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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

What to do about package not received...

21 replies

wobblebobblehat · 25/02/2015 17:17

Yes, another one!

I sold an item for £9.99 and sent it by Royal Mail 1st Class on Monday. Buyer messaged me yesterday to say that he hadn't received it. I emailed him this morning and sent the proof of posting. He replied again saying that he still hadn't received it and added that the postman often leave post on his doormat (lives in flat)... It's a small package and would easily fit through a letterbox. When I told him this he said that he had been having problems with the postman and his neighbours aren't very nice...

Sigh... I can see where this is going. Anticipating that it doesn't arrive am I going to have to refund the whole amount?

Just to add, I sold a book before Christmas. The street and postcode the buyer gave me didn't match (when I checked on Royal Mail's website). I queried it and she said the street was correct so I used the postcode RM gave me. Month later, she emails to ask where book is. I duly send proof of posting. Next thing I know she has left negative feedback, opened a case and had her money refunded.

Am I going to have to send stuff tracked and signed for in future?

OP posts:

AlmaMartyr · 25/02/2015 17:25

It's tricky isn't it. I bought something early last week that was dispatched promptly Roy Mail Second Class and still isn't here. I'm giving it more time at the moment because I figure all the seller can do is show me proof of postage and I believe then that they've dispatched but it's not here and we don't normally have a problem. Not sure how to proceed because I don't want to put the seller out but would like my item at some point.

SoupDragon · 25/02/2015 17:29

I haven't sold on Ebay for a good while but I always sent by recorded delivery (unless it was an amount that I was prepared to lose) to avoid just this.

Things do get lost in the post so not everyone will be trying it on.

Original poster

wobblebobblehat · 25/02/2015 17:50

I buy quite a bit online. Have only ever had one eBay parcel go astray.

I just think if it was me with problem postie/neighbours then I would message the seller and ask them to send it recorded.

OP posts:

Auburnsparkle · 25/02/2015 18:26

send Hermes - proof of delivery. It is the only way I send things now. It is part of the terms that you send with proof of delivery. Without that you will never win a case and unscrupulous buyers can claim not received and get a full refund no matter what you say or do. RM signed for is a waste of time in my opinion as posties hardly bother to get a signature half the time.

Original poster

wobblebobblehat · 25/02/2015 18:59

I think you're right Auburn. I do send bigger things by Hermes and have had no problems whatsoever.

is it worth paying extra for the signature?

OP posts:

Auburnsparkle · 25/02/2015 19:50

no - not unless the item is of value and needs the extra insurance. It still tracks without a signature, and many drivers ask for one anyway - even if you haven't paid for it.

ragged · 25/02/2015 20:00

I don't understand what you mean when you say you sent proof of posting.

Do you mean you scanned it in & sent them an image, or that you sent them the piece of paper that is Pr of P?

The short answer is you try to get them to wait a bit, then you refund them & claim from Royal Mail who in my experience are very good about paying out even when you know they did really did deliver & buyer is a scammer. Make sure to block the buyer too (not that it makes any difference, but it's the only satisfaction you get).

There's no requirement to send with proof of delivery, but you can't win a case without it. It's not cost effective to send recorded sometimes.

Auburnsparkle · 25/02/2015 20:12

Yes - you do. It is part of the agreement.

Proof of Delivery
To be eligible for Seller Protection, we require two types of evidence for protection eligibility. A digital or physical proof that the item was sent by the seller, and proof that the item was delivered by the delivery company

ragged · 25/02/2015 20:17

"Eligible for seller protection" is the clue.
In order to sell on Ebay, You aren't required to be eligible for seller protection.

Seller protection is a bit of a joke, anyway!

Original poster

wobblebobblehat · 25/02/2015 20:29

Proof of posting... I went to the post office, paid for the item and they gave me a receipt which included the postcode, house number, date, etc.

Yes, I've told him to check with the sorting office and wait a bit. Will refund and claim from Royal Mail if necessary.

Will definitely start sending everything Hermes. I'm sure tracked is more of a deterrent if someone is trying to pull a fast one too.

Mind you, now have a problem with something I've sent Hermes by some twot who wanted Special Delivery for the same price on a 2kg parcel... Threatened me with neutral feedback....... Sigh........

OP posts:

Original poster

wobblebobblehat · 25/02/2015 20:31

I took a photo of the proof of posting and emailed it...

OP posts:

ragged · 25/02/2015 21:29

Sorry, just wanted to make sure you didn't physically send the big of paper, coz that would be a mistake.
I only send recorded for items that cost £10 +. Not cost effective in sales for less.

Original poster

wobblebobblehat · 26/02/2015 13:31

Ugh, another message from this buyer. Mr Pushy...

Sent item 1st class on Monday. I'm going to tell him to check with the sorting office. How long should I wait before I refund? Because I can see it's not going to turn up...

OP posts:

Original poster

wobblebobblehat · 26/02/2015 14:10

In response to checking with sorting office...

"Yes I have please follow this up for me Plz."

Bloody impatient tosser...

OP posts:

millymae · 26/02/2015 15:14

Royal Mail do not consider an item lost until 15 working days from the date it should have been delivered.

If I were your buyer I would be prepared to wait for my refund until then to see if it turned up but it seems unlikely that this man will be willing to do that and sadly EBay will take his side if he demands a refund now.

I would try and stall him for a bit longer, as it seems unlikely from the speed that he's been in touch with you and the tone of his messages that he would be someone you could trust to let you know if the item turned up after you'd refunded him, so In essence you are dammed if you refund him now and dammed if you don't.

I might be tempted to message him very nicely and say that in view of royal mail's 15 day rule for lost items you are seeking ebays advice as to what will happen if you refund him before that and the item turns up in the meantime

I am very much an advocate of a Royal Mail and have sent well in excess of 1000 ebay items without loss. My feedback frequently mentions speed of delivery so they must arrive in a timely manner too. I was also one of Royal Mail's mystery shoppers for 12 months and during all that time not one of the items I posted out for them or received ever got lost, so I am quite sceptical when I read about eBay buyer's complaints, and even more so when they are rude and inpatient.

Original poster

wobblebobblehat · 26/02/2015 15:48

Thanks milly

I've told him if it hasn't turned by Monday then I will refund him. Very much doubt it will. I posted it on Monday and he chased me Tues, Wed and today. It may well have got lost but that is just rude and impatient in my book. I think I would wait a week before chasing a missing item if it was me.

I agree with you about RM. I have only ever had one eBay item not arrive. I know that I am damned if I do refund and damned if I do as the ruling will go in his favour.

He only has 30 odd ratings so I think I may secretly report him and tell him that i am making a claim on Royal Mail and his address goes on their database...

OP posts:

Dumbledoresgirl · 27/02/2015 13:31

I had this a couple of weeks ago. Seller claimed item had not turned up. I send her photographic evidence of proof of postage and suggested she checked her sorting office as I know sometimes postmen do not leave cards to say they have tried to deliver an item. I did not hear from her again. I assumed the parcel had arrived. Then, today, I have the parcel returned to me. On it is a sticker from Royal Mail saying the addressee did not call to collect the parcel suggesting it was indeed being held for her in a sorting office.

I feel cross that she did not take up my suggestion and, for a brief moment, the evil side of me thought 'oh well, she has obviously given up on the item and accepted her loss, why should I go to any more trouble for her?' but the voice of my conscience said otherwise and I have messaged her offering to send it again or refund her.

It's annoying though. The item is a piece of winter clothing, no-one is going to want it now until the autumn. I don't know who to feel crossest with, the buyer or the Royal Mail.

In your case, I think you have little choice but to refund, but don't do it yet. There is still a chance the parcel will turn up. Double check everything with your buyer: is the address correct? has he checked the parcel was not left with a neighbour? isn't under a pile of junk if there is a communal hall with the flats? has he hassled the sorting office staff his end? You know you sent it. The balance of probability says it is far more likely to be sitting somewhere his end than yours.

nauticant · 27/02/2015 18:05

When I was starting selling on ebay I was more reckless about feedback and cases going against me. In the past I have (when my spidey sense was tingling) said "I'm sorry the item hasn't turned up, feel free to open a case and I'll provide a full refund once that goes in your favour". This tended to make the item make a late appearance.

Now that I've got a reputation to defend I view that as being too risky and these days I'd refund to avoid a case (nearly) every time. Also, I send tracked/signed-for for anything worth more than £10.

Original poster

wobblebobblehat · 28/02/2015 17:40

nauticant, is that really the right thing to do though?

Surely dodgy buyers opening lots of cases will look a bit suspicious to eBay. If all sellers refunded then the dodgy people will get away with it (which is exactly what they want).

I tend to ignore the odd negative if someone has all positives and just put it down to stupid buyers. I've had three negatives in the past - one because the buyer gave me the wrong postcode and the item didn't turn up (even though I'd questioned it, the second because the buyer said the item didn't work (when it did) and wouldn't return the item unless I paid the return postage (I didn't) and third because the buyer didn't read the description and thought the skirt they were buying was blue (even though the photo and description clearly showed it was brown)...

OP posts:

nauticant · 01/03/2015 14:34

is that really the right thing to do though?

I should have been clearer. If I send by tracked then I wouldn't automatically refund. If I send untracked/unsigned for then I probably would automatically refund because if a case were to be opened I'd lose and get a black mark.

Fruityb · 01/03/2015 14:42

Tell them you can't do anything until it's been missing for that time. End of discussion. It's what I've done in the past and people have piped down. Tell them you'll be in touch once that time is up. He sounds like a PITA asking that soon!!

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