Quick question about item not received on eBay ..

[OwlOnToast]

Although I've had an eBay account for years, I rarely sell on it. However I've recently sold around 25 items for my son. All transactions went well, all items posted the next day, there's been no issues

Apart from today. I've received a message saying ' where's my item???'

This item is a small card and was sent via 1st class post with a stamp on the afternoon of the sale. Buyer charged for this delivery method, cost of goods is low value so wouldn't be sent tracked

It's been 10 days since it was sent. I obviously have no idea if they're pulling a fast one with me or if RM just haven't delivered it yet but my question is ... I take it I have to refund the buyer?

Im now reminded why I sell so I frequently on eBay!

If you don't have tracking to show it was delivered, then yes, you will have to refund.

Hello did you send signed for delivery ? I have to send everything now signed for because there are some dishonest people out there who say they have not received the item when they had and eBay always sides on the buyer side and will automatically refund the buyer - taking it out of your payments balance or your bank account connected to eBay - you cannot sadly trust anyone !

Ugh. I thought as much. I may have something showing it was posted - just the proof of posting - so will see if I have that. But I suspect this was one of a couple of sales that I popped in the post box as I had a few stamps in my purse.

@tillyandmilly definitely didn't sent tracked. Some items I did as they were valuable or large but with a few, just in an envelope.

It's a Pokemon card and a low ish value one so this is why I just merrily posted and charged just the cost of the stamp - the card itself is only a fiver

It isn't the money of course. I just feel annoyed that I feel they could be pulling a fast one

Post office have now got a scanable bit attached to stamps, which the postie has to scan if on it. Should eliminate this. I only send signed for, and also take a picture of the parcel showing address and sign for label details, as sometime post office input postcode wrong, typo error and then they say you didn't send it to the right address, so my photo then puts pay to that.

I don't think 10 days is long enough to chase it up with Royal Mail anyway is it? Items always get delayed this time of year as well because of all the Christmas post.

I always send things recorded delivery because EBay recommends it and there are too many idiots out there trying it on by saying they haven't received something when they have.

You can’t have it both ways though - you either send tracked so that no one can ever ‘pull a fast one’ as you put it, or you accept that things can (and do) go missing and you might have to refund. It wouldn’t be fair for someone to have paid for something and not receive it.

If you’re going to get annoyed that people are potentially cheating you then you really must protect yourself and your interests by swallowing the cost of tracked postage. I sell a lot of my unwanted/unused things on eBay and I send everything tracked just for peace of mind. That obviously means I have to be willing to make slightly less profit.

If it was a pokemon card in an envelope it may have felt like a gift card and someone may have opened it. I used to get so many things delivered to me slightly opened where you could clearly see someone had checked what was inside I once ordered a big wad of clear cellophane bags, which, in the envelope felt like a big pile on money notes... anyway, I could clearly see a big rip at the top where someone had opened it to look. My point being, he may be telling the truth

@HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule yeah you're right of course. I should have charged the postage as I did but paid for tracked so as to eliminate this happening

I know it’s frustrating. I’m sure some people do take the piss. But yeah I learnt early on that tracked was best for me, to eliminate this issue all together.

I hope it turns up! I’d probably email the seller and say wait until the 14 days is up and if it still hasn’t turned up please get in touch again.

Sorry, email the buyer

Yes I've sent a polite message. Their message to me was just demanding to know where it was with 3 question marks and of course I can't answer that! So right now I've pointed out that RM have some significant delays and to please give it a little more time and I've assured them I posted exactly when i hit 'dispatch' on the sale.

But it's only a fiver, I've learned a lesson and yeah, they could be completely genuine

Has he checked with neighbours? I had an eBay parcel not turn up - correctly addressed but had been put through neighbour's door.

There’s no need for people to be rude. I can’t stand that.

Literally was 'where's my item???'

Umm ... no idea?!

Can't check with neighbours as this is literally a little envelope. Would look exactly like a Christmas card I suppose

I'll wait for the rude one to come back to me, I'll ask them again to just give it a little more time and then I'll just refund them