First time an unclaimed returned package has arrived

[tundra9]

Hey guys, I just got a package returned to me today, it was unclaimed and returned to me.
Ever happen to anyone on here?

Looks like it was picked up by customs and he never paid the VAT, but it doesn't say on the package how much he got stung though,
or he just didn't get the delivery note. It also says it wasn't picked up after 14 days.
The package was shipped to Germany on the 27th of november, and returned here on the 7th of January.

My question is, if he still wants it, should I ask him to pay shipping again? Should I refund him?
Refund will be a problem, because the money he paid is long gone and I'm broke until mid-february.
Is it worth the risk of sending it again?
If he agrees on a refund mid-february that would be ok, but then I'm stuck with some figs I thought was sold and have to go through
haggling with buyers and waiting on a new sale....

I haven't contacted the buyer yet, thought I'd try to get some pointers here first.

Don't know if this made any sense, kinda confused here.

 

[itfciain]

I think that if it has been uncollected then it is the buyers responsibility to have done so, and if he wasn't informed then it is down to him to argue that out with the delivery company. Therefore I think you are well within your rights to ask for the postage money again

 

[tundra9]

He paid £100 incl shipping though, that shouldn't be a problem though should it?
It was sent by priority airmail, unregistered.
I really don't want it to go unclaimed again, would I be out of bounds asking him to pay for tracking?
That would ensure tracking all the way, but will be quite expensive.
Have to open the package now to check that everything is all there as well..

 

[plantman]

if he wants it then he will have to pay for shipping again, if you refund him though you would have to return his original shipping back to him as he never got the item (most likely didnt want to pay customs)

he only has 45 days to open a claim though, has that passed?>

 

[tundra9]

It's been 44 days today.
Will take a pic of the package to give to him and ask how he wants to proceed.

 

[Frunkstar]

The way I see it - if you sent it to the correct address & he does not want to collect it for whatever reason & its been returned to you, then its your property again - his own stupid foult for not going through the motions.

There are only a couple of exceptions IMHO -

1. he's dead
2. hes seriously ill/uncontcious & unable to get there to collect it.

Any other reason would simply not wash IMO, as he only has to contact you to ask for further details, like has it been sent & is there any tracking info etc.

So if hes not somone you know & trust, I would say keep the cash & re sell, may sound a little mercinary, but its your call.

 

[lee gray]

Wonder why though if he paid that money he would not collect the parcel or not contact you about it because if he was not willing to pay charges then surely he would have said something.

I once sent a poor female friend in Romania £100 as a treat and just said I sent her a letter and she told me the letter was at post office to collect but hadnt had time, after two weeks she went and they told her they have returned it me and I actually got the letter back and then I told her what was inside... that will teach her for not bothering to collect my letter.......needless to say I didnt send her again.

 

[tundra9]

Sent him a pm on the 10th of december and asked him if it had arrived, but he said no, and would let me know as soon as it did.
After that not a word.

Sent him a pm today, he read it and was online, but no reply.

 

[Frunkstar]

So not dead or seriously ill - you know what I would do :wink:

 

[tundra9]

Hah! :lol:
I'll give him a couple of days to decide what to do, if he pulls out they're going back up for sale.

Oh, and I thought it was weird it got stopped by customs, as it was marked as gift and valued at £20.

My take:
Scenario 1: The delivery note went unnoticed.
Scenario 2: Customs thought 200 NOK was Euros and stung him, so he didn't pay up.
Scenario 3: Forgot about it?

 

[Dark Sith Lord]

Unusual :? Neever heard of this happening before Jorn mate.

I completely agree 100% with Iain tho its the Buyers responsibility IMHO

 

[edd_jedi]

TBH although I'd agree that it's the buyers responsibility, I wouldn't put them back up for sale as the buyer does now technically own them. Assuming you still have the cash you're not out of any money, so just sit on them for a while. If in 6 months still no word, no reason to feel bad about keeping the money and re-selling IMO.

 

[weasel]

I'm with Edd on this. I have heard of this before, I think Steve (Imperial Nut) had a few of his loose Imperials returned to him and no reply from the supposed buyer. After a few months he just decided to keep them.

You've done the right thing by contacting the buyer. Wait and see what he says. If he says he stills wants them and asks you to re-send them I think you're quite within your rights to ask him to pay for postage. No reason why you should pay for something that was beyond your control. If you want to insist on tracking I would conisder paying part of the postage, but that's your call.

If he doesn't get in touch with you in a week or so PM/email him again, if still no reply, wait a while and then I would have no qualms about considering them yours again.

As the others have said it is really down to the buyer on this one.

 

[Dublinjeff]

This exact thing happened me only recently, asked the lads here about it aswell.....I had a figure returned, unclaimed, nearly a month and a half after i sold it.

It was sent to the address given on the paypal a/c, it was sent signed for delivery which obviously wasn't completed as delivery was attempted on the 30/8/2011......Royal mail held onto it till 19/9/2012 then it was retuned to me arriving back in Ireland on the 4/12/2012.....!!!

At no point has the buyer ever contacted me, no case was opened, nothing. I have kept the original packaging that I sent the item in that has all the postal markings etc....

Not sure yet do I feel comfortable selling it on again :?

 

[Palifan]

I've spent some time away from the UK working and still picked up a few pieces through the bay. I've had the items sent to friends addresses to look after until I'm back and have waited until I've heard they've arrived to leave some feedback. I am leaving the feedback without seeing the item I've been sent but I feel I'd rather gamble that the item was sent fine than to not give the feedback as I don't feel it's really fair on the seller.

I'm thinking this may have happened with a couple of you guys although if you've contacted them and heard nothing then maybe that is a bit strange.

As you've got the money it feels like you should keep hold of the item and wait and see if you're contacted. I understand that you may not feel comfortable spending the money if the buyer suddenly wants a refund but ebay will have a copy of your messages being sent to the buyer and as long as enough time has passed then it really is the buyers fault and as they committed to buying it in the first place when they bid on it I can't see that they'd have much of a case for not excepting the item. As for the postage, again it really isn't your fault that they didn't get the item or contact their local sorting office so they should pay for it. I think I would want it insured though if you do send it on again and maybe I'd take the hit for the extra just so nothing dodgy happened.

Hold tight for a bit longer and see what happens but I don't think relisting it just yet is a good idea. Maybe after the 45 odd days that you have to make a claim pass and you've still heard nothing you could list it but if it sells for the same price and the original buyer does contact you I'd personal give them a refund, well that's unless too much time has passed.

 

[itfciain]

I love how no-one has picked up on Lee's post about sending £100 to a 'Romanian Friend' that just happens to be a lady - after the 'Chinese Friend' incident, surely there is some mileage in finding out more about his latest 'friend' :lol:

 

[tundra9]

I love how no-one has picked up on Lee's post about sending £100 to a 'Romanian Friend' that just happens to be a lady - after the 'Chinese Friend' incident, surely there is some mileage in finding out more about his latest 'friend' :lol:

I don't think any of us really want to know the rest of that story! :lol:

 

[weasel]

What he said!

 

[tundra9]

The buyer finally responded, he said he never got the delivery note, so he said he would pay the shipping again,
waiting on the funds to arrive and it's off to Germany again.

 

[Frunkstar]

Bad luck! not dead then eh, better luck next time :lol:

Glad he is willing to be reasonable & pay the postage, all's well that ends well, any idea why he could not be bothered to reply sooner though :?