Item not collected.

[MikeUniformMike]

I sold something on eBay in October. The buyer paid quickly but still hasn't collected. I have had a few e-mails along the lines of "I'll collect sometime, maybe Thursday" but these were about a month apart.
I don't really want to have the item cluttering the house any more.
Can I relist it? I don't really want to refund the buyer unless I have to as he has not been ideal.

If you want to re list it then you have to refund I'm afraid. However you should NEVER accept PayPal for a collection item as it leaves you wide open to being scammed.

Firstly refund the buyer then get in touch with them (I'd advise calling them rather than faffing about with messages) and tell them they have to collect it by X date (next weekend?) otherwise you will relist it. And also that they must pay cash as you can't take PayPal for a collection item.

Thanks for the message. He has already paid with Paypal. It wasn't much.
I usually message buyers of collection only items to ask for cash on collection.

Sometimes if an item has been won by someone who lives far away, it is because they didn't read the listing properly, so if they don't reply to my first message I ask if they want to cancel.

The item has been cluttering my house for 11 weeks now - Should I just initiate a refund?

Just send a refund and repost.

As stated I'd give them one last chance to collect. Don't be vague. Give them a set date and tell them if they can't collect by that date you will refund them and relist. Then do that if need be.

In future don't leave it as long, after a month you won't get your eBay fees back if you refund.

Thanks for your replies. I didn't know about the one month limit.

No my point was, you only get a month to cancel the sale officially through eBay, if you want your fees back (10%) of sale cost.

After that they won't be refunded if the sale doesn't go ahead.

I will do nothing for the moment then. I don't think the item would sell/sell for more if I relisted it.