Buyer won't collect item, but has paid. What now?

[sebbelcher]

I sold a large heavy item on eBay which was listed for collection or courier at buyers expense.  The winning bidder sent a message asking me to generate an invoice based on collection (so £0 postage). 

Since then I've been in contact with them every 48 hours asking when they will arrange to collect as I need the item gone due to it being in a storage unit and costing me to keep it.  They responded often saying they just needed some time to arrange collection. Since then (10 days ago) I've had no response.

What happens next?  I don't want to relist the item as it's quite a niche item and took 10 re-lists to sell in the first place.  Can I legally give the buyer an ultimatum that they need to collect within X days or I will dispose of it and I keep their money?  What else can I do?

[bifaul59]

I had this recently this year. 

you have given enough warning, cancel and refund their order with a polite notification. 

I would also contact eBay help services for advice to back you up. 

It’s not fair on sellers as you’re being messed around by non committing buyers. 

[su_9724]

It's a breach of contract, yes you are entitled to keep  the money, legally they agreed to the terms of the sale, ie collect only and they have failed to do that. I'm guessing if it went that far, you could seek your storage fees as a result of the breach in what's called damages but they need to be aware of that and given the costs before hand.

[topi-6693]

Its a laugh a minute is Ebay and I'm done with it . Sold an item , its been delivered 6 days ago to a pick up store but buyer hasn't bothered to collect it . Messaged him and always " yeah tomorrow " meanwhile my funds are on hold waiting until hes picked up . EBAY Is a slack set up .  I would if I could request the parcel be sent back and a full redund given.  Sick of people messing me about . Ebay need to set some rules and if you cant be in or be bothered collecting the item within 2 days of delivery  . Simples " Dont Bid 

[vinylscot]

One of the advantages of selecting "Click and Collect" as a seller is that you will attract bids/purchases from buyers who often aren't available to accept or collect deliveries.

Without that option, your buyer probably wouldn't have bought your item.

If you don't like how Click and Collect works, you can remove the option from your listings.

[topi-6693]

It would have still sold , there were 9 people bidding .  I got a message on the app to say it had been delivered to the shop . I sent him a quick message and for 6 days running  ,hes been going to collect it  every day . Another few days and hopefully it will be sent back to me and he can have his refund . Like I say 

It still attracts the buyers because if you're not at home when a parcel is delivered,  they'd send it to a pick up store or Royal mail depot so it doesn't attract more or less people . 

Regardless of if he picks it up or not , I feel its my duty to leave him negative feedback to let others know.   Youve got the listing time,  then postage time and then the time it takes him to confirm delivery, then 2 buisness days for payout . 

Its a poor set up 

[vinylscot]

1) You can't leave a buyer negative feedback. (Don't be tempted to leave a negative comment on a positive feedback. That could damage your own account).

2) He hasn't broken any of the conditions of eBay/Click and Collect.

3) If you keep badgering him, you may well end up with a richly deserved negative feedback yourself.

You agreed to "Click and Collect". Now you need to abide by that.

[topi-6693]

Just checked my settings.  I do not have click and collect as an option. This item was sent to the buyers home address.  I used the Ebay postage service. The tracking number goes on automatically so he clicked the link and he changed it to a parcel shop near by .  

Hes not broken any rules , you're correct,  however Im not going to be messed about.  I have asked him once only  in what will be 7 days tomorrow since the parcel landed .  Hes messaged me several times saying hes going tomorrow to collect.   

Hes clearly not in any rush but have some decency when you know until the seller collects the item , Ebay will hold funds.  2 weeks ago I listed that item.  Scandalous 

[abrahamtoast]

You originally said it had been delivered to a pickup store. You now say it was sent to his home address. Makes it tricky to advise you properly.  

All you can really do is add him to your blocked buyers list to make sure he can't buy from you again. 

[gillianlv]

I’m in the same boat, buyer has said he would collect giving me one days notice. Twice he’s said he can collect on the day with no notice and I’ve not been able to get back in time. 

Now he says he will collect today and again no timing or contact. 

I’m three weeks in and it’s costing me storage. 

I too, have no idea how to push this along to complete the sale and don’t want to relist to go through the same thing again. 

[*vyolla*]

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@gillianlv wrote:

I’m in the same boat, buyer has said he would collect giving me one days notice. Twice he’s said he can collect on the day with no notice and I’ve not been able to get back in time. 

Now he says he will collect today and again no timing or contact. 

I’m three weeks in and it’s costing me storage. 

I too, have no idea how to push this along to complete the sale and don’t want to relist to go through the same thing again. 

---

There isn't a way to speed this up, you may have decided that you've been messed around enough and may want to cancel the order. 

[tressygirl]

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@gillianlv wrote:

I’m in the same boat, buyer has said he would collect giving me one days notice. Twice he’s said he can collect on the day with no notice and I’ve not been able to get back in time. 

Now he says he will collect today and again no timing or contact. 

I’m three weeks in and it’s costing me storage. 

I too, have no idea how to push this along to complete the sale and don’t want to relist to go through the same thing again. 

---

You may be left with cancelling and relisting as this person is messing you around not  even accounting for the money it's costing you for storage!   You've been far too patient waiting 3 weeks,  7 day is usually plenty of time to wait  for an item to be collected.

Send him one last message, politely informing them,  if they do not collect today,  then you must know within 24 ( 48?)  hours for a Definite day and time for collection if not,  you deem the item to be unwanted,  and will be cancelling the order,  which will fully refund them.

If you need to do this,  cancel the order citing Buyer Requests to cancel this refunds the buyer and your seller performance is not affected.  You can then relist the item.

I would strongly suggesting blocking them too,  so they do not come back and mess you about again.

Add their username ID here:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/bmgt/BuyerBlock?

@gillianlv 

[jazz650]

I've had the same issue. Sold a heavy item to a buyer in Germany (I'm in UK) in December 2024 on a buyer collect basis. Got paid. They said they would collect when in UK in April 2025.  They didn't.  Since then I've chased up buyer with no response.  In short, I got money, but buyer has not collected.  We're now in September 2025, nine months later.  I'm clear contractually where I am in UK contracts law, as succinctly spelt out by su_9724 above.  However, eBay has it's own way of doing things!  I'm reluctant to re-advertise the item, because morally it isn't mine anymore. I don't know what else I can reasonably do.  Ideally,  I'd like clear guidance from eBay, but they've  shifted all their advice giving to the eBay 'Community'! 

[lucy_farmer]

Is it something that could easily be sold again, or is it rarer with a very small 'target audience'?

If it's the former, I'd send a final email to the buyer giving him 2 weeks to make up his mind. If you *still* hear nothing back, refund him and put the item back on sale.

So long after the actual sale, you can have no worries about ebay taking some sort of action against you.

As long as you have a good 'paper trail' of emails showing you've tried to do your best, well.... you've done your best! 😁

If it was the latter type of object, then it's unlikely the buyer would have been so cavalier about something difficult to find, and isn't just ignoring you.  So it has to be considered that the buyer is no longer in a position to collect or communicate (they may even be dead...🙁)  In which case ... final email, then refund and re-sell anyway!

[gillianlv]

Hi Lucy,

Thank you so much for your reply, this is very helpful and puts me in a
good position if it ever happens again. Just for your interest the buyer
never reconnected and after numerous attempts I gave up trying.

--
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*Gill Fountain*
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[gillianlv]

Hi Jazz,

Many thanks for your reply, yes I had the same dilemma, and with no further communication from the buyer stopped trying to sort it out.

Best wishes Gill 

[gillianlv]

Hi Lucy,

Thank you so much for your reply, this is very helpful and puts me in a good position if it ever happens again. Just for your interest the buyer never reconnected and after numerous attempts I gave up trying.

Best wishes Gill 

[jazz650]

Thank you, Lucy.

It did fall into your second category ie an item with very few sellers and very few buyers.

Adapting your advice, I'm thinking the final email will be to tell them that 'their' item is still ready for collection and if not collected within x  weeks it will be re-advertised and they will be refunded from any sale (it took a long time to find this purchaser!).  Legally my position is clear under UK contracts law, but I just wanted to hear from eBay (in this case your good self in the 'Community') to get their take on the situation.