eBay question

[Se7en]

back in February of 2012 (this year) i sold an item for $89.99 at the same time the buyer also purchased another item from another seller. He received the item and left the other seller feedback etc.. i tracked the item and it sat at there local post office for 2 weeks (attempt to deliver) i didn't send it with sign confirmation about a month later the item came back. i checked the inside of the box and it was never opened. i had sent the buyer messages through eBay, through there sign up email via eBay. i had even called. up till now it's been a long time and i had given up trying to contact this eBay buyer (hasn't had any more activity since feb 2012). I feel pretty bad that i have the money and the item and no response. Maybe this person died? moved? kicked out of qth? It doesn't make sense. The $89.99 money is just sitting in PayPal, I'm not sure if i should just issue a refund or what?

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

YOU have YOUR goods and HIS money as well? YOU cannot contact HIM in any way? YOU have no way to return HIS money and make things right? I would return the money and let Paypal place it into the appropriate account. That way even if he did die or otherwise disappear his next of kin would be entitled to the money. Return it with an explanation of what happened.

 

[Watergate]

Better safe than sorry. Notify Paypal and let them handle it. You having the money and the item is not a good idea, legally speaking.

 

[Se7en]

Thanks for the advice, I sent the money back and left a note explaining in detail what happened.
The item is still in the oem packeging but its dusty as hell...I hope I dont get in trouble for the item being sent back to me.

☆ ★Sent from Droid★☆

 

[W5LZ]

I don't see why you would get in trouble for anything. It was sent, held for a reasonable period of time and then returned. You've returned the purchase price. Where's the problem?
- 'Doc

 

[RatsoW8]

You did the right thing. Also make sure you send message through the eBay message system recapping what you did. That way if there are any issues later on you can refer eBay/Paypal to that communication.

 

[Se7en]

I don't see why you would get in trouble for anything. It was sent, held for a reasonable period of time and then returned. You've returned the purchase price. Where's the problem?
- 'Doc

Waiting so long to refund...
I was no way trying to cheat the buyer, it had been so long I had forgotten about the transaction until I logged into PayPal this morning and started calculating expenses and was left with the payment amount for the item.
☆ ★Sent from Droid★☆