Advice for seller not picking up item at Post Office
I sold an expensive item to a buyer who has failed for a couple of days to pick it up at the post office. It required signature confirmation and delivery was attempted. He has asked the post office to hold the package there. I fear that he is going to let the post office return to sender. What do I need to do now to protect myself?
8 comments
pastimpressions
·1 year agoI have had several orders in which the customer had their package held at the post office.
In some cases, it was many days. Sometimes two weeks or longer.
All orders were eventually received.
Some of those customers have become my repeat customers, so I knew ahead of time there would be an inordinate time lapse in pick-up.
I will admit, however, that in each case, the first time it happened I did pause a bit.
By all means, after 3 or 4 days have passed you can message the buyer with a friendly reminder.
I do, however, caution you against constant messaging over this.
You do not want your buyer to feel harassed.
As a previous poster stated, there are many reasons why this could be happening.
Schedule conflicts & great distances from a local post office are just two reasons.
Good luck with shop & sales.
toysaver
·1 year ago"He has asked the post office to hold the package there."
The buyer is likely is having all mail held and not this particular item. I've seen this a few times before and I email the buyer just to say it's at the PO as a reminder incase the little slip of paper was lost. The last time this happened it was going to a PO Box in Fairbanks Alaska. The buyer said the PO Box was her aunt's who was away for a month. The buyer lived very remote and would collect it in due time. It appears a USPS mail hold request takes precedence over returning the item to you.
meme6253
·1 year agoEverytime I get a buyer that their order is held at a post office, I will send them reminders of the matter, & that tends to get results in them picking up the item.
mam98031
·1 year ago@kds99
Don't be in "fear". You will be fine. Have you ever read how Seller Protection works in a situation like this? A little surprising since you've been a seller for a long time with lots of experience. But the following information will help you.
Evidence of successful delivery
We require all of the following to prove a successful on-time delivery:
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy?id=4210
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/seller-protections?id=4345
tinsoldierunderground
·1 year agoIf the buyer doesn't pick up the item, that equates to 'refused by addressee', and buyer is SOL. Did buyer understand that you shipped signature required?
silverdreamfilm
·1 year agoIf he/she doesn't pickup the package then the item will eventually be returned to you. His/her refusal of the package will negate ebay's Money Back Guarantee so they will out of luck.
You can refund them once you receive the package back.
albertabrightalberta
·1 year ago@kds99
To add to @silverdreamfilm 's advice, if you receive the item back and issue a refund, you can withhold original shipping and any unreimbursed expenses you incurred.
If a buyer doesn't retrieve a package from the post office, I'd add that buyer to my BBL.
slippinjimmy
·1 year agoGetting to a post office is a difficult problem for many people so "a couple of days" doesn't indicate any type of problem. If a signature is required it's even more of an issue because the addressee has to provide id to pick it up (can't sent someone else).
Just imagine you work 9 - 5 and commute to work, Post Office hours are not convenient.
USPS will hold the package for 15 days, if it hasn't been picked up by 10 days, message the buyer just in case they did not get a notice.
FYI - Anytime you send an eBay order with signature required you really need to indicate it in the listing AND message the buyer when shipped so they know.