Trading Advice Request

[BlueFox]

From time to time, I've helped people on this forum with package forwarding overseas. Normally smooth sailing.

In this instance, I had someone buy a number of things off eBay and after I combined the packages into one, provided them with the dimensions/weight so that they could provide me with a shipping label. I had dealt with the individual in question before, so this was not the first time I had sent them something. Unfortunately, they have since fallen off the face of the earth and have not responded to my messages in close to 8 months now.

As I've not faced something like this before, I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to do. I'm not out of any money (just some time) given that they had the stuff they bought on eBay drop shipped to me, but I don't want to sit on it indefinitely. I can't imagine they decided to abandon the items as they are high value, but very light, so shipping cost is negligible in comparison to what they were purchased for.

So, options that I've come up with so far include:

• Sell the items, deducting a percentage for my time. I have no way of sending them the money however (at least until they respond).
• Continue to hold onto said items, eventually charging extra for the hassle should they respond.
• Sell some of the item to pay for my time/postage and blindly ship the rest to their last known address.

Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[DavidWJohnston]

Interesting situation. I think you're being a lot more diligent than a lot of people would be, and a lot of time has passed already.

There is a concept in law related to abandoned property: Lost, mislaid, and abandoned property - Wikipedia

If you want to do things by the book, keep it for the waiting period necessary for your jurisdiction and situation, then you can sell it or keep it for yourself.

If the applicable waiting period is not clear (which is very possible in this case), it looks like the maximum waiting period is 1 year for all states and situations.