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Who pays the shipping cost for an undeliverable package? Buyer their address wrong!
Summary: epic-toyz is a seller who faced an issue with a package being returned due to the buyer providing the wrong address, resulting in a $90 shipping cost. eastlaneave advised that eBay will not refund the buyer and suggested several options for handling the situation, including contacting the buyer for additional shipping costs or refunding the purchase price minus shipping. monroe67 explained that eBay won't reimburse shipping costs as they were paid to UPS, but highlighted that these costs can be deducted as business expenses on future tax returns.
I am a seller who shipped out an order. The buyer entered the wrong street suffix on the order and now the shipment is being re-routed back to me after UPS attempted to deliver it.
Shipping was around $90 which was EXPENSIVE! The funds are on hold on my payout tab due to be paid out 7-days after delivery.
Is ebay going to refund the buyer and I lose the money I spent to ship? Is eBay going to allow me to re-coup the shipping cost? What happens from here? I already notified UPS trying to get intercepted for an address change but they said it isn't possible at this point...
monroe67
Mentor3 weeks ago"Is ebay going to refund the buyer and I lose the money I spent to ship? Is eBay going to allow me to re-coup the shipping cost? What happens from here?"
I want to look a few months into the future with my response.
eBay will not "allow you to re-coup the shipping cost."
eBay cannot refund any of the shipping cost to you -- because you paid that cost to the United Parcel Service (UPS).
Unfortunately, you will, as you state "lose the money [you] spent to ship."
In the short term.
BUT next year, when you are preparing your federal income tax return, you may add this item's $90 shipping price to alllllll the other shipping prices you paid for your eBay sales.
Shipping prices that you paid are deductible on your federal income tax return as business expenses.
eastlaneave
Mentor3 weeks ago@epic-toyz
eBay will not refund the buyer.
You can do one of several things.
1) You can contact the buyer and ask them to pay additional shipping, then Print Another Label on eBay OR use a 3rd party shipper.
2) You can do nothing and wait to see if the buyer contacts you.
3) You can Refund the buyer the Purchase price (not shipping) and then relist the item. Invite the buyer to purchase again, with the correct address.
I suggest the 3rd option.
epic-toyz
OP3 weeks agoWhen the buyer purchased the item I charged flat rate shipping of $15 but the price I actually paid for shipping was around $90. Am I able to deduct $90 from the refunded amount or will eBay require that I only deduct the $15?
eastlaneave
Mentor3 weeks ago · Edited@epic-toyz
In this case, you can deduct however much you feel is fair.
eBay won't force this refund since you shipped to the address the buyer provided.
In theory, you can keep it all, but I don't believe that's ethical.... and the buyer might file a credit card chargeback if you don't refund a fair amount.