Restocking fees

[oddsandendsoz]

Hey guys,

I hope you are all well. A few years ago after reading these boards I saw advice saying it is a good idea to put a blurb in your listings in the event that an item is returned to you with an explicit term around restocking fees. I followed this advice and now include this in all of my listings. Thankfully I have never had to use this, until now. 

On trying to search for this in eBay I cannot find anything in eBay's policies around this, does anyone know if you are still allowed to charge a restocking fee if an item is returned to you, and also when this happens for you do you refund the buyer minus eBay fees, and postage charges? Thanks in advance. 

[countessalmirena]

I don’t think this is something you can do now…

Quoting:

  ❝Seller protections are intended to give you confidence when selling on eBay. The partial refund feature may not be used to recoup market losses on items returned in the same condition or recoup return postage and restocking fees.

 ❝A partial refund may only be used to recoup losses when an item is returned used or damaged. Sellers who misuse seller protections may be subject to a range of actions, such as losing access to this feature, or suspension from buying, selling or using other site features.❞

https://www.ebay.com.au/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/handle-return-request-seller?id=4115

[oddsandendsoz]

Thanks Countess, it does not surprise me; eBay seem to make changes all the time that eventually take away all the tools that sellers can use to balance the scales from buyers who may have less than honourable intentions. 

So does anyone know what is the process for a refund under item being returned to sender? Does eBay automatically refund, and are the eBay fees returned?