Apparently, if you send something international with priority mail, and it's in a flat rate envelope or small flat rate box, USPS has no way to trace it, no way to verify you sent it and no way to verify they ever even got it!
I sold something on ebay to a person in the UK. A small item that would fit in a flat rate, but shipping is expensive, so i also offer regular mail. They paid for priority, and I wondered why bc it's so expensive. Oh well, I got the payment almost immediately and i sent out the next day. then I get a notice from paypal saying this buyers account was hacked and payment was sent fraudulently, so they take back my funds, but i had already shipped!
So they ask for proof of shipment, I upload my shipping reciept i get when i print from my computer, but apparently that number isn't linked to anything except the shipper was notified to except a package for shipping. I shipped it out on Oct 4 and there is still no record. So now I am out my merchandise and my shipping costs. Plus my final value fees, listing fees, paypal fees. I called usps directly and bc there is no proof that the item was actually shipped, they won't refund at least my shipping costs due to services not rendered. Their system shows it hasn't shipped so they can't refund until it's shipped? Well why hasn't it shipped yet? there's just no record at all.
There are so many safeguards for buyers, but not enough against sellers! Now i am weary of all international orders, and the past week has been nothing but international orders!
On another note, a last minute halloween shopper wanted to get an item by halloween but they didn't order until Wed. and only paid priority. the only way it would get there is express, so me being so trusting went ahead an paid the upgrade of $19 to make she she got it on time, and she swore she would pay the upgrade afterward, and now guess who is ignoring me. And no way for me to appeal either. that's what I get for trying to give customer service.
then another girl, waits and waits and waits to pay when she's bugging me if she'll get it by halloween. Well i won't ship until I get payment. She gets it and says it smells dusty and therefore is not as described and will send it back wants her moeny back. i say i will refund minus shipping. Now she has her moeny back and I'm still waiting to get my item back.
Nothing I can do there either, she alrady accepted the refund so now the dispute is closed.