The seller refunded the item but not the postage costs, and I can't have eBay to step in

[kohwai07]

Hi everyone,

I briefly explain my issue:

_ I've purchased an item on eBay: an office chair floor protector

_ it arrived broken and unusable (I have photos)

_ I asked the seller for a return and a refund

_ it's been accepted

_ I sent him back the item

_ he refunded the item but not the return postage costs

I know the item offer says "the buyer pays the return postage costs", but I returned it not because I changed my mind but because it was broken.

And in that case, I see the "eBay Money Back Guarantee" is covering the return postage costs.

So then I sent a message to the seller asking him to refund the return postage costs, but his english is very limited and he doesn't seem to understand my request (although to my understanding he is located in Australia).

But clearly he is not willing to refund the return postage costs.

So I looked for the "Ask eBay to step in" button but I didn't find it.

Here is why I'm asking your help now: I'd like eBay to step in so that I can lodge a claim under the eBay Money Back Guarantee and have a refund for the return postage costs I paid.

Thank you so much in advance for your help, I appreciate,

[silver-fox-bullion]

did you pay for the return postage ????   or did the seller send you a label ????  If the later good luck getting a shipping refund as the seller with in their rights to not refund shipping if they paid for the return...

[kohwai07]

Thanks for the answer silver-fox-bullion,

No, the seller didn't send me a label: I did pay for the return postage.

And I still have the australian post receipt.

[jellybirddesigns]

This is one of the flaws in Ebay.

If the seller is located in Australia, they should send you a return label, so that the shipping costs fall on them.

If the seller is overseas, they cannot do this.

Did you post  back to an Australian address? How much was the return postage?

If something is broken, I don't see the point in returning it - you should just have received a refund without going to all that trouble.

[kohwai07]

Yeah I agree with you 100%.

I sent the item back to Dandenong, Australia (VIC).

I paid $15.35 for the return postage.

It's not that much money I know, but the reason why I want my money back is mainly because the seller is really not nice: his first reaction when I told him the item was broken and unusable was to say: "I can give you a $4 refund" ????

Then I said "please I want a full refund as I can't use the item at all", he replied "I can give you a $7 refund" ????

 and then he suggested "a $10 refund" ... come on ...

To this point we agreed on a return: I don't know exactly why but he wanted his item back.

So I sent him a clear message summarizing the refund I was asking: full refund of the item + postage cost.

I'm now looking for a way to have eBay stepping in as I'm really disgruntled by this seller behaviour.

[davewil1964]

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@kohwai07 wrote:

Yeah I agree with you 100%.

I sent the item back to Dandenong, Australia (VIC).

I paid $15.35 for the return postage.

It's not that much money I know, but the reason why I want my money back is mainly because the seller is really not nice: his first reaction when I told him the item was broken and unusable was to say: "I can give you a $4 refund" ????

Then I said "please I want a full refund as I can't use the item at all", he replied "I can give you a $7 refund" ????

 and then he suggested "a $10 refund" ... come on ...

To this point we agreed on a return: I don't know exactly why but he wanted his item back.

So I sent him a clear message summarizing the refund I was asking: full refund of the item + postage cost.

I'm now looking for a way to have eBay stepping in as I'm really disgruntled by this seller behaviour.

---

You apparently didn't open a case for 'not as described' through eBay.

You dealt directly with the seller, thus have no recourse through eBay at all.

If you want to utilise eBay's MBG, you need to use eBay's MBG. No ifs or buts - eBay will disclaim responsibility because you didn't use the procedures they have in place for this type of issue.

[kohwai07]

Exact. I didn't open a case for "item not as described'. It didn't enter my mind as, to me, the item was not  "not as described" but rather "broken" ... 

Can anybody else confirm I can't lodge a claim to eBay under EMBG ?

Thank you all,

[davewil1964]

Everybody will.

You've returned the item and been refunded. There is no case to open.

Generally, to most reasonable people, 'broken' would be not as described. You seem to feel that broken doesn't fall into that definition. I would love to know what you consider it to be. Given eBay has 2 categories for disputes - not received and not as described.

[kohwai07]

Hmm ... I see.

Thank you everyone for your support, much appreciated.

I will stay positive and consider I gained a new understanding of how eBay works.

I won't fall into the same trap again next time!

Thanks again 

[springyzone]

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@kohwai07 wrote:

Yeah I agree with you 100%.

I sent the item back to Dandenong, Australia (VIC).

I paid $15.35 for the return postage.

It's not that much money I know, but the reason why I want my money back is mainly because the seller is really not nice: his first reaction when I told him the item was broken and unusable was to say: "I can give you a $4 refund" ????

Then I said "please I want a full refund as I can't use the item at all", he replied "I can give you a $7 refund" ????

 and then he suggested "a $10 refund" ... come on ...

To this point we agreed on a return: I don't know exactly why but he wanted his item back.

So I sent him a clear message summarizing the refund I was asking: full refund of the item + postage cost.

I'm now looking for a way to have eBay stepping in as I'm really disgruntled by this seller behaviour.

---

You've struck a pretty dodgy seller, as you now realise.

I'm wondering if he saw your feedback score of 47 and thought-this is someone who is relatively new to ebay, I'll try it on a bit.

Right from the very start, this seller made it clear he was reluctant to refund the money. Asking you to return it makes no sense except in the context that he probably hoped it would put you off and make you capitulate and accept a partial refund instead.

What he was counting on was that with his messages, he could keep it between the two of you and you would not open an official ebay claim against him. And it worked.

Unfortunately I don't think there is much you can do now, except perhaps contact the seller again. What I would do is give negative feedback if you have not done so already. Make it factual. Outline exactly what happened with the seller refusing to refund your return postage of $15 with the broken product.

You may find the seller will offer to refund the postage if you change your feedback. If he does, tell him to refund first and then yes, you will do it.  Not the other way around. If you do get a refund you can decide if you change the feedback and what you say. Positive feedback can't be all negative but there are ways of doing it so you start with a good point but include a hint of what was imperfect.

In future if a purchase is faulty in any way-that might mean broken, not as described in the ad eg faults not mentioned in the ad and so on, always open an official ebay claim and go from there.