Refund or replace?
Good morning everyone 
I have had a customer query an order, sent RM48, which T&T states has not yet been delivered. It has been a couple of weeks, so it is either actually not delivered, or has been delivered with no scan. Either way, from my end I need to provide a resolution.
The customer has asked for a replacement item to be sent. My question is, is it better to send the replacement or to refund the order and ask them to order again. If I send a replacement, I do not have to pay the listing fees, but I would get a new tracking number. If I refund, I lose the listing fees but would get a new order with linked tracking through the system. The difference in the two is a couple of £’s for this item, but I was just wondering, in general, which is the better approach. I assume if I send a replacement and the customer opens an A-Z, then I would lose as the new tracking is not associated with the order?
As I have written this down I have moved myself more towards the refund being the better option, but I thought I would ask you, more experienced, lot before I did either action,
Many thanks
7 replies
Seller_ae51e0CJoHqCX
I think you have answered your own question really. The tracking is showing as not delivered so the inevitable A-Z is coming and will be automatically go against you which is worse than the costs.
My advice would be protect your stats and then take it up with Royal Mail. You can claim for loss but in the meantime if it does get delivered you won’t stand a chance of anything thereafter but can ask the customer to return it.
You can ask the customer to place another order and the process is started afresh.
Seller_8Wsckn3UoR095
Guessing RM 48 isn’t Tracked and is CRL? If not tracked or 2nd/1st then someone else before suggested re-printing the label and re-sending which would take our your additional postage cost, if you chose to do this. We re-send if under £15 and gone by RM, we’ve not yet (touch wood) had an A-Z, usually the customers are satisfied once the replacement arrives and no further action is necessary.
If you refund, unless you’re the only seller of the item and there’s nothing alike, in our experience it’s unlikely they’ll re-order it again from you as it never arrived in the first place and they’re dissatisfied with that.
Seller_esvgLzKXw2YAl
I would suggest that you simply refund and ask the customer to re-order.
There are too many problems with sending a replacement out.
The most likely scenario, is that the customer will wait for the replacement, then claim not received.
Of course you do get the honest customers as well, but experience of Amazon tends towards the customer that can get the most out of it, and to hell with the sellers as they see it as claiming from Amazon and NOT small business.
Seller_rgqzY6oIqUqWE
Thanks for taking the time to answer and share your experiences guys As I originally wrote, I did lean towards the refund but I never know the best way to navigate the minefield that is the Amazon system when new scenarios come up. Thanks for your help
