Returning an item to the seller: How to by my own postage and bypass the eBay return label
I started a return and selected "Changed my mind". The next step is "Select a carrier" where I can select USPS for $59.61 and then click "Confirm". The postage is nearly 3 times what it should be. No matter what I do it takes me back to this screen. There is no way to view the return address or enter a tracking number. I'm afraid that if I "Confrm" and go on it will charge me.
I talked on the phone with support after a 27 minute call back and the lady gave me the return address to a P.O. box in El Paso Texas over the phone. Then she said I can contact eBay again to have them manually enter the tracking number. She said this is normal and eBay sometimes behaves this way based on the location.
There has to be a better way to go about this, or not?
computerperson777
OP1 year agoThe support person made a report for an "investigation". She seemed to do her job well. Didn't get an email within 72 hours. I'll try something else. Starts with a b and ends with a b. If I had just asked the seller for their address and shipped it to them, then I would be bypassing the proper eBay return procedure so I don't know if that would have been a workable solution.
computerperson777
OP1 year agoI told the automated help assistant that I would like to talk to customer support. 4 minute callback. I explained how $59.61 was taken from my refund, but the cost of sending the package according to the post office would be $22. Customer support made some kind of report for an investigation and she said I'll get an email in 48 to 72 hours.
computerperson777
OP1 year agoSo I ended up using the return label because it said that the prices are just estimates and the actual price would be determined later. Obviously that didn't happen, since now the return is complete and they charged me the $59.61. The lady at the post office said it would cost about $21 if I paid at the counter. Is eBay allowed to just charge whatever they want for return shipping? I'm going to call support ASAP.
house*of*paws
·1 year agoHi @computerperson777
I don’t know how eBay figures out the cost of return shipping labels … but I have always opted out of using them as a buyer when I’m responsible for paying return shipping.
I purchase my own discounted shipping label on PayPal … and then uploaded the tracking number into my buyer’s remorse return claim.
The label eBay provides is always much more expensive than one I can purchase myself on PayPal … or on any other online venue that sells shipping labels.
Please let us know what response you get from calling ‘support’.
yo0339
·1 year agoAs a consumer that returns tens of thousands of packages a year, eBay pays the same average price for each return label regardless of its weight, whether it's for 1 ounce or 70 pounds.
eBay then turns around and resells that return label to either the buyer or the seller, whoever needs the return label, at just below the retail price for that package based on its weight and dimensions.
Despite that, the eBay shipping team says that eBay does not make any money on return labels.
yo0339
·1 year agoeBay Customer Support gave you @computerperson777 the correct information, the same which eBay on Facebook does.
You can try another callback, saying very little and only asking for the return address, to keep it short this time. Or you can instead confirm the El Paso address by buying the label and not using it.
You don't actually pay for the label, as eBay deducts it rather from your refund. Beware that eBay may do this anyway, even if you end up buying your own label in lieu of using the eBay label, so you may need to endure another callback.
albertabrightalberta
·1 year ago@computerperson777
Is it the recent purchase you bought from a seller in China? If that's the item, the seller has a 30 day free return policy, meaning he pays return shipping.
But because he's in China and you're in the US, you need to find out the price of shipping before sending it. Let him know the price and he can pay you the price ahead of time.
dryophelia
·1 year ago@computerperson777
Does the seller know you are returning something?
Some sellers don’t accept buyers remorse returns.
What are you returning? What are the dimensions of the box? What zip code are you and what zip code is it going to?
computerperson777
OP1 year agoI bought it knowing it said returns accepted. It came in a large USPS flat rate box, with free shipping. The large flat rate box is just under $25 at the post office.
mkaczorsee
·1 year agoAre you in the US?
computerperson777
OP1 year agoYes, in the USA.