accepting a return item

[health54]

On Mar 18, a buyer emailed us, not happy with purchase. we asked him to return item in good shape, we would do a refund.   Today got email from ebay about this, when we click on the accept return, it said we have to pay return postage - we didn't agree to that, so stopped at step 1 in the process.  How do we stop this process?  Would be happy to refund original costs if they pay to return the item.

[phorum_junkie*]

If the buyer opened a not as described dispute and you agreed to the return then you have to pay for the return postage. The only time you don't is if it is a change of mind return and your refund policy states that the buyer is responsible for the cost of return postage.

Depending what the item is, how much it cost, how much you could resell it for etc it may make better economic sense to just refund and tell them to keep it.

[digital*ghost]

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@health54 wrote:

On Mar 18, a buyer emailed us, not happy with purchase. we asked him to return item in good shape, we would do a refund.   Today got email from ebay about this, when we click on the accept return, it said we have to pay return postage - we didn't agree to that, so stopped at step 1 in the process.  How do we stop this process?  Would be happy to refund original costs if they pay to return the item.

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Do any of the buyer's messages prior to opening the return request state what the nature of the problem is? eg do they say there's a problem with it, such as faulty or damaged, or is it more a case of just not liking the item?

If the latter then it counts as change of mind and you're not responsible for return postage, so you should be able to contact eBay and show them the buyer opened an incorrect request. 

[imastawka]

OP is in USA  

[digital*ghost]

I didn't spot that 🙂 But advice remains the same, as the relative rules for returns are the same. 

[designers*n*more]

If a return is for change of mind, do you have to refund original postage?

[digital*ghost]

No, not usually. (I only say not usually because some sellers have posted that they only had the option to refund the buyer in full for a change of mind return request, however with the one I had, the buyer would only get a refund of the item price - so not original and not return postage).

If a "free post" item, the full payment is refunded unless the seller charges a restocking fee, and if the seller's return policy is set to seller pays return postage, then that applies to change of mind returns.