Newbie seller. Email from buyer saying item not received. Help!

[littlecupcake]

Hi, I hope someone can advise me on how to respond to a buyer who has contacted me to say the item she won has not yet arrived.

The auction ended on Sunday and the item was posted second class on Monday, and I got a receipt which is proof of posting.

The seller says it hasn't been received and wants me to confirm when I posted it. This is fine. I am a bit more dubious about her next question - was it recorded/signed for delivery. Is she trying to find this out so she can say that she never received it as she knows a signature isn't required? I don't want to refund her if she DOES receive the item!

Am I just being too suspicious, or should I tell her it wasn't sent recorded/signed for? The value was less than £20, and the package was quite bulky, so not likely to just 'vanish' in the postal system!

Many thanks.

Without sending it with a signature you are relying on the buyers' honesty - unfortunately she could have received it and knowing you didn't send recorded can demand a refund

An item isn't considered lost until 3 weeks have passed, but I doubt they will wait that long. All you can ask them is to check sorting office/neighbours, and then refund if it doesn't arrive. I would ask them to wait longer, 4 working days is nothing.

But if they do claim not received, eventually you will have to refund and claim from royal mail for the lost item

And send stuff with a signature in future is my advice.

Thanks Fergoose.

I'm a bit confused about what sort of postage to use. I asked for signed for for a parcel at the PO a few weeks ago and the lady behind the counter said the postman doesn't have to get a signature?!! This might explain why we get all our signed for letters with orange stickers just shoved through the letter box.

What postage option would you recommend?

recorded, special or courier will get you a signature. Collect plus is pretty good if you have a local drop off point

Without proof of delivery a buyer can always claim not received and get all of their money back.

en when an item is signed for if the buyer wants to get their money back they only have to claim item was not as described and ebay WILL give them a refund. Ebay works on the policy that people are honest , and we know that some people are not, if you sell on ebay you have to accept this and these things will happen from time to time.

I vaguely thought it wasn't possible to get a signature with RM parcel rates. Colllect+ is better in that respect, I think, but careful of insurance & packaging.

I send recorded only for items worth > £10-ish. It's a business decision not worth the outlay below about that amount. Somehow it's only stuff I send that goes missing. Stuff I'm buying never goes missing no matter how cheaply sent. .

I would very nicely ask the buyer to wait a bit, perhaps until next Weds. Check the estimated delivery time according to Ebay calculations. You can claim from RM for the full amount including postage, they are fairly quick to process, but it's annoying as all heck when you suspect buyer is trying it on. Also will need to cancel the transaction to get FVF back. Hopefully it will turn up & you won't need to learn those procedures.

Do you remember the super snowy Christmas almost 2 years ago? I had some things take 4-6 weeks to arrive! Buyers were saints about it, thank goodness.