Dodgey Buyer???

[clarry100]

Thoughts/advice on this one???

We sold an item back on 18th November 2013.

Buyer paid immediately. It's only a $8 item.

Mailed the item same day by regular AP mail (ie large letter no tracking).

Today (7-weeks/42-days later) we get a message "my item has not arrived".

I checked the buyer feedback left for others. This buyer has left neutral on 2/3 other occasions over the past 6-months for other sellers for the very same problem. The buyer has received other seller FB since the time of this purchase so they are still actively buying.

I smell a scammer/fraudster here.

If I refuse to do anything about this:

a: can they still leave a NEG?

b: can they raise a PayPal dispute?

Because we use large letter mail I think we would lose a case against us. We normally replace lost items without argument but we have never had one go this long before reporting to us. Have had 30-days tho.

Don't buyers get reminder messages from ebay to leave FB? Surely this would remind them about their item and to check on it. Especially since they have obviously been logged into their account on many occasions since then to buy other stuff.

[putney32]

they have 45 days to lodge paypal claim for item not received

yes you would loose the claim as you have no Seller protection thru paypal

yes they have 60 day to leave fb and can leave a neg or a neutral

sounds like they have a postal problem, surely they wouldlnt try a scam over 8 bucks

[kopenhagen5]

It is possible they have someone stealing their mail at their address.

They may also have been on holidays for a few weeks.

They have 45 days to open a PayPal dispute and if they paid on the 18th Nov that expired on the 2nd or 3rd Jan.

ebay send a reminder for feedback at 30 days and they have 60 days to leave feedback.

I would be suggesting to check with the post office in case it is still awaiting collection there due to being large and holidays.

Other than that, up to you how you service this transaction, however a neg is very possible.

[haolove13]

All the times mentioned there are correct.

I sell similar small value items in A4 flatpacks which do not fit in letterboxes and I put a "DO NOT SAFE DROP:" sticker on everything.

It has reduced the incidence of lost items significantly.

Before Christmas there was a story on "A Current Affair" showing several places where the ferals were treating unit letterboxes like charity stores. The ferals were almost fighting over articles just dropped by lazy posties.

I am still trying to negotiate with Aus Post to find a way to get labels put back on large letter deliveries.

It could also be a dodgy buyer. Especially if they have left records of similar things in the past. But Ebay / Paypal insist a customer would never lie. HO HO HO Merry Christmas.

[chameleon54]

I send a lot of items as large letters, untracked. I add a small amount to my post cost ( 50 cents ) to cover lost items in the mail and simply resend them if there is a problem. Second time around I send with tracking. All covered by my 50 cent extra charge on all post items. I lose around 1 % of items in the mail so for every 100 mailed I have $50 to cover a single lost item ( my average sale is $38.00, many go in 3 kg. express satchels  ). I know these dodgy buyers can get to you, but I find it easier to add them to my blocked bidder list and move on. It saves my sanity and in most cases buyers genuinly have not recieved the item ( lost by AP. stolen from thier box etc. )  It also saves the 9/10 genuine customers sanity. Self insurance is much cheaper than AP. tracking for every item. This may not be the answer for every seller but works well for me.

[clarry100]

Chameleon, that is pretty much what we normally do too. Only difference our avearge item price is about $10.

Like you, we just replace lost items without any argument. Since we use regular mail and have no seller protection anyway we have to.

And then we leave a comment on the FB we left for them at the time.

"Lost mail article claim lodged with AP & item replaced <date>."

At least then if other sellers look up their FB for a similar claim they can see a history. Would be great if all sellers would do this too.

Just that in this particular case this buyer shows some history of leaving FB for sellers claiming item never arrived.

Makes me think they are trying on a scam. Either that or they have a dodgey postie or live in a pretty rough area that is prone to mail theft.

Anyway I have sent back a message to the buyer asking them to please validate the address we mailed to. So far nothing back.

[*crikey*mate*]

psst Clarry.....

*pulls hat down over eyes*

*takes a quick peek from left to right to make sure no one is listening in* (is that what they mean by "casts a furtive glance"?)

*tightens trench coat*

in here  ii

             V

Spoiler

the bit about the feedback follow up and mentioning the claim..... I think you might need to word it a bit differently or a dodgy buyer might be able to get your comment removed. I'm pretty sure that it would fall within the paramaters for Feedback Removal "Feedback that includes references to law enforcement investigations" or eBay or PayPal investigations.

[clarry100]

Crikey ya reckon mate!

It mentions AP and simply that I filed a missing article report. Nothing about ebay or paypal in there.

I don't know what AP do with missing article reports. Only thing I have gotten back from them is to say they have been unable to locate the missing article.

Whether/not they use them to locate repeat/problem postal addresses I wouldn't know. They should, if only to locate weaknesses in their own delivery system.

Any other wording suggestions then?

I just wish to alert other sellers that this buyer has had mail go missing before.

[digital*ghost]

I'd do something like "Replacement sent [date] for item lost in post".

It's a simple order update, but says eveything it migh need to.

[*crikey*mate*]

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@clarry100 wrote:

Crikey ya reckon mate!

It mentions AP and simply that I filed a missing article report. Nothing about ebay or paypal in there.

I don't know what AP do with missing article reports. Only thing I have gotten back from them is to say they have been unable to locate the missing article.

Whether/not they use them to locate repeat/problem postal addresses I wouldn't know. They should, if only to locate weaknesses in their own delivery system.

Any other wording suggestions then?

I just wish to alert other sellers that this buyer has had mail go missing before.

---

Digi nailed it, I reckon, I was just drawn to the "law enforcement" reference... maybe I have applied the brush too broadly (and I am usually so literal) but an investigation into any missing article which could well be an investigation into breach of contract for non performance, whether it be internal or not, seems like it could enter the realms of legality to me, but maybe that term is meant in it's literal sense ie. law enforcement being the police, but I would have thought that any matter that is potentially handled by the courts or other authoritive bodies could be considered "law enforcement"

*shrugs*

don't mind me - I need sleep LOL