Ebay buyer did not collect from post office -returned to sender

youwhat

Hi.

I sold an item on ebay around a month ago. item sold for around £45, and I charged £4.50 post and packaging.

I ended up posting special delivery for £8.25 as this was the most suitable option. On the day I posted item (Friday 5th April) I sent buyer a message explaining it had gone special delivery and provided tracking number. I said item should be with her by Monday 8th April.

Item was turned to me yesterday as buyer had not collected from post office. Today I received a message from buyer asking where item is.

So .. What do I do? If she agrees to pay £8.25 I can post again. If she is not willing I can relist and she could have a refund. However, am I allowed to refund her total amount minus £8.25, bearing in mind I listed postage as £4.50? Would rather move on and sell to someone else but don't want to be out of pocket.

Thanks for reading.

CouponWoman

You need to ask her to pay the postage again, but you can really only ask for the £4.50 as per your original quote.

If she refuses to pay you could refund but it would have to be the whole amount, you cannot keep the postage element. Thats ebay rules I am afraid.

xx

onetwothree123

Yes, you have had it returned and you can sell to another person, royal mail return items after I think 18 days or so, and they had your email showing the tracking number and around 2-3 weeks roughly to either go collect it or arrange a re delivery if they missed the postie. The worst that can happen is you are £4 postage down and a FVF of about £4.50 cos of this , you could recoup the FVF if she agreed to cancel it. You can refund her minus the post but you cannot subtract £8.25 cos you stated on listing it was£4.50 as that was your error in the pricing. You are allowed to keep the £4.50 an refund her the rest. Or she repays the £4.50 again and you send it.

The worst that can happen is they leave a negative feedback but it would be through sheer spite as you met your side of the deal, posted item with tracking, their failure to collect it is their problem.

theonlywayisup

onetwothree123 wrote: »

Yes, you have had it returned and you can sell to another person, royal mail return items after I think 18 days or so, and they had your email showing the tracking number and around 2-3 weeks roughly to either go collect it or arrange a re delivery if they missed the postie. The worst that can happen is you are £4 postage down and a FVF of about £4.50 cos of this , you could recoup the FVF if she agreed to cancel it. You can refund her minus the post but you cannot subtract £8.25 cos you stated on listing it was£4.50 as that was your error in the pricing. You are allowed to keep the £4.50 an refund her the rest. Or she repays the £4.50 again and you send it.

The worst that can happen is they leave a negative feedback but it would be through sheer spite as you met your side of the deal, posted item with tracking, their failure to collect it is their problem.

Not quite sure where you get your information from but it is incorrect.

OP, the buyer is entitled to the item or a FULL refund, the refund is the entire original amount they paid, regardless of how you broke it down on the listing or what you paid to post it.

It may be the buyer never got your message or any notification from Royal Mail to say it was awaiting collection. Either way, you should be proactive and polite.

Email and message them explaining the item has been returned, add a photo of the returns sticker if you can.

See what they say.

angelcake

I have had the same thing happen to me, however mine was 5 weeks ago, I sent via courier. 5 weeks later I get a message 'where is my item' I tracked the courier and it says attempted delivery 3 times card left!! It says its being returned to me, I am so annoyed, I will have to pay her back the courier cost too... so I will be around £10 down!

youwhat

Hmm not sure I've quite got it yet. OK, so she paid £45 for item, and £4.50 for postage and packaging. I have paid out £8.25 p&p (should have researched properly!).

So are the scenarios:

1.) Buyer still wants item. I can charge her again for postage but will only be allowed to charge £4.50 as per original listing. Her failure to collect parcel first time round has then left me £3.75 out of pocket (as actual cost to post is £8.25 - again!).

2.) Buyer does not want item. I refund cost of item (£45). Do I also need to refund £4.50 postage? This means I am £8.25 out of pocket.

3.) I don't want buyer to have item (as do feel she is messing about a bit and find it odd she contacted me day after parcel was returned but maybe that's just co-incidence). Presume options are same as no. 2?

Thanks to have everyone has replied - lesson learnt re: postage!

theonlywayisup

youwhat wrote: »

Hmm not sure I've quite got it yet. OK, so she paid £45 for item, and £4.50 for postage and packaging. I have paid out £8.25 p&p (should have researched properly!).

So are the scenarios:

1.) Buyer still wants item. I can charge her again for postage but will only be allowed to charge £4.50 as per original listing. Her failure to collect parcel first time round has then left me £3.75 out of pocket (as actual cost to post is £8.25 - again!).

2.) Buyer does not want item. I refund cost of item (£45) as well as advertised cost of p&p (£4.50) again leaving me £3.75 out of pocket (ignoring ebay fees etc)

3.) I don't want buyer to have item (as do feel she is messing about a bit and find it odd she contacted me day after parcel was returned but maybe that's just co-incidence). Presume options are same as no. 2?

Thanks to have everyone has replied - lesson learnt re: postage!

It isnt a postage lesson. It is an ebay lesson.

1. No. 2. Partly, you may not need be out of pocket for fees. 3. No.

Buyer is entitled to a FULL refund if you cannot prove delivery.

If you do not want to send again,you need to refund in FULL but you can ask for a cancellation which will reimburse your selling fees, if the buyer agrees (or does nothing for 7 days).

techspec

Ive had a few lately where buyer says no attempt was made. Think they just changed their mind.

Thankfuly, an expesnsive item i forgot to put return address on was collected today - 6 days after attempted delivery. Buyer had asked for it next day .

Funny how seller has to prove delivery - and buyer only as to prove attempted delivery when returning.

Ralph-y

Have you asked the buyer yet ?

they might be OK about things

They might not but if you don't ask then you will never know.

Ralph