Buyer didn't receive item--now what?

dorkbar · February 27, 2007 11:30AM

As the world's worst coin collector, bad things often happen to me that wouldn't happen to other people.

Buyer e-mails me that he didn't get the goods. It's been a month, and first I've heard of it. I shipped the same day. What do I tell him?

Musky1011 · February 27, 2007 11:33AM

Did you send Signature Confirmation?????

combatmailman · February 27, 2007 11:40AM

check your invoice make sure you had the right address. Has he left feedback already?

dorkbar · February 27, 2007 11:41AM

Of course not. I make all possible mistakes. Good news is, item was under $50. Might that make a difference to Paypal? I noticed the "Seller protection" details were buried somewhere in section 11 on page 2 where no mere mortal could possibly find them. I'm guessing they have that same good eBay attitude (well, why wouldn't they?) that what's good for Paypal is good for everybody.

puritan9 · February 27, 2007 11:42AM

That has happened to me when a month or two passes before I hear from a buyer. When I give the tracking number and tell he/she that it was received, I never hear from the person again. This happens to me one or twice a year. I always keep everything and protect myself.

Did you send it with delivery confirmation to a confirmed address? This is what Pay Pal wants for $50. You can get delivery confirmation free with Priority Mail printed from USPS website. It's a good deal.

Russ · February 27, 2007 11:43AM

No signature confirmation, no seller protection. You might as well pony up the refund now.

Russ, NCNE

dorkbar · February 27, 2007 11:43AM

He has not left feedback. I do not fear the negative. I fear losing the $48. I am poor. It makes one wonder what goes on at the USPS. If one of every 200 of my delivered packages is going to disappear...well, there has to be a better way. This annoys me.

TwoSides2aCoin · February 27, 2007 11:45AM

Send a refund and ask that they reimburse you should the item arrive.

Russ · February 27, 2007 11:45AM

<< It makes one wonder what goes on at the USPS. If one of every 200 of my delivered packages is going to disappear...well, there has to be a better way. >>

The post office may very well have delivered it, and the buyer is lying. It's been known to happen.

Russ, NCNE

TwoSides2aCoin · February 27, 2007 11:46AM

<< He has not left feedback. I do not fear the negative. I fear losing the $48. I am poor. It makes one wonder what goes on at the USPS. If one of every 200 of my delivered packages is going to disappear...well, there has to be a better way. This annoys me. >>

OOOOOOOPS, I was a bit hasty, this is a different story, now.

ziggy29 · February 27, 2007 11:47AM

<< If one of every 200 of my delivered packages is going to disappear...well, there has to be a better way. >>

There is, at least given your assumption. If they are all $50 items, self-insure for $1.30 per package (same rate as the USPS would charge). If one out of 200 is lost, you have taken in $260 from self-insurance fees and paid out only $50 in losses, leaving you with an additional $210.

puritan9 · February 27, 2007 11:48AM

I just received a postal money order that was mailed October 24th. I have no idea where it was. Since I know the person, I sent the item, and got the money after I waited so many days. Now it shows up! Who know where it was for months.

The post office can make a mistake.

dorkbar · February 27, 2007 11:49AM

Russ, that was the first thing I thought. Isn't a month a long time to wait to ask about a missing package? The buyer has around 100 feedbacks, all positive. My inner conspiracy theorist says everybody's a scumbag, though. I don't trust anybody anymore, and I'm sick about having that attitude. But, I must blame myself if it turns out Paypal won't reimburse for whatever reason.

puritan9 · February 27, 2007 11:51AM

As I said, it has happened to me. When I give the delivery confirmation number and mention that it was delivered, I never hear from them again.

ABSilvercoins · February 27, 2007 11:56AM

I have had a couple of people claim not to get a coin. They have been 15 or 20 dollar auctions.

First thing I do is refund the entire PayPal charge if that's the way they paid. That is the risk you run with no signature confirmation.

As it turns out both times, there was a story that made sense. Both buyers turned around and re-paid for the item.

If the 50 bucks makes such a difference (I have empathy for this!) then perhaps you should jack up the shipping by a buck and always get a signature.

Good luck! Keep working hard...

Russ · February 27, 2007 11:58AM

<< Isn't a month a long time to wait to ask about a missing package? >>

Not necessarily. I once had a buyer contact me six months after an auction ended. In this case, though, I know he was telling the truth. The package was returned to me - twice!

Russ, NCNE

TwoSides2aCoin · February 27, 2007 11:59AM

In order to help restore your faith in humanity, I'd be willing to fork over ten bucks to help you defray the costs of this unforeseen dilemma you are in.

SUMORADA · February 27, 2007 12:02PM

i sent a 1850 gold eagle to a guy in ca. on dec. 5th thru uspo insured, it got to the huge depot about 10 miles from his house and has been there until 3 days ago when the uspo opened the box and saw my ebay invoice and returned it to me,somehow the label printed thru paypal/uspo got torn off? anyway the buyer has been very patient knowing by the tracking # that i sent it and it was somewhere in that building,all is well now but what a freakin hassle for both of us!..............................good luck, be patient

dorkbar · February 27, 2007 12:04PM

TwoSides2aCoin and ABSilvercoins, thanks to both of you for your encouragement. I feel better already. I shall take whatever lumps await, learn $50-lesson number 16, and carry on, shoulders hunched and nose to the ground, avoiding trouble where possible. I appreciate it.

RareBronzeCollector · February 27, 2007 12:08PM

I had a coin shipped to me from overseas at the end of 2005.... I SHOULD have received it prior to Christmas that year.... It NEVER arrived....
Tracking was useless as it was sent "Signed For", but all it showed was that it was now in the US..... A $2500 coin.... the sender made good on it.... He and I had dealt with each other before, and this was NOT an ebay transaction........

Anyway, the point I want to make is that the coin EVENTUALLY arrived the following July (2006)... In a torn envelope and a post office body bag......

Musky1011 · February 27, 2007 12:13PM

I am STILL waiting for a package from Japan that a forum member sent me. That was around Fathers Day 2005

Jim

dorkbar · February 27, 2007 12:13PM

SUMORADA and RareBronzeCollector, your horror stories make me feel better in a closet sadist kind of way. Thanks!

You wouldn't think getting a widget from point A to point B would be that difficult. Maybe if machines ran things...

lasvegasteddy · February 27, 2007 12:34PM

refund the guy i say and reconsider the extra 55/60 cents for confirmation in the future noting be sure to stuff your envelope with whatever so that it is at least 3/4's an inch.

RareBronzeCollector · February 27, 2007 12:38PM

<< refund the guy i say and reconsider the extra 55/60 cents for confirmation in the future noting be sure to stuff your envelope with whatever so that it is at least 3/4's an inch. >>

I generally, automatically insure and confirm every package..... just for myself, if no one else.....

ziggy29 · February 27, 2007 12:45PM

<< refund the guy i say and reconsider the extra 55/60 cents for confirmation in the future noting be sure to stuff your envelope with whatever so that it is at least 3/4's an inch. >>

Yep. It's been said here a thousand times but it bears repeating -- insurance protects the seller, not the buyer, so it's probably a good idea to make it mandatory on everything, or at least everything above a certain value (seems absurd to insure a $2 item, for example).

BobaFett72 · February 27, 2007 12:48PM

no tracking? no insurance? his word against yours. stuff gets misplaced, delivered to the wrong address. etc.

i put delivery tracking on everything and ask recipients to email me when the package arrives. I usually get 70% who sent a short, polite email letting me know it arrived safely.

the other 30% i follow up after a few days and 99% of the time, its logged in as delivered. the other 1% the package is sitting at the post office or at the neighbors house lol.

RareBronzeCollector · February 27, 2007 12:50PM

I should mention another tale of woe from the USPS

About 10 years ago I sent out my Christmas cards..... 2 cards were going to the same house a few blocks from me.... One was delivered, the other was returned to as "UNDELIVERABLE-ADDRESS(EE?) UNKNOWN" the folling September.....To top it off, there were several postmarks from all over the southwest USA on it.......And I as well as the addressee are in NYC.. GO figure....

On the other hand, I've sent Valentines Cards to a few friends at the same private house, same address, mailed at the same time, and had 3 out of 7 get lost.......

S**T Happens, and I have no explanation for the randomness of these events....

RareBronzeCollector · February 27, 2007 1:00PM

<< no tracking? no insurance? his word against yours. stuff gets misplaced, delivered to the wrong address. etc.

i put delivery tracking on everything and ask recipients to email me when the package arrives. I usually get 70% who sent a short, polite email letting me know it arrived safely.

the other 30% i follow up after a few days and 99% of the time, its logged in as delivered. the other 1% the package is sitting at the post office or at the neighbors house lol. >>

I ALWAYS inform those sellers who have communicated with me..... I try to inform all.... I USED to email everyone, but it has become a tireless and thankless task with sometimes no response in return, so now, if I don't get the courtesy of an acknowledgment of the receipt of my payment, then my feedback will have to serve as my acknowledgment of receipt.......

I'm sure that there will be a mixed reaction to this, but at this juncture, it is my policy....

On the flip side, Some buyers don't even acknowledge receipt of my emails/invoices, so it is a 2 way street.... As a seller though, I send emails at every step.... upon receipt of payment, upon shipping (along with tracking/confirmation number), upon leaving feedback, etc....

OPA · February 27, 2007 1:38PM

Purchase your shipping label through PayPal. All their labels regardless of the type of service, ie First Class, Parcel or Priority Mail, will have a Delivery Confirmation. It will cost u an additional $.14 for First Class or Parcel Post...Delivery Confirmation is free if mailed via Priority Mail.

notwilight · February 27, 2007 2:54PM

Even if you didn't get sig confirmation, you get free delivery confirmation. Does USPS show it delivered? If so, then tell him that. I have embarassingly contacted a seller about something I didn't recieve. He replies "PO says they delivered it on xxx"; I search my garage and find a box I forgot to open...oops. He may do the same. If he is lying, your statement may be all it takes to make him back down.

I vote for the self insurance route recommended above on less expensive items.

Good luck,
Jerry

clackamas · February 27, 2007 4:20PM

<< No signature confirmation, no seller protection. You might as well pony up the refund now.

Russ, NCNE >>

Yep, I always do signature confirmation now. Even on stuff I send registered just so I have the PayPal protection.

Writersblock · February 28, 2007 2:16AM

We are missing information. Dorkbar never mentioned whether he insured the package or not. That's the first question we need answered before we can offer any advice. If it was insured, file a claim. If not, you'l have to eat it unles you can prove it was delivered.

Much of the rest of the advice was great for what to do in the future, but didn't relate to the problem at hand.

And waiting 30 days before saying anything isn't too odd since, unless it was sent registered, you can't file an insurance claim for 30 days.

Buyer didn't receive item--now what?

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