I sold a pair of Chanel shoes back in October to a buyer in Russia. Shipped October 3rd via USPS Priority with tracking and insured for a full amount of $540. 3 week later, the buyer contact me and ask to search for the package as it has not arrived. I do my usual and open an inquiry with USPS. Usually that helps to shake the packages loose and get them moving. This time, nothing. I ask the buyer to wait a couple of weeks until USPS "deems" the item lost and sends me insurance paperwork. Buyer patiently waits and as soon as I get the paperwork, I refund her. So, insurance claim was filed on 11/15. 45 days later I call USPS and told that they are still working the claim. That because it is over $300, it goes through a "special" process, which may take longer. OK, I wait. On February 3rd (yes almost 3 months later), I receive the letter from USPS stating that they are very sorry, but they have to deny my claim, because the item was delivered. What!!!!??? I check on Russian Post website and it states that the attempted delivery was made on January 2nd.
I email the buyer and politely notify her that my insurance claim was denied and to confirm whether she actually received the package and if she did, to please either return it or pay for it. Never expecting to hear from the buyer. To my surprise she responds a day later and says that she is on vacation until mid February, but promises when she returns to check.
She emails me on February 11th and says that indeed the package has arrived while she was away and it is a bit "handled" but the shoes are fine. She sent me the money via paypal. Now, the tracking info is still stating that the attempted delivery was made, it does not show the delivery.
I have been selling on ebay for 7 years and I had my share of "bad' buyers. Most buyers have been great, but there were few "bad apples". Buyers that purposely committed fraud and buyers that had an opportunity to get a free item and took that opportunity. In 2011 I lost $11,000 due to buyers like that. This was the first time that the buyer had the opportunity to get a free item, but instead showed her integrity and honesty.
I told her that she is welcome to shop with me at any time and that I will offer her a 10% discount on anything she may want to purchase from me on top of any discounts I may already be offering and that she has this discount for as long as I will continue to sell on Ebay.
I wish all sellers buyers like that all the time!
I email the buyer and politely notify her that my insurance claim was denied and to confirm whether she actually received the package and if she did, to please either return it or pay for it. Never expecting to hear from the buyer. To my surprise she responds a day later and says that she is on vacation until mid February, but promises when she returns to check.
She emails me on February 11th and says that indeed the package has arrived while she was away and it is a bit "handled" but the shoes are fine. She sent me the money via paypal. Now, the tracking info is still stating that the attempted delivery was made, it does not show the delivery.
I have been selling on ebay for 7 years and I had my share of "bad' buyers. Most buyers have been great, but there were few "bad apples". Buyers that purposely committed fraud and buyers that had an opportunity to get a free item and took that opportunity. In 2011 I lost $11,000 due to buyers like that. This was the first time that the buyer had the opportunity to get a free item, but instead showed her integrity and honesty.
I told her that she is welcome to shop with me at any time and that I will offer her a 10% discount on anything she may want to purchase from me on top of any discounts I may already be offering and that she has this discount for as long as I will continue to sell on Ebay.
I wish all sellers buyers like that all the time!