Buyer claiming item gone missing

[jonesgs]

Hi, im new to selling on ebay. Ive sold my old phone, and sent the phone using the QR code. It was Royal mail standard tracked 48, which im assuming was the delivery method chosen by the buyer? Anyway, I sent the phone on the day he bought it using the QR code. The delivery status is delivered, but now hes messaged me saying he's come home from work and it's nowhere to be seen and he's asked around and no one else has seen it either. What protection do i have as a seller? I'm sure anyone could claim it's gone missing to avoid paying. I feel like I may have been scammed 😭 thanks for reading. Any advice I'll greatfully receive as a noob ebay seller 😢

[tressygirl]

As a Private seller and if you used Simple Delivery which is mandatory to use for Private sellers,  then it's good news.

If you have tracking to show delivery entering the tracking into any case you receive,  will close the case in your favour.

If this was a Simple Delivery transaction,  eBay deal with the refund,  that is,  they refund the buyer, and you get to keep the payout.

Seeing tracking has shown delivery , I doubt is the buyer will  receive their refund from any eBay source.

Unfortunately,  items left outside in full view of passers by can,  and do,  get stolen.    This may have happened here.

Has your buyer checked their neighbours, they may have received the item if the buyer was not available for receipt ?  Worth a check.

@jonesgs 

[jckl1957]

You sold the phone with Ebay Simple Delivery.

The seller should open a case through Ebay stating the item was not received.

Ebay will deal with their claim.  Their claim will probably fail if the tracking shows it has been delivered, but the claim will be between the buyer and Ebay.

[jonesgs]

Yes it was simple delivery. They have eventually given me a valid postcode, and when I've checked on tracking, the parcel has been left in a communal area. 

How does the postage bit work when selling? Does the buyer chose the postage method? Or do I set it? They have messaged me saying It should have been send as signed for, but I don't recall an option when I listed it 😭

[jckl1957]

Ebay dictated the postage you had to use.

Private sellers have to use Simple Delivery which is not a signed for option.

This is not your fault - you sent the item using the service Ebay offered.

If you have told them to open a case, I would not respond to any more messages.