Lost parcel - turned up 4 months later -could I be made to pay to return it?

unlucky67

I bought something online and there was a minor issue with it.. The seller said they would send me a replacement part. They ordered it off ebay, getting it delivered to my address by Royal Mail. They were told it had been delivered, I never got it or a card or anything. I asked my neighbours, in both local post offices -several times - no joy. I asked my postman and he said he was on holiday the week it had supposedly been delivered, but he checked at the depot, asked around etc - no sign. 'My' seller told the ebay seller about the non -delivery and they were immediately refunded. (They then ordered it from another seller and it was delivered by Hermes -no problems)

This was back at the beginning of July.
I went into the post office today to collect a parcel ..to be presented with 2 parcels. One being the missing parcel...

(No idea how long it had been there - there was no bar code on it and it didn't have the date scribbled on - which apparently the postman would normally do - but I have been at least a couple of times to pick up other parcels since...)
Anyway the return address is on the parcel - so my first instinct is to tell the ebay seller I now have it and offer to send it back.

Item is worth about £18 but is quite heavy so I think postage will be around £5. I really don't want to end up paying for the postage....
On their ebay page they say returns - buyer to pay postage - but I don't think that would count in this case.

Don't want to open a can of worms - now wondering if I should just keep quiet.

I don't have a use for it - and I know 'my' seller also doesn't....and it would cost as much to post it to them - although I do think I should let them know it has appeared.

So should I tell the ebay seller? Or will that just cause me grief I don't need?

theonlywayisup

Message the seller (your seller) and tell them the parcel has turned up and if they supply you a prepaid label you will return it.

unlucky67

My seller wasn't an ebay seller...they only supply large items (delivered by lorry) and are a small (one person) business. Not sure if they will be set up to do prepaid labels...and this is Royal Mail's fault not theirs or the ebay seller's.

I'm trying to keep the hassle for my seller down. (I know how hard having a small business is, how helpful they were and how much effort they put into sorting this out...) -if I get in touch with them, they will need to get in touch with the ebay seller - then back in touch with me - I'm trying to cut out the middle man.

But I didn't think about prepaid labels ...will have a bit more of a think...
just don't want to be told to return it to ebay seller (a bigger company) and end up in trouble if I don't because I don't think the postage is my responsibility ...

Thanks again!

.