Overseas return request

[jellybirddesigns]

So, I have finally received my first return request from overseas.

The item was sent to the UK, and the buyer (with 8 feedback) now wants to return it. She's marked it as "Not as described", but I think it's just a case of buyers remorse.

Anyway, I have a message from Ebay to respond to the case within 4 days.

The buyer sent me a message asking for my postal address, which I have given her.

As yet I have not responded to the case as I don't want to go ahead without first consulting these boards.

Because she's marked it as Not Described, I'm responsible for postage.

1) I'm assuming I can only refund her what she spends on the postage once I get back the item and can work out the exchange rate?

2) The case does not show up in my resolution centre, but wants me to log in to Ebay UK?

3) The buyer needs to supply tracking back to me, correct?

[5kazam]

My suggestion is to get a 'Call Back' from eBay (they're the ones that don't read from a script), explain the situation, and ask for the best way to handle this - hopefully to your advantage.

And I agree wholeheartedly with Lyndal 'What an awful system this is".

[jellybirddesigns]

All I can do is hope that she posts the item before Ebay send her a message saying "Did you get a label from the seller?".

I have a feeling she did post on the day the return was opened as she seemed keen to get her refund as soon as I got the item back.

She only has 8 feedback so probably not all that clued up on the process. Even her message to me asked for a refund on the item, but made no mention about getting refunded for the return postage.

She has also not sent any information on how much the item cost to return from the UK.

[tank.metal.upgrades]

You will soon find out how much money you will lose for selling on ebay

[black*poppy]

If you didn't agree to an amount for return post before she sent it, there is no way for ebay to make you pay it.  

Whether you want to pay it is another issue, I'm not here for an ethics debate, I'm just saying that ebay won't enforce it if it's not agreed prior with a specific amount.

Ebay might refund the postage out of their own pocket, or she might have been a nice buyer and signed up for the paypal return post offer (if the UK has this scheme).

It's such a stupid system that could be so easily better managed with a few extra prompts and options in the return process. 

[australiandigitalantennas]

Yes i agree Their new Policies deffinitelly in Favour of Buyers in any aspect! I am starting withdraw  some  Items .Ebay will loose here to ...

[jellybirddesigns]

Thanks Poppy - the buyer never said how much the return postage was, so in that respect I'm in the dark. 

Also, I noticed on the Return dispute in the resolution centre, it says the amount to be refunded to the buyer is the cost of the item plus the ORIGINAL outbound postage.

[lyndal1838]

---

@cushioncovers wrote:

Thanks Poppy - the buyer never said how much the return postage was, so in that respect I'm in the dark. 

Also, I noticed on the Return dispute in the resolution centre, it says the amount to be refunded to the buyer is the cost of the item plus the ORIGINAL outbound postage.

---

All refunds are for the full value of the item plus original postage.  If you are going to pay the return postage you will lose both ways.

Is the value of the item worth 2 lots of postage?  Will you recoup that amount by reselling the item or will you still be out of pocket?

[jellybirddesigns]

Thanks Lyndal, for some reason I though it was just the return postage that sellers had to cover.

However, the buyer has not said anything about return postage and I cannot send a label as she in the UK, so we'll see what happens.

Once I get the item back and can resell it, I'll probably break even on the whole thing or take a small loss.

The item was only worth $21.95.

[black*poppy]

The reason why you need to agree the return postage amount first is because otherwise it would be so open to exploitation.  Imagine if the buyer chose a really expensive postage method, assuming you would foot the bill, like platinum courier express or somesuch?

When you receive the item back you will have to give a full refund of the initial purchase price (item cost + initial postage). The case will close instantly when you refund.  Leave it at that and see what happens (probably nothing).  I'm pretty sure that once the case is closed there is no reopening it, and no recourse for the buyer if you didn't have a further refund amount for the return post  agreed prior.  Unless you want to refund the return post of course.  And whether you feel that might prevent a neg or if you care about that either.   If I felt like it was a change of mind return I wouldn't be inclined to, but that's me.