How long to wait before relisting returned item?

[vio-23]

Hi everyone, I'm looking for some advice. I sold a small lot of specialty light bulbs to a buyer in Arizona, but the package was returned due to an address issue. Here's a quick timeline of what happened:

• Jan 17 – Item was paid for and shipped

• Jan 30 – Tracking shows "recipient not located at address," parcel returned to sender

• March 4 – Item arrived back at my location in Toronto

• Same day – I reached out to the buyer, but received no response

I’ve followed up with a second message since then, but still haven’t heard back.

At this point, I’m unsure whether to wait until the item drops off my “sold” list before relisting it—or if it would be too intrusive to try calling the buyer using the number on file.

Any advice would be appreciated—thanks in advance!

[femmefan1946]

Technically, you don't owe the buyer anything.

Not a call, not a penny.

EBay regards the shipment as Undeliverable.

It is the buyer's responsibility to have a secure pickup point, not yours.

However, most sellers will refund the purchase price (ONLY! not shipping or fees or taxes) on an Undeliverable item that is resaleable.

It's been four months.

The customer did not contact you in all that time.

Relist and resell.

[vio-23]

Thanks femme, appreciate your answer.

[ricarmic · Accepted solution]

IMO since you've been so kind as to wait until almost the 90 days are up, another week doesn't make that much a difference and for sure after that date the buyer won't be able to do anything. If I was in your spot, I'd wait another week.

I've become more of a grumpy old man and I do much less follow up on these things, I as you, send a message with a picture of the returned item and then wait for a response. I also will tend to wait the 90 days as I've no shortage of other stuff to list. Generally if you're going to hear back it is right away.

[recped]

Relist it now (or actually a month ago), if the buyer surfaces you can send them a refund (minus fees and shipping) or you can be a bit "jerkish" and tell them they are too late to get a refund.

If your plan is to relist there is no reason to wait.

[vio-23]

Hi ricarmic, just to make sure that I understand (this was, I suppose, part of my real question that wasn't articulated properly) is it 90 days after delivery (or in this case, attempted) that a seller is in the clear from getting a negative from a buyer?
Thanks!

[ricarmic]

@vio-23 90 days after the sale date it disappears from everywhere (so 90 days after January 17), as far as I know the buyer can't do anything in ebay* after that, the item isn't visible anymore, buyer can't send questions on that specific item, or open cases* on it etc.

*I think they have up to 180ish days to do chargebacks or stuff like that, but it's outside ebay.

[sapphyres-designer-jewellery]

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@vio-23 wrote:

Hi everyone, I'm looking for some advice. I sold a small lot of specialty light bulbs to a buyer in Arizona, but the package was returned due to an address issue. Here's a quick timeline of what happened:

• Jan 17 – Item was paid for and shipped

• Jan 30 – Tracking shows "recipient not located at address," parcel returned to sender

• March 4 – Item arrived back at my location in Toronto

• Same day – I reached out to the buyer, but received no response

I’ve followed up with a second message since then, but still haven’t heard back.

At this point, I’m unsure whether to wait until the item drops off my “sold” list before relisting it—or if it would be too intrusive to try calling the buyer using the number on file.

Any advice would be appreciated—thanks in advance!

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Anything that's returned like that I consider a low priority and will get it relisted when I get around to it.

I refund the buyer if they don't respond and send them a note since they aren't confirming they want it shipped out again that you're refunding (you can keep the postage, you don't owe them, that's true, but I would refund the item since I can sell it again).

C.

[vio-23]

Thanks eveybody. I will try calling them on Friday, if I can't get through and they don't get back by the 17th I will simply relist. Thanks for all of the suggestions and information, it's appreciated 🙂