What happens if you sell something on eBay, but the buyer never takes delivery?

[Bungle73]

And in that time, you had the option to cancel the sale / transaction on ebay as the buyer had not paid normally within seven days which I would of done the following, put the item for sale again and blocked the original buyer from bidding on any future items you may wish to sell.

On Ebay in the Help section they have a through Q&A section covering most issues along with guidelines in what action is open to you as a seller. If you have not done so already, take some time out and have a read. There is some helpful information there.

With regards to your existing issue, my advice get the item back from the Courier especially if they already attempted delivery three times with no response, apply a full refund to the buyer and start again with the auction. The buyer is clearly not been easy to deal with whether receiving payment or when they wish item to be delivered - they are causing the isssues, so best to avoid! Also were possible purchase your postage on Ebay using Royal Mail delivery as in most cases it can be tracked and comes up on the Ebay system too. So if there is any issue on non delivery, then all details will come up to say when it was delivered or not as it may be.

(PS: I have used Hermes for non Ebay items and never had any issues whether sending or receiving)

How would I, and for what reason, would I have cancelled it? I never said he hadn't paid. And how could I cancel it when the item had already been sent....?

 

[Bletchleyite]

But if I set up a new listing I'm not selling it to the original buyer am I....

Well, unless you block them they could bid again. But that aside, the problem wouldn't have occurred if you used most other couriers that will hold stuff at depots for collection. And if stuff gets lost Hermes are a nightmare.

There are some individual couriers who are OK, which is why some people have OK impressions of them. The old one round here was. The problem is that the company basically doesn't manage them at all.

 

[wilbers]

There aren't Hermes collection points. Some of the couriers will allow you to collect from their home as an extra thing (basically saves them the effort of trying repeatedly), but most won't.

It is cheap for a reason. Don't use it.

It indeed sounds like it's on the way back to you. I'd probably first of all offer the buyer Royal Mail at the additional cost, but if they won't then refund them and put it back on sale. Oh, and did I mention, don't use Hermes next time!

Some of the drop-off points are also collection points.

ParcelShops | Parcel Pick Up & Drop Off Points | Evri

Find out about Evri ParcelShops, where you can send, collect and return your parcels. Book online and send or pick up in store. Open till late, 7 days a week.

www.evri.com

 

[Bletchleyite]

Some of the drop-off points are also collection points.

ParcelShops | Parcel Pick Up & Drop Off Points | Evri

Find out about Evri ParcelShops, where you can send, collect and return your parcels. Book online and send or pick up in store. Open till late, 7 days a week.

www.evri.com

Only if sent there for collection, similar to Yodel's CollectPlus service or a bit like an Amazon locker. You can't divert an already sent parcel to one.

 

[Bungle73]

I've found absolutely nothing in eBay's help section that relates to this.....

Well, unless you block them they could bid again. But that aside, the problem wouldn't have occurred if you used most other couriers that will hold stuff at depots for collection. And if stuff gets lost Hermes are a nightmare.

There are some individual couriers who are OK, which is why some people have OK impressions of them. The old one round here was. The problem is that the company basically doesn't manage them at all.

I didn't anticipate that the buyer wouldn't be there to receive an item he'd only just bid on.....

 

[Bletchleyite]

I've found absolutely nothing in eBay's help section that relates to this.....

I didn't anticipate that the buyer wouldn't be there to receive an item he'd only just bid on.....

Because Hermes won't give you a decent idea of when they are going to show up, and can deliver at pretty much any time of the day or evening including Sundays, often not on the appointed day at all, this is more likely than with other more reliable couriers where you are offered the opportunity to delay delivery or redirect to the depot or a pickup shop. So I would think this will happen a lot. It is easy to be ready for a one hour slot. You can't not use the loo or not have a shower for two days because of when it might or might not arrive.

My local Hermes courier is worse, she just leaves parcels on the front step in full view of the road whether you are in or not. Useless, and as you would expect a lot of them get nicked.

Seriously, just don't use them, they are just dire. If getting to a post office is awkward, both Royal Mail and DPD will do collections from home.

You might even get more bids if you use a quality courier. I would not bid on an item where Hermes was listed as the courier. I am not the only one.

 

[Gareth]

Hermes are a waste of space. I ordered something on eBay a couple of months or so back. A month or so later, it still hadn't arrived so I looked on eBay which had tracking info. Apparently, the parcel had been put in my "safe place". I don't have a safe place, so they just left it lying around essentially and now it's gone. Probably picked up by the binmen or something. Got in touch with the seller about it and all he said was Hermes have said they have delivered it. Helpful.

It was only worth about £20-25 or so, thus not too out of pocket but it's making me less confident of using eBay in the future, particularly for any larger purchases.

 

[BluePenguin]

Happened to me, was returned to me as I put a return address and the buyer gave me a bad review saying I didn't send it even through there'd be 3 attempted deliveries.

I let the dust settle then I sent him some anonymous threatening emails saying I know his address and to watch his back

Really? Well I hope you gave him a refund along with your threats! Speaking to the buyer like that I am not surprised they left a bad review. Working with them to get the item re-delivered would have been the most sensible course of action

 

[Gareth]

If I received a message like that, I'd be making a complaint to eBay.

 

[birchesgreen]

I let the dust settle then I sent him some anonymous threatening emails saying I know his address and to watch his back

I assume he didn't contact the police, it wouldn't be hard to narrow down you as a suspect. A very stupid thing to do.

I seem to be the only person in t'world who has had no issues with Hermes & eBay. DHL though, still not sure how they managed to lose a typewriter. Got refunded but still, not exactly small is it?

 

[Bungle73]

Items arrived back. Box is in a bit of a state. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to use it again.......

Oh and actually Hermes DO give a delivery window.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Oh and actually Hermes DO give a delivery window.

They don't often stick to it, though, at least in my case.

Why do you keep defending them? They are just awful, and they have actually caused you a problem which would not have occurred with a reputable courier. With RM or DPD it'd have gone to to the depot and the buyer would have collected it once ready.

 

[Bungle73]

They don't often stick to it, though, at least in my case.

Why do you keep defending them? They are just awful, and they have actually caused you a problem which would not have occurred with a reputable courier. With RM or DPD it'd have gone to to the depot and the buyer would have collected it once ready.

No they didn't. The problem was caused by the buyer going AWOL.

 

[Bletchleyite]

No they didn't. The problem was caused by the buyer going AWOL.

However, the use of a reputable courier with a proper depot infrastructure would have mitigated that problem for you in that you wouldn't now be needing to resell the item.

It is perhaps comparable with defensive driving/cycling failures - i.e. asserting your right of way when to do so is likely to cause a collision.

It's also comparable to people who whine about getting parking fines from parking shyster companies, when if everyone read the signs properly and parked correctly for just a couple of months they'd all collapse.

If people stop using Hermes/Evri and companies that use them, they will simply go away. I so wish people like yourself would realise the problems using a poor quality courier cause you. It's likely in this case it'll even cost you financially.

Had you used RM or DPD this thread wouldn't even exist.

 

[Bungle73]

I can't see any delivery company holding onto a package for three weeks. I can't see any delivery company doing anything other than what Hermes did, which is attempt delivery on several consecutive days, and then, having head nothing to the contrary, returning the package to the sender.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I can't see any delivery company holding onto a package for three weeks.

Royal Mail keeps the parcel at the depot for 15 days. It's not quite three weeks but it's a decent period of time.

I can't see any delivery company doing anything other than what Hermes did, which is attempt delivery on several consecutive days, and then, having head nothing to the contrary, returning the package to the sender.

Again, Royal Mail keeps the parcel at the depot for 15 days, or it can be diverted to a post office. DPD offers the recipient the option to divert it somewhere else e.g. a shop or a specific other location e.g. a neighbour. Both also allow you to select the preferred date of redelivery. DPD gives you an accurate one hour slot.

Genuinely - the only courier that matches Hermes' awfulness is Yodel. Literally all the others offer a higher quality service, though I very much favour either RM or DPD. If nothing else you'd likely have had it back without being damaged as it seems it was.

 

[Bungle73]

They could have had it diverted to a neighbour but they chose not to act in time.

Now I'm wondering how I do a refund without being stung for postage and eBay fees, which as far I am concerned are not my responsibility. If I select the option to cancel the order it wants to add the delivery charge to the refund. Out of order!

 

[Bletchleyite]

They could have had it diverted to a neighbour but they chose not to act in time.

You can select a neighbour on the tracking screen but in my experience it is mostly ignored.

Perhaps due to your local one being OK* I still don't think you are getting just how terrible an operation Hermes/Evri actually is.

Now I'm wondering how I do a refund without being stung for postage and eBay fees, which as far I am concerned are not my responsibility. If I select the option to cancel the order it wants to add the delivery charge to the refund. Out of order!

I think you are going to have to take it on the chin and use a decent courier next time! eBay's fees are still arguably due as they have provided the service they said they would. The failed delivery is not their fault.

* In my experience you get decent service from the small number of Hermes/Evri couriers who are doing it as a retirement thing so don't overly care about ragging round fast to make vaguely decent money and are just doing it for something to do and to pay for a chippy tea and a couple of pints of an evening, perhaps - in essence a paper round, but for retirees with a car. But there are not many of these.

 

[Bungle73]

There's no way of sending it out them again either.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Jul 2022 ==

Normally you get refunded fees for a failed transaction. They want to add on the postage costs to the refund though, which is ridiculous.

 

[8A Rail]

How would I, and for what reason, would I have cancelled it? I never said he hadn't paid. And how could I cancel it when the item had already been sent....?

You originally stated this "I don't know it's possible to do that through eBay. I think I'd rather just sell to someone else tbh. It took 2 weeks from the auction end for me to even hear anything from the buyer...... "

So your latter comment (in bold) meant either the buyer only paid after two weeks of winning the auction or referring to communication from the buyer to say he had not received the item? It comes across either way, so my comment was on basis buyer not paid until two weeks after and I stick to that thought too.

 

[Bletchleyite]

There's no way of sending it out them again either.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Jul 2022 ==

Normally you get refunded fees for a failed transaction. They want to add on the postage costs to the refund though, which is ridiculous.

You could unofficially offer to resend it if they pay you the cost of resending it. You'd lose eBay protection, though, as would they.

 

[Bungle73]

I decided to go for a cancellation, as a partial refund meant loosing out on the fees and ending up with much less. In the end it seems I only lost 99p.

You originally stated this "I don't know it's possible to do that through eBay. I think I'd rather just sell to someone else tbh. It took 2 weeks from the auction end for me to even hear anything from the buyer...... "

So your latter comment (in bold) meant either the buyer only paid after two weeks of winning the auction or referring to communication from the buyer to say he had not received the item? It comes across either way, so my comment was on basis buyer not paid until two weeks after and I stick to that thought too.

Hear anything as in hear about what was going on at their end.

 

[8A Rail]

I decided to go for a cancellation, as a partial refund meant loosing out on the fees and ending up with much less. In the end it seems I only lost 99p.

Hear anything as in hear about what was going on at their end.

Fair enough but it was not obvious that what you meant. In the meantime, I sold an item on ebay, sent it immediately but four weeks later the buyer contacted me to say not got it! I provided Ebay with Royal Mail proof and receipt of posting, end of matter! I suspect buyer was attempting to try a fast one, have the item and get a refund too!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Fair enough but it was not obvious that what you meant. In the meantime, I sold an item on ebay, sent it immediately but four weeks later the buyer contacted me to say not got it! I provided Ebay with Royal Mail proof and receipt of posting, end of matter! I suspect buyer was attempting to try a fast one, have the item and get a refund too!

Unfortunately people do that. It's yet another reason why choosing a reputable courier who will help you in the case of buyer fraud (e.g. by reliably delivering to the correct location with GPS tracking and time records, and taking a decent photo) is very important.

 

[skyhigh]

Unfortunately people do that. It's yet another reason why choosing a reputable courier who will help you in the case of buyer fraud (e.g. by reliably delivering to the correct location with GPS tracking and time records, and taking a decent photo) is very important.

It sounds like you've not actually used Hermes/Evri in years. They do supply GPS locations and photos of delivery for all deliveries now. They also let you redirect the parcel to a parcelshop or locker if you know you won't be in, or you can change the delivery date. They are much better now than they were pre-Covid.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I assume he didn't contact the police, it wouldn't be hard to narrow down you as a suspect. A very stupid thing to do.

I seem to be the only person in t'world who has had no issues with Hermes & eBay. DHL though, still not sure how they managed to lose a typewriter. Got refunded but still, not exactly small is it?

I've never had issues with Hermes either, I think it depends how workproud your local delivery person is.

Hope I'm allowed to have experiences which differ from RailForums doctrine.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It sounds like you've not actually used Hermes/Evri in years.

Oh, I have.

They do supply GPS locations and photos of delivery for all deliveries now.

Usually the wrong doorstep or a photo of the parcel in the back of the van!

I've not seen GPS locations, though they may have added that very recently.

They also let you redirect the parcel to a parcelshop or locker if you know you won't be in, or you can change the delivery date.

I have never been offered either of those options despite there being both nearby. The only options I ever get offered are what you always were offered - a neighbour or safe place - and you don't get to type text in for the safe place so I can't give enough information as to what mine is**. The useless local courier ignores these, anyway, and leaves it on the front doorstep in full view of the street.

The only way I have been offered delivery to a locker or shop is if I specify that when ordering. Which is the only way I'll ever even consider using a company using Hermes. But even that is unreliable - my local* courier, for instance, has a habit of running out of time on a given day and so scanning all the remaining parcels as delivered without delivering them, so you get the collection notification despite the parcel not then arriving at the shop until the next day. This is a clear failure of process design - in the case of shop collections the email shouldn't send until the shop have scanned it with their scanner, but Hermes are not interested in designing a quality system which would "manage out" many of these issues.

They are much better now than they were pre-Covid.

They're not, they're dire. The problem isn't what options they offer, the problem is that they don't manage their couriers so the bad ones stay bad. They don't even have a proper complaints process; if they did they'd know just how much people hate them.

* They say "friendly local courier". She's nothing of the sort, she scowls at you if you ever encounter her and speaks very rudely. Maggie Thatcher would run in fear!
** "Round the back of the house which backs onto <road name> <postcode>, look for a wooden gate and large white garage door with a <brand> alarm box, if it's there the car is a Ford Kuga registration <reg> otherwise there won't be one, drop over the gate, the parcel is not fragile" would be my preference, but they just let you select from a small set of useless single word options that they ignore anyway.