Can anyone help with info on the process of buyer's missing item?
Summary: poukajr shared their experience of shipping sold items via Royal Mail through eBay, where tracking updates were missing for two items. One buyer reported a missing item, prompting poukajr to issue a refund despite having proof of postage. **peaseblossom** and jonatjonatjonat advised them to allow eBay to handle such cases when using Simple Delivery, as eBay can manage refunds and protect sellers. sml192 further explored why eBay might not be assuming responsibility due to lack of tracking updates. poukajr concluded that they should allow eBay to intervene in future cases and consider opening a complaint to raise awareness of the issue.
Context:
I sent a few items I have sold, some old video games. Two of the items (separate buyers ) have no tracking updates from Royal Mail on the eBay system. I monitored these items for more than 2 weeks and now the 1 buyer has reported as item has not arrived. I believe them as I can see that from the day of posting there was no updates since and now blank as if nothing was posted at all. I have a receipt as proof so I have all I need to show I am not at fault. They asked for a refund, I have accepted to process it and messaged an apology.
I tried to make a claim with Royal Mail website but I cannot since the system states its still too early to claim. What can I do now? Does eBay have a system to help make a claim? Technically the buyer is missing an item, but I refunded the item. eBay makes buyers buy protection fees, so how does this come into play?
I know that a second buyer will come forward for their missing item. Clearly something went wrong that day at the post office. How can I do things different second time round?
barry.110
·1 month agoI'm not sure how it works now with the Ebay simple delivery, assuming that is what you used, but I would have thought they should have opened a case and that Ebay would have picked it up and dealt with it as they are meant to cover items not delivered. Did they open a case or did they just contact you about it not arriving and you refunded them from that, I think that was your mistake, they should have opened a case.
Also if it was a Simple Delivery label you used I don't think you will be able to claim from Royal Mail as in this case it is Ebay that is Royal Mails customer, not you.
poukajr
OP1 month agoBuyer opened a case in which the case states that the buyer requested for a refund. This info is all on the resolution page and presented me two options as a resolution:
Refund the buyer
Message the buyer
There was text at the bottom stating that if i do no respond within 3 days eBay will step in.
I think next time I will allow eBay to step in as I have proof of posting, let them take over and see how it goes. I do feel that Royal mail will not be able to help me here.
sml192
·1 month agoAs I stated in my previous reply, as it was sent using Simple Delivery you shouldn't have seen any of those options.
If you had allowed eBay to step in then, unfortunately, they would have just refunded the buyer from your funds as the tracking didn't prove delivery and you would have received a transaction defect aswell.
poukajr
OP1 month agoThis is good to know. As the seller im not put in a good situation and I feel for the buyer as they are really looking forward to having the item. I will open up a complaint to eBay about this very situation, as I have proof of drop off at the Post office it should be taken seriously. Will they do something about it? likely no, but at least they should be aware.
jonatjonatjonat
·1 month agoLooking at your listings - it looks like most were shipped using Simple Delivery. Is that the case?
If it was - you don't need to get involved - advise the customer to open an Item Not Received case and ebay should step in and refund the customer - you should get to keep the funds from the sale as using Simple Delivery comes with that protection.
poukajr
OP1 month agoYes it is simple delivery. The label was created using eBay. They did open a 'Item not received case' and the resolution page states the buyer is asking for a refund. I accepted to refund the buyer rather than waiting 3 days for eBay to step in. Have a made a mistake and lost out on funds?
sml192
·1 month ago · EditedIn that case you should have received an email stating that as the item was sent with Simple Delivery that eBay would be dealing with it and as a result there was nothing that you needed to do. There shouldn't have been an option to refund through the case and the normal 3 waiting days would not apply.
What does the tracking show? Does it show anything beyond 'Accepted at parcel shop'?
It seems to me from this and other similar threads as though eBay is not counting 'Accepted at parcel shop' as being accepted into carrier network and, therefore, still holding sellers liable in those circumstances which is completely unfair.
jonatjonatjonat
·1 month agoAgree - it does seem a number of sellers are not getting the expected message from ebay.
poukajr
OP1 month agoAbsolutely feel that this is the case. I dropped off the item that morning, all day there was no update at all, none of the 'Accepted at parcel shop' was updated or "courier scan". For two weeks it only showed "dispatched - Label created' which is the status you get when creating a label. As of today going into detailed view it shows nothing with a grey coloured progress time line, same with a second item in which the buyer is yet to open a dispute. I kept the proof of postage that was printed out so naturally I thought it was down to me to open a claim with Royal Mail.
Thanks to all the responses I've learned now I should allow eBay to step in.
suelel1968
·1 month ago"Yes it is simple delivery. The label was created using eBay"
Are you sure that it was simple delivery? When you say the able was created using eBay, do you mean you bought the lable from RM via eBay or that you were sent a lable with the order?
Nothing makes sense if it was SD, you should never refund SD. Ebay sort it out. If it was custom postage, you bought the lable, the only tracking you will get is lable purchased and parcel delivered (if the postie can be bothered to scan the item). You only get this with large letter, not ordinary post. You can claim from RM for lost mail, but you will just get first class stamps and as you found out you need to wait 14 days. You can also claim for late postage if it turns up. You will get a defect on your account if it gets delivered eventually, which you will need to ring CS to get removed. Ask them to give you an email link so you can send a copy of your proof of postage.
poukajr
OP1 month agoThe label was purchased with RM through eBay as I take the cost of postage and not the buyer. eBay auto selected Royal Mail as the postage option as the item is not a high cost purchase and it is 'large letter' size, it is automatically selected so i just go though it. Refunding was the mistake I made, lesson leaned.
sml192
·1 month ago · EditedIf you had to actually buy the label ftom Royal Mail through eBay rather than eBay just supplying you with the label then that would be Custom Postage not Simple Delivery. Whether you select 'Buyer pays postage' or 'Seller pays postage' is irrelevant.
If you can provide the item number then we can confirm which it was.
If it was Custom Postage then you were correct to refund the buyer and you will need to claim from Royal Mail.
**peaseblossom**
·1 month agoIf you used eBay's Simple Delivery postage and the items are marked as dispatched eBay should issue the refund themselves and you keep the payment. If that is not happening contact eBay about it. You can ring them or request they ring you by viewing this link on your phone - not on a laptop or PC:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/eua?id=5190
poukajr
OP1 month agoThank you this is useful information