Should I refund full amount if buyer didn't collect the item?

[liquidationhouseffi]

On 13th, I received a buyer's message saying she didn't receive the item. I checked the tracking which showed the item had been waiting for collection since 1st March. So I sent 2 messages asking her to go to collect asap, but she didn't reply me. Today I checked the tracking again, it shows the item has been returned due to nobody picking up. In this case, do I have to refund the full amount to the buyer (my item is free of postage)? It cost me $8 to post it, it seems it will be unfair if I refund the full amount for doing nothing wrong. Can any one give me suggestions? Thanks.

[kopenhagen5 · Accepted solution]

Is the buyer not going to pay for the item to be re-posted ?

I would normally send a funds request in PayPal for a postage to re-send the item.

And normally the buyer will pay that when they know it was their fault.

[jellybirddesigns · Accepted solution]

I'm guessing that since you didn't have a separate posting charge, you'll need to refund the full amount when it gets back to you.

This is one of the unfortunate side effects of "free postage".

From the buyers point of view, since the item had no postage charge, they were only paying for the cost of the item. The fact that YOU had to pay postage at the counter to send it is irrelevant.

[liquidationhouseffi]

The buyer paid, and now I need to refund cause she didn't collect the item. And now obviously I need to suffer waisting the postage.

[jellybirddesigns]

If you are going to sell items with no postage cost to the buyer, then you have to accept that sometimes this type of thing will arise.

Perhaps adding a small postage charge of say $2-4 will offset any losses. That way you can keep your prices the same, but the buyer thinks they are getting a good "deal" on the postage, especially if it arrives in a satchel which they know costs over $8.00.

Looking at some of your listings, I don't know how you're making any money on your prices anyway, especially with offering free postage. You must only be coming out with a few $$ at the end of a transaction.

For example, the stocking listing for $4.50 - if it cost you $2.00 to buy the product originally and then $2.00 for the postage, you'd be lucky if you made 5c on the sale by the time the FVF is taken out.

[liquidationhouseffi]

I used to have a retail shop, but it was shut down 2 years ago. I just try to clear the stock and get my money (cost) back when selling on eBay, but not making profit. That's why most of them are short of sizes or colors.    

[purplemon18]

Assuming they have not opened a refund request already, I think Kope's suggestion of sending a payment request for re-shipping on Paypal is a good one. If they do not respond to that, then I might not bother to attempt to help them any further.

[chameleon54 · Accepted solution]

I had a similar thing happen recently.  Item was sent to correct post code, but buyer refused to pick the item up. They then opened an item not recieved case. Ebay found IN MY FAVOUR as the item was sent, but buyer refused to collect it. They lost the case and the item was eventually returned to me.

Did I refund them ......... Nup............. I wasted a lot of time and put up with a lot of stress chasing it up, making phone calls, and responding to the case, so Tuff t!tties buyer.........No time or sympathy here for numpty buyers. 

[liquidationhouseffi]

Thanks for all your suggestions. The buyer didn't reply me, so maybe I just wait to see what she wants, then decide how to do. 

[keythisin3]

so you have your item back and also have the buyers money, that seems honest.... mmmmm