Courier disputes - who is responsible, Buyer or Seller?

[fish19700]

My understanding of disputes raised by a Buyer stating non-delivery is that the Seller supplies tracking details. This recently happened to me ( the Seller), an item the Buyer stated was left behind a bin, the Hermes tracking, which I sent to the Buyer indicated 'left in porch'.  What upset me was that Ebay refuned the Buyer and debited my Paypal. I contacted Ebay, they have now credited me back. The question I am raising, is am I correct in thinking that as a Seller, as long as the item is fully tracked and delivered, that I have fulfilled my part of the sale? Putting the shoe on the other foot, what recourse does a Buyer actually have in such a situation - presumably dispute it with the courier? Note that during Covid, signatures are not ordinarily being taken.

Thanks all.

[arkwebus · Accepted solution]

The buyer should open a "non delivery" case and the seller inputs the tracking.  If the tracking shows delivery [and in practice that does not even have to be to the buyer] then the seller does not have to refund.

In theory the buyer does not have any comeback against the courier as the contract is with the seller and courier.  We hear so often of these cases and it seems very difficult to get any sensible resolution in such.  The courier just parrots "we have tracking which shows delivery".  I would be very very reluctant to use any one but Royal Mail

@fish19700