Return policy Sellers terms say they take off the cost of their postage

[goonerash]

I have initiated a return, the seller is ignoring me

I notice that in their return policy it says 

"Return postage will be paid by the buyer if it's found that the item's description was described accurately on eBay. In this case, refund will include the original price of the item, minus the cost to post the item by the seller."

It was listed as free postage Are they allowed to take their postage price off my purchase price?

Thanks in advance

[goonerash]

I think you are misunderstanding, the sellers terms say that they will take money off the $19.99 refund to cover the cost of THEIR initial postage and not my return, which i know i have to pay for. I dont epect my return postage to be paid for by the seller but i dont excpect any money to be taken ff the purchase price when i send it back

[springyzone]

phil, the reality is there is no such thing as free postage. The correct term would probably be 'postage included'

The seller definitely paid postage to get the item to you. All that happened was your $19.99 payment included the postage cost.

I'm puzzled-why do you think the seller should be expected to suck up the postage costs simply because you have had a change of mind?

Why should the seller be out of pocket at all?

It's a different thing when a product isn't as described or is faulty but that isn't the case here.

[lyndal1838]

Thank you springy.....that is what I have been saying all along but the OP does not want to see it,

[digital*ghost]

This is basically a "what's in a name" situation.

Is the seller allowed to do it? Yes, and in fact eBay provide an option to sellers to automatically deduct a portion of the sale price from a refund if an item is returned due to change of mind, only it's not called "postage the seller paid to get the item to you" fee, it's called a restocking fee....largely because it gives a better impression than 'original postage won't be refunded' when the item is listed as "free" postage, but a charge by any other name would cost the same.

So, although I can see why you are taking issue with the wording the seller used, consider if your feelings about the situation would change if the policy read:

"A portion of the sale price equal to the postage paid out will be retained by the seller as a restocking fee"

or

"A 20% restocking fee applies to change of mind returns"

[*tippy*toes*]

---

@phill.as wrote:

I have initiated a return, the seller is ignoring me

I notice that in their return policy it says 

"Return postage will be paid by the buyer if it's found that the item's description was described accurately on eBay. In this case, refund will include the original price of the item, minus the cost to post the item by the seller."

It was listed as free postage Are they allowed to take their postage price off my purchase price?

Thanks in advance

---

I'll make the answer to your question simple. Yes.

[letscleanupmycupboards]

But isn't the PayPal funded returns for when something is wrong? I didn't think it would cover change of mind or buyer mistake.

[goonerash · Accepted solution]

Thanks everyone, funny how things work out. We have been away and it was our housemate who said the package that arrived was a small satchel and therefore held the mini version

Upon returning home today we have opened it and its damaged, was in the satchel with no bubble wrap so Paypal can take it from here with an SNAD caim 

Interesting to know that sellers can take off postage prices from free postage though

have a great week 

[*tippy*toes*]

Funny how a change of mind has now turned into an NAD since the OP realised they have to pay the postage costs both ways. I also don't think the OP understands that there is nowhere in this country where you can send something for free. Saying something is free postage doesn't mean no-one is paying for it. Would it still be an issue if the item was $11 with $8.99 postage? You'd still only be getting the $11 back regardless.

At least opening the return dispute via PayPal, the OP still has to pay the postage costs, so it all kind of backfired really.

[curraone]

Well this was an interesting read.  And I'm sorry to say it is an ongoing trend. 

First the buyer says

I made a mistake, its totally my fault,

then the buyer admits they did not read the listing's return policy before they bought

I notice that in their return policy it says "Return postage will be paid by the buyer if it's found that the item's description was described accurately on eBay. In this case, refund will include the original price of the item, minus the cost to post the item by the seller."

then the buyer ignores the repeated advice from the experienced posters in this thread,

then the buyer finds a way round it

Paypal can take it from here with an SNAD caim 

I reckon that's one for the party list.  

[imastawka]

small satchel = small game   lol

How small does the OP think satchels are?