A customer wants me to file a missing package report however it was delivered

[Americasprice]

According to USPS tracking, the customer's item was delivered yesterday Sat. April 2, 2021.   The customer contacts me wanting me to submit a missing package inquiry to the shipping company.  I'm not sure if he/she is asking me to refund them and file a missing package with USPS and for me to take the hit.  The customer's item was marked delivered and tracking shows as "delivered" I think that pretty much clears me from my part.   

[Goldneye]

HI, unfortunately the transaction is not complete until the customer is happy.  Ask if they checked with neighbors, apartment office, business mail room, check around the house, etc.  Refund depends on what the item was, how much, easily replaceable or one-of-a-kind.  You can do your part by contacting the carrier to verify delivery.

Draw up a a professional email asking all these questions, do not offer any compensation, let the customer lead.  98% of the time customers are wonderful, truthful and understanding.  It is the 2% that are problems.

[Americasprice]

I would never argue with a customer of course but at what point does the delivery company take responsibility.   When we as online sellers have done our part and the delivery company takes over, shouldn't the responsibility fall on them?  That is why we pay them. 

[Candlestore]

I have had a few packages that were Delivered by USPS, UPS, and FedEx that my customer never received.  One the delivery company never stopped at the delivery address, was verified by Security Camera.  USPS, was delivery Oversized boxes to apartment buildings that have small mailboxes and a community mailbox area.  Package was left on floor where anyone can pick up packages.  USPS is suppose to drop off a 'Please pick up your item at Post Office" Slip and not just leave the package.  Another example was a delivery driver dropped off package at wrong house one block away, and had to go get it.  Even to our business we have notifications on our phone and shows Delivered, and I did not get anything, called delivery company and they send me a Picture of it being dropped off at garage door.  I take a picture of our garage doors and send back and say wrong place.  I would file a claim with the USPS, and mark it as delivered to wrong address, and see if they can find it, or ask your customer if they have security cameras, maybe a porch pirate took it, which I have run across, with a few of my customers.  You can tell the customer they can file a missing package report/claim on USPS.com at https://www.usps.com/help/claims.htm  Since as far as you can see with the tracking it was delivered, but since they did not get it they have more information then you do to fill out the form and the reimbursement will come right from USPS to them.  If they need another receipt for proof of payment you can send that to them again.  

[Donnie-M]

I'll chime in with agreement here.  It is easy to gut reaction feel that someone is trying to take advantage of you, but I try to put myself on the other side of the counter.  You can be helpful and respectful and ask questions.  Unfortunately, big companies like the AMZ have made it very easy to get refunds for items they didn't get with very few questions asked.  But by all means, help the customer file a claim or get the info to file a claim.

The only way to guarantee delivery is to require a signature.  It costs more, but then you have the proof a person got it with a restricted delivery.  If it is a high dollar item, that is what I would do.

[MudFire_Dex]

I agree - the transaction isn't over until the customer is happy and not working with them with the claim means they may issue a chargeback later. We have had a lot of incoming packages say 'delivered' and actually be at our neighbor's...so I do like Terri said always suggest that they check with their neighbors, office, etc first. Ultimately we require a signature with anything over $50 to avoid the hassle. We even got a picture of our package on our neighbor's porch once and she wouldn't give it to us...and there is no controlling for that.

Larger online retailers simply offer refunds when you check a box saying you didn't get something so that does make it hard on all of us smaller businesses.

[Americasprice]

I wish I could do just take the hit when thing go wrong but as a small business that option is just not something that I can do at this moment.   Thank you so much for taking your time to answer my question.  

[Doran]

So this just happened to me twice last week so I understand your frustration.  

Both times I took the hit and my store isn't just small it is micro so it really hurt to do so.  And, both times the buyer contacted me a few days later saying the package showed up from a neighbor where it was misdelivered.  Both buyers repaid for their orders and left glowing reviews.  

It doesn't hurt to call the post office/UPS/FEDEX who would have delivered it and ask to run a trace.