Help pls - buyer saying that the item hasn't arrived

[harrassedswlondonmum]

Please excuse me as I'm a very inexperienced ebayer. My son wanted me to sell one of his PS3 games for him. The auction ended last Friday 9th November, and I posted the item the same afternoon first class. I didn't use recorded delivery but did obtain proof of postage.

The buyer has contacted me this weekend via an ebay message to say the item hasn't arrived. I replied and explained when I posted it, with proof of postage, and he has replied to that message asking me for a refund.

Looking at the ebay help centre, it looks as though he should open a dispute in the resolution centre, and then I will have 8 alternative courses of action?

I have two concerns:

1. he could be being dishonest
2. surely at this stage the item could still arrive.

I have sent a holding message for now saying that I am checking what the ebay procedure is in this situation, but I really don't know what I should do. Can anyone advise me?

Thank you in advance!

Yes, he should open a case with EbaY.

It helps EbaY keep track of buyers who have a suspiciously high volume of items that never seem to arrive ('INRs'). It also means that you get a timetable of actions. You will probably have to refund the buyer, but after 15 days can claim your money back from Royal Mail using your Proof of Postage.

I think that is correct.

Thank you for your quick reply - that's really helpful.

Hopefully someone else will come on and confirm. Just stay really polite and friendly. Also you could ask your buyer to check that it's not at his sorting office, although if it's a small packet that would fit through his letterbox it would seem unlikely.

Does he have his own letterbox or is he in flats with a communal arrangement?

Oh, and on the ebay site the community discussion boards are really helpful - try 'New To Selling'. I try to read as much as I can.