Bit of a quandry

[tbt47]

I need some help.

I purcased an item from a US Seller and needed to return it citing that it was Not as Described - it was in fact broken and not through any fault of the PO.

I sent an email to the Seller who did not respond and consequently I raised a dispute. 

After this was done, the Seller replied via an email - not through the eBay messaging system. He agreed to pay US$20 for the return. 

Rather foolishly after receiving a message from eBay telling me to return the item I did so - with tracking - but without any money being depositied in my PayPal account by the Seller. The postage came to a little over US$18. 

I sent a message to the Seller when the item arrived, telling him that I had just received confirmation of this and requested reimbursement of the original cost of the item, my shipping to Australia AND the cost of the return postage.

The cost of the item and the postage costs to Australia have now been refunded.

Since this time, has sent several messages stating that he does not believe that he should be required to pay for the cost of the return shipping (all done in the space of 10 minutes).

I rang eBay after the third one of these and CS stated that they would be sending a message to the Seller indicating that I should not be out of pocket for the return shipping. 

Today I received another message from the Seller stating that he will not be refunding the shipping. I have sent a message to him together with links to the eBay pages that state that he is responsible for the return postage and have included his original email stating he would pay for the return as an attachment.

I have then contacted eBay who have replied that I should contact the Seller to work it out.....

I seem to be going around in circles.

Any suggestions?

Cheers

[*tippy*toes* · Accepted solution]

I'd be getting back onto eBay (RING them, or use the call back function) and tell them that the seller is refusing to refund the return postage. Get them to read the messages between you.

[tbt47]

Hi

Thank you for the reply.

I asked them to read my messages to the Seller in my last email to eBay and even included a link to the Seller's message and my reply.

I also stated in the same email that this could be found in my Sent box.

eBay's reply stated that they could not open the link and they asked me to contact the Seller to work it out. 

However, I'll take your advice and ring them again.

Thank you again for the reply.

Cheers

[*tippy*toes*]

Although I have personally had some success with emailing them, you are far better of calling them. Most of the time, the email replies you get a computer generated or are a cut and paste answer they get from punching keywords into their computer.

Usually if you use the call back option, you get someone who is 1 rung up the ladder from the plebs that take your call if you call them directly. They are often more helpful. If you have no luck, ask to speak to a supervisor.

[tbt47]

Agreed - had a running message conversation with eBay this afternoon as I hadn't had a chance to ring them. It is pretty obvious that they are cutting and pasting responses.

In point of fact I seriously doubt they even read the messages I sent because they failed to address any of the concerns I had. Their final message stated that any returns were between the Seller and the Buyer and they can't enforce reimbursement, which as I read their Policies, is not my interpretation if it was done as Not as Described

It was an exercise in frustration.

Phone call is happening shortly.

Cheers again.

[tbt47]

Just an update after talking with eBay.

EBay will send another message to the Seller requesting reimbursing me for the return of the item - however they can't guarantee that he will follow their request. 

I did point out yet again, that this is not what their Policy states and he has apparently ignored two previous requests from eBay.

I guess I will wait the Seller's reply. I live in hope.

Cheers

[*tippy*toes*]

Please keep us updated! Crossing everything for you.

[padi*0409]

I had the same problem in the early days of the MBG and eBay instructed me to send the item back with tracking, the seller got the item back but ignored my requests (and eBay's) to reimburse the return postage. 

eBay eventually, after a month of phone calls from me, paid me the money themselves - but believe me they most certainly did not want to do it.

Good luck with the outcome with this one.

[*tippy*toes*]

I just love their double standards. How often do we see on the sellers forum that a buyer has opened a dispute and eBay has refunded them in full and told them to keep the item? Or instructed the buyer to send it back then just took the money from the sellers PayPal account without any consultation. Funny how most of those disputes are unwarranted, yet here we have a genuine one and they dig their heels in.

[padi*0409]

So true Tippy - maybe it's all done to "enhance our eBay experience".          

Although it's very apparent that it's the sellers that get the rough end of the pineapple most of the time.