At What Point is a Package Considered Lost in the Mail?

[Julie B]

Yesterday a buyer was asking me where her package was. It was shipped a whole 5 days ago (insert eye roll emoji here). I showed her the tracking info which just annoyed her further. Evidently I personally control the post office and its shipping efficiency during the holidays. I can already tell she is going to return the dress because it didn’t arrive in time for her, even though it was not a part of the guaranteed delivery program. But I digress….. the issue did get me to thinking – At what point does one consider an item lost in the mail and refund the buyer? Obviously I am nowhere near that point yet with this buyer. But has anyone ever refunded a buyer for a lost package? How long did you wait before you considered it lost? Lets assume domestic shipping. 2 weeks? 3 weeks?

[Jay]

If the post office says it’s lost, it’s lost. Until then, eBay, the seller, and buyer refer t the tracking.
–What service did you use?
–What was the estimated shipping time?
–What does the tracking currently ay?

• This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by Jay.

[Julie B]

Ah – Thanks Jay. I didn’t think the Post Office would ever actually admit that a package had been lost. Here’s hoping I won’t ever have to find out.

[Jay]

The tracking number is the key piece of info. If it never says “delivered” then USPS is at fault. What does the tracking say right now?

[Julie B]

For anyone who may find this thread because they have the same question: Today Buyer opened a case for item not received so I called eBay. The ebay response: Ebay considers an item lost in the mail once tracking hasn’t shown any change in status for at least 7 days. Note: that does NOT mean delivery in 7 days, but “any change in status.” My follow up question then was “What if I refund the buyer and then later tracking shows movement and ultimate delivery to the customer; what is my recourse then?” At that time Ebay doesn’t really want to be any part of it. Ebay rep told me that if that happens to send the buyer an invoice through Paypal. If buyer doesn’t return the item or pay for it, I would then need to open a case against buyer through Paypal.

By the way – I guess this example makes a good case for Ebay’s “Guaranteed Delivery Program.” I am not yet a part of that program, but I had I been, it is my understanding that Ebay would have been on the hook for the customer refund, rather than me since it’s a USPS delay causing the issue.

[Ryanne]

just curious what service you used and if you’re willing to share the tracking number. what is the last status update?

[So Cal Joe]

I just had a case opened for item not received. It was purchased 11/25/17. There is tracking last updated today, indicating it’s within 75 miles of the buyer and still on the way. By the way, it was shipped on time and sent Priority Mail.

I called Ebay and they told me just what you said. There would have to be at least 7 days since the last change in tracking status, before they would consider it lost and issue a refund.

I really don’t understand why a buyer won’t just check the tracking or send me a message before opening a case. People must love to complicate their lives.

[Julie B]

Item was sent USPS via Priority Mail, shipped from GA to CT on Nov 27. Somewhere between GA and CT item got delayed for awhile.

Update: My buyer was freaking out about needing the dress for a holiday party this weekend. I refunded her yesterday so she could buy something elsetold her that if dress appears she’ll need to return it or pay for it. I also nicely suggested that when time is an issue she might want to consider narrowing her searches to items participating in Ebay’s Guaranteed Delivery program. This morning I got a tracking update from USPS informing me the dress will be delivered to my buyer by 8 p.m. tonight. Sighhhhh. I promptly emailed the buyer to let her know. I’m definitely going to be on her like white on rice about returning or paying for the dress. It was NWT Kate Spade dress. Orig retail $598, I paid $59 for it at TJ Maxx and sold for $149.99.

[Edward]

My wife has something similar going on now. We shipped a package via Priority from Orlando to Portland, OR and tracking showed it out for delivery on November 28 and then the next status that night said, “Delivery status not updated” and eBay still shows it not delivered.

I received no reply to two emails to local post office manager and they did not answer their phones.

We contacted the customer to let her know. She is in China and the shipping address in Portland looks like a freight forward company. We asked the customer to open a case for item not received but she has not done anything in the past week. We want to handle all actions through eBay.

Any ideas we haven’t done yet? Do we file a case with USPS as a lost item?

Thanks

[Ryanne]

i usually find that “Delivery status not updated” means it was delivered and the carrier never updated the scan. to ask your buyer to open and Item not received case will just put defect on your account, as you can’t prove that it got delivered, ultimately making you responsible to fully refund them.

[Edward]

She contacted us December 6 that it had been 7+ days with no tracking updates. We are fine giving a refund if it is lost and then file a claim with USPS. Will USPS honor the claim if they show it not delivered? It was a Priority package.

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