Buyer says ITEM NOT RECEIVED.. What next?

[lovebuguniverse]

Hi everyone,

Please forgive me if there is a thread for this on the powerseller board but I just got my invitation today!

I started selling March 28/08 and have had 2 buyers say they never received their packages.

I offer a refund or a replacement. One took a refund and the package ended up going to their house weeks later and the buyer was kind enough to send the money back.
The other one asked for a replacement which I sent out this time with a paypal label and delivery confirmation.

Is there ways to get your money back when this happens (through paypal) ?

What do you offer your customers when this happens?

Thanks in advance!
Justine

[pierrelebel]

"Is there ways to get your money back when this happens (through paypal) ? "

NO. PayPal is a payment service, not an insurance against loss in the postal service. If the original parcel was insured, you should make a claim with the post office.

"What do you offer your customers when this happens?"

Always give immediate refund (or replacement if available). .

[cottonwoodindustries]

I just had one the other day.

I usually explain to them that some times the mail is a little slow, and that I will get back to them in a few days.

If they still say they have not received the item, I let them know that I will be getting in touch with the Post office to see what has happened to their item.

To Date I have only refunded a customer once, and another a sent a replacement.

By the way the guy the other day, was thrill when his car came 2 days later.

Loré

[faerywishes]

Congratulations on becoming a Power Seller

If the package was insured file a claim with the Post Office.

I always issue a refund in most cases. I have replaced for one order. Fortunately for me these have only been small orders.

For any orders outside of Canada I always use Light Packet at the very least. You can send 100 grams to the US for $2.02. I believe it is $3.75 for International.

However, Light Packet for me does not place the tracking # on my order so I have to manually enter it incase a buyer claims never received.

For large amts orders I include a signature needed. I tend to look at newbies feed back as well and if I'm feeling there might be a problem I request signature needed.

[cottonwoodindustries]

Hi Faerywishes,

Light Packet doesn't give you a tracking #, because there isn't one. The number you get on your package label just lets the buyer know when you bought the label, and that is all.

Lore 🙂

[lovebuguniverse]

Thank you everyone for the help... I will definetely take you advice especially about the signature. The only problem is that sometimes with international orders there is no signature available and I've had a couple large orders go there.

[faerywishes]

Cottonwoodindustries
How come when I put that number in the tracking space on the website it tells me where it is. And provides me with the date delivered?

Canada Post here tells me that it is a tracking but with less tracking. It only states the Miss, Ont and then the buyers city when it arrives. You can also request they email you when it arrives, which I have done and received the info. As my buyers have as well.

[dipmicro]

faerywishes, what number did you mean?

I always assumed there was no tracking on Light Packet, but if you figured out a way to add tracking and signature requirement, please let me know. I will be eternally grateful.

[cottonwoodindustries]

Hi faerywishes,
are you sure that is with Light packages, because out here on the west coast that sure does not happen, that is why the price is so low. But if you get it on your packages good for you. I would just like to know how you do it, thanks Lore

[faerywishes]

When I print out my shipping label for Light Packet 1/2 down is a reference number. I cut and paste it into the tracking # spot on canada posts website and it typically tells me in 24 hours that it is in Miss, Ont. If a buyer tells me they haven;t received their package. I go to my "View Sales Record" and cut and paste the tracking # again and it will either tell me that it is in Miis, Ont or the city where it was sent to. It does not give a trail of all the places it goes to.

It give the Miss, ON and the end destination. I have used this in a dispute from a buyer opened thru paypal and I won it.

My Post Office tells me that it is a tracking number but not for complete tracking as it doesn't list all the places it has gone.

There have been a couple of glitches. Sometimes it does not register at all. Or sometimes it only will list the end destination.

BTW cottonwoodindustries I am in Kamloops BC.

As far as the signature thing dipmicro I'm not sure if you can include. I have to do shipping later on and I will check.

I also found this interesting:

faerywishes (768)
dipmicro (876)
cottonwoodindustries (676)
This is our f/b as of this thread...I'm thinking Lotto #'s...LOL.

Have a Wonderful Day

[cottonwoodindustries]

;-)Lotto #'s sounds great.

Thanks for the heads up about the tracking # for other packages other than expedited.
I am going to check this out.


;-)

[bestbranddeals]

sorry faerywishes, I tried it but no tracking. Just says Ont Mississauga and thats it. no update after that.

When you say "I go to my "View Sales Record" and cut and paste the tracking # again" Which "View Sales Record" are you talking about here. In ebay or on Canadapost site. Where is this "view sales Record" ?


Thanks.

[faerywishes]

Hi bestbranddeals

I use Selling Manager Pro in Ebay.

When I print my label 1/2 of the page is the label and the other 1/2 has info for me.

On the half for me it has a Reference Number. I then type that into my notes on the Sales Record. If you don't then you'll have the info for easy access if a buyer wants to now if it has been mailed. Paypal does not enter the info on the Sales Record for Light Packet.

I then goto Canada Post http://www.canadapost.ca/segment-e.asp
and on the left side where it says track a page I enter that number by cutting and pasting.

It is not a complete tracking but it will show the date you mailed it & Miss Ont and when it arrives at the destination only. Nothing in between.

When I ship I provide the above link and the tracking number to the buyer as well as the timeframe. I also inform the buyer they can request delivery updates to the email of their choice.

I hope this helps. You don't have to use Selling Manager Pro just where ever you find it best to keep the record of the reference number.

I learned this the hard way.

[faerywishes]

Hi dipmicro

I didn't find anywhere on the Light packet where you can add a signature.

I had mentioned that earlier and I believe I wasn't clear enough. I have done that when I am a bit leery about a buyer with using Small Packet.

Sorry if I misrepresented the info.

[bestbranddeals]

thanks faerywishes, I didnt see any reference number when I print the label from canadapost. I actually goto canadapost website and print it using their site and am not using selling manager. I will look for it again.

[bestbranddeals]

all I see is a Order number that starts with a "D" when the label is printed. I will check again

[faerywishes]

Hiya bestbranddeals

I'm not familiar with Canada Posts website for printing out labels. I always use Paypal.

Maybe try the order number in the search for tracking ont the website.

[ampurtle]

My experience is that there has been a marked increase in claims of packages not received since the changes to the feedback system earlier this year. Buyers can now get away with what every they want, so from now on, I will not provide any refunds until after a dispute has been submitted and ruled on.

This may sound counter productive as it is likely that buyers will use retaliatory feedback whether they get away with something or not, but given that the DSRs are the most likely casualty in this scenario, the point is moot as DSRs are now nothing more than a way for eBay to pretend they are looking out for sellers.

I have yet to see any changes made by eBay or Paypal this year that directly benefit the seller, but they certainly are getting a bigger slice of the pie.

My question is... how do I get out of the Power Seller program immediately... looking at that icon day after day and being reminded how much I am paying and how little I am getting is now very annoying.

[craftycatsattic]

faerywishes that is certainly most interesting about the tracking and I thank you for being so informative but it does not seem to work for me. I pulled out dozens of old "bottom halfs" of light or small packet labels and the reference number only tells me that a label has been generated. I don't understand why the end destination would show because the label that is sent with the package does not bear the reference number on it at all. Has anyone else had success with this?

[vesivus]

lovebuguniverse:

Is there ways to get your money back when this happens (through paypal) ?

What do you offer your customers when this happens?


There is really no way to protect yourself from this EXCEPT ship with tracking that PayPal considers tracking. When shipping outside of Canada, our options are VERY limited. I've had about 10 claims over the last 4 or 5 years, and I've lost EVERY SINGLE ONE because we ship with small packet. It doesn't matter if the buyer is obviously trying to defraud you -- you will lose.

I do not refund when a buyer files a claim or dispute saying 'not received yet'. I communicate with the buyer (usually through email, but sometimes by phone if I haven't heard back from them), and explain that they ordered from Canada, our post office is slow, and customs delays packages. 9/10 times that's good enough for most people to wait another week or two.

I have probably received 100-125 disputes filed in PayPal over the years, and very very few (10 as noted above) that actually got pushed to a claim that was awarded to the buyer.

It's frustrating, but I practically never refund or resend.

John