Buyer says parcel is missing but is showing delivered

[jackspea]

I received a message from a buyer this afternoon to say that the parcel that was delivered today has gone missing, and they cannot find it.

The tracking info from RM shows it was delivered, has GPS coordinates and a photo of the parcel outside the front door of the buyer.

I told the buyer all of this and advised them to speak to the neighbours.

Buyer says neighbours are not answering, and is asking me what to do?

I'm thinking I will tell them to keep trying the neighbours and report the parcel as stolen to the police? Not that that will do much as the police are unlikely to do anything.

I feel bad, but there is also nothing I could have done to prevent this from happening.

Where so I stand with this? I know that sellers (in general, not on eBay) are usually responsible for items until they are in the hands of customers, but doesn't simple delivery negate this issue? 

[therenewalworkshopltd]

Firstly, was it a photo of the parcel at the front door, with the door open?

If it was, then the buyer definitely has it!

If not, then you need to make a claim with Royal Mail.

The buyer may have a nominated safe place with them, which means that it would have been left there.

But at the end of the day, it's up to RM to sort out.

You will more than likely have to refund the customer.

[**peaseblossom**]

eBay will go by the tracking so the buyer won't win a "not received" case.   All they can do is check with neighbours.

[therenewalworkshopltd]

That is far from guaranteed.

Aside from which, it is virtually guaranteed that the customer will put a chargeback through if they haven't actually received it.

I actually had one of these a couple of days ago, coming to myself.

Evri literally left it photographed on top of my post box.
On the door, directly in the street.

Left at 10am and I realised at about midday.  And it was gone.

Got  replacement sent out.

The seller has the responsibility here.  

[vinylscot]

The buyer will have posted the item using Simple Delivery.

As the package shows as having been delivered, the buyer will not win any INR case, and if he successfully appeals, eBay should deal with the refund. eBay should also defend any later chargeback, and would probably be successful, unless there is more to it that we don't yet know.

The seller should not be out of pocket.

[jackspea]

The buyer has now opened an INR case on Ebay and I am asked to respond by 18th December. What can I do? I don't feel I should have to refund them and lose money because of this.

The delivery photo from RM shows the package on the door mat with the door closed.

There is also a pair of shoes on the mat, which to me says the person was likely home and they left their shoes there. It is a flat in a building.

I feel they are trying to pull a fast one on me and I am going to suffer because of it.

Can I escalate it to Ebay to handle?

[fatbobfan]

Ask Royal Mail to investigate, let your buyer know your doing this

If its a dodgy buyer, it may spook them

If its a RM error, it goves them an opportunity to resolve.

Either way your doing something to appease the customer, if they are giving you grief

They normally try to resolve with in 72 working hours from memory, may be a little longer with the time of year.

Ive had this done to me as customer and it was delivered to the wrong address (common street name) and it was dropped off to me very quickly.

As a sender they went to the house to investigate, buyer insisted it was a porch thief

[ile136yz]

Item was sold under the Simple Delivery system.

As the Buyer has opened an eBay case for item 'not received'. 

Scan a copy of the Royal Mail delivered record of the package and send to the open case as soon as possible.

Answer only questions from eBay while eBay case is open.

[jckl1957]

If it was the aftershave, it was not sent using Simple Delivery.  Currently, Simple Delivery is not available for fragrances.

If you add the tracking to the case, Ebay should close the case in your favour as the tracking shows delivery.

Even if the buyer opens a case with their payment provider, if the tracking shows delivery to their address/postcode which they used at checkout, the buyer would probably lose the case.

[jackspea]

Thanks, I thought I was going mad when I went looking for evidence of Simple Delivery. I was getting stressed about it. Just my luck it wasn't applicable to this listing.

Yes it was that listing.

[jackspea]

So, I went on to the case and the options were to;

Update tracking details for the buyer

Refund the buyer

Send the buyer a message

Based on your reply, the first option seemed the most likely, but it said the tracking details can't be changed once the item is delivered.

The only other option was to provide an additional tracking number, which is not applicable in this case.

Then it just said they'll let the buyer know the details have been updated, and I can still do any of the other options in that time.

Should I message the buyer with my evidence? As that seems the only option that fits at the moment?

Doesn't seem to be a way for me to upload the evidence I have to the case for Ebay to review, so do I send it to the buyer via the message option?

[papso22]

There should be a way for you to add tracking to the case itself,  possibly in note form.

If it's the same as you entered against the sale in the first place, and that shows delivery, you should get ebay seller protection. 

[podlingsmum2007]

Just input the tracking number. Do not refund. If you want to speak to Royal Mail their number is +44 345 774 0740. 

[jackspea]

There isn't. Only the 3 options above and I have combed very inch of the site to see if I am missing anything. There just is no option for that. 

Is it because it is showing as Delivered on the tracking and the listing, perhaps, because the buyer is claiming something at odds with the information? 

[jckl1957]

I don't understand why you need to change the tracking details.

Don't message the buyer - you have evidence of delivery, they know they haven't got the item so, in my opinion, your evidence will make them more frustrated.

[jackspea]

I really am not being presented with any options other than update tracking, message buyer, and send refund.

The buyer has sent a message on the case after I confirmed the tracking information saying they were home at the time but either there was no knock at the door or they didn't hear, and didn't let anyone into the building, they said they got a notification some time later that the package was delivered, and when they checked, it was apparently gone. 

There's nothing else I can do, I can't provide any evidence on the case as those are my only options, and I can't contact Ebay about it. it says if it's not resolved, the buyer can ask Ebay to step in.

[podlingsmum2007]

Ask the buyer through the case if they have reported the alleged theft to the police and have a crime number they can add. This would be useful to have when contacting Royal Mail about the delivery. You may need to claim against Royal Mail if there is any doubt about the item being left in a safe place.

[jackspea]

I asked the buyer to report it to the police and provide the log number, they're saying they can't because they don't know how to and that their English isn't good: 

"Report to the police, how can I do that? What should I report when I don't even know what happened with my parcel (who took it or if the postman left it at the door or not)? Anyway, I don't know how to report to the police, I don't speak English well. If you want, you can do it because I really don't know how to do it. I really want my perfume because I can't find another one this cheap."

They seem to be doing alright with their English so far. I don't have any issue understanding what they're saying. And the semantics all make sense, so don't seem to be using a translation tool. 

Should I have Ebay step in at this point?

[therenewalworkshopltd]

Stop what your doing and stop panicking about it all.

If there is a case open, wait until it is either escalated or closed.

There is nothing that you can do until the case is sorted.

Ebay probably will agree that the item has been delivered.

It is then up to the buyer to appeal it.

If Ebay don't agree, then you will need to claim on your insurance for the item and Ebay will refund the customer.

There is literally nothing else that you can do at this point.

[podlingsmum2007]

They could ask a friend to call 101 and report theft of their package on their behalf to get a crime number.