Do you have to refund a return, that a return request was never put in?
I generally do not post questions as i run my business beyond professional, but i see some things i want knowledge about. i saw someone post that they received a return, but a return request was never put in. I stated to just refund but of course they want to take the route of getting paid and getting back the product. What are your thoughts on returns that you receive that a return request was never put in or approved?
23 comments
inhawaii
·2 years agoAs far as ebay is concerned, the return doesn't exist.
You're under no obligation to refund the buyer.
However if you're an honest person and you did in fact receive your item back,
I would refund the buyer less shipping.
gloryglorygifts
·2 years agoI had a customer return an item without going through ebay. I gave him a full refund of what he paid for the item. It was only fair. Couldn't do anything about the shipping tho. He seemed to be a newish buyer, so I sent him an email telling him that I was refunding the purchase price, but if he had returns in the future that he should do them through ebay, so that he doesn't pay out of pocket for return shipping. They don't have to go through ebay, but it is more for their protection that they do so. It was the only one I received back like that.
sin-n-dex
·2 years agoI had someone in Canada ship a token back to me because "it didn't have much silver in it" when it was listed as "silver plated". Like, duh.
I just refunded for the item. It was shipped with other things that the buyer kept, so I didn't feel any obligation to refund shipping.
C.
m60driver
·2 years agoNot sure what lies beyond professional but over 20 years I have only received one unannounced return and I did refund the buyer less my shipping after the buyer sent me a message. More mysterious, this past year I have had two items returned as undeliverable and have yet to refund as the buyers did not bother to contact me.
sin-n-dex
·2 years agoTo be covered on a non-deliverable, I message the buyer to tell them their address was incomplete and refund. Since it's only usually around $3-4 in shipping, I generally refund that too as a courtesy. But then I block the buyer so I don't get any more undeliverable packages from there.
By being covered, it's in case there's negative FB. Once the item is shipped, you can't cancel with problem with address (at least when I've done it a couple of times that option wasn't there).
C.
dbfolks166mt
·2 years agoA lot of details missing in your post. I believe the post you may be referring to is the one where there was an issue with the address and the carrier was not able to deliver the package. Not sure what happened in your case but if the buyer refused the return or it was returned for some other reason you are under no obligation to refund the buyer at all based on eBay policy. However, ethically issuing a refund is the proper thing to do by you should deduct the shipping cost, packing materials and your fees from that amount. That is of course you received back the same item you sent and in the condition you sent it in.
Not sure what you mean by "they want to take the route of getting paid and getting back the product" No sense mixing oil and water close out the current mess and if the buyer wants to purchase again, provided you don't add them to your BBL, simply have them purchase the item again making sure the buyer fixes whatever caused the return in the first place.
productreseller
OP2 years agono clue what post you think i am referring to since i ask my own question nothing about a post, was just trying to answer my own answer that as a professional, like any company, you should refund if you got the product back. i do not get returns so i am good
fern*wood
·2 years agoThe second sentence of your post stated “i saw someone post…â€
dbfolks166mt
·2 years agono clue what post you think i am referring to since i ask my own question nothing about a post, was just trying to answer my own answer that as a professional, like any company, you should refund if you got the product back. i do not get returns so i am good
This was part of what was in your original posting I was simply responding to your question. " i saw someone post that they received a return, but a return request was never put in."
iamalwaysright
·2 years agoWhat does this mean?
Although ebay has a returns system/process that may benefit one or both parties more, it is currently not required by policy to go through ebay returns to process a return for refund for a buyer.
mtgraves7984
·2 years agoWhat are your thoughts on returns that you receive that a return request was never put in or approved?
@productreseller
It's never happened to me. But I suppose if the buyer spent their own money for return shipping, I'd refund the item price, less the initial shipping cost.
gloryglorygifts
·2 years agoWhat am I missing here? The "item price less the initial shipping cost" that they paid + the cost to return ship it = the customer paying 3 shipping costs. The initial, the amount deducted from your refund, and the cost to return it.
dbfolks166mt
·2 years agoWhat am I missing here? The "item price less the initial shipping cost" that they paid + the cost to return ship it = the customer paying 3 shipping costs. The initial, the amount deducted from your refund, and the cost to return it.
The initial shipping the buyer paid and the amount deducted from the refund are the same thing. AKA the buyer paid you for the initial shipping and the seller has that money and they are not returning it in the refund but it's not an added shipping cost to the buyer.
mtgraves7984
·2 years agoSorry... my post was poorly worded. In my world, the buyer would pay s&h twice.
The first shipment (if RTS'd) was sent round-trip for one money... and the initial s&h charge I'd not refund.
The second shipment (if the seller could salvage the order) would be paid for by the buyer.
dbfolks166mt
·2 years agoSorry... my post was poorly worded. In my world, the buyer would pay s&h twice.
Maybe but OP didn't specify how or why the item was returned. Generally, at least with USPS, if the item is not deliverable or the buyer refuses the delivery USPS returns it to the sender at no additional cost. If the buyer actually purchased their own shipping label then yes they would be paying for the shipping twice as they should.
The first shipment (if RTS'd) was sent round-trip for one money... and the initial s&h charge I'd not refund.
The second shipment (if the seller could salvage the order) would be paid for by the buyer.
gloryglorygifts
·2 years agoSo regardless if the product was a padded price with shipping included, or if the customer paid shipping separately, you are still deducting the cost of the initial shipping from your refund.
bonjourami
·2 years agoI think opening a case protects both buyer and seller(to some extent.) The seller can decide if he wants to offer a partial, or if he has no returns and its a remorse request, can refuse the return.It also helps sellers with free returns who can deduct up to 50% if the item is returned damaged.
coolections
·2 years agoMore specific, how do you get a return when there was no return request ? Are you talking about someone who refused delivery ? Are you talking about someone who just asked in a message if they can return an item ?
productreseller
OP2 years agoyeah one would guess it was a refused package, only way to return unless they pay out of their pocket
mtgraves7984
·2 years ago@productreseller
Aha! This is a different scenario than I understood upthread... my apologies. If the package was RTS'd and came back home, I'd know that the buyer had lost protection and would probably react as @m60driver does.
If the buyer reached out and it was due to an error, I'd try to save the sale (at their re-shipping expense)... and if the buyer reached out for a refund, I'd still consider refunding the item price. If the buyer never reached out, I'd sit quietly.
gloryglorygifts
·2 years agoI think the post that you are referring to is the one that Customs is returning the package to the seller, as it is a prohibited item in their country. That was the reason for that return.
sin-n-dex
·2 years agoIn my case the item randomly showed up in my mailbox. No return request. No note from the buyer. He put a note with the token to tell me it's being returned because there's not much silver in it. Still SMH over that one.
There was no tracking, so if I hadn't caught it and was honest with my buyers, he might not have gotten his refund, but I did refund his money.
C.
playwithitagaintoys
·2 years agoDon't refund until there is return request and you get the item back. Unless you've worked out a partial refund with a buyer or don't care about getting your item back