topic Re: tracked item missing in Selling

tracked item missing

davidc4430 — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 21:00:15 GMT

just got a 'item not recieved' thing, first time for me.

the item has tracking, posted on 31/1/19

last track scan showed facility in adelaide 5/2/19

nothing since then

whats the process for dealing with this.

thanks.

Re: tracked item missing

shoppingbag* — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 21:39:32 GMT

I presume we are talking of a sale to an Australian address. also presume you are the Seller. If it is Australia Post you can ring customer service and inquire, however the buyer can also do this. Is the item much overdue? I have had a couple that eventually turned up. I had one from the USA that tracking stopped on for an entire month, then started again and I received it. Also another purchased early December from Australia, turned up on January 3rd (apparently it had been sitting in my local sorting centre since the 19th December) Also if the item in question went through Chullora sorting centre in New South Wales, then they are notorious for holding parcels up. Good luck with it.

Re: tracked item missing

glenbankloel — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 21:45:45 GMT

We had this a few months ago for 2 deliveries and we started a query via Aust Post.

But be warned, they want 10 days for their system to be able to follow up , which of course won't work for your customer!

So we started the process, and kept the customer in the loop all the way, including forwarding all corres from AP to them.

This kept them happy (?) and they were able to see all the comments and discussions that we had with AP.

All messages are online in AP's website so you have a record of their progress, and your comments. Send it all to the Customer!

End result?

Well AP decided that the items were lost, we received a refund, - so we refunded the customer, - and then items delivered!

Took nearly 3 weeks to get into their hands and one delivery was in our home state.

So, they got their items for free, but they were resonably happy that they weren't ignored, and they could see what was going on via our emails.

So best we can suggest is that you go above and beyond to give them service and above all keep them in the loop.

Stand your ground with AP as they won't want to bend, but if they don't provide the service that they tout then they have to wear it!

Good Luck with your customers.

Re: tracked item missing

kopenhagen5 — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 23:50:57 GMT

What is the last estimated delivery date ?

Re: tracked item missing

davidc4430 — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 00:23:18 GMT

well, i visited my post office and they didnt do much other than confirm the last scan of the item was on the 5th.

they gave me a 2 page form and a phone number 131318 to call.

now i have called and when i finally pressed enough buttons to get a human, she took my parcels tracking number and instantly declared it as lost in transit.

said there was nothing more she could do but offered a $50 + postage refund.

the item was sold for $70 so i wasnt real happy but i didnt have insurance so i guessed $50 was better than nothing as ebay are going to refund the guy and its pretty unlikely he will give it back if the item turns up. i took the $50

the item was travelling from south australia to victoria.

Re: tracked item missing

digital*ghost — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 00:30:15 GMT

@davidc4430 wrote:

the item was sold for $70 so i wasnt real happy but i didnt have insurance so i guessed $50 was better than nothing as ebay are going to refund the guy and its pretty unlikely he will give it back if the item turns up. i took the $50

Just in case, if you haven't already, refund the buyer yourself - don't let it escalate to eBay to do it, otherwise you will have a 'case closed without seller resolution' defect, which is pretty much the last thing you want.

Re: tracked item missing

davidc4430 — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 01:07:49 GMT

i used the ebay chat function and talked to a rep about the case and was told they have given me 5 days for the item to 'turn up' before they act.

is there any point waiting a few days before i refund?

Re: tracked item missing

davidc4430 — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 01:09:03 GMT

oh, and if it does 'turn up and is delivered' after the refund can i get the money back?

Re: tracked item missing

digital*ghost — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 01:52:53 GMT

@davidc4430 wrote:
i used the ebay chat function and talked to a rep about the case and was told they have given me 5 days for the item to 'turn up' before they act.
is there any point waiting a few days before i refund?

You do have a few days before the buyer can escalate the case to eBay for review (if the buyer doesn't escalate, and you don't ask eBay to take any action, I don't think eBay will do anything or refund).

At this stage it's really up to you, normally I like to ask the buyer to wait just a couple of days before providing options for a resolution (in this case, a refund) just to buy some time in case the item shows up, but usually an investigation with Australia Post has been initiated and is ongoing, in your case it seems to have been pretty open and shut, with you receiving compensation (that'll usually take a week or two to arrive).

Technically that means the package (and loss) is Australia Post's now, if my memory of their T&Cs is correct (I will double-check later, just to be sure). If so, that means in real terms it's inconsequential if the package arrives later, because the buyer would owe AP, not you (and if they choose to deliver rather than retain, that's also on them).

Or, just in my opinion, no, not really much point waiting for further developments before refunding. Plus, if you look after a buyer in situations like this, they will often surprise you (eg lots of my buyers have advised of a package's arrival after me providing a refund or sending out replacements, some are happy to RTS them, others offer to buy the second lot - in my cases I haven't been compensated so it's 100% between me at the buyer).

Re: tracked item missing

davidc4430 — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 02:02:30 GMT

ok, gotcha, i will just refund him and see what happens, at worst i'll be short $20, not the end of the world.

Re: tracked item missing

shoppingbag* — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 03:43:02 GMT

Sorry to hear it didn't work out better for you david.

Re: tracked item missing

digital*ghost — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 08:23:13 GMT

@digital*ghost wrote:

Technically that means the package (and loss) is Australia Post's now, if my memory of their T&Cs is correct (I will double-check later, just to be sure). If so, that means in real terms it's inconsequential if the package arrives later, because the buyer would owe AP, not you (and if they choose to deliver rather than retain, that's also on them).

Narrators voice: It was not.

I think I got my wires crossed with PayPal's T&Cs whereby they state that in some cases, if they pay out a discretionary refund, the disputed goods become their property and they can require the goods to be returned to them, rather than the seller.

Here's the relevant bit in Aus Post's T&Cs:

72 Notice of article subsequently found
72.1 Where Australia Post exercises its discretion in favour of the customer pursuant to
clause 70 and an article which had been presumed lost is subsequently found,
Australia Post may notify the claimant and the claimant may within 30 days of receipt
of such notice, obtain delivery of the article upon repayment of any cost incurred by
Australia Post or amount paid to the claimant under clause 70.

In other words, if they've paid compensation for a package but later find it, they should contact you and provide you with the option of re-paying the compensation amount to get the package back. The bit about "costs incurred" sounds like they've given themselves room to charge an amount for investigating, locating, and transporting the item back to wherever, as well.

By the way, the discretionary compensation amount is supposed to be $50, plus the postage amount paid - last time they compensated me, they just sent an MO for $50, I didn't call them out at the time as I think the difference was about $5, but if they did the same to you, you could point out their own T&Cs.

Re: tracked item missing

davewil1964 — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 09:02:19 GMT

The bit about "costs incurred" sounds like they've given themselves room to charge an amount for investigating, locating, and transporting the item back to wherever, as well.

So they reserve the right to charge a customer for the costs they incur for stuffing up the delivery in the first place.

Who would do that? Duh... Australia Post.

Re: tracked item missing

kitty-kat-kollection — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 15:32:08 GMT

What about if one of their machines rips wide open your prepaid satchel and the buyer ends up still somehow receiving it but...it does not contain the item and only contains my business card.

How could a tiny business card survive this but the item (a pair of shorts) is mysteriously gone!?

Is some mail man wearing those PINK FLORAL SHORTS RIGHT NOW!? lol

Obviously I refunded the poor sad buyer right away.

Re: tracked item missing

davidc4430 — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 21:26:01 GMT

@digital*ghost wrote:
@digital*ghost wrote:

Technically that means the package (and loss) is Australia Post's now, if my memory of their T&Cs is correct (I will double-check later, just to be sure). If so, that means in real terms it's inconsequential if the package arrives later, because the buyer would owe AP, not you (and if they choose to deliver rather than retain, that's also on them).

Narrators voice: It was not.

I think I got my wires crossed with PayPal's T&Cs whereby they state that in some cases, if they pay out a discretionary refund, the disputed goods become their property and they can require the goods to be returned to them, rather than the seller.

Here's the relevant bit in Aus Post's T&Cs:

72 Notice of article subsequently found
72.1 Where Australia Post exercises its discretion in favour of the customer pursuant to
clause 70 and an article which had been presumed lost is subsequently found,
Australia Post may notify the claimant and the claimant may within 30 days of receipt
of such notice, obtain delivery of the article upon repayment of any cost incurred by
Australia Post or amount paid to the claimant under clause 70.

In other words, if they've paid compensation for a package but later find it, they should contact you and provide you with the option of re-paying the compensation amount to get the package back. The bit about "costs incurred" sounds like they've given themselves room to charge an amount for investigating, locating, and transporting the item back to wherever, as well.

By the way, the discretionary compensation amount is supposed to be $50, plus the postage amount paid - last time they compensated me, they just sent an MO for $50, I didn't call them out at the time as I think the difference was about $5, but if they did the same to you, you could point out their own T&Cs.

i went with the deposit it back into my bank option, just in case the 'cheque is in the mail' happened

they lost my item should i really have faith their MO wouldnt get lost as well.

i returned the customers money via PP, do i need to inform ebay?

i sent the customer an email via ebay informing him of the refund.

Re: tracked item missing

davidc4430 — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 23:59:45 GMT

oh what a mess this is turning out to be!

so yesterday oz post tells me the items lost, heres a payment for our screwup.

i refund the buyer his money.

today i check the tracking and its suddenly 'delivered'

great, for the buyer.

but try to get a refund cancelled!

ebay tells me to contact PP

PP tells me they cant stop the refund.

Re: tracked item missing

digital*ghost — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 00:29:27 GMT

I'd contact the buyer, and advise you're sending an invoice for repayment (try to make it so that it is a given, rather than an optional request, though you could tell them as an alternative, they may also mark the package as return to sender, if it is unopened).

If they don't respond or reply, you can then advise the matter will be handled legally, but to start with I'd expect the best (while preparing for the worst).

Re: tracked item missing

twyngwyn — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 00:40:29 GMT

marked 'as delivered' may not mean that your customer has received it 😞

Re: tracked item missing

davidc4430 — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 01:21:01 GMT

the buyer has messaged me confirming he has the item and that he got a messge from Pay Pal saying the refund was cancelled, go figure that out when the girl said she couldnt cancel it.

and id prolly have to put in a claim.

not sure about what happens with the oz post refund now, havent had any mail from them yet.

Re: tracked item missing

digital*ghost — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 01:49:02 GMT

@davidc4430 wrote:
the buyer has messaged me confirming he has the item and that he got a messge from Pay Pal saying the refund was cancelled, go figure that out when the girl said she couldnt cancel it.
and id prolly have to put in a claim.

not sure about what happens with the oz post refund now, havent had any mail from them yet.

Double-check your PP account, just to make sure.

I've never been offered EFT when being paid compo by Aus Post, so I don't know how quickly they action it, but it seems to take a few days for the money orders to be processed - my previous reply was on the assumption AP would now deny the compo, but I guess it depends on what their internal systems are like - that is, how quickly each facet communicates and reacts to updates.

If your refund was cancelled and Aus Post don't pay, no harm no foul, at the end of the day (I hope the case has been closed?). If they (AP) do pay, you may have to make arrangments to send it back.

If the refund wasn't cancelled then it's a bit of a different ball game - you might be in a position to still demand the compo because they didn't do what they said they would so in their T&Cs (offer to get it back to you).