I sent an item at the end of Feb to Spain however after a few failed delivery attempts it was return

[tonyfathom]

I sent an item at the end of Feb to Spain however after a few failed delivery attempts it was returned, but it has been lost in the return post. 

I did provide tracking info to the buyer but they opened a case (and even stated that it wasn't my fault).

I appealed the case as "sent with tracking information" but there wasn't any opportunity i could find to attach the proof and now they've closed the case even though I asked how to provide proof.

It doesn't seem like a human has looked at this from the total lack of individual response... any advice?

[john1297576]

Tracking information is of no use unless it shows delivery, otherwise it is merely Proof Of Postage. Appealing was really a waste of time, the buyer did not receive it so is entitled to a refund. If you were the buyer isn't that what you would expect to receive.

You could try a claim on Royal Mail for lost in post, unless they have proof of delivery then your claim should succeed.

[rusticrye]

You're making this far more complicated than it actually is, Tony.

The item was not delivered and has been lost. THAT IS IT. Forget the whys and wherefores. So there is only one course of action open to Ebay and to you - the buyer must be refunded in full as per Ebay's Money Back Guarantee. If you don't do so voluntarily, which you agreed to do when you registered your account, Ebay will force the refund and slap a damaging defect on your account. The case system is fully automated - it has to be with a company of this vast size - so no Ebay human is involved in this process.

Once the buyer has been refunded, you as the seller then lodge a claim with the carrier (or Packlink if you bought the postage on Ebay) for loss in transit. As long as you bought the correct shipping service, ie. one which fully covers the value of the item, and the item is not on the carrier's 'exclusion' list, you'll be fully compensated.

@tonyfathom 

[tonyfathom]

Ok, so even though the buyer missed their delivery a few times and it was lost on the return to me, it still just counts as lost? Is that correct?