Opinions on this situation please.

[thedees98]

Hello,

I am not sure what to do in this situation.

A buyer from America bought a book from me and paid for it with Paypal.

When I went to the post office it was a lot cheaper as it was lighter on their scales than mine so I refunded the buyer the difference.

Anyway after a few weeks I emailed the buyer to see if it had arrived and then received a very abrupt email back which said "The Package has been shipped back. I need my money back with pay pal."  That is it no explanation, nothing. I politely emailed her back asking why it was being returned but as yet I have had no reply.

Today I received the book back with 'Refused' written all over it, still no explanation. The parcel has not even been opened so it can't be it was the wrong book or not as described.

Now I have no problem refunding the cost of the book but the postage cost was $84.30 of which I have already partially refunded some of it. I do not think it is fair I wear the cost of the postage, especially as it so much, when I have no idea why it was returned.

Thanks in advance

debbie 

[thedees98]

Hi All,

Thanks for replying.

I have had a reply from ebay already. As I included a tracking number which shows it was attempted to be delivered, and I have tried to communicate with the buyer but they are ignoring me and the parcel has not been opened but just refused I am not obligated to refund.

Will wait to see what paypal says before I get too excited though.

debbie 🙂

[thedees98]

Having said that I did refund the difference in postage at the time so that is double what theactual book cost her in the first place. Happy to leave it at that. 🙂

[character_parties_aus]

LOoks like the buyer is going to be paying for return postage then. You can then wait for the not as described dispute to roll in which will obligate you to pay for return post.....

[mbselections00]

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@thedees98 wrote:

Hi All,

Thanks for replying.

I have had a reply from ebay already. As I included a tracking number which shows it was attempted to be delivered, and I have tried to communicate with the buyer but they are ignoring me and the parcel has not been opened but just refused I am not obligated to refund.

Will wait to see what paypal says before I get too excited though.

debbie 🙂

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Good news Debbie and thank you, as I think this info also clears up some questions for me also.

I currently have a Buyer in the UK who purchased a charm from me, so very low value item and paid for Registered International Post. (Approx. $24).   I received a message from her during the week saying she hadn't received it, so followed my usual procedure & sent her photos of the paperwork & PO receipt and then rang AP who were wonderful and traced it for me, to find (briefly) - it had arrived in UK within a week of me posting, but was marked as being Returned to Sender that very same day & was in transit to the Airport.  AP gave me Royal Mail's phone number & suggested Buyer should ring RM immediately as they should be able to stop it leaving UK and re-deliver. 

I msgd Buyer with all the detailed Tracking info and the RM phone number.  Next I get another message including a photo of a Customs Docket requesting payment of 14 odd pounds & she says she shouldn't have to pay that on top of what she has already paid !  She is obviously not too bright, because I pointed out to her (very politely) that firstly she should have contacted me sooner as the date on the documentation was 12/12 - so clearly she had the opportunity at least to receive the parcel and secondly that any Customs & Duty fees were her responsibility blah blah blah.

I have not heard a peep since, so have no idea what will happen next, but it's good to know I think I should be covered.

I have posted to UK, USA and Canada on a fairly regular basis, but not in any large volume, and have never had this problem regarding customs arise before, but have read of a few complaints on different threads. 

Does anyone here know, is it a random thing for a Buyer to be charged ?  I have always stated on the declaration - Merchandise - charm or bracelet as appropriate, so am not sure why this item was singled out.  Could it be with the state of world affairs more articles are being checked perhaps  . . . . .  just a thought

[thedees98]

In regards to return postage the buyer hasn't had to pay as there are no extra stamps on it and I haven't been charged at this end so I am not sure what happened there. She can't say not as described as she hasn't even opened the parcel, it is still sealed as I sent it, I have taken photos to prove it. It has the correct address so she can't use that excuse either. All a bit odd !!!

[mbselections00]

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@thedees98 wrote:

In regards to return postage the buyer hasn't had to pay as there are no extra stamps on it and I haven't been charged at this end so I am not sure what happened there. She can't say not as described as she hasn't even opened the parcel, it is still sealed as I sent it, I have taken photos to prove it. It has the correct address so she can't use that excuse either. All a bit odd !!!

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It is very peculiar.  You would think she could offer some explanation - one of those things that would really bug me, not knowing why I mean.  Sorry, in my previous post I got carried away with the Customs bit, I guess cause that's where my mind was (put it down to the age thing !)  That was really my point - as it's not marked RTS instead Refused - perhaps that was written by Customs because the Buyer Refused to pay the Duty ?  The customer would probably be aware of the procedure and as such knows the book would be returned to you.  Would also explain why no extra postage has been payable

[lizzy6107]

Yes, I would guess it's the duty also..

I don't have the stomach to sell overseas, so many problems!

[thedees98]

Possibly customs, I have never had this problem before and I have sent a few books overseas. Apart from refused written all over it and the stamp of a finger saying RTS there is nothing else on it. I was just taken aback by the blutness of her email, short and not so sweet lol

I now only post overseas to NZ and the Asia area as I am not impressed in paying high fees on the high postage on large items with ebay then again with paypal. A lot of my heavier books are around $10.00 so with the fees you're not left with much.

[mbselections00]

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@lizzy6107 wrote:

Yes, I would guess it's the duty also..

I don't have the stomach to sell overseas, so many problems!

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Funny you say that.  With my latest experience & what I've read on the Boards lately I have been seriously considering not selling overseas anymore, although I have only ever had one problem - item not received after 16 days in Russia - Case Opened, but was received day 26 (within eBays time frame, but I still wore a Neg for it !).  Sounds ridiculous I know, but with the Money Back Guarantee I think now it's not worth sending Registered so you have Tracking - damned if you do and damned if you don't.  Almost all my orders go as Large Letter, & the difference in price for overseas is huge.  I'm looking at it, if I get hit for a Refund including postage I will lose out big time.  Maybe I should start a new post and see what others think because I am sitting on the fence atm over this decision.

[lizzy6107]

I had a bloke once desperate for a book, I think it was to Germany, and he really wanted it, so after going to all the extra trouble to enable OS postage , get prices and throw in registered or tracking or something, he left me a ❤️ inad.. for my effort.

Never again.