topic Re: Return request initiated from international buyer in Selling

Return request initiated from international buyer

from*a*century*past — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 03:31:40 GMT

Help!! I recently sold an expensive piece of jewellery to a buyer in the US and now they have initiated a buyer return request stating the item was damaged when received. They have sent photos of what looks like the chain was snapped (they state it's unfixable). How this happened I have no idea (item was in perfect condition and sent in its padded velvet box bubble wrapped and then packed and padded in another box). This is besides the point, as per eBay returns policy, I am obliged to refund their money.

My problem is creating the return postage label and sending to buyer. If this was a cheap piece of **bleep** I would let them have it, but it's not and it is also VERY "fixable", so I want it back.
How do I create the label then send to buyer, why can't I create one through eBay, it would be so much simpler.
Any help would be greatly appreciated as I'm on a timeline to fix this mess up. I will not be selling overseas again, lesson learned.

Re: Return request initiated from international buyer

siddieswans — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 05:36:59 GMT

Quoting from eBay - " eBay return labels are only available for items returned within Australia."

So far as I know there is no way of sending a postage label for an International return. (Someone please correct me if I am wrong - I would love to know.) There are various ways of sending money to them so they could send it back themselves - to their PayPal account, getting them to create a Special Listing on eBay for the postage amount and you buying it. I am sure there are others. Of course any of these would depend on them closing their Return Request FIRST, and also you trusting them to follow through honorably. What does their Feedback look like? I do sell Internationally and each time I am in fact trusting that the buyer is a decent and honest person, who will work with me if a problem arises. I hope you can appeal to their better nature - good luck.

Re: Return request initiated from international buyer

sugar249 — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 05:57:08 GMT

Sorry there is no way I would be closing the return request FIRST, why should they trust the seller.

Re: Return request initiated from international buyer

twyngwyn — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 06:28:08 GMT

Was it the 'poison' necklace? Are you on Facebook? You have the buyer's name.....check FBook for photos of them wearing it.........lots of people have been caught that way. If not, make sure upon return that it is the same one you sent 👿

Re: Return request initiated from international buyer

from*a*century*past — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 06:29:16 GMT

Thank you for your reply. I actually didn't see that when scouring over eBay help topics.

It looks like the whole process will not be cost effective for me as the postage back to Australia is over $100 USD! With the buyers refund plus the cost of the jewellery repair, eBay fees, US sales tax etc, I will lose out big time - so buyer will get to keep it. Gotta cop this one on the chin 😞

I do hope eBay will at least refund the fees they took off me.

Btw, her feedback was excellent.

Re: Return request initiated from international buyer

domino-710 — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 06:29:55 GMT

Personally - I think the buyer is ' trying it on ' - if it is the Crystal Necklace - it is held in place by velvet tabs.

The box looks solid - bubble wrapped.

Can you show us the photos sent. ??

Re: Return request initiated from international buyer

sandypebbles — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 06:31:45 GMT

Buyers can only be given positive feedback so that is meaningless

Have you read through the actual feedback comments?

And false positives ?

What is her feedback left for others like?

Re: Return request initiated from international buyer

from*a*century*past — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 06:49:07 GMT

Yes, that's the one. I am on FB but I doubt they got to wear it, they contacted eBay the next day it arrived. Postage is over $100 USD which makes it just too expensive to get it back with all the other costs.

Re: Return request initiated from international buyer

from*a*century*past — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 06:56:43 GMT

It was doubled boxed and there was no damage to it at all. The thing I found strange was they said it was completely "unfixable". Im in a no win situation, so will have to cut my losses I suppose.

Re: Return request initiated from international buyer

sandypebbles — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 07:03:58 GMT

I call horse hockey

Maybe she already had one that was fubar and wanted to replace it

Re: Return request initiated from international buyer

domino-710 — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 07:29:41 GMT

OMG.

I'm not buying it - those jewelery boxes travel the world.

And edited to say - that would be totally fixable - which I would do - because it's lovely.

Re: Return request initiated from international buyer

twyngwyn — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 07:52:03 GMT

The links in the extender chain are not the same as yours!!

Re: Return request initiated from international buyer

twyngwyn — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 08:15:01 GMT

......and her chain (lhs) seems to have a lot of missing links

Re: Return request initiated from international buyer

imastawka — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 08:17:55 GMT

OMG!!!! Twynnie's right!!!

DO NOT REFUND.

Point out this huge difference in the case.

I also thought the boxes were different - shades and condition e.g.

Re: Return request initiated from international buyer

twyngwyn — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 08:32:55 GMT

contact Swarovski and have them confirm which item is legitimate

Re: Return request initiated from international buyer

domino-710 — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 08:44:49 GMT

OK Sherlock - well done.

Agree.

Very Blue for the box.

To say nothing of the chain.

Very Black for the box.

And the chain is different.

Re: Return request initiated from international buyer

frans_plants — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 05:00:58 GMT

You are not obliged to refund the buyer until they return the item. Even if they argue that ACCC regulations do not apply as they are in the US, that's not true, as they purchased an item from Australia.

If they make things difficult and do not cooperate with your attempts to comply with eBay and ACCC regulations to provide them with a return postage label, elevate your complaint with eBay.

If you provide them with a return postage label, and lodge it with eBay, you will not be required to refund the buyer if you do not receive the item. Ensure the return postage method has tracking so you can prove whether or not it does actually get back to you.

If they do return the item, and depending on what information you have, it is also possible they have breached eBay's rules by not returning the item in the condition they received it, but that's difficult as it's your word against theirs. It's also possible (but I doubt it) that the item genuinely was damaged during shipping, in which case it's always the risk when selling online.

Re: Return request initiated from international buyer

imastawka — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 05:27:27 GMT

Judging by the photograph supplied by the buyer, it's not the same item.

So, no refund, and no postage label can be issued for USA return anyway.

Re: Return request initiated from international buyer

domino-710 — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 05:44:47 GMT

I honestly tried to make sense of that lot.

Lost me.

Re: Return request initiated from international buyer

sandypebbles — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 05:55:27 GMT

So, the OP is supposed to provide a return label to a buyer overseas who has already been proven to be a liar and a scammer, in the hope that the said lair/scammer is going to send back the real item the OP actually sent to them, and not the broken substitute they are claiming is what they received?