How does the return process work?

[bombbloke]

Sorry to ask about something seemingly so elementary, but I've somehow only picked up minimal knowledge on this issue.

Just over a month ago I ordered a phone display for a local repair job. This one turned out to be defective; over the years I've only ever very occasionally received busted parts, and they're worth so little that I've always just ordered another and sucked it up (or only found out months after receiving them, by which time it was too late). But prices vary depending on the phone model, and for the first time, I've gotten a busted and expensive part and found out early-ish.

(Truth be told, I've only ever performed ONE return before, and that, coincidentally, was a couple of weeks ago - for an even more expensive part that was of entirely the wrong type. That took about two weeks of fluffing about with a seller, which may've been due to my lack of knowledge about protocol, may've been because the seller was an idiot, may've been because of a language barrier, or may've been some combination of all three. In any case I don't wish to repeat that sort of experience, and am glad I've made it this far with so few difficulties.)

So I clicked "contact seller" and followed the prompts, and was led by the canned responses (filled in by either the seller or eBay, who knows?) to initiate a return.

The system tells me the seller has approved that, but the thing that's confusing me is that eBay wants me to contact said seller for a shipping label so they can pay postage. Ok, sent a message last week... no reply. In the meantime, eBay's messaged me again saying to either ship the item by Thursday or risk losing the refund. No options for what to do if the seller seemingly isn't participating in the process, apparently.

I've messaged the seller again, but it strikes me that it might be a good idea to furthermore gather some info on how this process is supposed to work. Do they need certain details from me (that I could be gathering already), or do they just send me some sort of magic label? (If so, why wasn't I asked for those details when they approved it? If not, why wasn't I provided with the label when they approved the return?? I assume the answer boils down to "eBay doesn't always make sense", but I could be missing something here...)

To my understanding, Paypal refunds are supposed to cover a period of at least 45 days, and if memory serves that was even extended quite some time ago. Is eBay telling me I've somehow forfeited on that coverage?

I'm rather tempted to just send the thing back sign-on-delivery without worrying about the label. I'm not terribly concerned about the postage cost (which I assume'll be less than $10). Is that a bad idea? I rather suspect that my message has been ignored in the hopes that that's exactly what I'll do, but since I'm lacking in past experience (and can't know for sure what's going on in the seller's head if they won't tell me), for all I know something's simply come up and they're incapable of answering messages at the present time. Maybe they'll get back to me tomorrow. Who knows. What happens if I just wait it out and they never reply?

Any advice (general or otherwise, even links to past threads that're relevant) would be appreciated. I assume I could just call eBay's support line, but my lurking over the years has led me to suspect I'll get more accurate information here.

[kopenhagen5]

If you paid by PayPal, open a case for Item Not as Described and add a note the item does not work at all.

The seller then gets the oppotunity to refund if they wish without item being returned.

If the seller does not refund, you then follow PayPal's instructions and may be required to return the item for a refund of item plus your initial postage cost. You can also get the return postage refunded by PayPal but I believe you need to sign up for that offer with PayPal.

If you paid by other means you need to rely on the integrity of the seller to assist.

[digital*ghost]

Ideally, the seller should be communicating with you about how to return the item, what postage method to use, and - if possible - forward a shipping label (when I have done so as a seller, I create one online, so the postage is paid, then email the buyer the PDF to download and print the label - in the US, the system works differently and the buyer can process a label via eBay themselves, then the seller is charged for it, eBay took most of the process from the US system when they implemented it here, but not that bit). 

Unfortunately, you can't actually force the seller to do this, and while the seller is supposed to pay for return shipping, it can thwart the entire returns process for the buyer, because you're required to ship back by a certain date with - at the very least - a method / cost approved by the seller (for example, their specific advice to ship back by Australia Post standard postage).

If you are up to the stage where you're being required to ship back, you're probably better off doing so even if you pay for it yourself, at least if you'll be less out of pocket than if you didn't send it back at all, because going by previous cases similar to yours, you'll either lose the refund entirely, or get a refund of the original payment by sending back - you can contact eBay for the return postage, but chances are they'll fob you off and make excuses about it (again, going by similar cases with similar circumstances to yours). 

A PayPal dispute will result in exactly the same scenario, (refund of original payment, but not return postage), so you may as well get that with this rather than attempt a different dispute process, IMO. 

[bakeandfry]

A friend of mine recently did a return on ebay, i asked how it worked, they told me that they could print a return label via a big blue sign thing, (sorry for lack of detail as that was exactly how it was described to me)

[digital*ghost]

---

@bakeandfry wrote:

A friend of mine recently did a return on ebay, i asked how it worked, they told me that they could print a return label via a big blue sign thing, (sorry for lack of detail as that was exactly how it was described to me)

---

Really? None of my buyers have had that option - the purchase was definitely made on eBay AU, shipped within AU?

Do you know if the seller used a postage method where they can print labels via eBay originally?

(Sorry for the 20 3 questions, which I know you might not have the answers to... it's just I've always had to buy and send a label manually...well, all 2 times I've had a return for NAD, but then this is on items that went as large letters, so maybe if the seller is using eBay postage options, the buyer gets the option to create a return label via eBay?) 

[bakeandfry]

---

@digital*ghost wrote:

---

@bakeandfry wrote:

A friend of mine recently did a return on ebay, i asked how it worked, they told me that they could print a return label via a big blue sign thing, (sorry for lack of detail as that was exactly how it was described to me)

---

Really? None of my buyers have had that option - the purchase was definitely made on eBay AU, shipped within AU?

Do you know if the seller used a postage method where they can print labels via eBay originally?

(Sorry for the 20 3 questions, which I know you might not have the answers to... it's just I've always had to buy and send a label manually...well, all 2 times I've had a return for NAD, but then this is on items that went as large letters, so maybe if the seller is using eBay postage options, the buyer gets the option to create a return label via eBay?) 

---

Yep it was a purchase in au, and shipped in au, i wouldnt know about the print label via ebay or not.

ill try and get hold of them and see.

[bakeandfry]

The seller used a label, weather it was made through ebay or not is not known....

[digital*ghost]

Thanks - I'll have to get my deerstalker out and do some investigating. 🙂

[padi*0409]

I'll keep an eye on you while you do your investigation digi......................

[phorum_junkie*]

You coulld always talk to ebay on the phone (use the call you back option, better service by all accounts) and say the seller will not provide a return shipping label. If they can't help you then if it is financially worth it you may have to return the item at your expense, make sure you use a fully trackable service, click & send or SOD, don't just rely on the minimsl tracking on ordinary satchels.