Buyer has not received item

[blackcrowesmusic]

I've only recently started selling and have sold approximately 20 items in the past few months. I just got a message from a buyer saying they haven't received the item that should have been there by January 11. Item was shipped within Canada (no tracking as value was under $50) and mailed out on January 5. What do I do now?

[momcqueen]

What was the destination? Postal service used? Has your buyer opened a case? What does their Feedback Left For Others say?

Without tracking that shows Delivered, you will have to issue a refund but ask the buyer to open a case so that eBay tracks it. You won’t get into trouble but if the buyer makes a habit of claiming Items Not Received, eBay needs to know they’ve made another.

[blackcrowesmusic]

It was from Manitoba to British Columbia with Canada Post. Buyer has not opened a case yet but just contacted me today. They will check with the apartment manager to see if they have anything and get back to me. I guess at that point I will ask them to open a case and issue a refund. Thanks for your help!

[momcqueen]

Did you pay for Oversize lettermail at the counter? Or deposit it into a street letterbox.

[blackcrowesmusic]

It was lettermail at the counter but not oversized

[blackcrowesmusic]

In regards to feedback left for others there was one saying smooth refund and another about wrong item.

[momcqueen]

Not oversize? Was it a bare CD with no case?

[blackcrowesmusic]

No, it was a hockey card. I have suggested what you've told me and the case is open and I've issued a refund.

[momcqueen]

Oh, I see. Well, that's all you can really do. Unless you want to bundle your wares into lots where you can absorb the cost of 'free' postage with tracking, self-insurance is the best long-term way to cope with this. Items Not Received cases really don't happen often and Canada Post says four per cent of mail goes missing so if you find you have more than four per cent of your transactions end in INR, you've reason to be suspicious. New sellers are a target for unethical users. You will probably find trust grows with your feedback count. Also, tell your buyer he/she can repay you via Paypal directly when it arrives. Say when, not if.

[momcqueen]

Wait... was this one of the $50 cards you sold? For that price range, I start tracking my stuff. With a $5 postage charge, you can afford to add $10 to the item price and then add tracking yourself. Or at least that's what I would do. You're not selling two cent hockey cards there.

Like this one: $70 card and $10 Economy Shipping. If you didn't ship it with tracking, it was bound to be reported missing. For $10 postage, a savvy buyer will expect their $70 card to arrive tracked. For $80 Cad, you'd be smart to protect yourself with a $14.56 Expedited Parcel postage charge

Please know this for next time. 

[blackcrowesmusic]

I will know for next time! Anything over $55/$60 I was doing $10 shipping so I could track and get signature. At least this card is numbered so I can watch for it