Lost parcels and tracking errors with Royal Mail

[melon-ade]

I'm a seller based in the UK and I always use Royal Mail Tracked 48. I don't ship internationally. I've had 3 parcels go missing and the tracking on them is very obviously wrong. 

Buyer paid on 2nd of April and the item was posted on the 4th. There were 2 failed delivery attempts on the 7th and 8th, and the item sat in the buyers local post office from 10th of April to 28th of May before being returned. The tracking shows that it's been in a mail centre for a week and I haven't received the item back. The only message I received from the buyer was on the 8th, apologising for missing the delivery.

And I've had 2 instances where the tracking shows that the parcels haven't left my local post office. 1st buyer paid on 4th of April and the item was posted on the 7th. 2nd buyer paid on 31st of May and the item was posted on 2nd of June. I checked with the post office and they don't have either parcel. I've had no communication or feedback from either buyer.

As a seller what can I do in these situations?
 

[jckl1957 · Accepted solution]

For the parcels with no updates, just assume they have been delivered - unless you hear from the buyers, they probably have.

You don't need to do anything about the first one.  When you get the item safely back, refund the buyer and relist the item.

You can try contacting Royal Mail to complain about the tracking not updating on the parcels that appear not to have moved.