What do you do with returned Parcels from Buyers?

[GemsnJewels 10]

What do you do with Parcels that has been returned from your buyers Post Office, that they have not collected?

 

Then they do not respond to the emails you send them?

 

My collection is getting a little too big!

 

How long do you wait till you can relist their winnings?

 

Just interested in how many other sellers have the same issues and what do they do?

 

Thanks

[Asha Craft 34]

Hi GnJ

 

Lucky for me it has only happened thrice in the past 12 months. I keep the returned parcels for 3 months with regular weekly emails to the customers (who never seem to respond or query their parcel's delivery status). Thereafter I resell the item/s. I figured if they ever do decide to contact me, then I will refund them the amount they paid.

 

I think it is more a personal decision to make. If you dont have storage space left, and they STILL have not replied to your emails, messages or the occasional phonecall - then maybe resell the item/s after 6 weeks or so.

 

Either way... good luck :!:

[Cali Craft and Gems 14]

I have three parcels left that are unclaimed - been back with me since Sept 2007. The buyers are no longer active on BoB, and I have had zero response to correspondence.

 

I was going to wait until 6 months have passed before relisting the items.

[nadd 10]

If you resell the item, wouldn't it be just fair to refund the "buyer"?

[Cali Craft and Gems 14]

But what if you can't get hold of the buyer?

 

Yes, the item has been paid for, but remains unclaimed. That is also why I have not resold the items yet even though it has been six months.

 

It's a difficult situation.

[SkyeCreations 10]

I've had 1 for nearly a year. I have resent it back to the buyer 3 times - the last 2 times at my own cost, and had it returned every time. The buyer promised to collect it about 4 months ago from my shop. I'm in the process of closing the shop, the buyer is no longer contactable and it has cost my way more than my profit on the item to attempt to get the item to the buyer. I will be relisting it at the end of the month and no refund due as far as I'm concerned. As a seller you can only do so much to have the item delivered to your client, thereafter, you have to abdicate responsibility at some time. Two other parcels that have been returned to me somehow had been 'lost' by the post office, so the buyers were contacted and refunded and I can now relist with no misgivings. I feel you can only do so much, so if the buyer has made no attempt to get hold of the seller in 6 months, I feel it fair that the seller go ahead and relist the item.

[nadd 10]

It totally beats me that someone buys an item and just "forget" about it.

 

May I never get that "deurmekaar".

 

And, yes, I see the sellers point of view. You can only do so much.

 

I hope nobody wil ever have to beg me to collect my purchases!

[feltrex trading 10]

It happened to me as well and since the shipping had only been paid once, I waited 1 month after contacting the buyer (inactive) and then relisted the item. Posting something over and over again only ends up costing the seller. :?

[GemsnJewels 10]

Gee thanks for the feed back,

So I am not the only one sitting with returned parcels.

I have another at the Post Office now, she was saying we are going to have to pay the return postage of R14.63.

Now I think that is a bit unfair. I have never had to pay before so will check on it.

Any one else had to pay for returned postage??

 

Oh yes Postage is going up 1 April 2008.

[Asha Craft 34]

No, that is unfair in my eyes :!:

 

Once upon a time I asked our beloved post office why the rates are so high when it comes to registered / insured parcels. And I can clearly remember that they told be its to cover THEIR costs, incase the parcel gets returned to the original sender.

 

If they want to start something then they must answer this:

Why dont we have to pay if a normal snail mail letter gets returned to sender :?:

 

Amanda

[TS Ron 10]

I had to pay for a parcel to be returned to me recently as the post office said they can not afford to carry the costs of having the item re-sorted etc.

[emerald_sky 10]

Now what do you do if the customer told you not to post she will collect which is fine, but now her phone has been off for a week no reply to emails and I cannot take it to her as the only address I have is a PO BOX.

 

This is her Wedding Gown and it has been hanging in my house for 2 weeks I cannot get hold of this woman.

 

What do you suggest? :?

 

Oh and the Gown is fully paid for.

[Asha Craft 34]

Eeeekk !!

 

Now thats a tough one :?

 

I dont think there is much you can do, except send emails and/or voicemails. There is only SO MUCH that we as sellers can do without incurring even more expenses than usual.

 

Basically Emerald, if you know you have tried everything to contact the buyer, then your side is clean. Now it is up to her to get back to you.

 

Amanda

[emerald_sky 10]

My cell bill is running high phoning almost begging people to pay or collect.

 

But what should I do keep it for a while and resell, just keep the thing until she decides to collect or phone me one day. There is no way for me to track her. :cry: This is really upsetting me to a point that I am not sleeping well. I need to sort this out before we go away.

 

I know that it should not upset me so much but this woman paid a small fortune for the gown ( +- R3000.00). She has not even phoned to follow up like all my other clients.

[Asha Craft 34]

Unfortunately I dont think you should resell it, since she has already paid for it in full. That could cause complications later on.

 

My suggestion would be that you keep it untill she contacts you :?

 

Amanda

[feltrex trading 10]

Even if that's only 2 years later, Asha, when the product may have been damaged whilst in storage or decayed / gathered dust / etc.? If you paid for groceries at a shopping store and then left them in your trolley at the door to go do something else and forgot it there, I don't think they'll keep the items after closing time.

 

If someone can provide a receipt and state that they left their items there (which can be proven by staff or security cameras) then they would most likely be welcome to collect their purchase. :wink:

[Asha Craft 34]

As I mentioned, its only my suggestion. My items cannot damage or decay due to being in storage, so i guess my opinion doesn't count :oops:

 

Sorry... I tried :?

 

Amanda

[nadd 10]

emerald_sky,

 

For your next items, if you state in your ad that if arrangements have been made for collection and it is not collected within 7 days of the date that has been agreed upon, you have the right to resell the item. ---- Just a thought :?:

 

For this one, can you not calculate your costs for the ad and whatever costs you had for the transaction, delete it from the amount she paid and just refund her the balance? Then she can't come back later and try to claim the dress from you. You are not a storage company, so she must understand that you did not offer to do the storage of the dress for her.

 

:roll: Just my thoughts on this

N

[emerald_sky 10]

I have thought of reversing the transaction at the bank BUT it was a cash deposit. I have learnt my lesson now and have changed my contracts but not much help for this situation. Its like she has left without a trace

[AUDIOMOTIV 10]

Most shop's policy on this is to keep for 3 month and then resell to defray expenses (storage, admin).

I don't know if any steps need to be taken before reselling but that's what most stores do, hope this helps...

[shamotz 10]

My cell bill is running high phoning almost begging people to pay or collect.

 

But what should I do keep it for a while and resell, just keep the thing until she decides to collect or phone me one day. There is no way for me to track her. :cry: This is really upsetting me to a point that I am not sleeping well. I need to sort this out before we go away.

 

I know that it should not upset me so much but this woman paid a small fortune for the gown ( +- R3000.00). She has not even phoned to follow up like all my other clients.

 

Perhaps her wedding plans fell apart and she's going through depression :? Certainly hope not :cry:

 

Perhaps we should find a forum addict who studied law :twisted: to advise us 8)

 

(A huge thank you to seller louvaine who is still holding an item I purchased at the end of last month until I win another of her auctions :wink: )

[EZ Computers 10]

Hi all

 

Just a legal perspective on this whole issue -

 

If you conclude a sale agreement (which you do as it is formally purchased on BoB) and the buyer has paid you the full amount, the buyer has 3 years to claim/collect the product, after which not only has all claims to the product prescribed (no longer valid), but there is no claim to the money paid for the item.

 

Im a law student, and that is what I understand of the matter, I may stand to be corrected.

 

ps: shamotz, lol on the emoticon for lawyers

[Cali Craft and Gems 14]

Hi ez

 

Very interesting! Thank you for your input!

 

Regards,

Janet

[emerald_sky 10]

Hi All

 

She finally collected the gown from me over the weekend, with 1 problem solved another pops up. I can not believe some people sold a custom made gown arrived perfect the seller came told me she changed her mind about the colour :evil: and asked me to find out if it can be changed. I did my best but cannot be done, no reply to emails does not take my calls and AGAIN am I stuck with a fully paid for gown and don't know where I stand with this woman I am starting to think I should just leave all this behind. I have 1 more sample to sell and maybe it would be my last. Only time will tell :cry:

 

Thanks for ALL the help you guys and gals are really GREAT.

[BeadsandBaubles 10]

Hi

 

Just as a matter of interest! My friend sells motorbikes from a shop in Centurion - he has now and again received orders to import farings for which customers have to pay upfront with the order (to cover his costs should they fail to collect)

 

It has happened that he has also had people failing to collect the goods, the advice that his lawyer gave him was to firstly find some way of contacting the seller and obtaining the proof of these attempts (thrice at the least). As he thought his own emails could be discredited, he sent the clients emails from an internet cafe and received the receipts to keep as proof. Cellphone messages to the client could also be kept as proof, as could registered letter receipts.

 

The letters, emails, messages had to state a deadline for final date for collection (in his case 6 month) and that failure to collect would result in the item being sold to defray costs. Also, about a month (I am not too sure of the date) an ad had to be run in the local paper stating the case, ie the persons name and details as are available, the goods description, and that if not collected would be sold to defray costs. I am sure some of you have seen ads like these in the papers as they are quite common.

 

This is the way he sorts out these things, but he also pays a lawyer for advice and help - I am not sure how it would work in this case. It will help to do a google search for 'free legal advice in south africa' - I use this - I know Midrand Campus has a student facility that hands out free legal advice - I have made use of them, also some of the student(legal) campuses are online as part of the learning process - most of them aided by attorney/professors.

 

Hope you sort out this unpleasant situation - please let us know.

 

Regards

Sandy