Refunded buyer in full now see item was delivered

[halo33]

I posted an item to a buyer on or after  18th September.

The buyer raised an item not received case with eBay on 1st October. With their agreement, we waited to see if the item was delivered but I refunded them in full on 7th October.

I checked the tracking and now see that the item was delivered on 18th October. I looked into what I could do and eBay offers no solution.

I've sent the buyer a message but I am not expecting a reply. What can I do, if anything? I reported the item to Royal Mail as not delivered, but clearly it was.

[tressygirl · Accepted solution]

There's nothing you can do to enforce a payment from the buyer from eBay.  

Perhaps the buyer does not know how to repay you, send them another polite message apologising for the late delivery but to say you are pleased to see that tracking has shown delivery and could they kindly repay  £** amount either by a cheque,  bank transfer or with e PayPal Friends and Family payment.

Or,  you could send them a PayPal invoice.

Was it a large amount?  If so, and the buyer is not paying you'd have  to pursue a legal route.

@halo33 

[halo33]

Thank you. It wasn't a large amount, about £15. I will do as you suggest and contact the buyer again. 

[red_magpie]

As a private seller, were you even responsible for refunding this buyer? If you sent the item using eBay's simple delivery then eBay and not you should have been responsible for refunding the buyer.

As regards opportunist buyers who keep both the refund and the item when it arrives, it's an absoute disgrace that eBay does nothing to support the seller. It will be intersting to see whether they're as unconcerned when it's eBay and not the seller who foots the bill for the refund.

[john1297576]

Did buyer open a not received case, if so ebay should have dealt with refund, not much point in ebay boasting about buyer protection if the seller refunds.

Refunds should always be made through the case if one is opened, then ebay should step in, not you.

As red-magpie says there is no way to force a repayment from buyer, but if done correctly it would be ebay out of pocket and their job to recover from buyer, that is assuming they even check up on such things.

[halo33]

To be honest, I'm not sure. They paid for the item to be sent with Royal Mail Second Class post and simple delivery wasn't involved.

I don't really understand why not, though the buyer was in Northern Ireland. I have emailed them asking about the money but not surprisingly they have not replied.