Buyer requested return but hasn't shipped item.

[merrycream]

Hi all, can someone help?

Buyer requested return on Feb 11, which I agreed on. I bought a shipping label the same day and uploaded it to eBay. Buyer has yet to ship the item... (it's Feb 21 today). The status of the claim is currently (Waiting for item to arrive). What's the next step here? Is there a deadline by which the seller has to ship, otherwise the claim would be closed? In the meantime, eBay has frozen the payment amount and it feels like I'm in limbo. Thanks for the help. 

[marnotom!]

Have you double-checked the tracking information on the Canada Post website?

[merrycream]

Yes (I have included a screenshot to my previous post).  It says "electronic information submitted by shipper" (this is me when I uploaded the tracking number). This was on Feb 11 and nothing since then... Clearly he has not shipped it yet.

[marnotom!]

I checked the Canada Post website as your screenshot was from eBay because sometimes Canada Post's tracking information doesn't quite jive with what's on the eBay site.  As it turns out, the Canada Post website has the same information.

While the tracking does suggest that the buyer hasn't shipped the item, they may have handled the item in such a way that it didn't get a proper acceptance scan at a post office/outlet.  If it was small enough, they may have just dropped it into a mailbox.

It's my understanding that Return Requests stay open for 30 days before timing out, so keep an eye on your calendar.  Once that time elapses, you can get somebody at eBay to close it if it doesn't close automatically.  Then you have the fun of trying to get a refund on your return label.

Somebody with more experience with this will likely offer their two cents shortly.

[reallynicestamps]

I guess the problem is that your funds are frozen, although that is only the original payment.

If he does not use the label, eventually it will be refunded to you.Eventually.

If he does not return the item, eventually the dispute will close and your money released.

 It's the waiting.

I'd send the buyer a Message that the shipping label will expire if not used and politely encouraging him to get his donkey in gear.

[pjcdn2005 · Accepted solution]

They are supposed to ship an item back within a specific time period but I don't know what that is.  eBay will close it sometime after that time, they will no longer close it when we contact them.  I did look for a timeline  but couldn't find one.  It does say that there is a must ship by date in the message the buyer received so the buyer should know that there is a deadline.  There is nothing in any of your messages or the in the dispute?

As a head's up...ebay will often send out a generic letter saying that you should have received the item back as the buyer has indicated the item has been shipped out and that you should refund by a specific date.  Unless you have actually received it back, ignore the message as that goes out whether or not the item shows as having been shipped.