Buyer did not collect parcel and now opens dispute

nwc389

I sold an item on 4th December and posted on 6th using parcel force tracked, never thought any more about it until today (9th January) when I got an email saying the buyer had registered a dispute as they had not received the item .
I had a note of the tracking number and it looks like the item had an attempted deliver but wasn't collected so ended up floating around the system over the busy Christmas period.
My house no and postcode were taken when I paid for the postage and it looks like the parcel has been sent back to the right sorting office to return to me - but I haven't received it .
eBay have put my PayPal account into the red for the amount of the dispute and I have responded with the information that I have .
I'm just left here to try and sort out the mess , I sent it off correctly addressed and even paid extra for the postage . If he didn't receive it then why didn't he contact me sooner ? I can't even claim from parcelforce as the time limit is 30 days :mad:
Any advice would be appreciated

Flyonthewall

The buyer needs to be refunded (full amount they paid) as they don't have the item. Parcelforce should return the item to you. Unless Parcelforce did something wrong (didn't deliver at all, lost item, damaged item, late delivery) there's nothing to claim from them. They don't owe you anything if they tried to deliver and get the parcel back to you as it was when sent.

It's sad that you paid out for nothing, but once you refund the buyer and get the item back it'll be as it was when you started. You have the item, the buyer has the money. Legally, that's how it should be.

nwc389

Flyonthewall wrote: »

The buyer needs to be refunded (full amount they paid) as they don't have the item. Parcelforce should return the item to you. Unless Parcelforce did something wrong (didn't deliver at all, lost item, damaged item, late delivery) there's nothing to claim from them. They don't owe you anything if they tried to deliver and get the parcel back to you as it was when sent.

It's sad that you paid out for nothing, but once you refund the buyer and get the item back it'll be as it was when you started. You have the item, the buyer has the money. Legally, that's how it should be.

The parcel has just arrived back with me . It was correctly addressed and as far as I can see on the notes the buyer did not bother going to pick it up from the parceforce depot . It can't be right that I am out of pocket because of this . Given that they left it for almost FIVE weeks before making any contact at all I think it looks very suspicious.

mrcol1000

There is little you can do than relist and block them so you don't have to deal with them again. They may have just changed their mind and decided this was the easiest way to get a refund. You can report them to Ebay but unless they have done it to other sellers and they have reported them then Ebay won't do anything.

19lottie82

nwc389 wrote: »

It can't be right that I am out of pocket because of this

Unfortunately that's the way eBay works. Yes, it sucks, but there's nothing you can do about it.

Whenever I send something "signed for", I check the tracking after a week, and if a delivery has been attempted while the buyer isn't home, I send them a polite message reminding them that it is awaiting collection. If no reply after a few days then I use the Royal Mail website myself, to arrange a redelivery, telling them to leave it with a neighbour if required.

forgotmyname

The only way to avoid it is to not use ebay. But where else can you get the amount of customers they have?

Your blaming the buyer, but did your courier actually leave a card to say they attempted a delivery?

My postman rarely leaves a card, the one of the times he tried to sneak a card through the door he didnt even have the package. I had to goto the sorting office even though they had not attempted to deliver it.

Your blaming the buyer where the fault maybe the courier and your buyer is a good one being patient to wait this long?

nwc389

I am blaming the buyer in this case as over a month has gone by since it was posted , they only bothered to get in touch yesterday which suggests to me that they were well aware that the item had been sent. Parcelforce had it in the notes that it wasn't collected.
I'll be refunding his money but as I'm going to be out of pocket because he's changed his mind I hope he chokes on it

warby68

As a recipient I dislike Parcelforce around my area -they 'fake' you not being in and take to depots or post offices which are inconvenient or not open when I can get there and never leave the option to rearrange delivery for me.

For me the whole point of 'mail order' is to get it delivered to my home and not to have to drive even further than the shops for it as well as having paid for a delivery service.

M&S use them on occasion - I have been known to let the parcel go back and reorder.

This could have put your buyer off too - they just couldn't be bothered and then forgot to do anything about it either.

I'm not excusing the lack of comms on their part but could explain why they didn't bother.

martindow

nwc389 wrote: »

I am blaming the buyer in this case as over a month has gone by since it was posted , they only bothered to get in touch yesterday which suggests to me that they were well aware that the item had been sent. Parcelforce had it in the notes that it wasn't collected.

It could equally be argued that you could have checked the tracking and reminded your buyer or even organised a redelivery yourself.

It's unfortunate, but both you and your buyer (if you gave them the tracking info) had opportunities to intervene.

Flyonthewall

nwc389 wrote: »

I am blaming the buyer in this case as over a month has gone by since it was posted , they only bothered to get in touch yesterday which suggests to me that they were well aware that the item had been sent. Parcelforce had it in the notes that it wasn't collected.
I'll be refunding his money but as I'm going to be out of pocket because he's changed his mind I hope he chokes on it

There's numerous reasons they why they've only just contacted you.

1. Unaware of attempted delivery, unaware of awaiting collection due to no card and has only just remembered the ordered it (due to Christmas being busy and numerous orders).

2. They are well aware, no longer want the item, maybe expected you'd refund upon getting it back and have now realised it's not happening so contacted you or it's taken until now due to being busy over Christmas.

3. They are unaware, as with 1, but have been waiting in hopes that it'll come and just got lost in the Christmas post for a bit.

Even if they were aware and just don't want it anymore they may well think it's best if they don't collect/take delivery and it just gets sent back to you. No cost to them, it remains unopened and no hassle of getting a return address. Change of mind would mean you'd be out of pocket anyway if you accept a return and not accepting could make it worse. Some buyers lie about issues and then the seller has to pay return costs.

As already said, make sure to block them. Least you have the item back so you can resell it. Yes, it's annoying and unfair, but it's something you risk happening when you sell online. If you aren't happy with it you need to sell face to face, cash on collection or at a carboot.

nwc389

Flyonthewall wrote: »

There's numerous reasons they why they've only just contacted you.

1. Unaware of attempted delivery, unaware of awaiting collection due to no card and has only just remembered the ordered it (due to Christmas being busy and numerous orders).

2. They are well aware, no longer want the item, maybe expected you'd refund upon getting it back and have now realised it's not happening so contacted you or it's taken until now due to being busy over Christmas.

3. They are unaware, as with 1, but have been waiting in hopes that it'll come and just got lost in the Christmas post for a bit.

Even if they were aware and just don't want it anymore they may well think it's best if they don't collect/take delivery and it just gets sent back to you. No cost to them, it remains unopened and no hassle of getting a return address. Change of mind would mean you'd be out of pocket anyway if you accept a return and not accepting could make it worse. Some buyers lie about issues and then the seller has to pay return costs.

As already said, make sure to block them. Least you have the item back so you can resell it. Yes, it's annoying and unfair, but it's something you risk happening when you sell online. If you aren't happy with it you need to sell face to face, cash on collection or at a carboot.

Hmm I'm fairly sure it's option 2 ! I've used eBay both as a buyer and seller for years now and my feedback is good , just these past few months I've had some real time wasters . He's getting his money back and getting blocked and I'll get rid of the item locally . It's just very annoying when it happens.