New wrinkle to refunds - buyer pays for shipping, but seller required to refund handling charges.

[sylvan_belle]

I am in automated returns, and the few returns requests that I receive are usually straightforward and problem free. However, the last few that I've had required me to refund more than the buyer paid for the item.

These are fit or buyer remorse returns, where the buyer pays the return shipping.

But, it seems that Ebay is now requiring the seller to refund any handling costs to the buyer in addition to the original price of the item.

I know the additional is small, but it's irritating, so I finally called to find out why.

The customer service rep said that is not a new policy, that Ebay requires handling fees to be refunded to the buyer as a courtesy service, even on remorse returns, but I'd never heard of that until now. It is not in any written return policy that I can find. I questioned this, because after all, the costs were incurred as part of the shipping. In this particular case, it was a fairly expensive dress, and I paid for extra packaging materials and insurance. The amount was relatively small - less than $2.00 - so I felt like a cheapskate calling about it, but I was surprised to learn of this policy. Interesting.

Also....I noticed on the Ebay-provided return shipping label that the postage was shown as "No postage required if shipped within the United States." I'm wondering...does Ebay have an arrangement with the USPS for free return shipping???? I wonder if they charge the buyer for shipping?

The rep was polite, and trying to be helpful, but she put me on hold FOUR times to do "research," and then said she had never had this situation come up before and admitted she didn't know too much about return policies, and that "everyone" was still trying to learn more about it. ha ha. Yup, not a new policy. ha ha.   She also said handling was "like charging tax," and that it would refunded, "just like taxes." I finally got tired of waiting, hung up and just refunded the buyer because of the small amount, but it was interesting....and annoying. I can see where this could be a problem with a large, expensive item requiring a lot of expensive packaging. Something to think about...

[ten_o_nine]

How about re stocking fee of 10%, that should cover your handling for remorse returns.

[missjen831]

---

@sylvan_belle wrote:

I am in automated returns, and the few returns requests that I receive are usually straightforward and problem free. However, the last few that I've had required me to refund more than the buyer paid for the item.

These are fit or buyer remorse returns, where the buyer pays the return shipping.

But, it seems that Ebay is now requiring the seller to refund any handling costs to the buyer in addition to the original price of the item.

I know the additional is small, but it's irritating, so I finally called to find out why.

The customer service rep said that is not a new policy, that Ebay requires handling fees to be refunded to the buyer as a courtesy service, even on remorse returns, but I'd never heard of that until now. It is not in any written return policy that I can find. I questioned this, because after all, the costs were incurred as part of the shipping. In this particular case, it was a fairly expensive dress, and I paid for extra packaging materials and insurance. The amount was relatively small - less than $2.00 - so I felt like a cheapskate calling about it, but I was surprised to learn of this policy. Interesting.

Also....I noticed on the Ebay-provided return shipping label that the postage was shown as "No postage required if shipped within the United States." I'm wondering...does Ebay have an arrangement with the USPS for free return shipping???? I wonder if they charge the buyer for shipping?

The rep was polite, and trying to be helpful, but she put me on hold FOUR times to do "research," and then said she had never had this situation come up before and admitted she didn't know too much about return policies, and that "everyone" was still trying to learn more about it. ha ha. Yup, not a new policy. ha ha.   She also said handling was "like charging tax," and that it would refunded, "just like taxes." I finally got tired of waiting, hung up and just refunded the buyer because of the small amount, but it was interesting....and annoying. I can see where this could be a problem with a large, expensive item requiring a lot of expensive packaging. Something to think about...

---

Ebay has no special contract that gives them free returns through USPS. The label says no postage due because its a return service label. USPS bills ebay whatever the actual shipping cost was. 

[omega-glory]

Handling fee is like a tax?  Where do they hire these people from.

[myangelandmyprincess]

Whoever you talked to must really have a vivid imagination.   

[*eponymous*]

A refund, according to eBay, is and always has been the amount paid by the buyer.

No fvf credit is given on a partial refund.

[lookng2015]

But does a remorse return entitle the buyer to be paid back for original S&H? I thought they were only eligible for the item cost?

[divtec]

I recently suffered this ebay (illogical) policy. The item purchase was for about $1000 and weighed 63 lbs... when the buyer issued a Return Request I discovered ebay required me the seller to pay for return shipping in the amout of over $70. I could not believe that anyone making policy at ebay would think this be fair or even logical. Who's in charge... Simpletons?

This is nuts... and I really am worried that it actually made sense to ebay to do this?

So... it is apparent that no matter the agreement between the seller and buyer and even selecting the various ebay options when creating your auction... does not matter.

What is going on here?

So... effectively due to this policy... sellers put themselves at risk of loss above the cost of lost sale. It's a hard cash losss... all because of an ebay policy.

Does ebay hate sellers?

Super frustrated!

[jason_incognito]

When I return something that I paid a tax on, the tax gets refunded to me.

[pjcdn2005]

---

wrote:

I recently suffered this ebay (illogical) policy. The item purchase was for about $1000 and weighed 63 lbs... when the buyer issued a Return Request I discovered ebay required me the seller to pay for return shipping in the amout of over $70. I could not believe that anyone making policy at ebay would think this be fair or even logical. Who's in charge... Simpletons?

This is nuts... and I really am worried that it actually made sense to ebay to do this?

So... it is apparent that no matter the agreement between the seller and buyer and even selecting the various ebay options when creating your auction... does not matter.

What is going on here?

So... effectively due to this policy... sellers put themselves at risk of loss above the cost of lost sale. It's a hard cash losss... all because of an ebay policy.

Does ebay hate sellers?

Super frustrated!

 If ebay is requiring you to pay for return postage the buyer must be saying that the item is not as described. Ebay's money back guarantee requires sellers to pay for return shipping if the buyer claims that the item is not as described.  You should probably read the MBG so that you are familiar with it. 

I don't know the situation with your buyer or if the item really was not as described but if a seller does send out an item and it is different than the description or it gets damaged during shipping, it isn't fair that the buyer be out the money to ship it back.

---

[coolections]

I don't know where you are thinking this is a new policy. It has always been if a buyer returns snad you give them ALL their $$ back, AND you pay for the return shipping label. You cannot deduct for handling, for tax, for restocking, or for extra postage you may have paid.

[fern*wood]

I had that happen to me a couple months ago and asked on the weekly chat if the return process had changed and I missed the memo. 

The rep looked into my transaction and assured me the process had not changed and that it was a mistake.  He proceeded to have a credit issued to me for my handling fees.

[fern*wood]

---

wrote:

I don't know where you are thinking this is a new policy. It has always been if a buyer returns snad you give them ALL their $$ back, AND you pay for the return shipping label. You cannot deduct for handling, for tax, for restocking, or for extra postage you may have paid.

---

The OP is talking about a normal remorse return---not a not as described return.

[tellmemama]

---

wrote:

I don't know where you are thinking this is a new policy. It has always been if a buyer returns snad you give them ALL their $$ back, AND you pay for the return shipping label. You cannot deduct for handling, for tax, for restocking, or for extra postage you may have paid.

---

It isn't a new policy.  But the seller is never responsible for the return shipping for buyer's remorse unless free return shipping is offered in the listing.  The OP's example was for fit which is considered a remorse return.  Not SNAD. 

I don't know why she was required to refund in full.  But in future she can impose a restocking fee to cover the handling, tax, and initial shipping for said remorse returns. 

All clearly allowed per eBay policy.

<edit: spelling>

[coolections]

@tellmemama

But every seller out there calls a return a remorse return. I have seen hundreds of threads right here on the boards where it was a snad return but the seller insist it was a remorse return. Do you know for sure what claim the OP's buyer made ? Most OP's don't tell you all the info and leave out the good stuff.