How long to wait for balance and item pickup?

[sajeinc]

Hi all,

I sold a dune buggy via auction and had the terms of payment clear in the auction.  $500 deposit via PayPal within 24 hours and the balance due within one week of auction end.  The balance to be paid via cash, money order, or PP friends.

The buyer paid the $500 within the 24 hour period and I messaged them several times over the next 5 days to help arrange pickup and to remind of the balance deadline.  No response until the very last minute where they tried to get me to invoice the item balance in PayPal which I have read is not a good idea.  Then they said they'd mail it and provide a tracking number.  A week later I have neither.  I send a polite but firm list of things I need from them such as proof the payment has been mailed, that they are planning trucking for the item (buyer lives about 1000 miles away), some couteous extensions.

Another week and no payment, no tracking number as promised, hasnt even started to begin getting shipping quotes.  The buyer seems annoyed that I am pushing for some kind of good faith.  They have over 700 good feedback so it's not some newbie.

Here we are 3 weeks after the auction end and I have the deposit and a runaround.  How long am I supposed to wait for this guy to pay?  And then how long am I responsible to store the item while he takes his time arranging shipping pickup?

I feel they should forfeit their deposit and the item be relisted.   Especially since ebay considers the transaction complete once the deposit is paid and the final value fee has been applied to my account.  But I need to know best way to handle the current situation.

Thank you!

[atikovi]

Send a certified letter stating that if it isn't paid for and picked up in 10 days the car will be relisted and he will forfeit the deposit.

[marinermikes]

Does the buggy have a title? If so you may be correct about keeping the desosit and relisting. If not that would be a problem. No title and it would be treated like any other EBay purchase.

[sajeinc]

No title, the buggy is a 1985 and the titles for these buggies are virtually non-existant.

When you say treated like any other ebay purchase what does that mean for my next steps?

[sajeinc]

Added note - the buyer hasn't even asked for my address yet so there is no way they are making arrangements to have the item shipped.

I feel like I'm getting scammed and somehow leaving myself open for chargeback or something where it's beneficial for them to be stalling.

[legitimate_bidder · Accepted solution]

Relist the buggy, you are just wasting time with this guy. The non-buyer has not complied with the terms of the contract, and you have given him every opportunity and extra time, etc.

Keep the deposit. If he should try to come after you for that later, you can deal with the matter then- but it sounds like this guy has a serious case of buyer's remorse, and you have certainly upheld your end of the bargain by keeping the buggy off of the market for much longer than you were even obligated to.

You'll probably never hear from him again if you don't initiate contact.

This happens quite frequently on Ebay.  I have a friend who was selling an old Merkur a few years ago- He ended up collecting 3 deposits and one full payment over the course of several months, before actually  connecting with a buyer who paid for AND actually picked up the car.  None of the previous people who paid bur never showed ever contacted him again......

[legitimate_bidder]

Don't worry about a chargeback on the deposit. Deposits are non-refundable. They can try...but all you have to do is answer the complaint by saying that the payment was a deposit for a vehicle, and the person never paid the balance due, and if they do not have proof of payment of the balance, Ebay/PayEnemy will find in your favor.

[marinermikes]

I Would have to agree with LB at this point. If he hasn't even asked for your address. He's probably afraid of the Mrs.  Does not having a title make it like any other EBay sale? I believe so. A sale on a titled vehicle is non binding meaning the buyer can walk away at any time and may loose the deposit. A sale with no title wouild be treated like any other EBay sale a binding contract. If he failed to live up to his end then he broke the contract.

[tony1963]

I heard a song the other day about a guy who had a date and had to make promises to love the woman until the end of time.  At the end of the song he is praying for the end of time to hurry up and arrive.

[sajeinc]

I wanted to post an update on this situation. The buyer finally contacted me and asked to pay the balance via PayPal friends/family. I said that was ok and he paid a couple hours later. He then asked me to overnight mail him a bill of sale and any other paperwork I might have. And he also finally asked the pickup location and size/weight of the buggy. I sent him detailed info of the buggy dimensions and weight along with the pickup location so he could start working on transport arrangements. I sent another message asking for his mailing address so I could mail out the bill of sale. That was 9 days ago today, still no response. I refuse to pester him, ball is in his court.

So now I'm in a different situation. He's paid in full, not really communicating, I'm stuck storing the buggy. The auction ended on 5/25 so its 28 days past. How long am I supposed to wait for item pickup??

[atikovi]

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@sajeinc wrote:

 How long am I supposed to wait for item pickup??

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Send him another certified letter stating that if it isn't picked up in 10 days the car will be put out on the street and considered abandoned. Then you will have no further responsibility for it and the city will tow it away.

[sajeinc]

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@atikovi wrote:

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@sajeinc wrote:

 How long am I supposed to wait for item pickup??

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Send him another certified letter stating that if it isn't picked up in 10 days the car will be put out on the street and considered abandoned. Then you will have no further responsibility for it and the city will tow it away.

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I'd sent him a certified letter if I had his address.  I asked for it and no response.

[legitimate_bidder]

I would just try and sell the buggy again at this point. If he comes through in the meantime, fine; if not, you could always refund him payment, minus the deposit. This guy is either a total flake, or shady. Have to hope that he doesn't do a chargeback if he ever collects the buggy, if he funded his PayPal payment via a credit card (There's no buyer protection when using "Friends & Family", but he could still do the credit card chargeback- and PayPal never fights chargebacks.)

I'd tell him to go pound sand, and just reverse his PayPal payment.

[legitimate_bidder]

PS: Have you actually checked your PayPal balance by actually going to the PayPal website, by typing the URL in yourself- as opposed to just getting this info from an email or clicking on a link in an email?

[sajeinc]

He's definitely flaky but I can't tell if he's shady or not.  I think he's just on the slow bus.  You'd think that after sending someone over $3500 you'd be interested in keeping up contact.

Yes the amount went into my account and I've already transferred it out.  $0 balance in PP.  What would happen if he tried a chargeback and my PP account is empty?  Do they go to my funding source like any other payment?  I'd hate to get an overdraft if they surprise withdraw that amount.