Ebay seller fees, Paypal seller fees and shipping costs, is it refundable?

[packtaylor]

i sold a $600 bag on Ebay early March. Buyer paid in full including the shipping cost for me to post from Australia to Texas.

Buyer refused the bag and sent it straight back to me without filing a return case or any reasoning why she refused it. I also have a no returns policy on my ad and she did NOT file a return item with Ebay so no approval was given for the return from me or from Ebay.

Nevertheless, bag eventually got returned to me and I immediately refunded her a partial payment as I had Ebay Seller Fees, Paypal fees and of course shipping fees that has been deducted from my account. Ebay final value fees deducted by Ebay, Paypal fees deducted by Paypal and of course I had to pay the post office to ship the item to her.

Buyer has gone psychotic on me, she has written me 10 messages via Ebay platform with swear and foul language, i have attached a file for you all to see. I have since reported her inappropriate language to Ebay and have blocked her from bidding on any of my future items.

She has threatened to go to her lawyer to file criminal charges etc for a refund of A$150 (fees) as I have given her the rest of the refund back already A$504. Not sure if she understands lawyer fees is gonna cost her more than A$150!!

Anyway, she has filed a dispute to get the money back for the fees but how can I return her the fees monies if I don't have it myself, they have been deducted by Ebay, Paypal and post office respectively. 

So my question is, have I done the correct thing or do I have to refund her ALL her money? She refused the item, sent it back with no reason, did not file a return case whatsoever and really she has lost all Ebay Buyer Protection surely? But in good faith I have returned her most of her money minus the fees! 

I am hoping Paypal will rule in my favour and if she goes to her lawyer, her lawyer will tell her she is wasting her time for a mere A$150.

Please help, any advise or consolation will help me ease my mind.

[brerrabbit585]

There's something in the rules about buyers not having protection (or something like that) if they refuse delivery.  She may have got a bill for customs duty, which is why a lot of people refuse delivery.

digital-ghost has mentioned this is a few times and knows a lot more about it so hopefully she'll be along soon.  In the meantime, just hang in there and stop reading any messages - take a deep breath and don't be hasty in doing anything else.  I know it's not easy but some people will try bullying to get what they want, but don't give them the satisfaction.

[kopenhagen5]

I know how you feel but no need to be sad as you are the good guy.

It is disheartening to know such people exist but take solice in thinking that they are only the few.

So much good is done every day compared to the bad and unfortunately the bad tends to stand out more.

I think of this buyer as a sad sad person whom will probably never see the realities of their actions and miss all the beauty in the world.

“I would rather be a little nobody than to be an evil somebody.”

[brerrabbit585 · Accepted solution]

https://www.ebay.com.au/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-pol...

On the above page, under "when a buyer doesn't receive an item" it says this:

Generally, the buyer is responsible for accepting the item when it arrives. If the buyer refuses delivery, their claim is not eligible for eBay Money Back Guarantee.

Exceptions:

• The buyer can provide, via written proof from the carrier, that they refused the package because it arrived empty or was damaged in transit.
• The item arrived COD because it didn't have enough postage on it.

The buyer is responsible for paying any customs and duty fees for international postage.

Exception:

• The seller overstated the value of the item, which caused customs fees to be higher.

[brerrabbit585]

Make sure ebay knows that the buyer refused delivery. I don't know how you do that but if it shows on the tracking then give them the tracking number as well as a screenshot (if you can).

With paypal you should only have to prove you posted it, but I'd also let them know that the buyer refused delivery.

[packtaylor]

Thank you all for your kind words. I am not letting her bully me, she sent me another message (# 12 swear message) today which I am going to report to Ebay and Paypal this morning. This is what she wrote "Where is the rest of my muthaphukin money?!!!! **bleep** fees all of sudden it’s fees I’m not the seller!!!!!!! You’re on FB Snapchat and IG for being a fraud an you will soon be on my lawyers desk. i am sending the Ebay policy that brerrabbit585 to Paypal today that the claim is not eligible for ebay Money back guarantee because she refused the item and that I have already refunded her all I can!

[countessalmirena · Accepted solution]

packtaylor, you've obviously struck a person who doesn't conduct her life with integrity or self-respect, and who is probably deeply unhappy about many things.

Try not to read her messages; simply forward them to eBay (reporting as abusive). This lady seems to be using the old "my lawyer" thing as a bludgeon; if she actually has a lawyer, he'd be trying not to roll his eyes at a suggestion that he take action against an Australian seller for not refunding the costs involved in a refused parcel.

Don't reply to the lady any further unless you want to make it one very official message to signify that no further correspondence will be entered into. (But really, the more one replies to bullying messages, the more it feeds the bully. That's why I tend not to reply to people who clearly want to engage in verbal fisticuffs; I don't value futile exchanges.)

The truth is that an angry person who doesn't want to see any viewpoint other than her own will not acknowledge any perspective other than the one that serves her own purpose. You can explain policy until the sun gets pneumonia, without getting such a person to accept it or agree that she was at fault and that you did everything required of you in this case. Many people will just not "get it". It's the old "never argue with a drunk" saw (because stupidity or mulishly deliberate ignorance can act on the brain's ability to process logic with something of the same effect as alcohol or drugs!).

Try - and this is the very trickiest of all - try not to take her attitude and communications personally. This will take the heat out of the situation for you; it's like pouring vinegar onto a box jellyfish sting.

[brerrabbit585 · Accepted solution]

I agree that the less said to the buyer the better. Don't explain the policy to them because if they look it up they'll try and prove that there was a good reason they refused the parcel. If you do say anything to them, simply state that they shouldn't have refused delivery because that negates any buyer protection, and that you aren't responsible for any costs associated with them changing their mind.

Don't worry about facebook - even if she has mentioned you on there, the chances of anyone in Australia seeing it is extremely slim, and people probably wouldn't give much credence to it because of her irrational behaviour (unless they're also like her, and customers like that you don't need anyway!).

[packtaylor]

Thank you countessamirena, you are so kind. I am NOT replying to any of her and totally ignoring it. I have reported ALL her 12 swear and abusive messages to Ebay and to Paypal and they said they will suspend her account, whether they actually do it is another story. I have copies of all her abusive and swearing messages to send to her lawyer if she wants to go thru the whole lawyer thing which will costs her thousands in lawyers fees just for a mere US$120!! I hope she will stop eventually when she hasn't got any allies on her side.

[packtaylor]

Thank you again brerrabit585. I am ignoring her vile messages and not replying to her at all. hoping she will stop eventually. Everyday i get a foul and swearing message from her I am reporting it to Ebay and will keep reporting it to them until they close her account indefinitely. i am not even on fb snapchat so not sure what she is talking about.

[mj_v2.0]

eBay and their fees make people lose their **bleep** and I’m no trailer park trash, own a house and swear like a sailor. eBay will f you over anyway they can