Did anyone else decide to no longer accept returns because of Paypal's new policy?

[saloteen18]

So, as I'm sure some of you are aware, Paypal enacted a new policy a few months ago where they will no longer issue Paypal fee credit after a refund is given.

Recently I sold a $525 and the buyer asked for a refund before I shipped the item. I'm accustomed to giving refund and returns no matter what, because I would be put back to zero. Meaning ebay and paypal fees would've been refunded back to me and I would be at a clean slate. So I refunded him... only to be stuck with a $24 Paypal transaction fee because of their new policy.

I started a chat with Paypal about this, because I wasn't aware of their new policy and inquired about why the fee wasn't refunded. In the automated part of the chat, their virtual assistant gave me  this link, which explains that I would get refunded the fee. Despite their website still telling me I would be refunded, the representative told me they will not refund me and that it technically isn't even possible to refund me. So whatever, I accept that loss.

What I realize now though, is that in order to protect myself from this happening again, I can no longer issue returns and refunds on my ebay sales. I am not a seller store and use ebay to sell items I no longer need, which is only maybe 5 items per year. Every item I sell is generally in the $500+ range, so the Paypal fees I pay are large. And I do not want to expose myself to the whim of the buyer when it is so costly to me.

Has anyone else taken this route and decided to no longer accept returns or give refunds? I'm interested to hear other's thoughts and if anyone came up with another solution beside the one I came up with.

[bigdeals.etc]

I heard of some people here saying they are no longer going to accept buyer cancellation requests though.

[lonz55]

Interesting article on changes at ebay, new CEO, layoffs and three new top execs. Didn't realize there were 14000 employees. Hope they realize Sellers are their bread and butter!

[city*satins]

I switched to NO RETURNS but a week later switched back because suddenly every return was SNAD. 

I just decided resistance was futile.

[atikovi]

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@mrdutch1001 wrote:

NO returns does NOT mean no refunds as per eBay's Money Back Guarantee which over rides any policy a seller may have. Even for Remorse, buyers will indeed find their way to return and/or get a refund.

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Umm, OP's post isn't about returns. No item was ever shipped.

[atikovi]

@attheshoeseum wrote:

I have now run into this situation 4 times since the PayPal rule change.  This would have totaled about $60 in refunds.  Instead, I explained to the buyer that I am happy to cancel their sale, however, if they have already paid I am unable to refund the processing fees charged by PayPal. 

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I have done this twice but held back the Ebay fee as well. So if someone buys a $100 item and pays for it, then an hour later asks to cancel, I tell them I am willing to cancel and refund all but the Ebay and Paypal fees, or about $87.

[kathy507]

I am unclear about going through PayPal to issue a refund less the processing fee.

If you refund through PayPal, do you deny the cancel request through eBay? The only choice you have through eBay is deny the request or issue a full refund.

If you deny the request through eBay and then process a refund through PayPal minus the processing and/or listing fee, how does that play out if they complain through eBay?

[mrdutch1001]

if you recall my response was not to OP, but to another poster.

[atikovi]

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@kathy507 wrote:
I am unclear about going through PayPal to issue a refund less the processing fee.

If you refund through PayPal, do you deny the cancel request through eBay? The only choice you have through eBay is deny the request or issue a full refund.

If you deny the request through eBay and then process a refund through PayPal minus the processing and/or listing fee, how does that play out if they complain through eBay?

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My two refund events were before buyer opened a cancel request on Ebay. They contacted me directly, I guess, because they saw I don't do returns.

[this*old*attic]

That’s all well and good, but not EBay policy. They don’t have to agree and could report you.

The only folks who can do this might be TRS offering free returns... but these are items that were never shipped in the first place. An added wrinkle is that it is also specifically disallowed by the site to pass PayPal fees to buyers (policy from the old days).

We’ll just have to wait and see if all the factors collide at some point.

Keep in mind though that sites like the River allow instant cancellations. We don’t need yet one more area where we annoy buyers and fail to compete.

[atikovi]

@this*old*attic wrote:

That’s all well and good, but not EBay policy. They don’t have to agree and could report you.

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Don't have to agree with what? Mine were local pickup only items and I don't do returns. So either take the refund less the fees, or get nothing back at all. You're still welcome to pick up your item at any time. Not sure about Ebay policy but since they didn't have to refund their sale fee, they should be fine with it.

[saloteen18]

My post and the policy applies to returns, as well.  Just because my specific situation didn't apply to returns, doesn't mean the policy doesn't.