To think anything not sent signed for gets lost from eBay

[timetosort]

It's strange isn't it. I post things I sell on eBay all the time, mostly signed for and they never get lost. One was never collected from the post office and returned to me, but never lost in 10 years of eBaying.

The random low cost things I send just standard Royal Mail no signature, same packaging always get lost and the buyer needs a convenient refund I buy loads of eBay I can't think of anything I've not received. I think one thing was resent from a business seller.

I've ebayed loads of stuff recently and none of it was lost. I've always got tracking numbers though.

I have had lots of things come from China not show up. A FEw sellers never posting their items at all. Try Hermes as it’s always tracked

I've been lucky!

Dd sold some clothes on ebay over the summer before uni.
I told her to send everything signed for, which she did - all arrived fine, no problems.
She sold her old prom dress for about £15 and sent it 1st class normal post. Didn't arrive so dd had to refund. Coincidence??

Its a pain as everything I've ordered has always turned up, regardless of whether signed for or not.

I've just started selling on ebay, about 60 items none sent signed for and they've all arrived seems like you've been really unlucky with buyers.
But standard royal mail 2nd Class still has a tracking number so you should be able to prove its been delivered.

I think they aren't lost, it's just cheeky people getting refunds and the item. Well that's what I think anyway, pisses me off.

I've had Signed For go missing with Royal Mail. They never even made any attempt to deliver it. It's like I posted it and it just disappeared into a black hole. I got compensation from Royal Mail but less than the item was sold for so I made a loss. My Ebay buyer was gutted as it was an item that is no longer available so they lost out too.

I send everything recorded and log straight on eBay the tracking number
Never had anything go missing
I’ve had stuff returned as never collected but buyer not asked for refund which I find strange

if you buy your postage on ebay and print your label a standard second class small parcel costs 2.90 (instead of £3 at post office) and comes with a tracking number so when scanned by royal mail will come up on your sold items as delivered on XYZ date
hermes small parcel up to 1kg is only 2.85 fully tracked provided you print label and drop off if you buy direct from hermes their small parcel size is bigger than royal mail small parcel but only upto 1kg, their upto 2kg parcel size is equivalent to royal mail medium parcel
I sell as a business on ebay and only send things over £20 in value signed for but I buy postage on ebay so has tracking only 1 parcel out of over 600 as gone completely missing one arrived 4 weeks late
because i sell mostly china occasionally things break in transit but it is very very rare for anything to go missing

however I do not sell clothes or tech which seem to be much higher risk categories

I've ebayed loads of stuff recently and none of it was lost. I've always got tracking numbers though.

To get tracking numbers you have to have sent it by recorded delivery? That's ops point!

I eBay frequently and always send recorded delivery, paid for by the buyer. I've had so many people try to scam me.

Just recently I sold a coat, I sent it by recorded delivery but I don't bother uploading all of the numbers to the individual listings as it just takes too long and by the time you've done it, the parcels damn near there anyway. But I obviously keep all the receipts. Stuffed in the inside pocket of my handbag
Anyway, never heard anything so presume all items delivered safe and don't give it any more thought. But over three weeks after the sale a buyer comes back to me saying they never got it and could she have the tracking, obviously hoping I've binned it or lost it due the time frame. Luckily I hadn't and provided it almost immediately, I looked it up on Royal Mail and it had been signed for at the time and showed a signature in the same name as the buyer! She came back with some bull shit excuse that a neighbour had signed for it and not handed it over. She'd clearly clocked that the tracking hadn't been uploaded to the listing and thought she'd try her luck. Scummy bint. I'll be a lot more careful in future as I admit I had a minor panic that I thought I might have misplaced it and had to rifle through a lot of screwed up receipts!

@GinZinger I always send using normal 2nd class post and there is always a tracking reference on the bottom of the postage slip.

This is for parcels. Large letters or letters there is nothing.

ginzinger people are pointing out that normal royal mail delivery has tracking numbers, they are on the receipt.

Normal delivery sent from post office has a tracking number if you send any parcel, on your receipt!

I recently sold something and sent it tracked and it still got lost according to the buyer who said she never received it despite it being signed for.

It could also be royal mail make less effort with non signed for. I've ordered stuff and had it go missing and been annoyed when it's things I really wanted

I had this happen a few times in the past. Not so much these days now RM provide a tracking number on the receipt.

Doesn't stop the scammers though. I rarely sell on eBay these days but sold a dvd box set in perfect condition recently. Scummy buyer had a week to watch it then contacted me to say discs were scratched and jumping. I fully expected a not as described claim but amazingly nothing so far. I think they were just expecting me to roll over and refund

I think they aren't lost, it's just cheeky people getting refunds and the item. Well that's what I think anyway, pisses me off

It’s not cheeky it’s theft

I sell on eBay and not had this problem, I always get proof of postage and send signed for for over £20.
I suppose it can depend on your demographic.

I buy on eBay quite a lot. Three times I've had stuff not arrive.

What @TeacupDrama said. Buy your postage through eBay (at a discount of the actual RM price) and your item will be tracked.

To those who are saying that the reference no on the bottom of standard 1st / 2nd class is a tracking number, are you actually sure of this? I ask because I had this conversation with my local postmaster recently and he insisted that standard 1st / 2nd class wasn’t tracked.

ruby yes am sure, when I can be bothered I add it to the order details and I can see when it's in transit and when it's arrived etc.

I'd be very surprised if normal Royal Mail is tracked. I thought it had to be recorded/ signed for to be tracked ? I'm happy to be proved wrong. I thought standard postage just gave you proof of postage but eBay require proof of delivery to side with the seller.

Also I generally sell clothes just normal mum brands, children's toys and baby clothes. I'm not sure this is the criminal demographic, but every penny counts to many parents.

I don't know how to buy postage on eBay. I usually use the app on iPhone, so is it not obvious on there ? Do I still drop
to the post office or somewhere else if I do that. Obviously apart from a saving only useful if it stops people claiming it's not delivered if it's tracked.

@Rubychard absolutely sure, see uploaded photos

Weirdly, my local postmistress also wasn't aware of this, but there is is, a traceable reference number

We have in the past had couriers do odd things with non signed for items. Found under hedge 2 weeks later/in bin/in garden. So some of it could be couriers.
The only thing I bought on eBay this year didn't turn up at all. And seller didn't respond to my messages either. I hunted in all corners of the garden for left packages too.

RM small parcel comes with a basic tracking code automatically. I think it covers up to £20 only though. Quickest way to find out if it’s been delivered is to tweet to RM.

Large letter and regular letters don’t come with these codes though.