Item Returned to Sender, Cannot Contact Buyer

[aluus]

Made a sale back in November, item was delivered 5 days later. Over a month after that, back in my mailbox. Tracking shows that after initial delivery, it was forwarded a few days later, then a Return to Sender was processed. I reached out to the buyer 2 weeks ago, still no response. 

[rosszonebricks]

You've done your due diligence.   I have had this happen a few times.  I'll set the returned package/item aside for a month or two just in case, but then usually just put the item back in my inventory.

[aluus]

I believe that the ebay claim window has passed, but I've been told that if they paid via PayPal, they can open a claim on this up to six months after the initial transaction. Any idea if this is true?

[sextons-sweet-deals]

Very odd!

So, you didn't ship with signature required, but the recipient shipped it back without contacting you? 

[kabilab]

I experienced an identical situation on three occasions in the past nine years. After the items were returned, I checked and none had a record of feedback  and each account had been closed; I relisted and sold all.

[ckimodog]

@aluus 

Yes, it's true. I believe the buyer has 6 months to file a claim on their Paypal or cc accounts. 

[dbfolks166mt]

     I have had this happen once but it was prior to being under MP. The buyer had actually paid and I had the money from the sale. Like you I tried to contact the buyer to no avail and like kabilab's situation the buyers account had been closed. 

     The item was small value so I simply put it aside for a coupe of months and then re-listed the item. I was never able to return the money to the buyer. Entirely possible buyer may have met with unfortunate circumstances. 

[aluus]

All I know for certain is it was originally delivered to the address provided, left on the porch apparently, and then several days later, it appears that the post office attempted to forward it to a new address, one I do not know. That failed, and the post office initiated a RTS. I've messaged the buyer, no response. 

[aluus]

Buyer's account is still currently open, been on eBay 3 years, and only 2 examples of feedback, one being from me for this transaction. 

[aluus]

That's kind of what I'm thinking, that they're either incarcerated or deseased... 

[sapphire_studio]

I had something similar happen and I posted about it (I was signed into another eBay store I run with my friends when I made the post).

 The general consensus was to refund them minus the original cost of shipping which I did. That should leave you more protected against chargebacks from PayPal and also just seems like the right thing to do since you have your item back.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Package-Returned-to-Me-Seller-because-it-failed-to-Forward-I/t...

[simply-the-best-for-you]

I just had it happen last week & have had a few a year, most years.  I just set them aside & do what  the first or 2nd reply says, I just let them sit there for a month or two & wait to hear from the person.   In most cases, I never hear from them.   

I rarely make any contact attempts, not my problem.  The one a few weeks ago I actually tried to contact b/c it was a Xmas item & no response.  I usually just wait til they can't leave FB & then relist.  I've never once had someone come back to me about it, unless it happens right away & they realize they had the wrong addy in the system.  

[asset_liquidators]

I once had one come back MONTHS later and it wasn't a "return to sender". Someone took it to the Post Office and paid to have it shipped back. The package had never been opened and I never heard from them. It was just such an odd thing. I just set it aside for about 1 year.