eBay

postingid7659 · ‎03-04-2019

Got a package back today marked unclaimed by addressee. It has two items in it won by the same buyer.

Tracking shows "Notice Left (No Secure Location Available)" when delivery attempted on 2/2, then "Unclaimed/Return to Sender" on 2/27. From there it comes back to me.

What are my liabilities here?  I presume he's entitled to a partial refund (less shipping, maybe a restocking fee) if he doesn't want to pay to ship the items again. From what I can see if they open a case eBay or Paypal should decide in my favor based on the tracking. But I have heard nothing from the buyer in all this time. For all I know they died or something.

This only sold to a town about two hours away and I have to pass in that direction for an event in about four weeks, I was considering offering to allow them to pick up at that event if they would like. Did that successfully with a sale this last Friday, buyer picked up at an event we both attended on Saturday, although he also paid in person.

m60driver · ‎03-05-2019

I currently have the same situation. The item could not be delivered to the address, was kept at the post office by customer request, customer did not come by to pick up package and so it was sent back to me. From what I have read elsewhere here, according to a Mr. Jeff from Ebay, a refused item loses all money back guarantees, and I see this as a refused item but not sure how Ebay sees this. I have yet to find an option for a partial refund on Ebay. I do want to refund less my costs but dare not without approval from Ebay. So currently I am waiting to hear from the buyer who opened an INR case a week ago or to hear from Ebay which is also "Awaiting other member's responses" to my submitting the tracking details. Of course in the asymmetric power relationship between corporation and individual, in the end I will do Ebay's bidding, but at the moment I reckon that doing nothing is the best option until I hear otherwise.

7606dennis · ‎03-05-2019

@trustedbasset wrote:
Buyers die or get sick or just forget.
If I can’t get a response from the seller, I just wait, keep it packaged up and hope the buyer didn’t die. I think that’s what happened to one of my buyers. I can’t remember but I think I refunded him. It was like 14 years ago.

Unfortunately, buyers pass away just like everyone else.

"It is an intelligent man that is aware of his own ignorance."

a_c_green · ‎03-05-2019

@7606dennis wrote:
@trustedbasset wrote:
Buyers die or get sick or just forget.
If I can’t get a response from the seller, I just wait, keep it packaged up and hope the buyer didn’t die. I think that’s what happened to one of my buyers. I can’t remember but I think I refunded him. It was like 14 years ago.
Unfortunately, buyers pass away just like everyone else.

Ayup. I had one expire right after winning an auction of mine. After some days of non-payment, I heard from another seller (this was back in the days when you could see a buyer's other purchases) asking me if I'd been paid, as apparently the buyer had gone on a bidding spree and stiffed (*cough*) a number of sellers besides me. Eventually someone thought to check the on-line obituaries in the buyer's local newspaper, and there he was. Oh, well, never got paid for that one...

postingid7659 · ‎03-06-2019

Interestingly, the tracking also shows a "Refused" but not at his post office, at my local post office, before it was returned to my home.

Anyhow, good to know where I stand on potential cases. I will likely do as suggested and send one notice via eBay's message system.