AusPost refunded buyer... who refunds seller

[azp_2oo2]

G'day all.

Long time (occasional) seller, first time poster & problem.

I sold an item a few weeks ago, and posted via Australia Post (purchased via EBay 'Print Postage') which includes Tracking and Insurance upto $100.

The Buyer paid $39.99 + $15.35 postage.

I Paid $14.73 postage and dropped off to my local AusPost.

The item arrived damaged, obviously caused by the courier as the outer carton, and the BubbleWrapped item were crushed.

The Buyer took the item to an Auspost Assessment centre and left it there, as per AusPost policy.

They then sent me 2 messages thanking me for my item, but let me know it was buggered & they had lodged a claim, and provided me with the Claim Number and photos.

The next day I called AusPost, to find out the claim had already been approved and paid out to the receiver.

$55.34 refund from AusPost to buyer.

I have her $55.34 in my PayPal, but am still $14.73 postage + $8.66 fees down, how does this get reimbursed from EBay?

Also, what is to stop her making a claim via EBay or PayPal and getting her money back out of my PayPal (DOUBLE DIPPING)?

Regards,

Star.

[gutterpunkz05 · Accepted solution]

The buyer has already paid you for the postage  and the ebay fees are part of your sale price.  So unless the buyer tries to claim via ebay or paypal then you are not out of pocket.

If they do try to claim, you have proof of delivery, they do not have an item to return, and you have messages to confirm they have been compensated.  You could message the buyer via ebay, just to get them to confirm compensation has been received

[digital*ghost]

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@azp_2oo2 wrote:

Also, what is to stop her making a claim via EBay or PayPal and getting her money back out of my PayPal (DOUBLE DIPPING)?

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Any buyer who not only takes the initiative to claim directly with Aus Post, but messages you to tell you about it and give you the claim number, doesn't seem very likely to then go on to make a claim via any other method.

This isn't a problem, on eBay it's almost a miracle (by which I mean buyers are often disinclined to try and claim with Aus Post and instead go the much easier route of opening a dispute).

Currently, the buyer is the only one who is out money + item, while you're in exactly the same position that you would be in had the item arrived in perfect condition, so there's nothing you need to be compensated for.

[paper-jack]

If I had sold an item and been paid the asking price and postage and the buyer had done all the hard work to get compensation from Australia Post when the item was damaged, without me having to do anything, I'd be relieved and pleased. I certainly wouldn't expect any refund.

You have information to prove the compensation in lieu of goods to use in the unlikely event that the buyer is dishonest so no problem here.

[springyzone]

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@azp_2oo2 wrote:

G'day all.

I sold an item a few weeks ago, and posted via Australia Post (purchased via EBay 'Print Postage') which includes Tracking and Insurance upto $100.

The Buyer paid $39.99 + $15.35 postage.

I Paid $14.73 postage and dropped off to my local AusPost.

$55.34 refund from AusPost to buyer.

I have her $55.34 in my PayPal, but am still $14.73 postage + $8.66 fees down, how does this get reimbursed from EBay?

Also, what is to stop her making a claim via EBay or PayPal and getting her money back out of my PayPal (DOUBLE DIPPING)?

Regards,

Star.

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I'd say it is extremely unlikely this buyer will give you grief because she has informed you in messages all along the way. If she had a fraud in mind, she would hardly admit in messages that she had already had a refund.

I'm struggling to figure out how you are down. Let's say the buyer had simply opened a 'not as described' claim and said nothing about it being damaged in the post. I'd say the odds of her winning would be about 99.9% and in that case, you would have had to refund the entire amount to the buyer anyway, plus possibly have your account dinged a bit for an unsatisfactory transaction.

The buyer paid out her $55.34 for the item & postage. She didn't get what she paid for. She has been refunded, with no trouble to you.

You still have all the money in your account for the sale, so where's the problem? Why would ebay refund the fees? You sold it on their sales site, it is not their fault things went wrong. You're no worse off than you would be if everything had gone well and you were prepared to cop the fees then so what's the problem?

How are you down postage costs? Aus post has refunded the postage to the person who paid it and who was out of pocket. You still have the postage money in your account.