Hi, I am in a tizz. I sold an item (bed linen) via Gumtree or Marketplace. The buyer paid for postage delivery. I sent her the tracking number. This was April 17th. The buyer has just contacted me to say that the post office has returned the item back to me because she didn't collect it in time from the post office.
So what am I meant to do? See if post office will resend for free, ask the buyer to pay more postage or am I obliged to keep the item and refund her, which is what I don't want to do?
On another note selling on Marketplace is doing my head in! People don't read the description or location. Think I am selling more than one item cos there is more than one photo showing different angles. Want me to split up sets, don't turn up or want things half price. I consider myself, kind and fair and have even delivered items yet some people have no courtesy.
Item sold on Gumtree/Marketplace, posted and not collected at post office.
Last edited 10/05/2019 - 19:38 by 1 other user
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I usually pay the extra to use express so most places in Australia are guaranteed next day delivery and politely stress to the buyer to expect it.
For online fun, I was asked yesterday if I could send to Thailand and how much? I said sure and free shipping. Nothing. :) Have to laugh it off.
The buyer should be paying for postage to return the item as they didn't pick it up in a timely manner. They would have had at least two notices from Australia Post.
In my experience you have a week to contact / collect from Auspost prior to it being sent back. The PO's I've dealt with in the past would of hold it if you contacted and explained.
Thereshould be 30 days for you to collect the item
when you consider the size of most post offices, they couldn't do that unless they all could get more space.
Why should they hold it for a month? If you are going to be away you can arrange for someone to collect it for you.
This is what they do in 3 of my near post office. If your one is a super small post office then may be 1 week.
@SnoozeAndLose: all my local ones are super small in terms of actual holding space, The only one that I can think of that I've been in that could have the space is the one in the CBD, but even then as @xywolap said
Why should they hold it for a month? If you are going to be away you can arrange for someone to collect it for you.
Look like the buyer change their mind and don't want it anymore and might expect a refund from you. Maybe contact the person and see what they want ? If they want you to send it back then maybe as a kind gesture you can ask them to pay only half price for the postage ? If you don't want to give them a refund.
For eParcel items there will be $10 return to sender cost, charged to business account. not sure if in your case there will be any or not. If you get this cost you should ask the buyer to pay for it, plus postage cost if buyer wants to resend.
Do you have the item back? Wouldn’t you have been notified by AusPost if it was sent back?
The buyer can send more money for it to be posted or you can keep it and their money. Their choice. Don't refund them.
Welcome to the world of the free listed sales platform. Everyone's after a bargain. Get use to the questions and frustrations.
ask the buyer to pay more postage
This….
Because of this
the post office has returned the item back to me because she didn't collect it in time from the post office.
They ordered item, you posted it, they didn't collect it after multi warnings from auspost.
Not your problem it was returned. If they want the item, they need to pay for postage again.
If buyer wants the item, buyer can pay for postage again.
If buyer doesn't want it anymore and you want to be super nice, refund minus any cost to you ie. Postage, maybe even charge a restocking fee. Assuming the item is back in your hand.
Or get buyer to pay for postage again. No refund at all.
Ball is in your court op. You got the money and item.
I checked tracking on Aus Post. She had two weeks to collect from post office. It said returned to sender because she didn't collect. The lady said she didn't have time to pick up on time from post office. I said I don't know what to do, I will see if post office will resend it. Otherwise, she can pay postage again or come and collect from me. She was the one who asked if it could be posted. To do that I had to go to the post office twice. Once to find out the cost to package and post and secondly to buy the bag and post. I am so annoyed. I am disabled and can't deal with this nonsense!
You can find out the cost of the aust post website, as long as you got a scale and a ruler. You Can diy/reuse packaging from other stuff you bought ie. Boxes.
online is a nice guide
Just
calm downAs others have stated above, you have the money and the item. Great outcome. Next post on Ozbargain, I didn’t pick up an item I bought online from a private seller from the post office on time, now the vendor has the item and the money what should I do?
As a commercial online seller I have zero sympathy for your buyer, they have probably shafted so many businesses and ebay sellers by refusing delivery or not collecting on time knowing they will then claim a refund anyway at the cost and expense of businesses they have been dealing with, they wrongly assumed the same would be the case with a private seller item bought on a no recourse platform. At worst tell them you’ve already posted once this time they can send a courier around to collect (they can book sendle) at best if you’re a super nice person which it seems you are based on your worry about this problem you can repost for them at their expense.
OP, you may ship the item again if they buyer pays for S&H or issue a partial refund where you keep the S&H.
You can send the item back to the buyer free of charge to yourself, by using AusPost COD. The buyer has to pay the postage and COD surcharge at their local Post Office to take delivery when the item arrives there.
COD is not a good way to ship items to addressees that have a history of not collecting their mail articles from the LPO.
What happen if COD and no one collect it?
Auspost owns it and sells it at auction.
2 options:
1. The buyer wants the item and can pay for additional P&H.
2. The buyer doesn't want the item anymore and you keep it & the money.The buyer is not entitled to any refund.
I share your pain re selling stuff online. So many people just don't read the description. I've even had some no shows in my experience, & someone complaining about how full a bottle of something that is brand new is even though the buyer acknowledged that it had the tamper proof sticker. However, that hasn't deterred me from selling my unwanted stuff online.Just gotta laugh it off (& ignore all the low ball ridiculous offers).
What does the buyer want?
If they still want the item, it's their fault they didn't collect it. I'd only pay for postage twice if they're reluctant.