Ebay problem

[Hawkwalk]

I have sold an item on Ebay and the buyer paid using paypal. I, unfortunately didn't track it online. The buyer is claiming he didn't receive the item. Ihave got a Royal Mail claim form. SHould I refund the money straight away or is there anything else I can do first?

Thanks

[hc4361]

How long since you posted the item?
How much did the item cost?

[Clanad]

I can only reference how it works here in the U.S. I would certainly refund the purchase price immediately. All sellers are uniquely tied to their Feedback Score. Ebay, rightly or wrongly, leans toward protecting the buyer more so than the seller, in my opinion... but it is what it is.

Here, I sell a lot of vintage Ray Ban sunglasses and ship them exclusively by United States Postal Service and print my own shipping labels off Ebay or Pay Pal, which, in turn, produces a tracking number. This number is always displayed in the product history you've sold. I've shipped a number of things to Europe and the U.K. and the tracking number has always come in handy in the rare occasion where the shipment apparently wasn't delivered.

One hint... in the future, when you declare your return policy, be sure that your refund is only for the purchase price, not the shipping costs and especially not for the cost to return an item the buyer doesn't like...
At any rate, refund the item with an apology and see if you can work out any kind of refund from the mailing service...

[horseshoes]

If you have Proof of Posting, which you should get at the very least, you will be covered by Royal Mail up to £36, but you should always track high value items. You'll end up refunding the buyer anyway whether you ask him to wait or not. He will only go through the claim & resolution process on eBay so you may as well just refund him IMO. Then you just make your claim to the RM.

[hc4361]

I wouldn't refund if it were posted less than 7 days ago.

[horseshoes]

Ooh no. They have to give it a chance! Did you post 1st class? Was it a parcel or letter?

[Hawkwalk]

it was only for a £10 item so looks like it is best to refund and claim through Royal Mail.
thanks for your answers

[horseshoes]

I sent a package to a customer once and he contacted me to say it hadn't arrived. I asked would he wait a while longer which he did. It still didn't arrive so I refunded him. Anyway about 2 months later he contacted me to say his "lost" parcel had arrived and please could he pay me again. Now that's an honest customer!

[spudqueen]

Items sent in the post are covered up to £46 (not £36 as horseshoes says). That is unless you send things like jewellery or cash in the ordinary post. These sort of things are only covered if you use Special Delivery, which is probably the only way (unless you send really large items) that you would be able to track items. If you send something recorded delivery then it goes in the ordinary post, but it is signed for at the other end. You can check on line that it has been delivered, but it is NOT trackable through the delivery system.
Read the form you have got, as you cannot claim for anything for quite a while (I think it is 15 working days). Do make sure in future that you either pay the extra 77p for recorded delivery so you can check whether or not your customer has received what you sent them, or at the very least ask for a certificate of postage from your post office when you post your items.