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Original poster

Royal Mail taking forever (have tracking) and buyer wants refund?

11 replies

Mynamegone · 11/09/2021 11:29

Please may I ask how this works as it’s not my fault that second class post so far hasn’t arrived after 10 days but I also feel for the buyer. Who has to pay if it’s unreasonably late?
I’ve sent her the tracking number as there’s no way of uploading the Post office receipt .

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 11/09/2021 11:57

It's your responsibility to chase as it's you that sent the parcel. Did you use a tracked service that will pay out for the cost of the item?

Original poster
Mynamegone · 11/09/2021 12:08

I just sent them the tracking as wanted them to know I had done my part correctly and posted immediately. I can’t track it further as Royal mail’s tracking thing just says there’ll be no tracking until delivery is attempted (it was normal 2nd class )

OP posts:
InpatientGardener · 11/09/2021 12:19

If it hasnt arrived within 10 days its probably lost. I have had this multiple times before. You can refund the buyer then claim through royal mail. How much was the item and do you have proof of postage?

simitra · 11/09/2021 12:30

I sent a package to the USA and it sat in customs for ages, despite my having opened a case for it. The buyer was unwilling to wait and opened a case on Ebay, who took the money back from me. Then the package was delivered. I sent the buyer a Paypal invoice because she now owed me for the goods. No response. You cannot have both money and goods, thats fraud.

I have now given the buyer a week to pay before I send her account to a debt collector in the USA. I may not get my money back but I can threaten to trash her credit rating and have them put her on the fraud register. That automatically debars her from any insurance. Big consideration in a country with no welfare state. I do find that usually prompts a quick response when people owe me money.

Thelnebriati · 11/09/2021 12:46

Dont just send her a refund, ask her to open a case for 'item not arrived'. She wont be able to yet as 10 days is too early.

If you have a tracking number, you are supposed to enter that at the same time that you mark the item as posted; so you need to go and do that asap;

www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/posting-items/tracking-items-youve-sold?id=4088&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338731575&customid=&toolid=10001#section2

Iloveginger · 11/09/2021 13:24

[quote Thelnebriati]Dont just send her a refund, ask her to open a case for 'item not arrived'. She wont be able to yet as 10 days is too early.

If you have a tracking number, you are supposed to enter that at the same time that you mark the item as posted; so you need to go and do that asap;

www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/posting-items/tracking-items-youve-sold?id=4088&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338731575&customid=&toolid=10001#section2[/quote]
Customers can open a inr case, as soon as the eBay estimated delivery date has passed, they don’t have to follow RM guidelines, which are ridiculously long and you can’t reasonably expect a customer to wait so long for a refund , unless you want lots of neg feedback.
I would see if you could stall them for a few more days, but in my experience after that long they are usually lost, or the post worker has forgotten to scan the parcel before delivery, so it will still be showing as ‘ an update will only be provided when we deliver’ .

Athers666 · 13/09/2021 14:07

Oh OP it is so frustrating when this happens as a seller. I've sent about 200 parcels with Royal Mail and about 3 took ages to arrive. With mine I messaged the buyers and just sent them a photo of my postal receipt so they could see that I had in fact sent the parcels when I said I had (the same day that they'd paid) and asked them politely to perhaps wait a few days and then if no joy I'd refund them. Luckily all but one of the parcels did turn up eventually- was about 10 working days- but one parcel did in fact get lost and disappeared. So I did refund the buyer. Unfortunately you don't have a choice but to refund if this happens, but you can claim compensation from the Royal Mail if they lose your package. It is really annoying though as you've done your part and it is beyond your control once you've posted it but as you say, you do feel for the buyer as well as it isn't their fault either. So my advice would be to ask them to wait a little bit longer for the parcel just in case it does show up, as they often will just appear even when it seems like they must have been lost. Most buyers are ok with it as long as you are polite and respond promptly to any messages they send. If they do open a case and the items gets delivered and the tracking number proves this then ebay will settle the case in your favour. Good luck, hope you get it sorted.

Original poster
Mynamegone · 14/09/2021 02:10

What a kind message, thank you. I haven’t heard any more and that sounds good advice and a good way to show them the postage receipt I wish I had thought of sooner! eBay put the payment on hold as I got an email but you are right I ought to send another polite message and refund if it hasn’t already . Thanks so much

OP posts:
Athers666 · 14/09/2021 18:54

Good luck!

cozycat1 · 16/09/2021 13:20

I've had to claim from Royal Mail a few times. So asked buyer to raise a case as not received, I refunded the buyer, then filled out online form on Royal Mail's website for claim. Uploaded some information eg proof of postage receipt, screenshot of the ebay sale page etc. Got refund from RM very quickly

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