Is this unusual?

A question about : Is this unusual?

I sold a pair of shoes on ebay. The very next day the buyer contacted me to ask if they had been dispatched which they had. The buyer then emailed me for the next four days saying they had not been received despite me assuring her that I had posted them. Eventually she opened a case against me so I immediately refunded her. Quite frankly for the amount of 5.50 I am not really prepared to get into disputes etc. However I did wonder if this is usual - I believed it was rare for stuff to go missing through the post? Or is it easier for the buyer to say 'I never received it'. I suppose I will take it up with Royal Mail.

Best answers:

• You should take up with Royal Mail. However, it is always good to send signed for.
  It is not unusual from what I have been reading.
• When sellers refund so easily, it's not surprising that a certain number of buyers claim to have issues with their post.
• The temptation for a buyer just to say they've not received their item if they've not had to sign for it is strong.
  Yes, you can make a claim against Royal Mail but this is a long process with no guaranteed success - it depends on the "value" of the item.
  I'd recommend always paying a bit extra for recorded delivery (or whatever) just so they can't get the goods without signing for it. And even if the goods go missing, it's then far easier to put in a claim to Royal Mail.
• Don't bother paying for Royal Mail signed for if the item is worth under Ј20. Wait at least a week before refunding and get the buyer to confirm it still hasn't arrived. Then claim from Royal Mail (assuming you got proof of postage).
• It's worth reporting the buyer to eBay, there is a seller dashboard link from the Account tab drop-down menu and on the seller dashboard to the left is a report a buyer link.
  From what you've described I'd bet good money they have plenty of past "missing" parcels with other sellers.