USPS attempts delivery then "available for pick up" Buyer wont pick up

[idianc]

I sold a $300 item with free shipping and I stated in details that it would be insured and a signature required.  Its too big for a standard mail box.  Shipped on a Friday and delivery attempted the following Monday.  Nobody there to sign for it -PO leaves a note to either reschedule delivery or come pick it up.

I emailed the buyer with a link to reschedule delivery and he tells me he gets all sorts of packages left at his door and he cant sign for it.  He asked me to get the PO to remove the signature requirement which they will not do.  He has to pick it up by the 15th day or it will be on its way back to me.

eBay says they will protect my feedback and that they consider "available for pick up" to have been delivered.  They also add that PayPal (the buyers funding for this) also sees it this way.  They add that if I wish the buyer can send me the postage and I can reship with no further responsibility or refund him minus fees & postage - or just keep it.  His PO is about 5 miles from his house.  eBay also added that I can just keep it and block the buyer and sell it again.

Any thoughts ?

[wastingtime101 · Accepted solution]

eBay gave you accurate info about this being considered delivered if an eBay claim is filed. eBay may have told you the buyer funded with PayPal, but that doesn't mean the buyer didn't fund the PayPal payment with a credit card so they could file a dispute through their credit card.

Personally, I'd wait for the package to come back to me then refund less shipping/fees.

This is my standard advice for RTS (returned to sender) packages. Take the parts that are relevant to your situation.

You have a few options. You should decide which route you'll be taking and communicate with the buyer, but wait until the item is returned (and delivered) to you before you take any of the following actions.

• You can refund the buyer the item cost minus original shipping and minus a portion of your eBay fees (fee credits are prorated on a partial refund so you won't get back fees on the shipping amount you withhold). Go to your orders page, find the transaction and select "send refund." On the next page enter the amount. After that, relist the item and if you still want to work with this buyer you can tell them to repurchase it with the correct name/address.
• Have the buyer sort out their address issue then pay for re-shipping. Send them an invoice through PayPal or give them your PayPal e-mail. This is post-sale so it's OK to exchange e-mail addresses. It's also OK to ship to a different address because it's technically not tied to the original transaction. You would not purchase the shipping label through eBay or upload tracking to the transaction. You would purchase it from an alternate site like pirateship.com or paypal.com/shipnow and you can send the buyer the new tracking # through e-mail or eBay messages.
• A different way to accomplish buyer payment for re-shipping is to create an eBay listing for the shipping cost (bumping it up to factor in eBay fees) and having the buyer purchase it, entering their correct address at checkout. You could purchase a shipping label through eBay for that transaction.
• You can cancel the transaction "problem with address" which will trigger a full refund to the buyer and your FVF would be credited.
• You can do nothing. The buyer's MBG protection is voided when there's a package delivery attempt. I don't recommend this because even though you'll win an INR (item not received) claim on eBay, there's nothing stopping that buyer from going to their credit card to file a dispute and why deal with all that? I also think handling it before it gets to this stage with a partial refund is the "right" thing to do if you're not going to make reshipping arrangements.
• You might also want to direct the buyer to this page so their address is updated for future purchases: Account Settings: Addresses

[idianc]

Thank you for your reply.

Once I get the item back I think I'll wait until I hear from the buyer.  I'll follow your advice regarding re-shipping and do so entirely at his risk and expense.

But part of me thinks this is some type of scheme for a change of mind refund if he doesn't ask for it to be reshipped.  My listing clearly states I do not offer refunds and he technically did receive the item.  I'm wondering how a card dispute is handled if an item is received and the store doesnt offer refunds.

[buyselljack2016]

Seems that the buyer should just be able to sign the notice that was left (PS form 3849) to meet the requirement for "signature".........................................  at which point USPS would be able to leave the package "at his door".

[rfmtm]

You may not offer returns or refunds, but ebay and the payment processor does.  Having, "no returns" on your listing can be risky, as ebay often interprets that as meaning you don't want the item back and will refund without requiring a return.

Unlike us ebay sellers, a retail store with a merchant account for accepting credit cards can dispute a case directly with the credit card company, which gives you at least some chance to have it come out in your favor. 

[klhmdg]

@idianc  no returns does not mean no refunds.

It doesnt matter what you state in the listings. eBays MBG overrides it. Any buyer can get a refund at any time. 

No returns just means you dont want the item back, but eBay will give them your item and a refund.

If there is a CC dispute, 90% of the time, sellers lose and gets charged an extra $20 on top of it all.

CC side with their customers, the buyer. 

[dryophelia]

@idianc 

If the buyer files with their credit card, they will be refunded. 
Your no refund policy is moot. 

On another note, it looks like the idianc account has been opted into eBay’s international shipping program. 
For example, the listing for the Bacarat vase ships everywhere except: 

Barbados, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Guadeloupe, Libya, Martinique, New Caledonia, Reunion, Russian Federation, Ukraine, Venezuela

[buyselljack2016]

You may not offer returns or refunds, but ebay and the payment processor does.  Having, "no returns" on your listing can be risky, as ebay often interprets that as meaning you don't want the item back and will refund without requiring a return.

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I used a "no returns" policy for over 20 years, an eBay never interpreted that to mean that I did not want the item back.

[soh.maryl]

Just wanting to make sure that you understand how eBay works.

Your listing may state that you do not offer refunds.  But eBay's Money Back Guarantee, which tops your statement, states that a buyer is entitled to request a refund upon return if/when he opens an item not as described case.  This has no relevance to your particular situation at this time, just making sure you are up on the way eBay works.  

[femmefan1946]

It may encourage your nitwit buyer to pickup if you let him know that eBay will consider the shipment Undeliverable, and does not require the seller to refund a single red penny, even after the item returned.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy...

Try not to add "nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah" to your message. It would not be professional.

[dolcetreasures]

Shipping a mid-value item requiring signature can be a recipe for disaster. Most buyers don’t want to have to deal with it. The requirement for signature is at the $750 threshold. Personally I would never require a signature at a lower threshold. The signature offers no protection whatsoever from any schemes yet it costs you more money. There’s no incentive. 

[idianc]

Thanks.  I deleted the international shipping opt in.

Spoke with eBay FWIW.  This buyer is not covered by a MBG as "available for pick up"  is considered as delivered.  They indicated to me that since the package was never picked up this would not be a SNAD chargeback nor would it be a non delivery chargeback since they opted to not pick it up.

eBay indicated that if for some reason there is a chargeback since I am not at fault any Seller Protection Policy would cover any refunds to the buyer and they do those rarely.  This is not a case where something wasn't delivered they felt in essence that the buyer refused it.

I paid for the signature as from personal experience with the USPS their tracking info and delivery location is not always accurate.  I have had packages delivered next door by accident or marked in a parcel locker yet they were at my front door.

[a_c_green]

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@dolcetreasures wrote:

Shipping a mid-value item requiring signature can be a recipe for disaster. Most buyers don’t want to have to deal with it. The requirement for signature is at the $750 threshold. Personally I would never require a signature at a lower threshold. The signature offers no protection whatsoever from any schemes yet it costs you more money. There’s no incentive. 

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Exactly. For sales below $750, Signature Confirmation does not provide any more seller protection against an Item Not Received dispute than what Delivery Confirmation provides for free, plus it can add significant inconvenience for the buyer.

[yuzuha]

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@a_c_green wrote:

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Exactly. For sales below $750, Signature Confirmation does not provide any more seller protection against an Item Not Received dispute than what Delivery Confirmation provides for free, plus it can add significant inconvenience for the buyer.

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And the only reason it is needed for sales above $750 is that eBay requires it for seller protection. It provides no actual quantifiable level of seller protection beyond what delivery confirmation itself provides.

[rfmtm]

"I used a "no returns" policy for over 20 years, an eBay never interpreted that to mean that I did not want the item back."

Then hopefully that means you have had very little refund or return cases over that many years.  Others have not been so lucky, but it does depend on each situation.  Unfortunately many sellers have lost both their item and their money without much chance of recovery.

Plus these days a "no returns" listing is just asking for a buyer to abuse the "Item Not as Described" return option, which has now gotten way out of hand.