eBay

esclyons · ‎07-14-2018

So i mailed a package to the usa, with tracked packet, it shows as delivered on the 9th of july, buyer just messaged me saying he didn't receive it. I advised him to check with neighbors, he lives in a large apartment building. Any thing else i can do as the seller, or do i just advise him to open an item not received case. And yes it was insured , but the tracking shows it was delivered..

Not sure how to proceed. thanks

dutchman48 · ‎07-14-2018

@esclyons wrote:
So i mailed a package to the usa, with tracked packet, it shows as delivered on the 9th of july, buyer just messaged me saying he didn't receive it. I advised him to check with neighbors, he lives in a large apartment building. Any thing else i can do as the seller, or do i just advise him to open an item not received case. And yes it was insured , but the tracking shows it was delivered..

Not sure how to proceed. thanks

Do nothing until he opens a case.

If he does, input the tracking number into the case and to be safe see if Ebay will close in your favor.

Was the apartment number included in the address?

Was it small enough to go into an apartment mail box?

If it shows delivered, insurance will not pay.

momcqueen · ‎07-14-2018

With tracking, as the seller, you're absolved of responsibility but that doesn't help your buyer any. Assure him that you will work with him to have USPS investigate a Delivery Scan Error. You might also want to call the 1-800-number with Canada Post to see how they can help with a situation such as this. And then convey that to your buyer.

If a mistake was made, it was made by the local postie, and not you, but you can still alleviate some of your buyer's concerns by helping them to get to the bottom of it.

pjcdn2005 · ‎07-14-2018

Ask the buyer to check with their post office to see where the package was when it was scanned as delivered. Apparently, their scanners do have gps on them. That will tell them if the package was delivered to the wrong place.

esclyons · ‎07-14-2018

yes, apartment number was included, and yes small enough 6x9 bubble mailer, and i realize insurance won't pay, and i am sure paypal will cover me, but i am worried about 7 negatives coming my way.

momcqueen · ‎07-14-2018

I’m 98.5 per cent confident that the Feedback Specialists would remove negatives for you in this instance if that were to occur. Tracking absolves you of responsibility for any anger or negatives about Item Not Received to my interpretation of the policy.

esclyons · ‎07-14-2018

i spent 45 minutes, waiting for usps,on the phone.. then they opened a case, even though their internal system, showed delivered to the exact address, they stated a mistake may have been made. they will investigate, will know within 3-4 days, buyer is very understanding.. fingers are crossed..

hyperrush · ‎07-15-2018

Your job as a seller is done since tracking says delivered.

kawartha-ephemera · ‎07-15-2018

@esclyons wrote:
yes, apartment number was included, and yes small enough 6x9 bubble mailer, and i realize insurance won't pay, and i am sure paypal will cover me, but i am worried about 7 negatives coming my way.

Never assume Canada Post will not approve an insurance claim. I had the exact same situation occur a little over a year ago, shipped to California via Tracked Packet, tracking read delivered but the customer said it was not in her mailbox. The customer investigated with the neighbours first and then reported the false delivery scan to her local postal outlet people. The parcel could not be found so I issued a full refund.

Didn't really think I'd get anywhere but filed a claim with CP anyway ... to my surprise they quickly settled in full plus the shipping charge. Perhaps USPS had a record of the customer's no delivery complaint and they reported to CP? I really don't know why CP allowed the claim.

ricarmic · ‎07-15-2018

I too have had CP cover a lost package delivered to a Canadian community mailbox. They did not give me a hard time at all.

esclyons · ‎07-17-2018

so an update, usps contacted the buyer and said they can not re locate the package, so do i know advise the buyer to open item not received case for the missing items. He has wrote me and asked if i can resend the same items?? That doesn't work, so what now. does he open a case, then i provide the tracking, then try to go after canada post.

ricarmic · ‎07-18-2018

As I see things:

According to the facts of life perspective:

Because you can't send a replacement, buyers only option is to file INR.

You can provide "proof of delivery" which means the buyer will lose the INR despite the fact they don't have it.

(If the buyer calls eBay they may be able to get eBay to cover it for them).

According to the customer service perspective:

For a lost package you as the sender have to go after Canada Post. As far as I know neither here nor in the USA is the buyer able to go after the shipper. Hopefully you have the USPS case number so that is evidence the item is actually lost for the CP CSR.

If Canada Post does cover it then you can simply refund the buyer, no INR required and the buyer isn't left losing out.

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Generally I like to follow the customer service perspective approach*.

If it were me, I would first try Canada Post, if that fails then I would advise the buyer to follow the process, explain they will lose but then they can call eBay to see if eBay will cover it for them.

I am sure there are many different ways to approach this, but this is what I would do*.

* I have had customers with very frustrating problems not really my fault subsequently buy 1000s of $$$ of stuff from me after I've followed the customer service approach so sometimes it does pay.