eBay

parts4hvac-us · ‎01-08-2018

I have seen a lot of posts about Local Pick Up items paid for through Paypal, but nothing about wire transfers...so here goes:

Going on 3 months ago we sold a buyer, in Mexico, a lot of ammonia evaporators (162709165492) that the buyer promptly paid for with a wire transfer. It was understood that he would set up his own carrier. The listing stated local pick up only as well. I was in touch with him for the first month and a half to two months off and on. The last I heard was that the carrier was set up and they were working on customs paperwork. We have been holding these for about 2 years already so I did not press for him to pick them up. But my manager wants these out of our lot as they are taking up space needed for equipment coming in for spring jobs. I have not heard from him since the week before Christmas when we asked him to please move these before the middle of Janurary (around the 15th-ish). My manager wants to charge for storage. Nothing in the listing gave a deadline for pick up or mentioned any storage fees.

1) Can we charge storage fees going forward?

2) Are we allowed to consider them abandoned after a certain amount of time? If so, can we scrap them or resell them without offering a refund? Is it unethical to keep the payment if we tried our best to accommodate him?

3) What recourse can eBay take against us for any of the above actions?

bonjourami · ‎01-08-2018

After two years, the buyer has no recourse thru Ebay, Paypal, or his credit card..you've tried to contact him thru emails?

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“Never pick a fight with an ugly person. They don’t have anything to lose.” ~Robin Williams

thatsallfolks · ‎01-08-2018

After 3 months, eBay can’t do anything. The buyer can’t either, without going to court.

d-k_treasures · ‎01-08-2018

It's only been 3 months after the sale. The OP stated that they HAD them for 2 years.

_____________________________
"Nothing is obvious to the oblivious"

*madison · ‎01-08-2018

The op has had the items in stock for 2 years, the buyer purchased them 3 months ago.

Anyway, because payment was by wire transfer ( whch is not allowed on ebay ? ) this is not an ebay or paypal matter...

*madison · ‎01-08-2018

Nothing in the listing gave a deadline for pick up or mentioned any storage fees.

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So, no, you can't charge a storage fee, and you will have to wait a bit longer and see if the buyer is going to have the items picked up.

Or, issue a refund.

itsjustasprain · ‎01-08-2018

*madison wrote:
Anyway, because payment was by wire transfer ( whch is not allowed on ebay ? ) this is not an ebay or paypal matter...

I thought payments on business or industrial equipment were a little more flexible - ?

I would say that if the buyer isnt responsive anymore and you give them a deadline that they go past then just dump the items and maybe send the customer back a check for a refund - if you have a mailing address. You could deduct something for storage fees maybe but that mght get kind of sticky if you had them sitting around for 2 years already before getting around to finding a buyer.

*madison · ‎01-08-2018

Yes, wire transfer might be allowed for that, I know it's allowed in certain categories.

missjen831 · ‎01-08-2018

@bonjourami wrote:
After two years, the buyer has no recourse thru Ebay, Paypal, or his credit card..you've tried to contact him thru emails?

If he paid with wire transfer he never had recourse through ebay. And paypal was never involved, neither was a credit card so....not sure how this is relevant to OPs issue....

One life is all we have to live
Love is all we have to give

**Formerly known as MissJen316**

missjen831 · ‎01-08-2018

@*madison wrote:
The op has had the items in stock for 2 years, the buyer purchased them 3 months ago.

Anyway, because payment was by wire transfer ( whch is not allowed on ebay ? ) this is not an ebay or paypal matter...

Then OP absolutely can charge storage. Its on his terms now. And by that I mean he could deduct storage from the buyers refund if it comes down to refunding...he can't actually charge the buyer additional money.

One life is all we have to live
Love is all we have to give

**Formerly known as MissJen316**

*madison · ‎01-08-2018

There was no mention of storgage fees in the listing, and no deadline for pick up.

So, it would be wrong to charge storage fees, and it would be theft.

If sellers want an item picked up by a certain date, they should state it in their listings, like I do.

d-k_treasures · ‎01-08-2018

@*madison wrote:
There was no mention of storgage fees in the listing, and no deadline for pick up.

So, it would be wrong to charge storage fees, and it would be theft.

If sellers want an item picked up by a certain date, they should state it in their listings, like I do.

They would now have to send an email stating their pickup timeframe(from now forward) and then they can mention storage will start on such and such a date after that, or offer a refund minus fees.

_____________________________
"Nothing is obvious to the oblivious"

*madison · ‎01-08-2018

Yes, I suppose, from now forward. The op should give the buyer a chance before sticking charges on.

I know the op can't keep the item forever..

southern*sweet*tea · ‎01-08-2018

@*madison wrote:
The op has had the items in stock for 2 years, the buyer purchased them 3 months ago.

Anyway, because payment was by wire transfer ( whch is not allowed on ebay ? ) this is not an ebay or paypal matter...

Business and industrial categories can take money orders, checks, online payment services and wire transfers.

http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/accepted-payments-policy.html

The easier you are to offend the easier you are to control.

We seem to be getting closer and closer to a situation where nobody is responsible for what they did but we are all responsible for what somebody else did. - Thomas Sowell

parts4hvac-us · ‎01-08-2018

Ironically, as I was typing the OP, our buyer finally contacted me. He states they will be here next week.

It would seem there is no specific eBay rule concerning the charging of storage fees and the comments here seem split. For those who say no storage fees at all, if not laid out in the listing, is there any amount of time that would be reasonable to start storage fees or refund only?

As for refunds, it seems all of you agree that even if the customer "disappears", the seller should be proactive in refunding the customer. Just curious as to why? If this situation happened not through eBay and someone gave you cash for something, but never came back to get it, how would you refund them? What if you were moving or maybe the item has an expiration date? How long should you keep the item?

I guess I just find it strange that people feel the buyer is entitled to a refund even if they are unwilling to take delivery after a deal (contract) has been made or just "disappear" and are unable to be contacted.