What is a "Return Label"?

[ginger_ice_cream]

I've opened a Ebay Money Back Guarantee case for an item not as described.

Ebay tells me tht the seller needs me to supply me with a return label (to pay for return postage)

What exactly is a return label?

[brianconstruct09]

So after a dozen call backs from ebay they NOW tell me the seller does not have to refund my return postage costs, LIES,LIES,LIES.

[abundantearth888]

This new process is a joke no wonder sellers are leaving ebay

[cherry*135]

Last week I noticed Aust Post have plain satchels for sale in three sizes starting at around .40c. If you don't have the packaging the parcel came in you could use one of those, at little cost to yourself (seller providing the prepaid postage label).

[lane-ends]

What happens if the seller sends you a prepaid satchel label. Would you as a buyer happen to have Ebay satchels on hand to attach it to. You can reuse the original it came in if you stil have it and haven't destroyed it. Otherwise what do you do? You can stick it on just any old parcel?

Also what happens if a seller pays for a label sends it, then buyer doesn't bother returning it?

What happens if when repackaged to send back the packaging is different size/weight than original shipped item (eg different box used). Then label could be underpaid and invalid.

What happens if buyer doesn't repack safely and it gets broken, or there is nothing wrong with it, or obviously usage damage/incomplete/swapped? What if buyer sends empty package back.? In short seller is expected to refund and pay return shipping with no guarantee they get back what they sent, in the condition it was sent.

It is a ridiculous system that can only have a negative impact on trust in Ebay

[cherry*135]

Also what happens if a seller pays for a label sends it, then buyer doesn't bother returning it?

It is no use to the buyer, if they don't return it. If the buyer doesn't return it, they don't get a refund.

You could stick the eBay label on a plain satched (sold in PO's now) at little cost. The PO don't seem to mind what type of satchel it is in as long as it is under the weight limit on the label.

The label will cover however the item was sent in the first place.. box, satchel.

There are lots of online retailers that offer returns (for any reason)... seems to work fine for them.

[davewil1964]

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@am*3 wrote:

Also what happens if a seller pays for a label sends it, then buyer doesn't bother returning it?

It is no use to the buyer, if they don't return it. If the buyer doesn't return it, they don't get a refund.

You could stick the eBay label on a plain satched (sold in PO's now) at little cost. The PO don't seem to mind what type of satchel it is in as long as it is under the weight limit on the label.

The label will cover however the item was sent in the first place.. box, satchel.

There are lots of online retailers that offer returns (for any reason)... seems to work fine for them.

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I wouldn't want to bet my livelihood on that. Besides, the seller is still out the return postage cost and the buyer still has the item.

[lane-ends]

If a return label is paid for but not used it could be cancelled by the seller ( I think there is a time limit for that though)

At what point does buyer get the refund, when tracking shows as delivered? or do they just get it anyway? Ebay seem to have a quick trigger on that.

[digital*ghost]

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@lane-ends wrote:

At what point does buyer get the refund, when tracking shows as delivered? or do they just get it anyway? Ebay seem to have a quick trigger on that.

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I recently had a return for INAD (as a seller), which was handled via eBay's MBG system, but my case is probably a little different because at no stage was the request escalated to a case, so that may have affected the process (i.e. what I had control over).

I was instructed to provide the buyer a postage label, but that was it - I couldn't see anywhere to purchase one via eBay, nor was there any means via the request to send the buyer a label. (In the US, the buyer can purchase the label via eBay and then the seller is charged for it, but there's nothing like that here). 

I processed a label via C&S and sent the PDF directly to the buyer's email address, with some brief instructions for how to use it (item was sent as a letter, so had to purchase a 500g label with own packaging). 

The buyer updated the request to indicate the item was posted back, but they didn't enter the tracking number (I had kept a record of it, so I already knew it was on its way back). That means eBay wasn't able to check on the delivery status, though, so that might also have affected things. 

I received the item around 10 days after it was posted, and then had to mark the package on eBay as received, then issue a refund manually afterwards (it was done via eBay, but marking the package as received didn't result in an auto-refund). 

[247newdeals]

I got an item a buyer wanted to return last night. I sent a label using C & S is using C & S the best way to do return labels or has anyone found a better way. It is a bit frustrating I would of rather of just sent them $9 to get a prepaid satchel and something to protect it. Now the buyer will have to reuse the satchel I sent it in and I just hope they package it but if they do that is going to be at their cost. I can see this making some very unhappy customers and 1 unhappy seller 😞

[black*poppy]

If ebay can detect the item has been delivered, or the buyer gets a CS rep to check the delivery status, the seller gets 4 business days to refund.  I assume this is to give the seller time to put money into paypal from a bank account if they have spent the money already, for instance.  If the seller hasn't refunded on the 5th day, then the case can be escalated and ebay will refund automatically with one of those case closed without seller resolution thingies.

I think with C&S labels you have 30 days to cancel the label, but I'm not 100% sure.  What I do know is if they don't process it within 30 days of purchase - and there can be a backlog sometimes - then they can't refund to your payment method, and will send a money order instead

It's annoying that the ebay system doesn't allow pdf's to be uploaded, so you have to use the buyer's personal email... what about proof of interactions through ebay messaging? Or has this changed?