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Excessive Return shipping cost.
I want to return an item and when prompted to pick a shipping it has a charge of $70.02 to print out label. This is a very small box that I could ship in a medium USPS priority box for less than $20. Now right below the shipping charge there is a note, it reads, We'll deduct the shipping cost from the amount of your refund. These are estimated label costs to return your item. The actual shipping cost is determined when the carrier scans the shipping label. Now I had this happen this summer returning an item 80 miles down the road with the same shipping cost of $70.02 but when I read the context I thought well I will print the label then take it to the post office and they will scan it and tell me actual shipping charge, WELL NOT SO, the postal worker said she had no way of knowing that even after scanning it as the label is already printed. I called Ebay about this because I used to be able to return something using any shipper I wanted as long as I provide a tracking number. Who is making all this extra money on this label? Ebay says the shipper and I say **bleep**.
orangehound
·2 years agoSomething is off ... a USPS return label is a flat rate, and eBay typically charges what the seller paid originally.
2girlsn1boy
·2 years ago@orangehound
1) The seller shipped via USPS Ground Advantage, the same method I used to return ship
2) The package was approximately 8" L x 4" W x 3" H, weighing about 1.25 pounds. I returned the item in the same packaging in which I received it
2girlsn1boy
·2 years agoSame thing happened to me...I was charged $95.74 to return a small package when the USPS shipping charge was $15.70. I contacted the seller who says he refunded the entire purchase amount, including tax, so it looks like eBay is pocketing the difference. I cannot get in touch with anyone at eBay to ask why I was overcharged. Their automated "assistant" is useless. Does anyone know of a way to talk to an actual person about this issue?
orangehound
·2 years ago@2girlsn1boy
eBay customer service can be incompetent and unhelpful. There was once better service through the social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), but I've been reading that these are bad as well. So that's one other option for you.
Also, people on these boards are usually quite a bit more helpful than eBay customer service, or can provide you with an explanation or some other courses of action. Without revealing the name of the seller (it is against the policies of this board), could you tell us
2girlsn1boy
·2 years agoThanks for weighing in, orangehound.
I purchased a guitar effects pedal with free shipping included. I returned it because I found one much cheaper. I returned it based on the ebay return interface with the "found cheaper" reason. I returned the item one day after I received it, in its original packaging and using the seller's actual packaging. The seller is located in the US, as am I.
The bottom line is that the seller refunded the entire amount of the purchase, including sales tax, and then eBay tacked on an additional $80.04 charge that did not go to the seller. As I stated, the USPS quoted $15.70 for return shipping, which I acknowledge I was responsible for per the original listing. When the refund was processed to me, eBay reduced it by $95.74 to account for the "return shipping label", a difference of $80.04 which, as I also stated, did not go to the seller. It was kept by eBay and there is no means of contacting them to explain what that charge covered so there is no recourse.
I tried going to Paypal, but they would not address the question. I called my credit card company, and they too stated that they could not dispute such an upcharge, but they did give me a $15 "complementary" credit against it, which I had no option but to accept.
I've written this off as a rather expensive lesson for the future, that is, do NOT use the eBay return label under any circumstances, instead purchase return shipping directly from USPS (or whomever) without the markup and send the tracking information directly to the seller. eBay seems to allow for this approach on one of their info websites, in fact, even when you initiate the return via the platform...just don't click on the "print return label" button, ever, or elect have it printed at the post office. Just take your package to the shipper and pay for it directly.
house*of*paws
·2 years agoHi @2girlsn1boy
The return shipping labels provided by eBay (when I was required to pay return shipping) have always been 2 to 3 times more expensive than other return labels I could purchase … so I purchased my own label (usually from PayPal). I entered the tracking information of the label I purchased into my open return request.
We are NOT required to use eBay’s return shipping labels … BUT once we do, we’re stuck with whatever price we are charged.
BTW, the price we pay for purchasing labels online is ALWAYS less than what we’re charged at the post office. The price is discounted.
orangehound
·2 years agoI've not encountered that, but I haven't done a return in a long time.
You are saying that eBay is grossly and purposely overcharging on return labels for buyer remorse returns, effectively opening up a lucrative profit center?
soh.maryl
·2 years agoIf you are returning something because it was NAD, and opened an NAD case, isn't the SELLER the one who buys, pays for and sends YOU the return label?
horndog1951
·2 years agoSame thing happened to me. Huge return shipping cost for an item that did not fit the car it was described as fitting. Ebay will be my second choice for purchases from now on!
kensgiftshop
·2 years agoIn that case, the seller would pay return shipping, if you use the MBG.
soh.maryl
·2 years agoWhy would you not just open an NAD case so that the seller pays for the return?
Or did you open a case using "did not fit" as the reason? In that case, eBay considers it a remorse return and expects the buyer to pay to return.
stainlessenginecovers
·2 years agoMaybe your seller is in another country?
What does the listing state about returns?
xadexane
·2 years agoNope since you are paying to ship this return @2oolco buy your own return postage either at http://paypal.com/shipnow or at the post office.
Then leave a PRIVATE message here to give eBay your tracking number. Save your money on that overpriced label.