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AIBU?

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Original poster

To not want to keep storing expensive item when it has been sold?

143 replies

Wheredoistandwiththis · 08/08/2024 08:07

posted here for traffic!

Hi. I sold a very expensive item online 6 months ago (approx £8,000). The buyer paid for the item with a bank transfer and planned to collect ASAP. A courier was arranged on the buyers behalf, but there was an issue with customs and the item was returned back to me. I have checked and there is nothing ‘dodgy’ here - the item that was returned to me is the exact item that was collected.

I have been in regular contact with the buyer who keeps making excuses as to why the item cannot be collected. Says he is really busy, not had chance etc. He is located abroad else I would have just delivered the item myself (even though he is responsible for collection of the item).

Where do I stand legally? I am annoyed that I am essentially providing free insurance and storage for this item when this would usually be £££.

I have sent an email stating that the item must be collected by x date else it will no longer be available for collection. Would I then be obliged to return the money even though I have tried numerous times over the past 6 months to get this sorted?

YABU: item needs refunding if buyer isn’t collecting
YANBU: item has been paid and it’s up to the buyer whether he collects or not but the money is now mine

OP posts:
LittleBearPad · 08/08/2024 09:05

I thought it was going to be a grand piano.

I also think this sounds dodgy.

Undisclosedlocation · 08/08/2024 09:03

Well if it’s now worth £10K, why wouldn’t you want to give him a deadline, then refund and resell?

Original poster
Wheredoistandwiththis · 08/08/2024 09:01

shortcutsal · 08/08/2024 08:58

You're being a bit tight. When you said you were providing free storage, I thought it was going to be a large item. Then I reread and saw it's a piece of jewellery Confused
Can't you just put it in the drawer/safe/whatever that you always kept it in, and forget about it for a while?

Why should I do this for somebody, free of charge for 6 months +?

Would you store and take responsibility for an item worth £10k for free for a stranger for 6 months?

OP posts:
Cobblersorchard · 08/08/2024 09:00

Return the money and resell it. I don’t think
it’s a dilemma. If he still wants it that badly he can re-buy it for more money!

Just refund him and move on. Stipulate in the next sale that it is collected within 7 days or re-sold.

shortcutsal · 08/08/2024 08:58

You're being a bit tight. When you said you were providing free storage, I thought it was going to be a large item. Then I reread and saw it's a piece of jewellery Confused
Can't you just put it in the drawer/safe/whatever that you always kept it in, and forget about it for a while?

RedHelenB · 08/08/2024 08:56

I'd just notify them that after x date it will no longer be in your insurance and they will have to arrange their own and then forget all about it

cookiebee · 08/08/2024 08:54

whatever has happened, this buyer is messing you around, they clearly have no motivation to sort this, leaving you quite anxious about doing anything further with the money. I’d suggest, if possible, refunding immediately and then put the piece in a physical auction, get it valued and sold at an auction house, with a reserve of a price your happy with, at least that way the auction house will liaise with the buyer and you will get your money easily, they do usually take a reasonable fee though.

3luckystars · 08/08/2024 08:54

I would well believe it, some people couldn’t care less about that amount of money! I know my friend works in a very fancy shop and people buy expensive things and never come back to collect them.

It’s not just the odd thing either, it’s loads of them every year.

Waxdrip · 08/08/2024 08:54

To put my mind at rest I would maybe try to contact the buyer by other means just to check that it's definitely them and their ID hasn't been stolen.

Superworm24 · 08/08/2024 08:52

What platform did you use to sell the item?

sanogo · 08/08/2024 08:52

If it's going up in value I would say it needs collecting by a given date

If not collected, refund and sell for more money

Original poster
Wheredoistandwiththis · 08/08/2024 08:51

I have googled the buyer (who uses a business email address), and everything does check out. He has a very very high level role in a huge organisation. I don’t think this is money laundering, just a man with a busy job who isn’t that bothered about paying for an £8k item and taking ages to collect it!

OP posts:
Original poster
Wheredoistandwiththis · 08/08/2024 08:49

BMW6 · 08/08/2024 08:45

Sorry but I don't understand why this is such an issue?

It's a piece of jewellery, not a large thing to be a nuisance having around!

Why can't you stick it in a drawer and forget it until the buyer arranges collection?

Am I missing something?

It’s an issue as I feel that I’m not able to spend the money until the item has been collected just incase something goes wrong and I’m obliged to return the money.

The item is also desirable and if it were to get stolen or misplaced, I am liable. I don’t want the responsibility of the item without any of the benefit. If I wanted to just keep the item and not have the money, I would have kept it myself and not sold it (with it also increasing in value!).

OP posts:
Waxdrip · 08/08/2024 08:49

I would also be more suspicious. Could this be a form of money laundering? Or a scam where the item is stolen from your home and you have to refund the money? Does he have your address?

Bouledeneige · 08/08/2024 08:47

I was trying to think how this is a scam. If OP definitely got £8k it doesn't really matter if she got a fake back. If she organised a courier and the buyer claimed they didn't receive the item the buyer could keep the watch and then demand a refund. But OP could still refuse to refund and keep the money.

So how does a scammer come off better out of this?

Stickinthemuddle · 08/08/2024 08:46

They’ve made you ‘involuntary bailee’ legally.

you can give them 21 days notice to collect after which you can dispose of the item. However if you sell it you need to return any profit to them.

If you send the 21 days letter at the very least you limit your own liability but sadly still a bit of a conundrum over what to do with it…

Theunamedcat · 08/08/2024 08:46

Tell him he has 14 days and you will consider it abandoned and that your under no obligation to return his money under those circumstances

And get it to a jeweler to be valued make sure no-one has switched it or any part of it

BMW6 · 08/08/2024 08:45

Sorry but I don't understand why this is such an issue?

It's a piece of jewellery, not a large thing to be a nuisance having around!

Why can't you stick it in a drawer and forget it until the buyer arranges collection?

Am I missing something?

Original poster
Wheredoistandwiththis · 08/08/2024 08:43

timenowplease · 08/08/2024 08:36

Are you absolutely positive you have had the original item returned? The story doesn't make sense.

If a courier had picked up the item and it had been refused at customs there would be stickers and address labels all over it with his address surely.

I think you've been scammed. Definitely don't return any money.

It’s definitely the same item.

The courier came and attached a customs label to the parcel when they collected it. It was returned in exactly the same packaging but had been opened.
There is no question about the item being the same or not. I was suspicious upon hearing it would be returned to me too, but it’s definitely the same.

Im not at home right now, but I didn’t think to check the address on the customs return label. I’ll have a look later!

There is nothing immediately suspicious about the buyer. I think he is just a really busy guy.

OP posts:
MissScarletInTheBallroom · 08/08/2024 08:43

Wheredoistandwiththis · 08/08/2024 08:40

It’s definitely the same item.

Show quote history

We'll have to take your word for that, but even if it is the same item. Buyer has money from somewhere they shouldn't have. Sends you the money. Arranges a fake courier to collect the item and then return it to you citing a problem with customs. Waits for you to get fed up and return the money. The money is now clean.

It's a risky strategy given that you could just keep the money but I would be suspicious.

QualityStreetIsBetterThanRoses · 08/08/2024 08:41

Flip side - this clearly isn't taking up any space etc so it's not exactly a 'storage issue' is it? It's more incredibly odd this person isn't arranging to collect.

Options: Tell him you're not insuring it as it's not yours.
Tell him you're listing it for sale again and if it sells will refund him the money.
(Do these things)

Re sending:you can just to use UPS/DHL/Fedex etc for this kind of package, it doesn't need to be anything more complicated. Obviously if there's anything protected by CITES or something in the jewellery you have more paperwork, but it's really not a big deal to arrange. Most simple is to send to an address in the same country to avoid any export paperwork - perhaps suggest you will do that for him FOC (it'll not cost a lot to post so you could just waive the fee) just to be done with it?

mitogoshi · 08/08/2024 08:41

Is it in Europe if so what is the price of return flights and a nights hotel? Ask him to pay double that and drop it off?

Original poster
Wheredoistandwiththis · 08/08/2024 08:40

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 08/08/2024 08:33

Do you have any proof that it was a real courier and the item was stopped at customs?

I think it's a bit suspect that the buyer isn't trying to sort this out and I would be a bit worried about potential money laundering.

It’s definitely the same item.

OP posts:
GourmetLettuceMix · 08/08/2024 08:38

Buyer arranging courier is a classic Marketplace scam. I think you need to be more suspicious of what is going on. Did you definitely get the original article back?

Original poster
Wheredoistandwiththis · 08/08/2024 08:38

pinacollateral · 08/08/2024 08:30

Just deduct it from the refund of the £8000 he's paid for the item if he doesn't collect.

Give him a deadline to collect, 2 weeks for example.

If he collects it within the next two weeks, no problems.

If he doesn't collect it within the next two weeks, he forgoes the item and you refund him the £8000 minus storage and insurance costs.

£25 per day is unreasonable - it doesn't actually cost you that much for storage and insurance. Work out a sensible amount.

Show quote history

Thank you.

I may be being dim - but how do I work out a cost for storage and insurance? It hasn’t actually cost me anything. The item is on my household insurance (I guess I could find out how much lower my insurance would be without this item), but in terms of storage, there is no cost to me.

But if the item was stolen or lost whilst in my care, I would have to refund him the full amount. He is managing to own the item that is increasing in value whilst I take all of the responsibility for it.

OP posts:
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