Seeking Advise Please

[arnl7178]

Hi guys,

I sold a small priced item on 31/3, buyer paid the same day. I organised postage through C&S on the same day as well and it was placed in the box the following day. Tracking number was automatically added to the order.

I checked via the AP website a few days later, and it said it had been delivered on 3/4.

Yesterday (10/4) I received a message from the buyer saying it hadn't arrived, that the parcel couldn't have fit into her mailbox and that she contacted AP who told her I had to initiate an investigation. I have done this and am awaiting a replying from AP.

I'm not quite sure what to do from this point. I've advised the buyer that I'm awaiting a reply from AP and also responded (of course) to her initial message about the item not arriving, but I haven't heard back from her.

What are my obligations here? She hasn't lodged a dispute with PayPal and it's only a small amount of money but do I refund her even though the shipping info states delivered? Do I refund her purchase price and postage? Do I wait on a reply from AP? Do I advise her to open a PayPal dispute?

Had there not been a tracking number I would have refunded her immediately but since there is, I'm not convinced it's my obligation to do so.

Any advise would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[arnl7178]

AP told me via phone they will respond via email by close of business today. Crazy isn't it? They had me on the phone, but will email me instead? lol. Close of business is looming. We'll see.

My local postie is also really unreliable. He always puts my parcels on top of my letterbox, and believe it or not, not one has gone missing!

Even registered post articles that require my signature get delivered in the same way WITHOUT me signing. He's done that a few times. The last time, I complaining. I told AP I wanted to see the card I apparently signed because I knew it wasn't my signature. They got back to me and told me my parcels will never be delivered that way again. And they haven't, funny that.

I guess I just feel bad that my buyer didn't get what she paid for. I know it isn't my fault, and it's not hers either. I'm a sucker I suppose. I haven't refunded yet, and even if I do, I won't be refunding her postage charges. Both she and I will have to be out of pocket for this one I'm afraid.

[debra9275]

I've just had a response from AP that they've found my parcel in their 'dead letter''dept which is good news for me, However all the information that was put into the tracking site was blatantly untrue. It was marked by them as 'delivered" over a week ago. This just doesn't make me feel very confident about their service. Why on earth would they be doing that?.

I'm now going to ask them to look for another one which probably suffered the same fate.  I buy heaps on eBay and have many parcels delivered every week, so it just doesn't make any sense to me at all

[arnl7178]

They obviously make mistakes all over the place because the investigation I lodged apparently wasn't lodged at all they told me after calling them twice more.

On the phone the final time, they lodged yet another one, and then an hour later I got a response from the first investigation they "lost".

Both told me to wait 10 days for a response.

I've heard nothing. Ridiculous.

[thecatspjs]

One could easily start to believe their "handling" of some cases are in fact are strategy to make it as hard and frustrating as possible to deter compensation claims.....:-(

[davewil1964]

One could. Especially now they claim to not provide compensation unless you use SOD and extra cover.

It will be interesting to see if that gets tested.

[arnl7178]

They have already told me I won't receive any compensation except for "perhaps" my satchel returned.

That doesn't help my poor buyer.

[davewil1964]

Test it. I'm sure the relevant ombudsman would be interested. Failing that, if they accept the goods they have an explicit duty to deliver same. As such compensation should be predicated on the loss, not the postage cost.

I'm sure a court would find that way. I'm equally sure I can't afford to be the one to test it.

[arnl7178]

You can't afford to Dave & I can't be bothered. Not for a $5 item anyway.

I'd just be happy for them to "find" it or at least, respond to the investigation so I can move on from this transaction.