Buyer not picking up Intl shipment...what's next?

[benzexpert]

So, I've never been big on shipping intl at least through Ebay, because of policies etc that

I don't necessary care to be subject to.

But more recently I decided to add Canada to my shipping options.

I was going over my orders, checking to see if everything was delivered etc. and one was not.

I shipped a package to Canada, the seller wasn't available to receive it, 

and it wound up at an access point at some shady looking convenience store , so the buyer must have requested it be sent there. Right? Or not?

I only discovered this on Apr 30 that the tracking says it's in danger of being sent back as of Apr 28. been there since the 21st  sent a message to the buyer to prompt them to pick it up. NO reply.  It's the 4th now.

Called the store, and they said the package is NOT there.

UPS says they aren't sure where it is now as of Monday, but I haven't opened a case yet, since Monday was 

the next business day, I expected it might update by Tues. but now it's Weds and still no update, and NO CONTACT or reply from the buyer. 

So what the heck is going on?

As people have mentioned the shipper isn't really privy to what the customs fee are. 

I'm concerned he decided the fees were too high and just didn't pick it up.

Also perhaps he may have picked it up and the dumasses at the shady convenience store didn't scan it. 

UPS says if it gets sent back, I would be informed and told how much it would cost to have it sent back.

But I used Pirate Ship, so would I be contacted? 

I mean, it's bought and paid for, I don't want it back, and I sure don't want to pay to get it back (well maybe!?) depending on the price. It seems I'd have to pay return shipping AND the customs fees that were never paid since it wasn't picked up.

Part of me says, just forget it, don't do anything, see what happens, buyer may have picked it up,  but then

the buyer at some point could open a case...not sure what he'd say.
I could try calling him but if he did pick it up, I don't want to alert him that he could potentially file a case 

and get the parts and the money. 

Anyway I really don't know what to do in this circumstance, 

what's my exposure, and what should I do here?

If you send something and a buyer never picks it up, what are his rights?
Would I be stuck giving a refund? I mean I paid for intl shipping etc and I could end up

paying to get it back, and then the guy files a case and gets all his money back?
Should I have UPS open a case? Call the buyer or just let dead dogs lie, no news is good news, and let the chip fall where they may?

Please advise!!

[benzexpert]

One other thing, if UPS offers to send it back and I refuse as the cost is too high, and then at some point the 

buyer asks me to resend, I mean what heck then? Would EBay expect me to send a 2nd time?
This is exactly the reason I don't do like to do intl through EBay!!!!!

[pjcdn2005]

Since the item couldn't be delivered the buyer isn’t covered by the mbg.  If you do receive the item back, you have the option of  refunding the buyer less shipping and fees.  If I were you, I would try  phoning the buyer.  There is a good chance that they weren’t told that an item is waiting to be picked up.

I wouldn’t advise using a courier to Canada because it ends up costing the buyer quite a bit more when they pick the item up.  The normal taxes and duty are charged but there are also brokerage and other fees charged based on a percentage of the package’s value. So rather than paying a $10 brokerage fee to Canada Post for  a $200 package, UPS fees might cost $25-$35.   However, if you use an expected or express service, most of those extra fees aren’t charged.