ebay problem

[the voice of kenny]

I sold 2 items on ebay before xmas and one of the buyers has now e-mailed me to say he hasn't received his.
the item was sent on the 13th of December by 1st class post as a large letter, and 3 days later the buyer left me feedback, so I presumed he had received it and was happy.
then on the 23rd he e-mailed me and asked when it was going to be posted, I mailed him back telling him how, when and where it had been sent and also asked him why he had left feedback if he hadn't received it, he didn't reply.
then today he e-mailed me again with the original message asking when it's going to be posted.
now the item only cost £3.80 including posting and would cost me £1.54 to replace and send.
so what do i do, do I tell him as he's left me feedback it's tough, send him another and accept the loss or ask him to split the costs of reposting and then send it recorded delivery ?

thanks

TVOK

[dangermouse]

I certainly wouldn't just send him another at your loss - especially as when you asked him why he left feedback he didn't respond - that seems odd and a little suspicious.

I'd be tempted to keep asking him why he left feedback 3 days after you mailed the item until you get a specific reply to that question.

[Baz]

Agreed, just send him your initial email again.

[the voice of kenny]

thanks guys, just sent him another e-mail asking him again why he left me feedback and also quoting ebay about when to leave feedback.

thanks

TVOK

[abarthman]

I posted an item to an eBay buyer on 9 December and it just arrived yesterday (Edinburgh - Belfast in 24 days- I think I could have walked there in that time!), so there's time for it to arrive yet.

Feedback proves nothing. It's easy to leave feedback against the wrong item. I've also received positive feedback from buyers before they receive items. I think they just get a little enthusiastic when they receive the dispatch email.

If the buyer claims to have not received the item, I think you are morally (if not legally) bound to replace it. If you chose not to send it Recorded Signed For or you failed to get a Certificate of Posting, that's not really the buyer's problem.

He paid you for something, he says that he never received it and you can't prove he received it.

I'd just replace it and send a replacement via Recorded Signed For and move on. It's not exactly going to break the bank, is it?

If you think the buyer definitely is a chancer, just ignore him and, assuming your sales offer PayPal Buyer Protection, he'll have to make a claim through PayPal. He's only allowed two claims per year. Would a real chancer really waste one of his claims on such a low value item?

[rustybin]

Personally, I wouldn't entertain a claim after feedback has been left - that for me is proof of delivery (although I state this in my dispatch email - 'Please leave feedback once you received the item and are happy with it, then I'll do the same').

Too many chancers and fraudsters on ebay.

[keeperbear]

According to Paypal's terms and conditions, feedback is NOT evidence of the item being received. Seems stupid, but that is a fact. If you have to defend a Paypal chargeback, feedback will be completely ignored when Paypal decides the case. Do a google search for the ebay forums, that site will give you LOADs of invaluable information about Paypal issues.

I am still awaiting an ebay shipment from 3/12. The seller was being really rude and did not want to doing anything about the missing package. He even stated that he wouldn't refund until the post office refunded him. I filed a claim with Paypal, and as he did not use a trackable postal method I have just won my case! As a seller, I would always use Special delivery for any expensive item. For paypal, recorded is not sufficient proof of delivery, nor is a certificate of posting.