When items I sell on ebay get lost in the post....

newwifey

whats the standard procedure?
I send all my items using regular post around the world. Never had one go missing until today. Lady in London says she never got the packet and i posted it 8 days ago. We have agreed to leave it till saturday to see if it arrives. I can send a replacement but what happens if she requests a refund?
Do i refund the entire amount inc what she paid for postage or just the cost of the item itself?
Thanks

TOMP

Whats her feedback like?

Jarren

Have you got a tracking number ?

You should raise this issue with An post/courier company .

Otherwise is her word against yours and yes you will have to refund the entire amount .

You can ask her if she wants a replacement the worst thing she can say is no .

Toast4532

You'd need to refund the entire amount, it isn't her fault that the item didn't arrive and you shouldn't expect her to be out of pocket for something she isn't responsible for.

If you don't want to refund for items going missing in transit you should use registered post, or even courier, as you get a tracking number then, so should anything go missing, at least you could make a claim, but with standard post, you can't make a claim or do anything, so you are out of pocket.

newwifey

OK, many thanks for clarifying that.
Assumed if I could show proof of postage I could prove i did actually post the item and wouldnt need to refund that part. I hope that she takes a replacement but its her choice I guess.
There is a big difference between the standard postage at €3.30 to the UK compared to €7.90 for the registered version. Im trying to compete with UK sellers and introducing a forced postage of €7.90 would put potential buyers off methinks.

Whats her feedback like?

Tomp, its actually fine as she has a rating of well over 300
Thanks again

ei9go

[QUOTE=Tomp, its actually fine as she has a rating of well over 300
Thanks again[/QUOTE]

Feedback on ebay is now meaningless because it's not possible for a buyer only, to get negative feedback.

She could only have got negative feedback if she also sold items.

Feedback gives no clue to how many other packets were not received.

nava

newwifey wrote: »

Assumed if I could show proof of postage I could prove i did actually post the item and wouldnt need to refund that part.

With the receipt from Anpost you can prove you posted an item but doesn't mean it was to her, it could be for 1 of your other buyers, In the receipt does it say the city is going to or only UK?

If she opens a claim with paypal you will loose as you have no tracking for the item you posted.

newwifey

Hi Nava
Yes, the receipt jusy says UK and thats vague i guess.
I just want to be clear here and state that I have no issue replacing or refunding the item. Since I have never had a parcel go missing I just wanted to know about refunding the postage costs. I definately do not want her to open a case against me as I have 100% feedback and want to keep it that way.
Thanks for the replies everyone

Jarren

newwifey wrote: »

Hi Nava
Yes, the receipt jusy says UK and thats vague i guess.
I just want to be clear here and state that I have no issue replacing or refunding the item. Since I have never had a parcel go missing I just wanted to know about refunding the postage costs. I definately do not want her to open a case against me as I have 100% feedback and want to keep it that way.
Thanks for the replies everyone

This is how I do it

TOMP

An Post can provide a receipt showing the full destination, and other information. This is a manual receipt, rather than a computer receipt. Go into the post office and ask them for a block of blank postal receipts, then before you go to the post office to post something, fill out the the buyers name and address on one of these receipts and An Post will stamp it, when you actually post the item.

This receipt might be enough to convince the buyer that you actually did post the item to him/her, and so you may come to an agreement, maybe share the loss of the item, rather than all the loss being on you, the seller.

recipio

ei9go wrote: »

Feedback on ebay is now meaningless because it's not possible for a buyer only, to get negative feedback.

She could only have got negative feedback if she also sold items.

Feedback gives no clue to how many other packets were not received.

Not true I'm afraid.
sellers leave feedback also.

L1m1tless

recipio wrote: »

Not true I'm afraid.
sellers leave feedback also.

yeah but they can only leave positive feedback

Francie Barrett

What stops a buyer from saying they have not gotten an item, even if they have and making the seller send another one out?

Jarren

Absolutely nothing,it's up to the seller to chase that with the local postal/courier companies. This is where tracking and insurance options come in very handy on expensive items.

leeomurchu

You should always use registered post it covers both parties who's to say she's not just chancing her arm and trying to get another or the item she has for free.

I'm afraid you haven't a leg to stand on using standard post you'll have to cover the cost so that she receives what she's paid for or is returned to the financial position she was in prior to bidding and paying for item.

Hopefully it's just delayed though.

ei9go

recipio wrote: »

Not true I'm afraid.
sellers leave feedback also.

It is true, you are incorrect. Seller can only leave positive feedback.

allthedoyles

ei9go wrote: »

It is true, you are incorrect. Seller can only leave positive feedback.

A seller has to tick the box for positive feedback ..............But a seller can still leave negative comments .