proof of posting video

[kategreenleaf]

I just got a buyer claiming that their item never arrived and are seeking a refund.

Due to the small value of the item and Auspost's insane postage costs that don't even include tracking, I sent the item via regular international airmail in a small bubble enevelop.

I have video proof of posting the enevelop where their name and address are clealy seen before the envelop enters the slot of an outside red mail box. Is this enough proof to refuse to refund buyer?

[melbourneclearance]

---

@kategreenleaf wrote:

Hi, they already opened a request for refund with ebay.

The item was sent on the 25th of October to Romania. The buyer opened an account on the day of purchase and currently is still sitting on zero feedback two months later. Aftering purchasing the item they messaged me about concerns that the item will not arrive and I offered to cancel the transaction because I couldn't offer postage with tracking but they wished to continue with the purchase.

I did receive a message from them a few days ago saying they haven't received that item and that it was their country's post service fault, so I was quite shocked they opened a dispute.

---

Call me discriminatory, but I will NEVER post to Romania. I get plenty of one-liner spams through ebay with "Post to Romania?" or some other suspicious countries, usually from ebay members with under 20 feedbacks, most of the time 0 feedback. I never bother with them, I suspect those are bot generated messages anyway.

I post to only rich countries and even these are sometimes problematic. The US, for example, has a 20% higher complaint rate than the others. And when these overseas people complain, there is nothing you can do but refund them in the huge majority of cases.

[thebossesaccount]

Anthing less than 20mm in thickness is classified as a "letter" and can be posted in the street mailing boxes without a customs form CN22 or CN23 attached.

Larger than that thickness the item is classified as a "parcel" and requires a CN22 or CN23 customs form attached.  Some of which can still be lodged in a street mailing box - just check the AusPost website for for info.

[digital*ghost]

---

@thebossesaccount wrote:

Anthing less than 20mm in thickness is classified as a "letter" and can be posted in the street mailing boxes without a customs form CN22 or CN23 attached.

---

The contents actually matter when sending overseas - it's true that if the package meets large letter specs, it doesn't matter what's inside and it's still classed as a letter, but AFAIK, a customs form is required for anything other than documents, and certainly are if the contents are merchandise.

This is anecdotal and may even be coincidental, but I found my enquiries for international packages - from people wondering where their orders were - almost stopped entirely after I started adding in the HS tariff codes, which is optional for most parcels, which made me think a fully completed customs form helps processing times. 

I know they're not available everywhere, but I actually lodge all my international letters at the self service terminals, as you get a lodgement receipt for them that way which clearly lists all of the customs numbers. I also photograph the addressed package with the contents and customs form. Unless the package is tracked in the destination country, it won't help in an eBay INR claim, but I hope it would hold up against other types of claims where proof of postage is required.