Questions about item sold and delivered after transaction was canceled

[livecheapordie]

I recently sold a $350 item with a return option.  I got paid and shipped the item.  The Post Office was very slow.  After two weeks the item had not been delivered, and I cancelled the transaction, at the buyer’s request, and I refunded his payment.  At the time of the cancellation, the buyer agreed that, if and when the item arrived, he would keep the item and pay me for it (again) if he liked it, or he would return it if he didn’t like it.  The buyer just received the item, more than a month after I shipped it.  He has not yet decided if he wants to keep it.

Questions:

1.  Since I have refunded the payment and the buyer has the item, there’s nothing to prevent him from keeping the item and not paying me.  Did I make a mistake in cancelling the transaction?  Would I have any recourse?

2.  If the buyer decides to keep the item and pay me, how should payment be made?  It seems that I could avoid Ebay fees by having the seller mail be a check.  I could split my savings with the buyer.

[caldreamer]

Never refund the customer until you get the item back.   You have no recourse and customer could just say bye, bye.  

EBAY does not allow you to send customer your contact information and make deals "outside of EBAY".  Doing this could get your kicked off the platform.

[monica-sells]

1.  Since I have refunded the payment and the buyer has the item, there’s nothing to prevent him from keeping the item and not paying me.  Did I make a mistake in cancelling the transaction?  Would I have any recourse?

No recourse through ebay since you refunded.

2.  If the buyer decides to keep the item and pay me, how should payment be made?  It seems that I could avoid Ebay fees by having the seller mail be a check.  I could split my savings with the buyer.

I would not recommend taking it off ebay to "avoid" fees for obvious reasons.

If the buyer wants to keep it, I would just relist it so they could buy it again. To get the shipping tracking number, I would get a GA Label, and send a sales receipt to get a "Delivered" status..

[slati_2013]

If the item gets there, you send the buyer your PayPal address to send you the payment. You don't have to split anything with the buyer.

But here is the mistake you made; you should have first tried to intercept the package before you refunded. If the USPS agreed to the intercept. You would not have any of these issues. Any time I have to cancel an order that has shipped, I always do an intercept and I have been successful every time. 

I hate to break this to you but the buyer has no intention of refunding you or returning the item.  And there is nothing you can do about it. 

[sextons-sweet-deals]

Did the buyer ever open a case? If they did, all you had to do is upload tracking and stay in communication in the open case. 

Package arrived. The buyer can send you a check or better yet a USPS money order. The package should have your return address.

[livecheapordie]

What is a GA label?  Where/how would I get one?

[monica-sells]

Sorry...GA = Ground Advantage (the cheapest trackable option) with USPS. 

There are options if the buyer goes along with it, so do what's best for you to rectify the situation