Lost international parcel

[ancarswa]

I knew it was only a matter of time and it has finally happened. I sold a few items on ebay and shipped international registered post to Hong Kong.

The buyer contacted me after a few weeks to say they have not received the package. Registered International post gives no tracking on the Australia post website but I believe their system can track it a bit. Anyway to cut a long story short, after 7  weeks Australia post finally sent me an email saying they cannot find the parcel. (It was tracked to leaving Australia but no sign of it arriving in Hong Kong).

They say they are considering giving me compensation after I jump through a few hoops. It looks like I shall get a refund of the sale price plus shipping up to $100 which if true should get me back nearly all my money.

However if I refund the buyer (which I want to do as he has been very patient - no paypal dispute) I am out of pocket due to having no money and no items. 

Has anyone been in this situation? What have you guys done? Even if you have not been in this situation but have any thoughts about how to proceed I would like to hear it.

Thanks.

[i-love-my-sheep]

If your buyer is being patient and understanding, I would ask them to contact the customs office in their capital city. Sometimes parcels can be intercepted, depending on what it is. Sometimes they can just get held up in customs for who knows what reason. I bought an item from China months ago and the tracking number says it's still in the sorting centre in the sellers city. The seller gave me a refund with no questions asked and if it does ever arrive, I will resend the money. Sometimes when you're dealing with Asian countries, things can move VERY slowly. That was in stark contrast to me getting a package from China 3 days after I paid for it!

Next time, send with tracking as opposed to sending registered.

[sueken4812]

If you've sent it Registered, you have proof of postage.  Sometimes Hong Kong can be EXTREMELY slow, and then in the next breath SUPER FAST.  So wait a couple more weeks.  I've had things from Hong Kong show up 3 months later.

[phorum_junkie*]

It wouldn't sit well with me that I had the money back and the buyer received nothing, especially when they could have done what most would have done and gone through Paypal.

Annoying to be out so much money but if you divided the amount between all the parcels you have successfully delivered over the years I suspect it would only work out a few cents per parcel.

In fact although I rarely have anything not turn up I do designate a small sum from each payment as a slush fund which I would use to cover the occasional refund.  As I so rarely use it I build up a nice little sum which will pay for a meal out or some other treat and still leave enough to cover two average payments.

[asporty]

I lost a regular post package to HK recently. Simply gave a refund to buyer. Filed a case with post office, which recently wrote to me saying that they will consider my application after 3 months only.

More relevant to your situation, a buyer in UK recently received my item in broken state. Sent me pictures and I gave full refund. That was sent registered post so I filed a case with post office, who called me last week to say that a cheque is on its way for the full amount ($80 + postage). Still waiting for it.

[ancarswa]

Thanks for all the comments. I am going to contact the buyer to give him the option of getting a full refund now if he wants it. If he is prepared to give it more time for the parcel to arrive then even better.

No guarentees that I will get any money back from Aus Post either. I lodged the claim yesterday so lets see what they do.

With regards to pack and track, I was told there is tracking online but if it gets lost no claim is possible. My local post office said pack and track is the biggest waste of time as it costs the same as registered which gives the same amount of tracking on Australia Posts system plus you get $100 insurance included. Also registered requires a signature on delivery whereas pack and track could be left at the door which means anyone could pick it up if no one home. With no insurance I would lose both the money and the items.

I guess I just have to wear this one and chalk it up to one of those things.

[letscleanupmycupboards]

If the buyer had lodged a paypal claim in the allotted time, you had proof of shipment so paypal should have covered the buyers money, at which time you should be able to claim back the compensation from the post office. I think if you have the appropriate paperwork then isn't paypal, and not the seller/sender, responsible for items not arriving?

I think it would be fair to voluntarily refund the item cost but I'd argue that postage is not refundable in this case.

[zkrakowa]

Hi my ENGLISH is no good but  my logic is perfect. ( I think LOL )

My I ask you, do you send item before you collected money from BUYER? If you do, is your bad luck. If you collected money in full from buyer, and AUSTRALIA POST give you $ 100, you are not loser and why you not happy. And if you send registered as you sugested, and BUYER pay you by PAYPAL, the problem is fix  as long you presented a recipte from AUSTRALIA POST to PAYPAL.

You covered by PAYPAL against any lost and buyer too.

I do not see any problem.

Let me know if my LOGIC is not good, please.

Kindly regards

Henry

[davewil1964]

Your logic is flawed, Henry.

If a seller can prove postage to Paypal's satisfaction there is no guarantee that a buyer will be refunded for an INR. That is at Paypal's discretion.

[ancarswa]

Henry,

If I was not giving the buyer a refund then there is nothing for me to complain about. However the money the post office gives me I shall be giving to the buyer as a refund.

So I have no money and no items at the moment!