Item Lost in the Post. Do I refund buyer?

[onyxbutterfly2912]

Hi all,  My buyer is intimating that I never posted her item.  Because it was sent Standard Postage, I can't even give her a tracking number. What do others do in these cases?  It has happened to me several times now and one even went into dispute via Paypal.  Long and short of it I had to refund her money and I was out of pocket for postage for two items and the two items  themselves worth approx $100.

Although you can put into your listing a note to say you are not responsible for Australia Post losing something, the buyer does not really care.  They just want their item or their money.

All thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks a lot

[thecatspjs]

One can only really speculate regarding the reason as to why Paypal don't defend some of their decisions on threat of, or after it has been referred to the ombudsman.

On the balance of probabilities I would venture to guess that the "evidentiary proof" TB would provide was not only a simple scan of a lodgement receipt showing postcode, but that there would have been some "detailed statement" accompanying it.

[thesoulyearns]

So popular belief would have it. Refer post 6.

I sent a $400 item, using registered post, with additional insurance on 4th Feb, SA to Qld. The only information showing on the tracking site, is received from customer at my post office.

No idea where it is now. No response from the buyer, no feedback left (sometimes a reasonable indicator items have been received)

That's interesting... So it seems that tracking is only included in the price for Express Post items. It's not included at all for Registered Post and it's an optional extra for Standard Post.

Here is a quote from the same article you referenced in reply 6: "Registered Post offers [...] a signature obtained on delivery. If you require notification of delivery, the best way to do this is by purchasing the Delivery Confirmation service with your Registered Post article."

Normally, if we search the tracking number, we do get online notification of when it was signed for. What that quote says to me is that it's not guaranteed that we will be notified (by the online tracking info) unless we purchase Delivery Confirmation.

What may have happened with your $400 item is that their signature may not have been uploaded to the website. You could always ring AP and check their records as to whether it's signed for yet. In the future, especially for very pricey things, you should purchase Delivery Confirmation to make sure you're notified that it's received.

[phorum_junkie*]

If a registered parcel has not appeared in tracking after it has been lodged that doesn't really matter, you have proof that you posted it and that you paid for the extra cover so if AP fail to locate it they would have to refund you.

At the same time you would have Paypal seller protection as you can prove that you have posted the item to the buyer's address as it appeared on the Paypal transaction page.

So I would probably open the AP claim while asking the buyer to wait a few days and if AP paid up I would issue a refund to the buyer, if AP were dragging their heels and the buyer opened a Paypal dispute you would be covered anyway but I hope you would ask them to wait until AP finished investigating before they escalated to a claim.

[foxette-in-sox]

Thankyou TB-you & I have 'known' each other long enough to be on abbreviated terms lol

At the end of the day & this is just my opinion,sellers refunding for lost parcels comes down to both trust & morals.

[onyxbutterfly2912]

catspjs, you know you have a very devious mind.  I can't even imagine even thinking of doing something that sneaky.

Anyway, the question was academic because I had already refunded buyer.  I was really curious as to what you all made of it since it has happened to me severa times over the past few years.  As far as AP is concerned, they make it very hard to put in a claim, takes forever and unless you are insured total refund is up to $50 at their discretion.  That is if you get a co-operative Postal person.  Really all too hard.  Pay the extra for insurance, registering, signature, whatever, bung the extra on the cost of the item and keep your fingers and toes crossed.  That's about where I'm at now. Interestingly too, I have a lost of stuff delivered to me, I mean a lot. Most have signature required on the parcel.  Rarely if ever do I have to sign.  The posties know me now and know I am usually here.  However, it could be sheer laziness on their part.  How would I know?  I'm just a poor sod trying to keep the wolf from the door.  Do I sound bitter.  Nahhhh.:|

[wishuponastarcelebrationsandgifts]

My apologies if this has been answered, but I note few posts commenting that if you have proof of postage to the buyer's postcode that will suffice in defending an item not received dispute.

Paypal will not accept a postage receipt with postage to a buyer's postcode as "proof of postage" and will refund the buyer in the case of an item not received dispute if this is the only evidence that can be provided that the item was posted. This is what you would expect, given that the item may not have arrived as the incorrect address details may have been entered on the package - one logical explanation as to why an item may not arrive.

[davewil1964]

Refer to tall bearded's many lengthy posts. Apparently it's in Paypal's terms. Whilst they may find in the buyer's favour, they will allegedly cave if the seller goes to the ombudsman.

I work on the theory that I'm way in front by not requiring PP compliant postage, and if I get an occasional INR I'm still in front.

[wishuponastarcelebrationsandgifts]

Refer to tall bearded's many lengthy posts. Apparently it's in Paypal's terms. Whilst they may find in the buyer's favour, they will allegedly cave if the seller goes to the ombudsman.

I work on the theory that I'm way in front by not requiring PP compliant postage, and if I get an occasional INR I'm still in front.

I haven't bothered going to the ombudsman but have been tempted to a couple of times. Rarely does an item go missing, and of the handful that have, a few have been dubious. I will generally just apologise and refund/replace and move on.

I also don't always offer Paypal compliant postage on all items (eg large letters). I do not feel it is appropriate (nor viable) to up the postage rates to meet Paypal's criteria, especially for low priced items.

[thecatspjs]

Wish I know this too. 😐

But, TB insists that if a seller contacts the FO that paypal will cave.

I do reckon though, that TB's experience is on no way reflective of 99.9% of others experience in the same situation. IMHO, on the balance of probabilities, the 30 page statement, to which the postcode lodgement receipt is attached, would include other evidence (and much quoting of legal precedent) in relation to verification of post and addressee information.

[thecatspjs]

OP I hope your post 45 was in jest ?:|