USPS delivered-not delivered question

[hugh]

This is the first time I've encountered this problem.

I sold a card and sent it delivery confirmation. It shows delivered to the correct zip code but the buyer said he didn't receive it.

What happens now? I'm pretty sure I'm covered with paypal seller protection, but what about the buyer?

[mindbinge]

buyer is screwed, post office probably put it in the wrong box. I got some lady's cell phone case in my po box yesterday...the box # wasn't even close to mine. I took it back to the counter today and returned it...if you check the DC # on it, shows delivered but she never got it...until tomorrow, assuming they put it in the correct box # this time.

[ballahollic2]

Most likely the post man put it in the wrong box. As far as the buyer goes sadly he is kind of #@#@#@#@ out of luck unless someone is honest enough to give it back.

[mfw13]

This is why Delivery Confirmation is essentially useless....it only records that the letter carrier for that route states that the item was delivered.

It does not confirm that the item was delivered to the correct address and/or received by the buyer....for that you need signature confirmation.

I asked my letter carrier about this once, and he told me that most letter carriers fill out all their delivery confirmation forms either before starting or after completing their routes, not at the time the item is actually delivered, which means that if a misdelivery occurs, the buyer is indeed pretty much screwed.

[bigzig]

I've jad it happen a handfull of times where an item is marked delivered, but didn't actually show up in my mail until a couple days later. I'd ask the buyer to be patient for a few more days and see if it shows up.

Ultimately you should be covered since it shows delivered. If the buyer is telling the truth they won't be very happy though if it doesn't arrive.

[mstng99tim]

This just happened to me 2 weeks ago. I bought a card and the DC says it was delivered but I never got it. I waited for almost a week hoping that it just got misplaced in the mail truck or something, but it still hasn't shown up. I called my PO and gave them my information, and I'm still waiting for them to call me back. Good thing it was only a $20 card.

[mma138]

so what do you guys suggest ? signature delivery confirmation is going to cost more . i always use dc i dont care if its a 10 dollar item . if i dont the buyer will just claim he never got it even though he did ..... then i owe him money.

[ebacardi2]

Originally Posted by hugh

This is the first time I've encountered this problem.

I sold a card and sent it delivery confirmation. It shows delivered to the correct zip code but the buyer said he didn't receive it.

What happens now? I'm pretty sure I'm covered with paypal seller protection, but what about the buyer?

This happened to me 3 times over a 6 week period where an item said delivered but I never got it. We went through a few weeks of dealing with the PO and they found that they were scanned delivered by a mail carrier not even delivering mail anywhere near my house and they could not remember anything about it, so the carrier was stealing peoples mail or just delivering it to people on his route and they not sending it back or keeping it. We did not get anywhere with the PO, 90% of the employees are people who careless about there customers issues.

So you are covered since the carrier scanned it delivered but the buyer has no paypal case since they go by the item being marked delivered as proof.

Originally Posted by mstng99tim

This just happened to me 2 weeks ago. I bought a card and the DC says it was delivered but I never got it. I waited for almost a week hoping that it just got misplaced in the mail truck or something, but it still hasn't shown up. I called my PO and gave them my information, and I'm still waiting for them to call me back. Good thing it was only a $20 card.

Yeah, GL. Hope they can find your card but most likely its gone and someone stole it,threw it away or it was misdelivered and never sent back to the PO.

Most carriers scan there packages delivered before they leave the PO or once they get to there route(my carrier walks the streets so scans the items delivered in his truck prior to making his rounds)

[iBLeeDBaTTLeReD]

Let it ride man, you're in the clear.It's updated as delivered, The post office f'd up.

[bigzig]

Originally Posted by mma138

so what do you guys suggest ? signature delivery confirmation is going to cost more . i always use dc i dont care if its a 10 dollar item . if i dont the buyer will just claim he never got it even though he did ..... then i owe him money.

Delivery confirmation is all you need to be protected by paypal for items under $250. Though it will not protect your feedback. I'm not saying you should refund just because the buyer says so. You just have to weigh the pros and cons of the specific situation.

[jlzinck]

The buyer will be given a courtesy refund if there is not history of this. Seller is covered. If you shipped through paypal/ebay to the confirmed address they can tell and seller is OK.

[Oilngo]

I have had the same thing happen three times and I was the buyer. I just had to be patient, all three came eventually, but I had to go to the Post Master and get a fire under their butt. A few days after that they popped up. You are safe though, you did your job.

[FreeMan12406]

Easy fix. Call your PO, open a case, and they will track the package down for you. It happened to me as a seller about a month ago. They will be able to see that they sent it to the wrong address.

[hugh]

thanks for all the info

[Deathgate]

Yep, CYA is the name of the game. I use DC on everything. I traded 3 2012 Americana base cards for 5 other base cards to finish my set, and I DC'd that package. Partly because it's habit, and partly because I like watching the tracking on the packages, to see if anything weird happens, say shipping from NC to NY, and the package went through California.

[bigzig]

Originally Posted by jlzinck

The buyer will be given a courtesy refund if there is not history of this. Seller is covered. If you shipped through paypal/ebay to the confirmed address they can tell and seller is OK.

Good point. I keep forgetting about the courtesy refunds. Knock on wood I've never had to deal with it.

Originally Posted by FreeMan12406

Easy fix. Call your PO, open a case, and they will track the package down for you. It happened to me as a seller about a month ago. They will be able to see that they sent it to the wrong address.

Can they tell for sure what address it was delivered to if it was misdelivered? Is there anything they would do about it if it wasn't insured? I would think that the PO may find it sometimes, but sometimes they would be out of luck.

Just asking out of curiosity....

[TOMBB25]

I'm currently dealing with this through BO, though BO is always more than accommodating and is sending me another one and opening the case themselves. Obviously in your case, you can't just send another one and a $20 item to you is probably more than a $100 box to BO.

Still hoping the first one will show up so I can send the second back to BO.

[FreeMan12406]

Originally Posted by bigzig

Can they tell for sure what address it was delivered to if it was misdelivered? Is there anything they would do about it if it wasn't insured? I would think that the PO may find it sometimes, but sometimes they would be out of luck.

Just asking out of curiosity....

I can only speak about my experience. I sent with DC and with insurance. The package I sent wound up in another state. When I called, before even telling them the package was lost, they were able to see that the package was sent to the wrong place. A case was opened and a case manager was put in charge. In about 5 days or so, he received the package safe and sound. They were able to track it down and get it back. We were protected either way thanks to the insurance ($250 card) but it was nice that he got the card.

He posted about the experience somewhere on the baseball forums.