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Original poster

Buyer refusing to pick up from sorting office

16 replies

pamplem0usse · 29/09/2016 06:42

I sold an item with free postage and always send recorded. I had a message around 10 days after posting an item saying it hasn't been received and pointed to the tracking information attached to the purchase and sent a message with the same tracking information and pointed out it said that the item was at the sorting office. Buyer is now saying they will "wait and see" if it is re delivered and repeatedly asking for the tracking information I've supplied twice and he has acknowledged because he "doesn't know" where the parcel is. Meanwhile a case means I've had the PayPal funds blocked (only £7) which meant I had to transfer money back into my PayPal to even use it. I think the buyer assumed I'd send it untracked and would claim it hasn't appeared and would have a freebie. Now it's been tracked and this isn't possible he's decided he doesn't want the item... any idea what I can do to just close down this nonsense. I don't care about the money but I hAve three children including a very poorly baby and the stream of messages / hassle is stressing me out!

OP posts:
MaybeDoctor · 29/09/2016 06:48

What a pain.

Refund him and move on?

WeAreEternal · 29/09/2016 06:57

I would go on the RM website and arrange the redelivery myself.

19lottie82 · 29/09/2016 07:56

Yes I'd arrange the delivery myself.

If it still doesn't get delivered then you will, unfortunately, have to refund the buyer. Then add them to your blocked list and report them to eBay. Don't know if the latter will actually do much but you never know.

19lottie82 · 29/09/2016 07:56

Did you put a label with your return address on the parcel?

Original poster
pamplem0usse · 29/09/2016 07:58

Yes my return details are on the parcel. What a pain :( I thought I'd done everything to stop this sort of issue!

OP posts:
19lottie82 · 29/09/2016 12:59

There's nothing you can do to prevent idiots like this I'm afraid.

And don't overthink the possibility the buyer hatched a cunning plan to try and get the item for nowt. I'd bet that they're just thick / lazy!

nauticant · 29/09/2016 18:23

One scam is that once the item is in the sorting office the buyer opens an Item Not Received case and so long as they can get their refund from ebay within 18 days of the delivery attempt, they can then collect the item from the sorting office.

verystressedmum · 02/10/2016 03:17

Nauticant, just wondering, if they did that then when they collected wouldn't there be a signature as proof of delivery/collection so where would the seller stand in that case do you know?

19lottie82 · 02/10/2016 08:49

very the point of the scam is, at that point eBay would have decided in the buyers favour and refunded. The case would be closed, so unfortunately nothing would be done.

This scam is possible (and v easy) but fortunately I have never heard of it happening IRL.

I think if this DID happen, the trick wouldn't be to keep in touch w eBay (by telephone) and not let them close out the account in the buyers favour while the tracking still showed the item was sitting at the buyers PO.

The seller would be more likely to lose out if they just ignored the case or communicated through the resolution centre, which most of the time just decided in the buyers favour automatically. You'd need to speak to an actual person and argue your case.

Beyond that, you'd have to send the buyer a letter before action then take them to the small claims court.

robin64 · 02/10/2016 12:16

Uncollected items are returned to sender if you have your address on the parcel (which you do). This is after a bit of time - a month maybe? I had this recently happen twice. I would however contact ebay about this matter as buyer is causing you stress and not collecting an item you sent in good faith. They sound like a wally - don't let it get to you and don't refund them, you have done nothing wrong.

robin64 · 02/10/2016 12:20

btw with mine, one I re-sent with some other things they bought. I guess they just forgot to collect and didn't even enquire about the parcel to me. The other one had what looked liked "deceased" written on the parcel (!)...which was a bit shocking - they had just bought a pair of gold sandals!

19lottie82 · 02/10/2016 18:02

Robin........ yes but the point is that an eBay case will time out and the buyer will be refunded BEFORE a parcel is returned to the buyer from the sorting office, so theoretically the buyer could open a not recieved case for a tracked item, then when they were refunded got to the depot and collect the parcel.

verystressedmum · 02/10/2016 21:36

Thanks lottie. Shocking that they could be refunded while it is still sitting in the sorting office and they could still collect. I didn't think about that so I'd be sure to contact eBay and make sure the item is returned before refund.

Original poster
pamplem0usse · 03/10/2016 19:42

Thanks everyone... In the end I ordered the redelivery for them after they claimed it wasn't at the sorting office... They then closed the case before the redelivery had been made? Utterly bizarre!

OP posts:
user1474907171 · 13/10/2016 21:29

If you check the RM site you can see when it was actually signed for as delivered. It is possible it had arrived and the buyer was trying for a refund before the RM site had updated to show delivery, allowing them to keep the item and get a refund.

Always use Track my item on RM to see if it is signed for, if not, you can phone and ask them to update the tracking online.

kittyjewel · 15/10/2016 00:26

Tell us this twats user ID please so I can put him on my block list.

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