Buyer asking for refund 40+ days after payment - advice requessted

charlesb

I sam a private seller & sold a fairly rare book as part of a loft clearout for c£125 back in october to an overseas buyer on an auction listing. The buyer paid for it on October 30.

As an aside the buyer appears to be a fairly active buyer seller of these types of books.

I sent the item tracked/appropriately insured on November 1 & it was delivered on November 4.

I assumed all was well albeit they left no feedback, but some buyers don't & that's their choice.

The buyer has contacted me today (December 11) to ask for a refund, no explanation why they want one or why they have waited over a month since delivery to contact me.

What's the position - do I have to refund the buyer regardless of the reason for return, subject to them first returning the book to me?

I am a little unsure of the procedure given so much time has passed since the item was paid/sent.

I have responded to the buyer today asking why they want to return - so I can understand the position & await a response.

Thanks

theonlywayisup

Paypal and ebay allow a seller 45 days from payment date to file a dispute. However a chargeback can be filed up to 180 days, longer if a fraud can be proven by the card holder.

You need to ascertain from the buyer quite what the issue is.

Does your tracking give any idea?

Obviously_the_best

If you can hold them off from opening a dispute for 6 days, you don't have to refund at all. Until that point ask them why etc, and try and make conversation last six days. Then if you fell they have a valid reason, refund, if not, don't. May be slightly dodgy but will at least mean you're safe.

theonlywayisup

Obviously_the_best wrote: »

If you can hold them off from opening a dispute for 6 days, you don't have to refund at all. Until that point ask them why etc, and try and make conversation last six days. Then if you fell they have a valid reason, refund, if not, don't. May be slightly dodgy but will at least mean you're safe.

I thought they paid on 30 Oct. 45 days has long since gone. Or did i misunderstand the OP?

Jen_Jen1985

4 days left (30 days in november + 11 days of december = 41)

barmonkey

theonlywayisup wrote: »

I thought they paid on 30 Oct. 45 days has long since gone. Or did i misunderstand the OP?

that was 42 days ago

barmonkey

Jen_Jen1985 wrote: »

4 days left (30 days in november + 11 days of december = 41)

plus the 31st of Oct

theonlywayisup

Yes, my apologies, for some reason my calendar is working on another time scale!

I was making one month as 45 days! i wish!

Jen_Jen1985

barmonkey wrote: »

plus the 31st of Oct

yep, missed that 1 lol

theonlywayisup

Jen_Jen1985 wrote: »

yep, missed that 1 lol

Yes, but not as bad as my calculation of 45 days in a month!

charlesb

ok really not sure what to make of this - when i asked why the buyer wanted a refund he said he already had a version of this rare book but thought the one i was selling looked to be in better condition than his copy

his message doesn't specify whether mine or his is better condition in his opinion - but I assume he considers his version is better on the basis of the next bit of his message

he then goes on to propose that as an alternative perhaps i could contact the second highest bidder from the original auction, if they want the book, then he will sell it them, ahem yes for £135! (£10 more than he bought it from me)

i will take a little time to consider how to respond, i am usually very straight with my buyers but tempted (given this buyers antics) to drag my feet to get this past the 45 days since payment to narrow down the buyers options

any thoughts?????