Help regarding eBay disputes as a seller

[winds]

Hey there,

Hoping any of you with experience of selling on eBay could help me with open cases / disputes.
So I sold a video game for about $200 on eBay on Saturday, September 16th which the buyer instantly paid for. I shipped it out on Tuesday, September 20th and all was good and friendly. On October 7th I received an eBay notice that the buyer had opened a case against me. I didn't receive any emails or messages from the buyer before this and had just assumed they received it and all was good. I kind of thought it odd that before asking me where his item was, they went straight to opening a case and demanding a refund.

Anyways, I sell stuff on ebay from time to time and got shafted by ebay years and years ago when a buyer claimed they never got the item and ebay immediately sided with the buyer since I didn't have proof that I sent it. Because of that horrible experience, I take better measures to cover myself now. I shipped that item with a tracking number and also took pictures at the post office with the receipt beside the parcel, the postal worker in the background (lol), and his name and tracking number / canada post stickers clearly on the parcel. The tracking number shows that it was sent out on the 20th, and delivered successfully on the 21st.

With all this said, what is my recourse here? I can't be sure the buyer is lying, but I find it odd that the buyer made zero attempt to ask me anything before immediately opening a case, when our transaction had been nothing but smooth and friendly during the initial purchase. I also find it odd that the tracking number says delivered.

What i've done so far is ask the buyer to check with his local postal office, as well as open a service ticket with my local postal office saying the buyer claims they never received it. The buyer came back and said "post office says they cant help me" and that's about the extent they're trying to resolve this case. Now they're saying "i have until friday before they escalate the case".

If any of you have experience with this matter, any help would be really appreciated. Do you think ebay will side with the buyer (as they've been known to do) despite my proof? Am I toast here?

Thanks!

[Tanooki]

Basically it'll end up again with ebay picking sides. At least this time you can totally prove you mailed it, so they'll have to make some attempt to show they never received it somehow or it will be a real toss up where they may just credit him and let you keep it in good faith since you're not a known crook.

[marurun]

Did you sell/ship it to someone else in Canada, or a buyer in the US? Cross-border shipping is just a pain all around and much harder to check on.

[Soldier Blue]

Yeah any high value items like that you always want to send it priority and pay for insurance so you can collect the money if it gets lost.

That being said, I would be shocked if they didn't side with you since you evidence showing that it made it to his residence. I had a similar issue and told the buyer there was nothing I could do because it made it to their residence and it was most likely stolen. I told them to call the police. With a case open maybe it might be a tad different, but you should win the case.

[winds]

Thanks guys! From the sounds of it I should be able to prove my case to eBay. I'm still worried, but hopefully they settle in my favour consider I have the proof and have 0 negative feedback.

Did you sell/ship it to someone else in Canada, or a buyer in the US? Cross-border shipping is just a pain all around and much harder to check on.

Thankfully it remained in Canada, actually only about 30 minutes from me.