what to do when item not received on ebay

As a top-rated eBay seller, I desire to assist all eBay sellers realize their potential for maximum sales and all-time practices.

If an eBay buyer claims they didn't receive an item you sent them, you may not owe them a refund.

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Whether you are an eBay newbie or an experienced, high-volume seller, you are about likely going to accept to deal with an "item not delivered" instance at some point. These cases tin can be discouraging, simply there are certain procedures that must be followed regardless. In that location are four possible reasons you might encounter an "detail not received" instance, but regardless of the reason, yous may be protected.

Article Contents

• Am I Protected as an eBay Seller?
• The 4 Possible Reasons for an "Item Non Received" Case
• How to Avoid Negative eBay Feedback if a Buyer Doesn't Receive Their Parcel
• How to Address an "Item Non Received" Merits
• What Final Conclusion Can I Expect?

Am I Protected as an eBay Seller?

The one absolute style to protect yourself equally a seller is to use eBay or PayPal aircraft labels. Using one of those two services ensures that you lot accept done everything possible from your end to ensure the buyer's package is en route to the accost the buyer provided.

And then, to answer the question that about sellers may have, if you take used 1 of the two services mentioned above, and the tracking information shows that the detail was delivered, you lot are protected past eBay'southward seller-protection plan and are not required to refund the buyer.

In eBay's opinion, you did everything y'all could earlier the post took possession of the package. Once it has left your possession, yous are no longer in control of the package'southward destination. Unfortunately, the heir-apparent tin can even so leave negative feedback on your profile if they choose.

The four Possible Reasons for an "Item Not Received" Instance

In that location are four (and only four) reasons an detail can be marked equally delivered simply not received past the buyer.

1. The Heir-apparent Is Lying

Believe it or not, this is the nigh mutual reason for an "item not received" claim. Fortunately, this is usually the easiest scenario to accost. If a buyer is lying about receiving an particular, they take probably washed so in the past or will practice then again in the future.

If the buyer has less than 5 feedback ratings and/or has been an eBay fellow member for less than a month, chances are you are dealing with a shady customer—pardon the pun.

two. The Detail Has Non Been Delivered Yet

As with any profession, the mail service has employees that do not always follow the rules and regulations—this is a fact. The following statement is not an assumption; it actually happened to me.

Earlier delivering a parcel, a postal carrier can browse it. If the carrier cannot fit an item into a mailbox and decides the package should not be set outside of a house, they can and will retain the parcel and hold information technology for future delivery.

I have experienced that scenario on several different occasions. Is it supposed to happen? No, a package should simply exist scanned every bit delivered after it has definitively reached its destination.

iii. The Item Was Delivered to the Wrong Address

If yous used either PayPal or eBay shipping labels, this should not be the reason. However, you lot still have to allow for postal error. After all, no 1 is perfect. Usually, if this happens, you can contact the local mail service and request that they locate the parcel. In most instances, since opening mail that does not belong to you is illegal, improperly delivered postal service will be returned to the post office.

4. The Item Was Stolen

While this is the least common reason, it does happen. If this is the case, information technology is yet the buyer's responsibleness to contact the mail for an insurance claim. If the package was not insured, the buyer could still recover their payment via PayPal, but that is solely their responsibility. As discussed previously, once the package is in the possession of the postal carrier, it is out of your control.

How to Avoid Negative eBay Feedback if a Buyer Doesn't Receive Their Parcel

To address the problem of possibly receiving negative feedback, consider the following options:

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Option 1

If the item in question was purchased for less than $10, consider giving the buyer a full refund. After refunding the buyer, report them to eBay, block them from behest on your future items, and consider this a $ten investment to ensure you never have to deal with them once more.

Option 2

If the full cost of the item was more than than $10, follow the eBay case procedure. Once the case is closed, the buyer may exit negative feedback. You tin, yet, dispute/report the feedback as fraudulent or inaccurate. If the buyer has few feedback ratings on their account or is a new customer, that bodes well for you, every bit eBay unremarkably favors the member with the better reputation.

Be sure to report the heir-apparent to eBay too to assist future sellers. If the buyer is questionable and receives another report in the future, eBay can go dorsum and remove their negative feedback if they didn't already do so when yous first reported it.

Post delivery is complicated, and mistakes do get made.

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How to Address an "Item Non Received" Merits

The almost important advice I tin can give to sellers based on my many experiences with these claims is to exist unbiased. If a buyer claims that they take not received their item, merely the tracking data states that information technology was delivered, do not jump to the conclusion that the heir-apparent is lying.

Send a bulletin to your buyer, provide empathy, and let them know that you will do your best to resolve this dispute for them. Inform the heir-apparent about the actions that y'all will be taking, such every bit:

• Notifying eBay
• Notifying PayPal
• Contacting their local postal carrier
• Opening a case with the postal carrier involved

Do not requite your opinion on whether y'all believe they are telling the truth or if the packet may have been lost. This reflects incertitude. If a buyer is lying, they volition use whatsoever sign of doubt to prolong their claim and try to get the detail for gratis. Be equally concise as possible and use only professional etiquette to inform your buyer of the actions that will be taken.

What Final Conclusion Can I Expect?

Equally addressed before, you lot will non be required to issue a refund if you used either eBay or Paypal shipping labels. That being said, negative feedback is withal a possibility.

eBay's final decision is based on their discretion. If eBay decides that the buyer is existence honest virtually not receiving their particular, and/or the particular in question can not be located or confirmed as delivered, eBay may rule in favor of the buyer.

This does not mean that you have to result a refund. It just ways that the case was non resolved by you, the seller, and this volition be reflected your seller statistics. If you only take one of these per month, it won't brand a departure in your seller level.

Unfortunately, eBay has become a place that holds true to the age-sometime motto, "the client is always right." The best thing you tin practice for yourself is to sweep this experience nether the rug and move forward. Try not to feel cheated and realize that buyer complaints are simply a nasty but unavoidable part of having to do business online.

Every business has to deal with customer dissatisfaction. Your business cannot be the exception to the rule. Good luck!

This article is accurate and true to the all-time of the writer's noesis. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does non substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business concern, fiscal, legal, or technical matters.

Tara on June xix, 2020:

I just wanted to say thank you for this article. I am a relatively new seller and but received a message that an item wasn't received two days after showing it was delivered. I automatically assumed the worse merely later reading your article, I realized that was the worse possible way to approach the issue. I myself take ordered an item on ebay that never showed upward so why should I presume the aforementioned didn't happen to my heir-apparent. I submitted an Online Aid Request grade with USPS and the buyer's going to check with her neighbor. USPS got dorsum to me the next day and are looking into it. Fingers crossed!

John on May 22, 2019:

a lot of times it's a picking mistake from the Seller and then make sure you check your picking slip and the stock level earlier accusing the client.

nick on December 22, 2018:

You give all this info but the real truth is even if yous use paypal shipping labels if thers is NO TRACKING the seller is shit out luck and the BUYERS are using this day in day out to scam sellers of items and they then y'all have Ebay taking the side of the Heir-apparent and they get ther money back and the item. EBAY has become nothing more then SCAMMERS DREAM The honesty and truthfulness of people has gone out the door, this is the reality of online buying. I bet this cons would not accept the guts to go into a store and walk out with a product/detail in the hands with out paying for it, so yes they hibernate under a coat and try to walk and that is what they are doing on EBAY ther using EBAY's and PAY PAL buyer protection to SCAM

June Whittle on September 02, 2018:

All I demand to know is what to practice when my buy is not received. please assist.

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Source: https://toughnickel.com/self-employment/What-To-Do-When-A-Buyer-Claims-Their-Ebay-Item-Was-Not-Delivered

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