Buyer 'hasn't received item' 1 and a half days after payment!

[HyvaPaiva]

Hoping you experts can reassure me...

Sold an item on Wednesday night. I clearly stated that delivery would be 'estimated within 6-8 working days' and charged postage accordingly. Auction ended, buyer gave me prompt payment. All fine.

One and a half days after payment I have just received an email saying 'I haven't received my item yet'.

I very politely explained that the delivery time-frame was stated clearly in the auction, it's within that time, it will be sent out tomorrow at 9am, with tracking (that they aren't charged for, I choose it for seller protection), it'll definitely arrive within 6-8 working days, and that I hope this answers their issue.

It's one and a half DAYS after payment and they are complaining that they haven't received it. What is their issue here?! Did I deal with this appropriately? I feel quite irritated and annoyed that I am sticking to the promises of the auction yet they are not happy.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

It sounds as if you have dealt with them very reasonably, and they are the ones being unreasonable. I wouldn't dream of complaining about a non-arriving item until at least a week had passed - probably more.

[HyvaPaiva]

Thanks SDTG, that really is reassuring

[fossil97]

I think some people don't read the auction properly and assume because they paid on the dot, you can immediately run down to the post office at any hour of day or night!

I've amended my standard blurb to include "Please note I can only post on Wednesday and Saturday" after a similar experience. Do watch out though as some people add a note on the Paypal asking for quicker postage and you may have to respond to them and manage their expectations a bit.

One email doesn't make a dispute - the standard emails generated by ebay are a bit terse and the buyer will probalby be OK once they have their purchase.

[HyvaPaiva]

That's a great suggestion about the postage days, fossil. And I'll watch out for any notes or requests. Thanks. Ebay communication often needs to be 'unpacked' and interpreted, doesn't it? You can't really sense someone's attitude/tone. I hope they are just over-zealous rather than anything problematic. I think that's probably all it is.

[lljkk]

It's a good thing you sent tracked. I find the sort of buyers who do this are the ones who never seem to get the item. . My heart sinks if I get a message like that.

[HyvaPaiva]

Yes, my heart sank too lljkk! I want to give the person benefit of the doubt for now but anything like this always puts me off eBay a little bit. I think as it's so buyer-favoured nowadays there's more scope for the seller to sometimes be conned about postage/arrival/quality of goods by dodgy buyers. It makes me hesitant and wary. I don't think this case is one of those and, as you say, tracking's a great thing.

[Tryharder]

Are they mad? Even if you had posted it the minute after they paid, it is unlikely that Royal Mail would deliver it that quickly. I think some ebayers live in a parallel universe.