Buyer claims item not received

[mae979902]

Hi folks, would appreciate some thoughts / advice on this one.

I recently sold a ring for $50. I posted it over the counter at AP in a plain envelope (the ring was inside a ring box & wrapped in tissue paper) for standard parcel delivery. I have a receipt with a tracking number. I was a bit rushed that day so marked it on eBay as posted but didn't upload the tracking number (silly me!).

The buyer contacted me first on Wed to say he hadn't received it. I checked the tracking & sent him the number in a message - it was still in transit. Yesterday he contacted me to say the postie knocked on his door & handed him my envelope which had been partially opened (clean looking cut on one end) with nothing inside. He sent me a photo of the envelope. The AP website says the parcel has been delivered.

I've looked for info on websites and made some phone calls. AP say he will need to lodge a complaint with them, taking in the envelope so they can invetsigate (I can't initiate it as I don't have the envelope). Paypal say a claim can be lodged under buyer (seller) protection. I've advised him to lodge a complaint with AP and perhaps initiate an item not received claim in the resolution centre.

Today he has said he doesn't have time for that, it wasn't safe to send the ring in a "plain un-reinforced envelope" and at the end of the day he's paid for something he didn't receive. He's asking me to just refund him today.

I've sent items through AP for years with no issue. The other items I sent around the same time seem to have all arrived without incident. My feedback is excellent and I feel like I'm being held to ransom with the looming threat of negative feedback.

From my perspetive, although I don't believe he's lying, I have proof of it being sent and tracking to say it's been delivered. I want to help him resolve this but it's now got difficult if he refuses to do anything.

Lots of lessons for me in this one but could use some words of wisdom to consider please. Anyone?

[clarry100]

Well if its any consolation....

We had a scamming buyer a while back who claimed that 2 packages both mailed 3-days apart to the same validated address never arrived. These were regular mail so no tracking numbers unfortunately.

We thought we were doomed when the buyer open an INR case against us when we refused to replace both of them. And they left us 2 BIG RED dots.

So I rang paypal and spoke with them...

They intimated (without actually saying it) that this buyer had history and although  they agreed with us they could not find 100% in our favour because we had not used tracking. So they closed the case NO FAULT. That meant the buyer got their refund but we did not lose any money either.

Then we called ebay and argued the case to get the NEG feedback the buyer left for us removed. After speaking with a supervisor they did remove the NEGs.

So I'd say you have a stronger case than we did so push on with it. If you persevere I'm sure you will get the NEGs removed as well.

Good luck with it!

[lizzy6107]

also, if there is any damage to a package, australia post always wrap it in clear plastic with australia post crime scene tape that says packaging damaged or torn in transit etc and it's delivered like that. I have had at least 2 parcels /letters delivered that way in the recent past. So he wil need to accuse the postman, because there's only him who left with it past the postage centre..

[justkidzbiz]

You could add some follow up feedback along the lines of "photo shows envelope was not torn but clear knife cut along end"

[i-love-my-sheep]

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@mae979902 wrote:

 (And yes, big re-think on the packaging & postage options)

Thanks again....

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I got a box of 200 small 00 sized padded bags off eBay for about $26 with free postage. There larger size bags were well priced too.Let me know if you want a link to the listing as it's still in my watch list. From memory, the box arrived 3 days after purchase. Aussie seller too!

[mae979902]

Well good news.

I contacted eBay today. They checked the messages that were exchanged and have removed his negative feedback from my record as he violated their policy with feedback extortion ("refund me by 8pm today & I'll leave + feedback....").

It's a big relief and nice to know that sometimes the good guys do win

Although I don't send heaps of items regularly, I'm happy for you to forward me any links to packaging options. In the meantime, will stick with satchels.

Massive thanks once again for all your help, encouragement & support - very much appreciated.

[jensmanchester-australia]

I am not sure why every time a buyer seems to have a problem they suddenly become the crook.

Over the years I have had Australia Post damage several parcels and deliver them damaged and/or missing part of the contents. Sometimes Australia Post have retaped the parcel up but more often they just deliver them and couldn't care less.

I have had satchels slit and delivered with parts of the contents missing, boxes damaged and part of the contents fallen out, satchels caught in the conveyor belts and totally shredded the contents, wine spilt onto boxes and destroying the contents, boxes becoming saturated causing mould to form on the contents. Lets not also forget the times they misdeliver parcels so although the tracking may say delivered it is sitting in someone's hot little hand.

Have Australia Post ever accepted responsibility - not once even when my customer has tried from their end.

[i-love-my-sheep]

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@mae979902 wrote:

Although I don't send heaps of items regularly, I'm happy for you to forward me any links to packaging options. In the meantime, will stick with satchels.

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Have PM'd you with the packaging details.

Great news about your neg being removed! That will teach them they can't abuse the system and get away with it.

[aurellian]

When sending rings I put the ring box in another larger box ( I modify a bx1 size box to fit neatly in an ebay 500g satchel). Before sealing up the modified bX1 box with the ring box in it, I pack it with packaging peanuts or something similar.

Using ebay labels means that the tracking info is automatically uploaded.

[laugh-lots]

I sold a small item for $250 and had a tracking number, buyer claims it was not delievered depsite tracking number recorded as being delivered by Australia Post. After me emailing the buyer to say he needs to lodge a complaint at his local Post Office and me going into my post office, lots of time spent on sorting this all out here, he didn't want to follow it up - just wanted the money back and postage money back! Sent me some nasty emails, through ebay. Aust Post rang me about a week later to say the postman even remembers personally handing it to the man at his door!!!! Told the buyer this and have never heard from the man again. Continue to pursue it at your end, register it with Aust Post and make sure all messages go through the eBay system, then lodge a complaint if he keeps hasseling you but doesn't want to do anything about it. Good luck.

[mitbri]

You have done all you can from your end. Posted it with tracking from the post office. 

It's not under your control, what happens to the parcel after that. It could have been opened by anyone, 

and it's not because it was an envelope. The padded envelopes sold by aust. post are only paper too. 

You don't need to do anything. It's for the buyer to take up with aust. post, but there's nothing you could have

done any different, and you are not responsible.