No Tracking Numbers for inexpensive goods

[daddykool-123]

Apologies in advance if covered already, but I have many inexpensive goods that I pack into Padded envelopes and post.

As I print off my own labels, it's a minimum of $7.15 to send in a bag with tracking.

However, selling small inexpensive items, I will generally put them in a padded envelope with a couple of stamps at $1.40 .

Cheaper for my customers, $6 cheaper to send it.

Most of my customers are honest, but I was ordered to refund a full amount because the Customer "never received it".

So, the tiny bit of profit I was going to make is gone, so are the goods, so are my postage costs.  Now the item was only sold for $12.50, So not only am I down these costs, the customer got a freebie.

Instead of emailing me first, the Customer opened a dispute with eBay.

There will always be unscrupulous buyers, this is the 2nd refund in hundreds of posted items, which brings me back to the point:

Does anyone know how to supply tracking for inexpensive items? I don't think it's possible.

Thanks in advance,

D.K.

[daddykool-123]

I have no desire to argue with you.

If you had goods to sell, you may sometimes experience this problem.

Lets just say that I've accepted a solution and move on from nit-picking.

Thanks to those who had something positive to say on the topic.

D.K.

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@k1ooo-slr-sales wrote:
"the customer got a freebie " means?

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[springyzone]

Imastawka wrote. daddykool-123 wrote:

I don't remember calling my customer a liar....

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 Most of my customers are honest, but I was ordered to refund a full amount because the Customer "never received it".

 I think it's implied by the quotation marks

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It is, but it is a reasonable suspicion I think.

If an envelope or package has a return address and a buyer's address can't be found, then normally it would return to sender.

I know some things may occasionally go missing in the post but sheesh, the number of ebay items reported as missing must be some sort of record.

Or maybe I just have a nasty, suspicious mind.

Oh and I wouldn't worry too much about buyers lurking on these boards and being too shocked at seeing in print that some sellers think some buyers tell porkies or might even be dishonest. We're made of sterner stuff.

I can only speak for myself but the only thing I base my purchases on is if I want the thing and if the feedback & rating looks as if it is likely the seller is reliable enough. If I saw any of them on these boards (not that I ever have), I don't know if I would take much notice.

Actually it is the whole question of tracking costs for inexpensive items that turns me a bit off selling much on ebay these days. I don't trust some of the buyers either, even though I am one too.

[mbselections00]

A bit late adding to this thread and chameleon has offered the solution, but just to add to that, likewise most of my items are sent in padded envelopes for $1.40 also and it just isn't viable to send with Tracking. 

I normally do a daily mailing list (unlike this week when for the first time ever I haven't had a single sale until today !) and when I post (always over the counter) the staff kindly stamp each address on the list for me.  Then if a buyer contacts me to say an item hasn't arrived I am at least able to show them proof their item was sent, which is important to me as I would hate to think a buyer thought I was dishonest.  I ask them to check with neighbours and also the PO in case they are holding the article for some reason (eg. padded envelope may not fit in letter box).

Horrible as this may sound, in most cases the item miraculously turns up within a day !!  Leading me to believe the obvious . . . . . .

By memory, I have only ever had 3 orders I have had to replace  and of those one was eventually returned to me about 6 weeks later.

So to be honest, I don't even self-insure, but that would depend entirely on the average cost of the items, if they were higher in value, then I probably would.

[chameleon54]

I would probably have one parcel in maybe 300-400 "go missing" in the mail. In most cases I dont have any reason to believe the buyer has not recieved it, although there have been a small handfull that seem a bit suspect.

On a couple of occasions when the buyer has claimed the item was faulty, I suspect they may not know how the item was originally made, or how to actually use it correctly. They still get refunded and get to keep the item for free, as I cant be bothered arguing with them and getting their back up, just to prove I,m right and they are wrong. ( remembering they honestly believe their claim is justified and maybe I,m the one who is actually mistaken )  

Occasionaly after refunding for item not recieved, the buyer messages to say they recieved the item after maybe 4 or 5 weeks and offer to re-pay. I usually thank them and just tell them to keep the item for free. ( my self insurance mentioned in previous post has already covered the cost. )

 Only 3 or four items have ever been retuned by AP to me and on most of those occasions, the buyers listed address was incorrect in ebays order details.

[stickittoit]

I sell alot of items in Australia at $4.95 to $8.95 (trading cards) and can only put them in an envelope with a 70 cent stamp, adding registration or tracking to a standard envelope is $3.50, you are at the mercy of the honest people and the cheats.  As I started to get ripped off quite abit I started a database that will eventually help others would love you to let me know what you think sellsafer.com

any assistance would be appreciated

[chameleon54]

There is a well established site already where sellers can share their experiences with ebay buyers. I,m not sure what its called, but I did have a look one night. It seemed like the wild west where people can make any sort of slanderous accusation and the recipient has no right of reply.

It came up when I was searching an old aquantances name, right at the top search, so ranks fairly well in google searches. My friend may or may not have been guilty of the claims, ( he was always a fairly fast mover ) but it all made me a bit uncomfortable really. Once the accustations are out there on the web, theres no way to take them back, and they will follow the recipient around the net for years. I have come across the site again when researching a problem buyer, so it is quite an active site.

I hope you have thought all of the issues through. 

[chameleon54]

Site is called Badbuyerlist. Google that for a look.

[lyndal1838]

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@chameleon54 wrote:

Site is called Badbuyerlist. Google that for a look.

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Ouch, a couple of sites come up....one is very detailed and well set out.

[chameleon54]

I had a better look at my old aquantances issue. To me it looks like he purchased a mobile phone listed as being in Australia, when it was really being drop shipped from China. ( probably a fake ). My friend Negged the guy when it took weeks to arrive instead of the advertised Australian delivery time. Knowing my friend he probably needed it yesterday and didnt appreciate the ebay scam of being told it was an Australian item when it was really being drop shipped. ( and wouldnt have spared the language if he found it was fake )

The aquantance is a succesfull, high placed,  proffesional businessman in his field. He now has his real name, ebay ID, residential address, phone number and email address plastered across the internet, with unflattering comments from an ebay scammer. Unless you looked very closely and knew how to follow the ebay trail, you would just take the scammers defamatory comments at face value. ( as I first did )

It all looks a bit of a worry to me.