Int'l Package lost- need help with etiquette!

[MidnightMocha]

Okay, well my lost domestic package showed up, so yay! But my international is still missing. I called USPS today and basically they said that they are not obligated to track priority mail international, and that I can't even file a claim on this type of package, either. That is INFURIATING. Basically, what they are trying to say is "even though we lost your package, we're not obligated to do anything to help."

So essentially, it might get delivered months from now or it may be lost forever.

Either way, can anyone help me with the etiquette proceeding from here? I do feel bad for my buyer's loss, but am I obligated to return the money? If it's the right thing to do, I will, but I feel like it's not my fault, either. The problem is, it's no one's fault. No tracking was requested, so I didn't purchase it.

If someone has been in a similar situation and can let me know how to handle the damages, please let me know. I am happy to follow through with any action that you think would be best, as I have the members of this community in my best interest.

[Maniah]

I think if I were the seller, I would offer them a 50% refund.. Especially if I sold using PayPal to collect the money. Weather they requested tracking or not, Im not covered as a seller unless I put tracking on the package. If they file a claim, they will win because I have no tracking. So by offering to eat half the loss and say "Well, we're both out of luck", it would lessen my chance of having to do a 100% refund.

[MidnightMocha]

I think if I were the seller, I would offer them a 50% refund.. Especially if I sold using PayPal to collect the money. Weather they requested tracking or not, Im not covered as a seller unless I put tracking on the package. If they file a claim, they will win because I have no tracking. So by offering to eat half the loss and say "Well, we're both out of luck", it would lessen my chance of having to do a 100% refund.

That makes sense. I mean, pardon my ignorance, but is the label attached to it considered tracking? Using the label, I was able to track when it was accepted at the PO and when it left. I've used the label number with other international packages, and those have been tracked to their destination. I feel that this label number is normally used for tracking but whether it gets tracked to its destination depends on how lazy the mail carriers/POs are feeling. Because those have always worked for me in the past, this is the first case.

[Maniah]

I think if I were the seller, I would offer them a 50% refund.. Especially if I sold using PayPal to collect the money. Weather they requested tracking or not, Im not covered as a seller unless I put tracking on the package. If they file a claim, they will win because I have no tracking. So by offering to eat half the loss and say "Well, we're both out of luck", it would lessen my chance of having to do a 100% refund.

That makes sense. I mean, pardon my ignorance, but is the label attached to it considered tracking? Using the label, I was able to track when it was accepted at the PO and when it left. I've used the label number with other international packages, and those have been tracked to their destination. I feel that this label number is normally used for tracking but whether it gets tracked to its destination depends on how lazy the mail carriers/POs are feeling. Because those have always worked for me in the past, this is the first case.

Do you mean the customs form? The customs form is not actually tracking in the official sense. It will track till it leaves the USA, but after that, it may not show any updates at all. I have never had an international package track any further than the coast.

[MidnightMocha]

I think if I were the seller, I would offer them a 50% refund.. Especially if I sold using PayPal to collect the money. Weather they requested tracking or not, Im not covered as a seller unless I put tracking on the package. If they file a claim, they will win because I have no tracking. So by offering to eat half the loss and say "Well, we're both out of luck", it would lessen my chance of having to do a 100% refund.

That makes sense. I mean, pardon my ignorance, but is the label attached to it considered tracking? Using the label, I was able to track when it was accepted at the PO and when it left. I've used the label number with other international packages, and those have been tracked to their destination. I feel that this label number is normally used for tracking but whether it gets tracked to its destination depends on how lazy the mail carriers/POs are feeling. Because those have always worked for me in the past, this is the first case.

Do you mean the customs form? The customs form is not actually tracking in the official sense. It will track till it leaves the USA, but after that, it may not show any updates at all. I have never had an international package track any further than the coast.

Hmmmm alright, good to know! I will stress tracking on int'l packages in the future, because the POs unwillingness to help is ridiculous.