Buyer says item hasn't arrived, what should I do now?

[reddaisy]

We are having a pre-moving clear out and have sold quite a few bits and bobs recently. We posted a small item on Monday first class and the buyer has just contacted us to say it hasn't arrived. Should I tell her to wait a bit longer or am I supposed to give her a refund? Do we just trust that she is being honest?

the PO do not consider anything is missing until 15 working days most first class would arrive tuesday, i would ask her to wait till tuesday/wednesday if still no sign and if low value refund her quickly and just ask her to pay again if it arrives, if higher value say that PO make you wait 15 days before officially lost so if does not turn up will refind her then, and you have to claim not send them the certificate, many sellers write I will assist in claim but i am not responsible for items lost in the post well actually you are; the seller is always responsible amd seller has to refund and claim whatever they say in terms

unless it was sent "signed for" if she says it has not arrived it has not and you will have to refund later, I trust you have certificate of posting if so in 15 days you can fill in claim form from PO and claim as lost upto value of £46 you will need to send invoice so they know what you are claiming for is correct

Thanks Sarah but it was just normal first class so can I still claim? I have got a receipt thingy with the post code written on it. Every penny counts at the moment so I don't think I will refund until the 15 days is up just in case.

you can still claim with a certificate of postage

you need to wait 15 working days, or 3 weeks from date of posting until you make the claim.

Make sure you ask your buyer to check with neighbours and sorting office in the meantime.

If a seller made me wait 15 days which one just did I would neg them.

I never make a buyer wait 15 working days, if an item does not arrive within 7 working days I refund including their initial postage costs.

Would it have fitted through the buyer's letterbox? At this time of year postmen seem to be very prone to taking things back to the post office and not leaving a card when they cannot deliver ( or leaving one card for several items) - ask buyer to check at PO before you do anything else.

I am having this problem too - I posted item 1st class recorded on Thursday, buyer has contacted me today to say it hasn't arrived. I looked on the RM site and it says item is being processed through their system for delivery and communicated this with buyer.

I'm concerned because the other items I sent the same way to other buyers arrived the next day.

How long should I wait before giving a refund? I think the delivery men are lazy. I was angry last week because one left my daughter's innotab on the doorstep!! And another left a parcel with someone on the other side of the street who I don't know. It's bloody irritating that you can't count on people to do their jobs properly.

It is small enough to fit through the letterbox. She seems happy to keep us posted over the next few days as it hasn't been a week since we posted it yet. Hopefully it will turn up! I realise these things happen but what is there to stop a buyer saying something hasn't turned up when it has?

Absolutely nothing stopping them unfortunately which is why recorded delivery, or courier is always recommended. It is actually part of the Paypal agreement that sellers will send items with a signature, but for low value items this isn't always economic.

Sending things recorded - which I always do - only works if the postie acknowledges that it is recorded and knocks for a signature.
I too posted several items alst week recorded and all but one have beend elivered, but the missing one is still showing as "being processed through our system".

One buyer once asked me to refund her the extra cost of recorded delivery as the postie hadn't got a signature he'd just stuck it through the door. She was honest enough to admit it had been delivered though. Again the tracking number for that itme was showing as being processed through our system, and it had actually been delivered