Sold Layout, Buyer Paid but no further comms

[burtos]

Hi All

 

Frustrated Dilemma, sold my layout on eBay for £3k, buyer paid within an hour of the auction finishing (happy Days).  Than i messaged him Sunday 9pm to see when i could expect the date of collection could be.  Since than  and a further msg sent i have heard nothing back. 

 

Now i don't want to cancel the purchase and re list the layout as they aren't the easiest thing to sell and was happy that it was sold within the first auction i had setup for it. 

 

You would think that spending that kind of money you would be on the blower straight away to organize everything.  So im going to give it to the end of the week to see if i get any response to my messages. 

 

Than decide what to do. Probably will just have to refund and relist the layout again. 

[spamcan61]

What's the buyer's feedback like?

[burtos]

not a big user of ebay, got 100% on buying stuff, been member for over 3 years

[The White Rabbit]

I wonder about various options, including sudden health problems, family crisis, loss of phone/Internet connection etc. as well as the second thoughts and fraud/scam type ones. Even something as [daft] as messages being rediverted into the buyer's Spam folder (has happened to me!) and he's not checked that and is sitting fuming and thinking you're the one not getting in touch? 

 

Was there much competition for the layout? As and when you decide you don't want to wait and longer, are you able to approach/message the second highest bidder and say this bloke's let me down, are you interested? Is that an option on Ebay these days? 

 

If you've any reason for suspecting fraud, I'd hold off repaying for at least a few days and you've taken advice (in writing) from your bank, there are scams which rely on repayments being channelled into a fraudster's account. 

[burtos]

Had a lot views and watchers, but he was the only bidder in the end.  Was expecting it be up for a while but surprised it was going to be sold within the first auction i set up for it. 

 

Thing is its not something that sells quickly so I'm reluctant at the moment to refund the purchase, I've contacted ebay directly and they have messaged him also, and said to wait until the end of week and see what happens by than.

[RANGERS]

Presumably you have his details, address etc, from the eBay transaction details? Are you able to trace a phone number from that?

[burtos]

There were no address details as the auction was for collection only, but i know whereabouts he lives (north of Heathrow).  eBay have given me his contact mobile number.   So ill give him a few mor days and contact him via his mobile. 

[F-UnitMad]

4 hours ago, The White Rabbit said:

I wonder about various options, including sudden health problems,

Mmm, like maybe his Mrs found out he'd just spent 3k on a train set..... 🤔🤔🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤣🤣🤣

[Tumut]

15 minutes ago, F-UnitMad said:

Mmm, like maybe his Mrs found out he'd just spent 3k on a train set..... 🤔🤔🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤣🤣🤣

 

Hmmm, that could explain the sudden health problem !

[Oldddudders]

If he's actually paid I'd say he is now the owner. I don't quite see the urgent need for instant communication. You already have your money, be patient while he gets his ducks in a row, not least about transport and the new site. 

[F-UnitMad]

1 hour ago, Tumut said:

 

Hmmm, that could explain the sudden health problem !

Exactly!! 

[Michael Hodgson]

14 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

If he's actually paid I'd say he is now the owner. I don't quite see the urgent need for instant communication. You already have your money, be patient while he gets his ducks in a row, not least about transport and the new site. 

Yes, it perhaps isn't immediately urgent, but if you've sold the layout, you presumably need the space it occupies, eveb if dismantled.

Also I suspect you could be liable should it suffer any damage in the meantime.

 

I'm surprised ebay gave you his phone number.  But if he has got a sudden health problem (such as gone into hospital after a road

 accident) he may not be able to answer the mobile either, through unconsciousness or loss of the mobile.  With sommething like that he would probably not be seeing messages sent via ebay.  If ebay were willing to help by giving you his number, if that fails you could try  asking whether you could write to his postal address (via ebay if necessary).

 

Maybe it's my natural cynicism but 3k seems a lot to spend on a layout without first seeing it in person.  Ebay say a sale is a legally binding contract, but I don't know if he has any rights to reclaim the money through paypal or whatever he used, perhaps by making some unwarranted allegation against you.  If he's died in the meantime (it must happen sometimes) I suppose the layout belongs to the next of kin.  At  least you have both the layout and the money for now, and possession is nine tenths of the law.

 

I sold a full size signal arm on ebay and was paid, but it was something like 6 months before the chap collected because he had car problems.

[dpgibbons]

Be careful. If he paid with PayPal, then you are at risk if he collects and then claims a refund for non-delivery.  

Edited September 11 by dpgibbons

[Hroth]

As you have the money, it might be a good idea to open an instant access savings account and transfer the money to it. You will then keep it separate from your ordinary cash, ready to refund if required and generating a tiny amount of interest while things get settled.

 

[jcm@gwr]

1 hour ago, dpgibbons said:

Be careful. If he paid with PayPal, then you are at risk if he collects and then claims a refund for non-delivery.  

Simple, you make him sign for it when he collects it, and you take a picture of him loading it.

[bandmbill]

I’d just wait - also communicate via eBay/PayPal to protect yourself.

 

 

 

[Free At Last]

9 hours ago, jcm@gwr said:

Simple, you make him sign for it when he collects it, and you take a picture of him loading it.

Then he says that isn't him and has witnesses to say he was elsewhere at that time.

Edited September 11 by Free At Last

[009 micro modeller]

11 hours ago, Michael Hodgson said:

Yes, it perhaps isn't immediately urgent, but if you've sold the layout, you presumably need the space it occupies, even if dismantled.

Also I suspect you could be liable should it suffer any damage in the meantime.

 

I was going to say something similar to this but almost from the opposite angle - surely @burtos now that he owns it he’s liable for the cost of storing it (if you wanted/had to go to that sort of level), as it’s still in your house.

 

As others have said though, I’d be inclined to give it a couple more days.

Edited September 11 by 009 micro modeller

[meil]

On 10/09/2024 at 13:43, burtos said:

Than decide what to do. Probably will just have to refund and relist the layout again. 

Why? It's not your layout any more. You've been paid and you are waiting for the purchaser to arrange collection (Im assuming that was the deal?).

 

Then wait for collection.

[Colin_McLeod]

19 hours ago, dpgibbons said:

Be careful. If he paid with PayPal, then you are at risk if he collects and then claims a refund for non-delivery.  

 

Prepare a receipt for him to sign when he does collect.  Take a photo of him with the layout and putting it in his van.

Edited September 12 by Colin_McLeod
typo

[Colin_McLeod]

15 hours ago, Free At Last said:

Then he says that isn't him and has witnesses to say he was elsewhere at that time.

 

LOL but you're over thinking it.  A bit like the OP who has the money and the layout.

[Sjcm]

It would probably be stretching Ebay's "buyer is always right" policy, to claim that a  stranger had somehow got the address of the buyer I would have thought. Unless there are gangs of layout thieves who knock on random houses on the off-chance you have a layout to sell, fully kitted up with  the tools and vehicle to remove it, coincidentally at the time you arranged collection😉

[AHW]

The simple solution to this is to ask e-Bay to call you - you can do this from the support pages - and explain the situation to them. They will advise you accordingly - they can take action that you can't. I've done this myself on three occasions and every time its been resolved to my satisfaction. Not doing so runs the risk of the buyer raising a case against you for some perceived slight and this can lead to your profile being compromised when you've actually done nothing wrong. There are also a lot of e-Bay bidders who do not know how to process a sale when it involves a collection rather than delivery.

 

Edited September 12 by AHW
Grammar

[kevinlms]

Could be that the buyer is waiting for a layout delivery and is getting irate at its lack of appearance!

[Colin_McLeod]

3 minutes ago, kevinlms said:

Could be that the buyer is waiting for a layout delivery and is getting irate at its lack of appearance!

Very possible if he hasn't read the listing carefully.