Seller asking for PayPal return shipping + unclear return address — safe to proceed?
Hi everyone, I’m looking for advice on a return situation.
I opened a return request for an item that was not as described. The seller is located in China. Instead of providing a prepaid return label through eBay, they asked me to purchase my own shipping label and said they would reimburse me via PayPal.
The issue is that the seller has provided multiple different return addresses, and some of them appear incomplete or not deliverable (for example, one version reads more like directions near an intersection rather than a specific building/unit). Another version includes a building/unit, but the inconsistency is concerning.
eBay customer service suggested that I proceed with the PayPal reimbursement, but I’m uncomfortable going outside of eBay’s system, especially given the unclear return address. I’m worried that if the package is not delivered successfully, I could lose both the item and my refund.
Has anyone dealt with a similar situation?
Is it safe to proceed with PayPal reimbursement, or should I insist on an official eBay return label?
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
kathiec
·5 months ago@myownanthem
If you don't receive the funds by April 2 ask eBay to step in and they'll refund you. If the seller sends funds at the last minute you have 10 business days from the receipt of funds to mail the package.
myownanthem
OP5 months agoI have until April 2nd to return the item, the seller has not given me the funds. If April 2nd passes and he or she does not give me the funds, will eBay refund me the money? What if they give me the funds at the last possible minute without enough time to mail the item and post the tracking information on eBay?
kathiec
·5 months ago@myownanthem
International sellers can't provide return labels to US buyers. You need to go through eBay's return process. EBay will require the seller to provide return shipping, which can be done through Paypal. You return the item to the address the seller provides in the eBay case. Because return shipping has to be through a method that can be tracked most international sellers won't provide return shipping. If they don't just go back to the case and ask eBay to step in. They'll then refund you without requiring a return.
kalyoth
·5 months agoInternational returns require the seller to provide you either with a label they have purchased & provided to you or provide you with the funds via Paypal prior to shipping the return. I prepackage & get a quote from USPS & then provide them with the dimensions, weight & cost for the service. It's 50 / 50 on whether they provide the funds or not. Those that have, I have gotten the item returned to me as never claimed from customs.
marnotom!
·5 months agoProbably because there were import-related charges that needed to be paid on receipt.
Supposedly, indicating on the customs form that the item is “returned merchandise” and has no declared value should prevent this, but with international trade with the US being in disarray right now, your mileage may vary.
marnotom!
·5 months agoGenerally speaking, a seller outside the US cannot purchase a shipping label from the US. USPS, for example, requires that online purchases of shipping labels be paid with a US-issued credit card.
There may be some websites that, with a bit of jerryrigging, can provide an American shipping label for USPS or a major commercial carrier for a non-US purchaser, but I’m thinking the scheme might collapse like a house of cards when it comes to filling out the customs information.
I agree that the multiple return addresses are perplexing and a cause for concern, but be aware that to a point, at least, this seller isn’t doing anything untoward by going through PayPal.
myownanthem
OP5 months agoThanks, I really appreciate your input — that was my initial instinct as well.
The confusing part is that I actually contacted eBay customer service, and they told me to go ahead with the seller’s plan: confirm the shipping cost, receive the funds from the seller (via PayPal), and then purchase the return label myself. They also said not to return the item at my own cost and to wait for the seller to provide the funds first.
That said, I’m still hesitant because the seller has provided multiple different return addresses, and some of them don’t seem fully deliverable (more like directions than a specific address). I’m worried that if the package isn’t delivered successfully, I could end up losing both the item and the refund.
Would you still recommend pushing back and insisting on an official eBay return label in this situation, even if customer service suggested proceeding this way? Can I even push back?
cardsforauction
·5 months agoSeller needs to provide return label through Ebay. That's the only label with the correct address that matters. You don't have to respond to the seller anymore, but if you do respond, just tell them "Please provide me a return label through Ebay. Thank you."
christworks
·5 months agoI do not deal with sellers in China, but I would not buy a label for an Item Not As Described return. That seller needs to provide you the label or issue the refund. This is their problem. Don't make it yours.