Buyer had item directed to Post Office but appears not to have collected. My funds on hold.

[thepointmisser]

I sold an item , the buyer paid and I generated an automated label. I posted the item,  but when following the Tracking, noted that it had gone to the Buyers' local Post Office instead, and not his address.  (I am not sure how he selects between these options?)

Anyway, I notified him of this, and he said it was fine, and he had it redirected there as he would be out and he would collect soon...

All OK.  

My funds are still pending release as Ebay shows the item as Dispatched but NOT delivered. 

However the postal tracking shows the Item as "DELIVERED awaiting collection" as it was successfully delivered to the Buyers' Post Office .

So I have fulfilled my role in posting and successfully 'delivered' . However Ebay does not recognise that it is delivered.  

Would I be correct to assume that until the Buyer collects and the Post Office confirm collection, only then Ebay will update to say DELIVERED, and then i will receive my payment?

It is 10 days later and the item still ''appears'' to be uncollected, or at least that is my assumption as Ebay does not state DELIVERED . I have tried to contact the Buyer twice to ask if he has picked up , but have now received no response.

What are the options? 

[plum993]

Contact ebay here saying its delivered, and if delivered to the collection point see what they say,and if they refund you.Otherwise it could be 14 days until you get paid. https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/eua?id=5275&mkevt=1&mkpid

Lets us know what they say.

[thepointmisser]

I should add that my concern is that the Buyer HAS actually picked the item up, but that the Post Office has not finalised the transaction , and therefore Ebay still presumes the item to be  "dispatched''.

(The reality is I don't know how these systems are inter-linked, so it is all supposition.)

[thepointmisser]

I raised a query and Ebay phoned me within 2 minutes! Excellent.

They said the buyer has 7 days to pick up an item at which point the item will be returned to me, and the buyer will be marked as a non-payer on Ebay (though I am not sure where this will show?).

However I just cross referenced and the Post Office website states that;  "We'll keep hold of items delivered by Royal Mail for 18 days" , so I am not sure which is correct.

[thepointmisser]

I've just opened Ebays' own terms and conditions..  It seems the Ebay adviser was describing the returns policy for "Click and Collect" item, which is NOT the situation I am in.

[plum993]

So the buyer does have 7 days to collect an item.

How did you post the item,did you use your own postal method or that of the new simple delivery option, which requires a click and collect code presented to the buyer to use at the C&C point.

[thepointmisser]

Hi , it was NOT done via C&C.  I did not offer C&C as an option.   This was sent 10+ days ago prior to the new simple delivery options.

The buyer had an address noted on his profile.  I generated a qr code and went to my post office, where they stuck on the label., and i presumed it was going to his home address.

I followed the tracking but noted it said DELIVERED ready for collection?.  I contacted the buyer who said HE had it redirected to the local post office (It was not me who chose to deliver it to there for collection).

He has not collected .  So i presume he has 18 days to collect as per 'normal' Post Office practice ? 

.

[plum993]

If the label just had the QR code on it not the buyers address, is could well of be return to sender,as you say the buyer collected then said they didn't collect!

[thepointmisser]

The postage is bought by me (the seller) and generates a QR code ..

Then you go to the post office with the QR , and they print an address label.  It then appears that he (the buyer) managed to redirect to his local Post Office (he told me this in a message).

However it is NOT collected, and my funds are pending its DELIVERY.   

I contacted Ebay help and , yes i CANNOT get funds, and there is 18 days i must wait (as per P.O. rules) as it is not  a C&C item.  Upon which it will be returned to me and Seller loses payment, and item. 

[papso22]

The new payment system will override that 18 days, the CS rep is talking nonsense.   Payment should be released 14 calender days after the sale, at the most,

[plpmr]

unfortunately CS do at times tell the caller what they want to hear to get them off the phone.

"the buyer will be marked as a non-payer on Ebay" 

As the buyer has paid it's impossible to mark them as a "non-payer"