is late but on its way.

The buyer reached out today and wanted to cancel the order.

I sent the tracking info informing her it would be late but she wants a refund.

How is that possible since I have sent the item?

Thanks for input.

[pjcdn2005]

What do you mean by a two day turnaround? Did you send it with an express service? 

Did you promise it in two days? If so, you now know that it is never a good idea to promise a specific delivery time.  The times on a listing are an estimate only.

You don't want to refund when the item is on its way but let your customer know that they can open a return once they receive it and that you will refund once you receive the item back.

[css2001]

They can't cancel an order after it's been shipped. Do not refund the buyer before the item is delivered as they will not be obligated to return your item. Just tell the buyer that they can open a return request once the item is delivered, and you will refund them once the item is returned to you. Maybe the buyer will change their mind after they receive the package.

[legalbeagle52 · Accepted solution]

@pjsell53 

The time for cancellation has passed.   She ordered & you shipped, it's on the way, so there's nothing to cancel.  But as the others have said, she needs to wait until it's delivered & then open a return request.  Once you get the item back, she gets a refund but not before.  So don't worry yet, you just have to sit tight & wait for the tracking to update.

What is the reason she wants a refund?   Is she saying because it's late?

Just so you know, the postal delivery has been extra slow for many of us for a long time now.  All last year, almost every order I sent out had tracking saying "it's late but on the way"  ... that's very common & to me not really considered a true problem.   Annoying yes, but we're not in trouble yet.  🙂     To me it meant the post office still had the package which is good, it's not lost ...and that it would still arrive, usually a few days or so after it was scheduled to arrive.   If the tracking ever stops scanning, then I consider that it's a problem.

Does she just need some reassurance. Send her a note apologizing for the slight delay, reassure her that it will still arrive & that you will keep on top of the tracking. Sometimes all they need is some reassurance, unless the late delivery isn't the problem & it's something else?

[pjsell53]

The 2 day turn around is when I get the order until USPS picks it up.

[dogofwar777]

Once I get a tracking number and see the item is on the way then the seller has fulfilled their end of the transaction in my opinion. I paid for an item last month, the seller shipped, but it was tied up in the postal system. Tracking showed it was going to be late and I didn't whine to the seller because he has no control over what the USPS does. The item eventually showed up almost two weeks after it was shipped and I left the Seller positive feedback.