buyer does not reply if he received the item

[graziano.gnoll]

Hi All,

thanks in advance for the help.

I sold a graphic card on eBay on the 11/12/2020 and have sent the item.

Unfortunately, from the tracking, the package seems undelivered and I think it has been lost.

However, DHL wants a confirmation that the buyer did not receive the item before proceeding to refund the money through insurance.

I tried to contact the buyer on the 28/12, explained the situation and asked him to confirm whether he received the item or not, but he did not reply.

I am not sure how to proceed, do you have any suggestion?

Thanks in advance

[**peaseblossom**]

Golden rule with buyers - if you don't hear from them assume all is well.  It's usually best not to contact them first.   The tracking may welll be wrong.

[john1297576]

Unles DHL can prove delivery I can't see that they have a leg to stand on. Obviously you would have to refund BUT only if the buyer opens a case.You don't volunter refunds OR ask a buyer if they have received something. They might have received it but by you asking they know you haven't got proof and a dishonest buyer could open a case and you the have 3 day to refund. You should never expect to make a claim on a Courier or Royal Mail until you have refunded the buyer.

[rusticrye]

Until you've refunded the buyer, you've suffered no loss. So carriers quite naturally won't entertain a claim until you supply them with proof that you've refunded the buyer for non-receipt.  If this wasn't the case, every seller would be able to make false claims for compensation.

Never, ever contact a buyer to ask if they've received their item. That will put ideas into the heads of those that are less than honest. If a buyer genuinely doesn't receive their item, they will contact you soon enough, believe me.

So forget all about this unless the buyer claims non-receipt. And stop wasting your valuable time pointlessly checking tracking numbers, most of which are currently failing to update anyway, due to Covid working practices and delivery staff shortages.

@graziano.gnoll 

[red_magpie]

This is a great example of the pitfalls of selling on eBay, even when you've tried to do everything right.

DHL won't refund you unless the buyer confirms that the item didn't arrive - and yet the buyer won't answer.

However, PayPal gives them up to 180 days from the date of purchase - that takes you to early June! - to complain that the graphics card didn't arrive. If you can't provide tracking evidence of delivery, you will still be required to refund them in full.

There's no requirement for the buyers to notify their sellers any earlier that an item didn't arrive. Yet 180 days is months too late for the seller to claim compensation from Royal Mail or any courier.

The point being that if the item is lost you need to claim from DHL's insurance while you still can. I'd try again to contact the buyer. If they don't reply to messages, you may still be within the time limit to get their phone number here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/ebayadvsearch?_sofindtype=9