Buyer-generated postage label for return shipping?

[tazzieterror]

I both buy and sell on eBay.

Last week I received an item I'd purchased, and found an issue the seller hadn't been aware of. They offered to accept a return, and I initated the return process which they've agreed to through the eBay process.

They're not able to send me a return label, so it's a case where I need to arrange the return shipping, and then seek reimbursement from them for the cost.

I was just wondering though...as I can generate shipping labels through eBay for sending the items *I* sell, is it possible to do the same and make a label to return this item to the seller? For me that's easier than manually addressing a satchel etc. at the post office.

Has anyone tried this?

Cheers,

tt.

[*tippy*toes*]

Is the seller outside Australia? I wouldn't be using a postage label. How hard is it to write an address on a plastic bag? Aust Post even supply pens to write on said bags. If you pay for the postage, you've got less than 0% chance of getting it reimbursed.

[tazzieterror]

No, it's an Australian seller.

I'd much prefer to print a label, and use an existing eBay branded satchel that I already have here.  Then it's just a matter of lodging it with the PO - no writing with a rubishy AP pen that some kid has sucked on or old codger has cleaned his ear with (or both!).

But...can it be done?

[lyndal1838]

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@tazzieterror wrote:

No, it's an Australian seller.

I'd much prefer to print a label, and use an existing eBay branded satchel that I already have here.  Then it's just a matter of lodging it with the PO - no writing with a rubishy AP pen that some kid has sucked on or old codger has cleaned his ear with (or both!).

But...can it be done?

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What a nice opinion you have of your fellow man.  You could always take your own pen to address the satchel.

[tazzieterror]

Lyndal, these are both occurrences I've witnessed while in AP, so *observations* of my fellow man, not an opinion.

I'm not sure why my preference to pre-print a label is so strange - my local LPO is one where the satchels are behind the counter - you line up, buy the satchel, have the usual conversation about insurance/SOD etc etc, take it over to the little desk to address/pack etc, then wait while they finish serving the person that was behind you who, awkwardly jump in to hand them the satchel to lodge...you know the drill.

If I'm posting during my lunch break, as is often the case, I'd much rather have everything ready to go so I can just lodge and be done, and actually get time to eat my lunch.

So, again - anyone know if what I'm asking is possible?

[lyndal1838]

I am not a seller but if you are using the ebay return system I would think that it would be better to be able to use a satchel....it should make it easier to prove the postage costs.

Buy a satchel when you are in the PO and take it home to address it then lodge the next time you are in the PO.  It can't be that hards.

[digital*ghost]

You can create a label in My Post (formerly click and send).

You can also create a label on ebay from any recent sold item and change all the address details, though I wouldn't necessarily recommend that as the buyer would receive an email about it.

As a seller, I usually create one on eBay from the buyer's item or through My Post and send them either the pdf or a screen shot of the label for them to print out.

[tazzieterror]

???

Think about it - if I'm to handle the shipping of a returned item to a seller, the absolute easiest way to prove anything to anyone (seller/eBay) is if I generate the shipping label through eBay's system. Then the info is right there for eBay to see, and they can send it (or the cost) directly to the seller.
If eBay had any sense of efficiency, that would be exactly how it would work in this situation - e.g. seller indicates they can't send a shipping label, so then eBay asks if I'd like to generate one, and have them bill it to the seller's account. No need for me to be photographing and sending a copy of the receipt, manually enter a tracking number, chase the seller for the correct reimbursement amount because they failed to account for PayPal's 2.6% + 30 cent fees etc.

Two trips to the post office to buy then lodge a satchel? Pffft...yeah right.

[tazzieterror]

Cheers, dg - I hadn't considered doing it through My Post - good idea.

If you did edit the label from a recently sold item, wouldn't that cause an issue due to there already being a tracking number in use and associated with that label? An interesting 'hack' though!

[digital*ghost]

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@tazzieterror wrote:


If you did edit the label from a recently sold item, wouldn't that cause an issue due to there already being a tracking number in use and associated with that label? An interesting 'hack' though!

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If you use the create postage label option, it just adds a second tracking number to the order (I've had to use two parcels for the same order before, and also a couple of times selected the wrong weight and created the label before I realised I was gonna need a bigger boat satchel). 

AFAIK The buyer receives an email letting them know when a tracking number has been updated (edited) or a new one has been added, hence why it's probably not the best idea to use a random sold item, but a part of me has always wondered if there are sellers out there who occasionally sell an auction item for 1c free post just to purchase BX labels for packages (since they're highly discounted on eBay)

Just to be clear, I haven't ever done that, and I have no idea if it's against any of AP's TOS, but I wouldn't be surprised if it happens.