Return case closed, item not returned

[thegrove_outlet]

I sold a brand new sealed item (electronics).

A few weeks after delivery the buyer requested a return stating that it was faulty. I asked them several times to say what was wrong and they ignored the messages. Seemed a bit fraudy...

Eventually I had no choice, I had to pay for a returns label and authorise the return.

No further action occurred until today when ebay said the buyer was escalating it.

ie: no message to say that he buyer had sent back the item and no message to say it had been delivered.

In a few minutes, ebay made a decision and refunded the buyer over £300.

As ebay do not state the tracking on the case, I contacted tham and they gave me tracking that was apparantly legit.

But the delivery details do not make sense.

I was home at the time the delivery apparantly took place (12.45pm), I sent an email at that time on Friday, so I know I was sat at my pc,10ft from my front door.... there is no way it was delivered. 

The RM posties do not usually leave parcels on my doorstep.

In addition,I did receive an item that day from RM that was also a signed for parcel, and was delivered at 12.12pm which has my name in the signed for section (no signature due to covid). The missing parcel has a different name on it.

Ebay said to contact Royal Mail - of course, this is not easy when our depot is only open 7-9am these days.... but I will take both printouts with the tracking and  delivery info so they can check who supposedly delivered the missing parcel. 

Can anyone help with this process?

Royal Mail say online that the sender must chase it up, but ebay said I need to - and also I am the buyer of the label that ebay sold to me (but did not give me the tracking/label) so who is the person who bought it/ the sender??

[rusticrye]

If tracking shows delivery or attempted delivery, the buyer will be refunded automatically. You'll have to take this up with the carrier yourself, to find out where they left the package. Hopefully your Ebay-registered address is current, as that is where the return will have been sent, and they'll be able to track it down and retrieve it.

You have no right to refuse any type of return, as you are clearly a business - buyers have a legal right to return an item to you for any reason at all.  And as you're trading illegally on a private account, note that consumer law states that a buyer can request a full refund from an illegally-trading seller for any reason at all, for up to 1 full year and 30 days, and the trader has to pay their return costs too if they want the item back. And it can be returned in any condition whatosever. In other words, your customers can use you as a free hire shop if they choose. The law doesn't reward those who break it.

Anyone who makes, grows, refurbishes, or buys in (new or used) items to sell, is a business and must be registered as such. Not only an Ebay requirement but the law. Note that there is no such thing as a 'hobby seller' in this country, and how much or how little you sell or make is totally irrelevant. Private accounts are ONLY for those selling off their old no-longer-wanted possessions from wardrobe and attic. That clearly isn't you. For confirmation, go to Ebay's Seller Centre (link at foot of any page). For full information, go to the government's website.

I would advise you to upgrade your account from private to business (takes seconds) as a matter of urgency, before you find yourself in big trouble with Ebay (for defrauding them of listing fees) and Trading Standards (for breaching consumer law and denying buyers their legal rights). Most buyers are savvy these days, and this particular buyer may be one of them and may already have reported you.

@thegrove_outlet 

[thegrove_outlet]

I am not questioning a buyer returning an item. I would just like a buyer to respond to questions as it is DODGY for them to just ignore me!

I am questioning ebay notifications etc. and how to find out who paid for the label with this tracking on.

I paid for a returns label via ebay returns but I am not sure the buyer used it? And if not, why not? (they are a tech business, they would have the means to print the label...)

Usually once the item has been shipped I get a message from ebay. They also state when an item has arrived back and ask you to check it and refund the buyer within 2 days or something.

How can I find out if they used my label or not? I mean, the label I provided definitely had the correct returns address on it. If the buyer has paid themselves, in effect they could have put any of the house names/numbers on my road.... so it could be anywhere.

The delivery name for the tracking of this returned parcel at 12.45pm says "GRANEN" signed for it (nothing like my name)
The other small parcel I received the same day at 12.11pm was signed for by me.

I have of course checked with close neighbours and no-one has it.

I have printed the delivery info for both parcels to take to Royal Mail but they are only open limited hours (2 hours a day...) so due to being away and awkward opening hours I have not been able to go yet. Will be able to go this week (as I advised ebay when I spoke to them).

[*knight-rider*]

not sure of the best advice here, but a side note, you need to register as a business seller first and foremost to give your customers the consumer rights they are clearly entitled to, but also to cover your legal and tax requirements as a business.