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eBay

If you buy or sell items on eBay, you will find tips and advice on this forum.

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Original poster

Buyer says item hasn't arrived - what do i do?

28 replies

deemented · 16/12/2011 12:23

Never had this problem before and have been using ebay years.

Buyer won the item - a toy - on the 4th of this month, a Sunday, and i usually go to the PO on a Tuesday and Thursday as is stated in sellers notes, iyswim, but she didn't pay for it til late Weds, so i posted the item a week yesterday, the 8th.

She contacted me on the 9th to ask why she hadn't received it yet and i stated that as she hadn't paid for it til the weds, it wasn't posted til the thursday, but it should be with her in time for Christmas.

Seller paid £5 postage, which was by Standard Parcels and did not request recorded delivery. I have proof of postage for this item, but obviously no tracking number etc.

Last night she contacted me and said it still hadn't arrived and wanted to know why. She asked if i had a tracking number for the item so she could find out where it was. TBH i think she thinks i've scammed her somehow.

So, i went to the PO this morning and they said that because of Christmas and recent inclement weather in certain parts of the country, things have been delayed, and i wouldn't be able to claim for a lost package until at least 20 working days have passed from when she should have recieved it, which was yesterday.

I mailed the buyer back this morning and told her this and as yet haven't had a reply.

But what happens now? Will she be able to claim that the item hasn't arrived and i'll have to refund her? Amilikely to end up with negative feedack? I honestly don't know what to do - it all seems a bit of six of one and half a dozen of the other - i'll only have her word to say she hasn't received it, and she only has mine to say i posted it, though as i said i do have proof of postage.

Can anyone advise?

OP posts:

FabbyChic · 16/12/2011 13:30

You refund your buyer now and then claim from Royal mail. She will win a dispute via PayPal as you cannot prove delivery, the onus is on the seller to make sure an item arrives, recorded/signed for is for your benefit not your buyers.

FabbyChic · 16/12/2011 13:31

Failure to refund could result in you getting negative feedback. Also any dispute counts against your seller performance.

lljkk · 16/12/2011 13:35

I would say that a week for Parcels to deliver this time of year is actually very quick; I'd be asking her very nicely to wait until at least next Monday to see if it turns up.
She may not like it, but that's what the Post is like this time of year.
There's a whole procedure for her to get money back, etc., but try to nicely fob her off in mean time.
I posted stuff about now last year and it took 5-6 weeks to arrive.

chocolatchaud · 16/12/2011 13:41

I have had this happen. I refunded the buyer, but then the PO refused my claim as I had no receipt for the item (second hand), so I lost out twice.

I have seen people put in the item description that if the item is lost, they will provide proof of postage to the buyer and they can then follow it up.

You will never know whether or not they have received it, but unfortunately, you may have to take the hit this time. I would leave it a little longer though at this time of year.

lljkk · 16/12/2011 13:41

ps: if it hasn't turned up Monday..
ok, to be honest what I'd do is ask her to email you if it hasn't arrived by Monday tea time.
Assuming she emailed to say no show by Monday, then I'd reply to say you're chasing it up with PO (because Monday is still early, tbh)
Weds am I'd email to offer a refund & inform her she's legally obliged to return the item at her cost (postage) if it turns up later.
Once she replied I'd be chasing it up with resolutioncentre to cancel the transaction, etc.
And I'd be reading the Ebay fora about how best to handle this; I am 98% your item will turn up by next Weds, OP. Delivery speed is just glacial this time of year. Sadly some buyers don't realise that, they don't pay attention to the postage service they CHOOSE. She could have got in touch to request Express delivery if it was important, but she chose not to.

Yes she may neg you, but sounds like she might neg you anyway no matter what you do. So best strategy is very nice explanations & requests for patience.

BirdyBedtime · 16/12/2011 13:41

Fom the once that this happened to me (as a buyer) you can't open a dispute on PayPal until after 15 days after the expected delivery (obviously PO are increasing this over festive period). Unfortunately if it doesn't arrive by then it's you who has to refund and then claim from Post office. As long as you are pleasant, follow procedure and explain the situation in emails she shouldn't leave negative feedback (or if she does you'd have grounds to ask e-Bay to remove it).

lljkk · 16/12/2011 13:47

Lots of good reading here.

Marne · 16/12/2011 13:56

I think you should wait a little longer, i ordered a ds game over a week ago and have only just got it today, royal mail are running behind as its christmas, standard parcels can take 10 days, i would sugest she waits until wed before you refund her.

FabbyChic · 16/12/2011 14:27

You can open a dispute on PayPal immediately after you have paid, you cannot escalate until 7 days after the payment date, your buyer can open a dispute now and escalate as you cannot prove delivery they will be refunded.

a good seller would refund now.

Sometimes the advice on these threads mind boggles me.

lljkk · 16/12/2011 14:34

A "good" seller would go out of business in that case!

Cirkey Fabby, would you mind telling me your Ebay name so I can make sure to ban you from ever bidding on my items? If OP refunds now buyer has the opportunity to claim item never arrived even after it does, and keep the item AND the refund, whilst seller has incurred non-refundable Paypal fees and hassle of claiming from RM but only 2 weeks from now.

Seller agreed to a specific delivery service not known for its speed; Ebay policy is very clear that sellers cannot be held responsible for small delays in RM delivery.

A bit of decency on both sides, please.

fergoose · 16/12/2011 15:34

I think the buyer is being far too impatient and agree about kindly asking her to wait a little longer, check with neighbours, sorting office etc

I wouldn't refund until at least 10 working days if I were you, waiting even longer to be honest in light of the time of year is not unacceptable. I don't think many buyers will wait 15 working days, but it is worth a try and quite frankly at this time of year first class seems to be taking over a week, so your buyer should wait a little longer I reckon.

Unfortunately though, if the buyer does claim it has not arrived she can open a not received claim and you will have to refund and claim yourself for the lost item. I hope it does arrive soon.

Oh and sellers who say they are not responsible or will forward proof of postage to buyer are wrong, and they make my blood boil - but that's a whole other thread.

JarethTheGoblinKing · 16/12/2011 15:41

Christ Fabby, the OP shouldn't refund now.

OP - agree with everyone who's said to ask her to wait a few more days.

FabbyChic · 16/12/2011 16:47

I would always refund if an item has not arrived after ten days.

My eBay id is fabby.chic. Feel free to block me. Ive opened disputes against sellers who refuse to refund after 10 days and will continue to do so.

FabbyChic · 16/12/2011 16:48

She sent the item on the 8th thats thats 8 days ago, Id go with asking her to wait till Monday then if it does not arrive refund.

fergoose · 16/12/2011 17:07

If it was posted on the 8th it has only been 6 working days, not 8, an item isn't normally considered lost until 15 working days which is 3 weeks.

lljkk · 20/12/2011 10:46

What did you do, Deemented?

Original poster

deemented · 31/12/2011 11:45

Just seen this, and now have an update.

Buyer did not contact me at all after my email, so i presumed that she had recieved the item.

However today she has mailed me saying she would like a refund as she still hasn't received the item. To say i'm a bit pissed off is an understatement!

I've mailed her back saying that she can have her refund, but will have to wait til wednesday for it as i won't have any PP until then.

Honestly - i think she's taking the piss big time and has had they toy.

OP posts:

fergoose · 31/12/2011 11:51

make sure you claim from Royal Mail for the lost item - if she makes a habit of this her address will be flagged

Unfortunately if you didn't send with a signature you have no way of knowing - it may have gone missing after all and she could be genuine.

Original poster

deemented · 31/12/2011 12:02

I don't think i can claim, can i? I don't have the original reciept for the item...

OP posts:

fergoose · 31/12/2011 12:24

you need the certificate of postage to claim

Original poster

deemented · 31/12/2011 12:26

I have that, but it says on the form from the PO that i also need the original reciept for the sold item...

OP posts:

fergoose · 31/12/2011 12:33

Are you saying it is a lost eBay item - I dunno. I haven't claimed for a while. Don't you include a copy of the listing or do you not say it is an eBay item. Am sure someone else will advise.

Original poster

deemented · 31/12/2011 13:22

Yes, they want the ebay item number and a copy of the sale page etc. It's a pain, eh?

A friend told me i should ring the buyers local sorting office and ask them if they happened to deliver it...

OP posts:

sprout44 · 09/01/2012 09:01

Hi there, I hope you do not mind me joining this thread and maybe you can help me. I bought a second hand Canon flash of a guy on Ebay , i had very good communication with him before hand and he seemed legit, he had a good record but only sold the odd thing but bought a lot. He send me the invoice and he agreed to cover the postage. He posted it regular mail to me here in Belgium from uk,on the 14 th December, it had not come and i am now very worried it cost me 175 euro. I put in a dispute with Paypal and contacted him, he was surprised but he went to the po and has no proof of postage, ie no receipt. What do you think are my chances of getting my money back? Where do i go from him. I feel sorry for him also but i need this money but i still would rather the flash.

fergoose · 09/01/2012 10:10

Paypal will refund you - make sure you escalate the case with them to get your money back

I think the seller was very silly to send something of that value and not insure it adequately - the insurance is for his benefit not yours. the seller's paypal account will now go into a negative balance and he will need to repay them the money.

Are you sure he did actually send it - have you checked his other items to see if it has been relisted?

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