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buying postage through paypal to send an item sold to EU - tracking number
 

Hello, I sent a parcel to ebay customer, paying postage through paypal shipping and sending via Royal Mail. Customer has come back to say item not yet received, and the tracking numbers I emailed her don't work!

Paypal has given me two numbers, a transaction ID which is payment of the item itself and the royal mail online postage transaction ID. I also have the certificate of postage from the post office.

Surely the tracking numbers should be automatically linked on her paypal account page, as paypal acknowledges that I have paid for and printed the postage label with her address?

Has anybody used the Paypal shipping to send a parcel in this way, and I would be v. grateful if anyone could please explain things further to me, as this is my first time and I am not entirely familiar with how it works.
Many thanks in anticipation

p/p transaction ID's for online postage are not tracking numbers.

You have to use the correct service i.e. International Signed for and add the appropriate sticker supplied by the Post Office at the counter which will have the tracking number.

Best option is to get a supply from your local PO and you can add them right away.

It's what you get from the post office which is the key.

And a certifcate of posting isn't going to track anything.

Refund your buyer, and make a claim from the Royal Mail.

Don't wait for a dispute, just make the refund.

That is why a lot of people stopped selling overseas once paypal changed their rules, as even if you follow the tracking number and it says delivered they can still come back and say they did not get it, as one of RMs services is tracked to the door and the other is signed for by someone. The problem is paypal need it both tracked and signed for.

The normal way it works is it will say on royal mails tracking handed to overseas postal service and then you have to go to their postal service and track it the rest of the way. You can find that through google.

But like I say if they still say they did not get the item then you just have to mark it down to experience and try not get a claim.

Do the checks yourself first, as it may just be held up and the buyer may just be an idiot.

You could also phone royal mail and ask them for advice on where to look, as they should know.

Have they now changed the rules then?

The rules changed years ago, when they brought in their buyer protection.

The worst part is Royal mail started asking for the print outs and stopped paying people back for the money you paid for shipping so a lot of people have also just stopped bothering trying to claim their money back from them, as they require too much information in those print outs they request.

Hence the reason a lot of people just put each loss down to experience or stop selling overseas.

Welcome to the forums - getting good advice right now. I was unclear on one issue - the Royal Mail tracking number given to you does not show as delivered? To where did you post the item?

Hi there,
The parcel went to germany and the tracking number was provided by paypal which I have to fill it in next to the item.
When you clicked it, it was written "not available" or "the format is not correct".
She (the buyer) checked as well, and mentioned that the format is not correct.
Many thanks in anticipation

We both have to wait until 20 working days as it has not been 20 working days yet for any compensation from P.O.
The tracking number was provided by paypal and it should be written next to the item.
When the buyer click the tracking number provided, it s written "format is not correct"
The item delivered to Germany, and it will be unusual for them not to receive it, even though I don t very often sent items to abroad, first time news from abroad. I have sent to singapore, australia and europe too before, and always have been fine.
Anyway, it might be a late delivery, hopefully.
Many thanks again for all the advice

p/p do not provide tracking numbers, only the post office can issue them.

as I said before the transaction ID's that are shown in p/p are NOT tracking numbers and cannot be used as such in anyway, shape or form.

If you buy a tracked or signed for service with e/b or p/p then you need to take the package to the post office and have the tracking sticker added. It is this number that you need to provide in a dispute.

got a feeling OP did not go to post office and get tracking, just bought postage via standard international on paypal...

Spot on Oomps

Halowin you are confusing Paypal's transaction reference numbers and Royal Mail's proof of postage certificates with tracking numbers. I think the advice given by Mevebay is about right, just refund the buyer with an apology, hope they dont leave you negative feedback, put in a claim with Royal Mail and try claw back some compensation because without a tracking number Paypal will just laugh in your face! You want to protect your reputation here, and chalk it up to experience.