Missing item

[0156sunny]

I sold an item in February, it was posted a couple of days later. A week later the buyer said it had not been received. I sent her the tracking information and contacted the courier. They are not great for updating their delivery statuses. However they advised the item would need to be missing for 14 days before they would look at a claim. I advised the buyer of this and was told that was ok.
The 14 day period passed and I contacted the buyer again to ask if the item has arrived, if not I would issue a refund. They have not responded to me. The item was posted 5 weeks ago. As there as been no response from the buyer since my message to her 2 weeks ago, do I assume the item has been delivered? And where do I stand with regards to a refund if she comes back to me after a month?
Help!!

[arkwebus · Accepted solution]

If an item does not arrive then the buyer must open a non-receipt case. They can do so one day after the last delivery date on the summary and can do so for up to 30 days.

EBay now requires that if you used a tracked service the seller inputs the tracking number into the selling summary when the item is despatched.  If the case is opened then if the tracking shows delivered then eBay should close the case in your favour.

If not then you will need to refund.  It matters not what the situation regarding a refund is with the courier.

I would guess that as you have heard no more then all is well. However the buyer can open a non-reciept case with Paypal up to 180 days ...

@0156sunny 

[0156sunny · Accepted solution]

Thank you for your comment. A case wasn't opened.
Unfortunately this is not the first time the courier has NOT updated their systems to show the item has been delivered. Thankfully the buyer, that time was honest and let me know it had been delivered. I'm beginning to think this is similar with a less honest person as the tracking shows it's still out for delivery.

[arkwebus]

You might wish to use a different courier!  We may moan about Royal Mail but it is generally reliable and is universal. It delivers everywhere in the UK. No extras for Cornwall or Northern Ireland for example

@0156sunny 

[red_magpie]

Your buyer was very foolish to wait another 14 days for Royal Mail to confirm it's missing.

EBay makes the seller responsible for refunding the buyer unless tracking evidence of delivery is provided. The buyer can open a case for a refund one day after the estimated delivery date, and escalate it for eBay to enforce a refund after 8 days if the seller hasn't already done so. Buyers do NOT have to wait until RM accepts the item as lost. Doing so often means that the buyer misses eBay's 30 day time limit to claim.

If your buyer is too late to claim through eBay she can still do so through PayPal. PayPal's time limit to claim for non-delivery is 180 days (six months!). Tip: always keep your tracking records for at least that long. If you don't, you could sell an item tomorrow and the buyer could wait until late September to claim not to have received it. Unless you can prove delivery it's an automatic refund.