Fraught returns

[kalwal]

This is a good one. My buyer requested a return, but because she didn't want to pay for return postage, she claimed the item was not as described. Since eBay as a rule sides with buyers, I didn't bother to contest the return and let eBay send buyer a hubbed return label. Then, as I was away, I waited for eBay to tell me the item had been returned and delivered. Each time I looked on the website, it told me the item had been sent and was on its way. It was still on its way when the buyer asked eBay to step in, and eBay refunded her, although delivery was not showing as having been made. As it turned out, the buyer did not use the label I (via eBay) had sent her, but created a different, and more expensive, one.  Although eBay apparently had a record of this label, they did not update the information and let me think the item was still on its way. At the same time they said not to refund the buyer until the item had been received. How is that for a Catch-22?

[davewil1964]

Did you get the item back?

That is the salient point.

[kalwal]

Yes, I did, eventually. But if I hadn’t or it had been damaged, I would have lost my money, including cost of return postage, which is a financial loss anyway. And if eBay’s records had been up-to-date, the buyer would not have needed to ask eBay to “step in” and thereby “tarnish my reputation”.

[davewil1964]

Yes, I did, eventually.

As you accepted the return, that is the salient, relevant, pertinent point.

 If the buyer chose to pay return postage, you should have cancelled the label you generated. If that wasn't possible due to timeframes, you are no more out of pocket than if your return label was used.

What is your actual question?

[kalwal]

The buyer did not choose to pay for the return label, she generated one for me to pay. Without bothering to tell me. And she chose an Australia Post label which, you might not be aware of, is dearer than a hubbed label. And she generated her label AFTER eBay had already sent her the one I purchased. Had she just used the hubbed label, all would be fine. eBay would have advised me of the return’s delivery instead of saying that the return was still on its way and that I should not refund the buyer until I had received it.

And now this subject is closed.

[davewil1964]

I wouldn't use a Hubbed return myself.

Given your vast experience, I am still unsure what the point of your post was/is. Given you are not asking for advice, nor seeking solutions

Venting?

[lezned-toycollector]

I suspect they may have just wanted to draw attention to their inability to accurately describe their wares 😉