Undeliverable as Addressed

[fishcouple]

I have printed the label using the etsy info. and my client also confirmed that the address was correct. I didn't realized it until my client asked me to refund her money. I checked the track # and it shows "Undeliverable as Addressed". Do I refund now or wait until I received the returned package?

Can I ask USPS to refund my money? It was sent via regular 1st class mail.

It would be appreciated if someone could share the experience or thoughts. Thanks!

[SageNThymeDesigns]

I would wait until the package is actually returned to you before issuing any kind of refund. I've had this happen once and when the package went back to the sort facility it got kicked back to the correct place and was eventually delivered to my customer. If it goes back and forth more than once you'll need to call USPS to get it out of their system.

I'm not sure how this is your fault as the shop owner. I've accidentally typed my address incorrectly when ordering online and when the shop contacted me about the returned item, I was asked to pay for a second round of shipping which I gladly did since it was my faulty address.

I wouldn't do anything until you've received the package back in the mail. You might want to create a claim with the USPS for delayed or lost mail, just to get the ball rolling and feel like you're doing something to appease the situation. Sometimes that magically makes the package arrive.

First class shipping does not have insurance so it's unlikely you would receive monetary compensation or a refund for the postage you paid.

When it is returned to you, I would ask the customer if they'd like you to reship the order (at your or their expense, depending on how you feel about that). If it was a 'made to order' or custom order I wouldn't personally offer a refund. If you do choose to refund, then I don't believe you'd need to lose the shipping fee which you've already paid, so think about how you feel about refunding, minus the shipping cost. It's only a few dollars, so that might be a nice customer service gesture.

Now might be a good time to double check your Policies. My policies state that there are no exchanges or returns and shipping charges are non-refundable.

[MariasWorkshop]

I just wanted to share that this happened to me as well. I was tracking a package that I sent to a customer and after a few days I saw a message stating that the package was "undeliverable as addressed". I contacted the customer and she confirmed that the address was correct and she added that she had been living there for a long, long time. I asked my customer if she was willing to wait a few more days. She was.

I decided to call the post office in the town where my customer lives and told them about the tracking message. The person I talked with was very nice and had me hold for a few minutes while she went and checked on something. When she came back, she told me the package would be delivered that afternoon.

Maybe it would help if you would contact the post office in her city or town and have them track the package for you.

I, personally, feel it is not the customer's fault. She is probably disappointed. I know it is not your fault either. In my situation, I was prepared to give my customer a full refund. I would have asked her to return the package if she ever received it, but I was prepared to just take as a loss. My item was not very expensive.

I have been on the other side of this situation twice, and the shops have re-sent the merchandise I purchased from them and I never received.

Just my opinion.

I hope your problem gets resolved.

[fishcouple]

Thank you Joanne and Maria! It helped a lot.

My client said she no longer needs the item so I hope it will return to me. She couldn't understand why I couldn't refund her "NOW" but I thought that I needed to wait to see it back to me. Now I think it's not a lot of money, so I guess I will just take the loss myself.

Yes, I will have to work on my policy. I haven't done anything on that part yet.

Thanks!