I REQUIRED SIGNATURE FOR DELIVERY & THEN BUYER DID NOT PICK UP PACKAGE AT ALL & NOW RETURNED

[dg2012]

I do not understand what to do at this point. Here is the situation... I sold an item here on Ebay in an auction. I charged the customer much less money for shipping than I chose to spend, and added both insurance, and certified mail option, just so the customer would have to sign for package, and safely get the package, instead of it being left at the door, TO TRY TO AVOID any issues for either of us. Then, the package was attempted delivery 3 times total, the 2nd failed attempt of which was a specific request time of the customer, who then was not available again, for receiving the delivery. They also did not go pick up the package after the 3 delivery attempts. Now, the package was sent back to me. Shipped and transported all over the place, for nothing. What am I supposed to do? None of this was my fault. I did even more than was required of me, paid more money out of pocket to make sure the customer got the package safely, and now, the package was sent back to me. I am not some on-line selling store. I had a brand new, unused, undamaged, still in perfect condition computer part, still in the original package, and had no personal use for it, so, I sold it on Ebay. The listing clearly stated "no returns". Now, what am I supposed to do after all this time, and money has been wasted, let alone, a computer part now shipped over 7,000 miles back and forth across the US? I did my part! I held up my side of the sale more than what was required of me. Am I supposed to now just wait for them to file a request for refund after all this?? That is insane!

[chinohighcowboys1963]

Write to the buyer that the package has been returned to you because he/she failed to pick it up at the post office, or make proper arrangements for its delivery.  If buyer still wants the item, they must re-pay the shipping charges.

  If they don't want it, or fail to respond to you within a reasonable time, say, five days, you can refund their payment minus any shipping charges.

 Technically, the buyer has refused the item, so they lost their buyer protection, and you don't really have to refund them at all.

[emerald1830]

I don't see anything you sold recently of high value..was the customer okay with having to stay home from work or school to sign for a package? I myself would be livid if it's not a very high dollar item..

[this*old*attic]

That’s not quite true. What’s your theory for keeping both money and item?

OP may, however, deduct shipping.

[this*old*attic]

I was wondering the same thing... was all this necessary, or complicated for a relatively inexpensive item? What kind of computer part?

[pburn]

Did the item listing include the fact that you were going to ship this with a signature required? If not, then a buyer could make the case (or at least try) that you violated the terms of the sale. Shipping methods and details are all part of the item listing and should not be altered from those stated in the original listing.

In my opinion, you wouldn't even be justified in retaining the shipping cost. I, too, would be livid if I were your buyer--probably enough to leave a negative, which I save for really egregious circumstances.

[m60driver]

I had a similar thing happen with a buyer. I called Ebay to open a case.  Here is the resolution notice:

"We reviewed this case and have closed it without any refund to the buyer.

The case will not affect your seller performance. Any feedback left for this transaction will be removed.

The tracking information you provided shows that there was an attempted delivery to the buyer's address. The buyer is responsible for getting the item from the carrier."

The money back guarantee is no longer valid for this buyer.  I refunded less all my costs including shipping, EBay fees, and Paypal fees.  And from what I understood what I did refund was a courtesy.

[pburn]

In the case you've cited, had you changed the shipping details from the original listing to include a signature requirement--when that was not disclosed in the original listing?

If not, the cases differ dramatically in that one detail.

If so, as a buyer, that decision would be enough to make me reconsider making further purchases on eBay.

[hillbillymedia]

I`m curios as to the full duration the item sat at the buyers post office. It`s been my experience they will hold it for approx. a month. So, how long? IMO it makes a difference.

[hyperrush]

Well at least you received your money back.

[maylen37]

Did you disclose/ask buyer about the signature required prior to shipping? I had a similar experience..auctioned what I thought would be a simple $10 Asian bottle that turned into a $350+ sale. Needless to say, my 1st Class item became an insured priority signature required package. But I did ask buyer prior to shipping.

So I do understand your intentions were to make the delivery as secure as possible. I have learned a lot by trial and error.

[gr-2634]

. What am I supposed to do? None of this was my fault.

__

No it wasn't your fault you made it inconvenient for the buyer to get your item.

It also wasn't your fault you wasted money on shipping stuff that had a low enough value that it didn't require signature.

[castlemagicmemories]

Since you say you did even more than what was required of you, it seems that you did not state in your listing that signature would be required for delivery.  If you didn't state in the listing that signature would be required, or warn the buyer pre shipping that signature would be required, then it is possible that the buyer is upset that you required signature without informing him of that first.

[castlemagicmemories]

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@hyperrush wrote:

Well at least you received your money back.

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OP never lost his money.  OP was the seller.

[mg152]

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@this*old*attic wrote:

That’s not quite true. What’s your theory for keeping both money and item?

OP may, however, deduct shipping.

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It is true. In effect the buyer refused delivery and lost buyer protection unless the seller changed the terms. If the listing did not say signature required the buyer will win a claim.