Pickup only item. Buyer has paid, not picked up after 12 weeks. No reply to my last message

[jwtfisher]

A pickup only item has been paid for, but not picked up after 12 weeks.

Shortly after the sale the buyer messaged saying that they were relying on their partner's help to pick up the item, but that partner was incapacitated. The last message I had from the buyer was 6 weeks ago and indicated that I could relist if I needed to.

The item is large and was listed for the minimum amount. There has been no other interest in it. The buyer would be doing me a favour by taking away it away. Two weeks ago I messaged them saying that it was still theirs if they wanted. There was no reply.

I would now like to relist or otherwise dispose of the item. What are my best options assuming:

1. the buyer will take further action other than picking it up and

2. the buyer will not take further action?

[jellybirddesigns]

Was this the sofa that sold for 5c?

Just put it out for hard rubbish or get a free council skip bin.

[jwtfisher]

Thanks for your reply, but since the buyer has paid, it's theirs. If I dispose of it and they change their mind, legally speaking I think I'm in a bad place. Also the transaction is not yet complete in my eBay account. If I tell eBay that they've picked it up and they haven't and they change their mind, I think I'm in a bad place with eBay.

There's no free skip bins from my council and it's too big for hard waste, my council won't collect things over a certain size.

And yes it probably is that sofa.

[kopenhagen5]

Refund the buyer and cancel the transaction then relist.

Choose buyer wants to cancel as the reason.

[davewil1964]

The buyer paid 5c?

It would have cost you a lot more than that in Paypal fees.

It is legal to charge for storage after 60 days, I think. 5c would be eaten up in the first hour after that. Besides they've told you to sell it to somebody else, so you are free and clear there. If the buyer paid 5c, of course they're not going to go out of their way to collect it. They have no skin in the game.

It's been almost 3 months according to you. The transaction will disappear from your 'Sold items' shortly. eBay only keep that information for 3 months.

Advertise it on Gumtree or Facebook if you want it gone. You are only looking for local buyers, so eBay's global reach is overkill for this. We don't have hard rubbish collection here, but things left on the nature strip, if in reasonable condition, tend to disappear.

[jwtfisher]

ebay says I can't cancel the transaction as it's been over 30 days since the sale. The item isn't listed in Seller Help -> Returns & refunds, so I don't think I can refund either. May be I should ask the buyer to ask for return or cancellation, but what then if they don't?

[davewil1964]

Just let it go.

You aren't going to get any grief from eBay, and the buyer is well out of time for a dispute.

[springyzone]

Okay, let's look at this logically. It seems it is an item you sold for 5c.

So your buyer is someone who really hasn't got a big stake in this, they haven't had from the start. They told you back then they would only be able to pick up with a partner's help and that has not been forthcoming, has it. They knew even back then that it might be a bit too hard to arrange. They certainly have made no other effort to get help. 

Then 6 weeks ago they told you you were free to relist. In other words, they would probably take it if you dropped it into them but otherwise they aren't going to bother with it, so that's their way of letting you know.

Your action now.

List it for free on facebook marketplace, gumtree and ziilch. Take a couple of half way decent photos and just post those. Don't try to sell it. Keep the listings up till someone actually arrives and carts it off. First come, first served basis. 

Don't bother any more with the ebay buyer. No messages.

I very much doubt you will hear from them again, they have told you to relist, don't pester them any more. I am pretty sure they aren't going to suddenly make a fuss with ebay.

Whichever way you swing this, you aren't going to be in big legal trouble with anyone.

Keep your messages, don't delete them, they are evidence the person told you to relist and evidence you were trying to do the right thing for 3 months but had no reply. These people aren't going to sue you over a 5c purchase they have decided they don't want. 

PS If you ever sell other pick up items on ebay, maybe best to put a higher price on them, much higher. Maybe start at at least $30 or more for a cheap sofa. When you list too low, at 5c or 99c or whatever, people don't always value it.

[paper-jack]

The Eastern Emergency Relief Network https://www.whitehorse.vic.gov.au/community-directory/eastern-emergency-relief-network-inc have collected furniture and electrical goods from me in the past. They refurbish and give to those in need.

As it is run by volunteers they may take a couple of weeks to be able to pick up but no charge.

[jwtfisher · Accepted solution]

Thanks for all the help. This issue is resolved.

I think we're all agreed that listing a pickup only item on ebay for 5 cents was a dumb idea.

Before getting the advice above about not pestering the buyer, I tried asking them to request a return, but ebay wouldn't let me, saying 'Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later." I contacted ebay chat, who asked me to refund via paypal, and that they would then consider the transaction cancelled. I am now able to relist. The other suggestions on how to dispose here are good ones.

Small correction, it was 10 weeks not 12 weeks since the sale.