Ebay gives refund because item was late

[pmk_comp]

I'm at a loss here.

Ebay has just refunded in full (without asking for the item to be returned) because the item was "LATE" acording to ebay's schedule "Get it Free & Fast by ???"

Despite the attached note saying delivery might take longer in peak periods, a buyer complained that it was "late" according to ebay's schedule and demanded a full refund.

Ebay obliged without asking for the buyer to send it back. I appealed but ebay dismissed my appeal.

What gives? So I can order an item on ebay, say it's late, get a full refund and get away with fraud?

I can't afford to give away my products.

What can I do?

[Anonymous]

Has the buyer received the item? If so make a complaint to Fair Trading as you have posted the item in a reasonable time frame and ebay has taken money because of Australia Post delays which is out of your control. GO do it.

[harley_babes_hoard]

If your listing has get it free & fast doesn't that mean that you have to post within one day?

Just checked yes to qualify for free and fast you have to post within 24 hours. So if you posted 2 days later then I suspect that is why PayPal have refunded the buyer.

[pmk_comp]

Does the ebay expectation of 24 hours still apply to weekends?

Perhaps we will have to change the handling times.

Free postage rips off the consumer. There's no such thing as "free" postage. The cost of shipping has to be incorporated into the cost of the product.

Then if the consumer buys two items they're paying for twice the postage, but ebay gets more money.

[clarry100]

99.9% of our items go out by large letter. ie untracked.

So far (touch wood!) we have not had a single case of any buyer implementing this MBG action against us.

Since our items average about $10 each to add $3.70 for registered post would either wipe out all our profit and hence not worth while selling any more. OR -- if we added it to the prices it will mean nobody will buy our items since they are too high priced.

So we have to soldier on the way we are until we are defected or refunded off the planet then we will have to close up shops.

[mbselections00]

I would have thought if the customer ordered on Saturday (or Friday evening) you would be covered to post on Monday as that's within 24 Business hours.

Mmmmm, maybe I had better change handling time on all my listings if that is not the case

[i-love-my-sheep]

I looked at some of your listings, including the ones that had the premium badge. To have the premium badge, you have to have a handling time of no more than one day. Even on those listings, near the bottom of the description, you say you will post in 3-5 days and that you post Mon, Wed and Fri. If you wait 3-5 days to post an item with the badge, you are going to end up with more disputes.

Although, you did say you posted on the Monday after the buyer paid on the Saturday, so that would still fall into the 1 business day. In that case, I would fight it. Especially as under the postage tab, it said for me (being in NSW):

Free postage

Australia

Standard Postage (Standard delivery)

Estimated between Wed. 10 Dec. and Mon. 15 Dec. to 2800

* Estimated delivery dates include seller's handling time, origin ZIP Code, destination ZIP Code and time of acceptance and will depend on shipping service selected and receipt of cleared payment Delivery times may vary, especially during peak periods.

I don't see Fast and Free on any of the listings I looked at, so I would assume that would only apply to people who lived closer. I actually thought Fast and Free meant you posted fast, like 0-1 day, but obviously distance plays a role too.

There have been lengthy discussions on these forums about the Premium Badge and it was established that it made absolutely no difference to sales by having it. You were no higher up on the Best Match search and sales were no higher than sellers who didn't have it.

I think in this day and age of the buyer can do no wrong, ditch the premium badge and set your handling time to 5 days. Set it when you create/relist the item, not just a mention of it in the description. If you still post within 1 day, all the better because the buyer gets it before the eBay estimate. Some buyers take that estimate as gospel and if it's not there by the earliest date, they open a dispute. They don't consider that this is a ridiculously busy time of year in the postal system, they just look at those dates.

[harley_babes_hoard]

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@pmk_comp wrote:

Does the ebay expectation of 24 hours still apply to weekends?

Perhaps we will have to change the handling times.

Free postage rips off the consumer. There's no such thing as "free" postage. The cost of shipping has to be incorporated into the cost of the product.

Then if the consumer buys two items they're paying for twice the postage, but ebay gets more money.

---

Not sure but here is what is says

Selling with eBay Fast 'N Free

eBay Fast 'N Free may help increase sales by giving buyers a more accurate estimated delivery date and reinforcing the value of your great service.

You can increase your chance of having the Fast 'N Free logo appear on your listings by following all the usual best practices:

• Offer free postage

• Offer an express postage option

• Offer same or one day handling and post within 24 hours

• Always upload tracking information to My eBay.

As always, only post the item after the buyer has paid. We let the buyer know that the estimated delivery date depends on cleared payment and other factors.

[found-in-australia]

Harley Babe says: "Just checked yes to qualify for free and fast you have to post within 24 hours. So if you posted 2 days later then I suspect that is why PayPal have refunded the buyer. "

Surely, if the statement is 24 hours and not one business day (as the OP has shipped within one business day), then such a system sets parameters for scammers to pay on Saturday afternoon or evening and make claims either because the item was either supposedly shipped "late", or if shipped within 24 hours, shipped without valid tracking.

[found-in-australia]

Yes, that confirms the 24 hours, I posted within 24 seconds of your subsequent posting.

It still leaves a terrible anomoly for sellers who receive Saturday payments.

[harley_babes_hoard]

yes, but once again who would know because I just read another section that does say within one business day so they contradict themselves all the time.

OP I would be fighting it though.