Buyer purchased wrong item, they refused shipment and it was sent back.

[sovereignsupply]

There is no refund option in the order drop down menu.  Should we cancel the order even if it has already returned back to us?  How do we refund and get our selling fees reimbursed?  

[lintbrush* · Accepted solution]

Tell the buyer to open a return.  Then refund once he does.   

Do you have a restocking fee on all of your listings? (I only looked at one)  and if so, are you going to deduct for it on this return?  

Cancellations are supposed to used before shipping - and they are for all or nothing. 

If you don't refund it all, you don't get your fees refunded unless it's through Returns and you have a valid restocking fee.

Whenever I get a blind return I just send a message telling that that in order to process the refund, they have to open a return claim - and how easy and streamlined eBay has made it.  

[sovereignsupply]

Thanks!  This answered our question.  Sometimes you can't control what a buyer does, hopefully they'll be helpful with the return process.  

[lintbrush*]

@sovereignsupply

They usually are when they want their money returned.  

Depending on [in]active the buyer is, I might be inclined to send them a regular email too.

[7606dennis]

Actually, the buyer, by refusing delivery has voided his money back guarantee.  I would probably cancel at buyer's request, but technically you aren't required to refund anything to the buyer.  Of course, that wouldn't be the nice thing to do.

[sovereignsupply]

And does the reason for their return affect our seller performance?  We told them to say "they changed their mind" which is the truth, but you never know what customers might do.  

[sovereignsupply]

Sometimes we suck it up just to please the buyer even if they're wrong.  Welcome to eBay.

[sovereignsupply]

We decided to give them a full refund and unchecked the restocking fee option in the refund section.  The estimated refund showed that it was for the full amount, yet when we processed the refund, it still deducted the restocking fee.   Does the restocking fee get refunded back to the customer or not?  

[johnrj1226]

1.  Do nothing until you receive your item back - the buyer iniated teh return by refusing delivery.

2.  Once  it is received back , then proceed through the refund process.

[lintbrush*]

The reason for a return is no longer counted against the seller even if it's a MBG claim.

The only thing that causes a defect on a return is if you don't follow the timelines and the buyer is able to "ask eBay to step in."  That's an Unresolved by Seller defect - the worst of the worst.

Check your PayPal to see the amount refunded.  If you wanted to refund the restocking fee but it failed to do so, you should be able to refund the remainder that way.  I'd hesitate a bit though on that .  Een though you have a return request refund, I wonder how the bots will look at it.   Full refunds through PayPal without an accompanying buyer requested cancellation result in a defect.   I might be inclined to split the difference for the restocking fee if the bots won't see it properly.

Maybe someone else will have more information on a partial refund return and subsequent full refund.

[sovereignsupply]

Good to know, thanks for the info!

[sidemouse]

Some sellers have found it more profitable to sell the same item twice.