Replacement item problem
Incorrectly sent the wrong color of an item. Buyer received the item. Buyer notified us that the item was the wrong color. We had them file a return request. Buyer returned the item with our ebay label. When we saw the item had shipped, we immediately sent another color and inserted tracking number on the sales record. When we received the item back, Ebay told us we had two days to refund the first purchase. The new one had not been delivered yet as it was a long ways from me. We contacted Ebay, they said they could not hold the refund process due to the return rules. We told them about the second shipment and they had the tracking number. They told us we could appeal the refund in their email.
Package gets delivered to customer next day, we call ebay, and they told us we need to contact customer to get them to pay us back. Contacted customer and now no response. This is terrible eBay customer service. They told us something that we could do (appeal) and now we cannot do anything other than contact and hope customer will pay us. Any ideas?
bashort
·5 months agodepending on the value of the item what I do in similar circumstance is tell the buyer, I have the correct item on the way, here is the tracking #, I have included a return shipping label for the incorrect item or on really low value I would say just keep the incorrect item.
Yes this way is not without risk and they could then open a return and get the item free but this is the fastest way by far to get the correct item to the buyer, lessen the inconvenience to the buyer and recover from a mistake with the least damage possible.
Another way to speed the process and lessen the pain for a buyer when you the seller has made a mistake is have them open a return and issue the refund as soon as the return package gets a scan.
inhawaii
·5 months ago"Dear customer, I'm so sorry I sent you the wrong color. Please keep it and I will send you the correct color free of charge."
broto_64
·5 months agoI recently had a similar problem, sent the wrong item to the buyer...
So I told them I would send out the correct item immediately (which I did) and gave them the new tracking number, then I said if they would like to return the wrong item I would also issue a full refund.
Once I receive their return the way that works out, is the right item got sent out for free.
It is a way of me apologizing for my mistake.
I also paid for three shipping legs, one wrong, one return, and one right item.
If this is not your business model then I suggest simply have the buyer return the wrong item, and when that arrives issue a full refund.
gurlcat
·5 months agoYes. Come here and ask for help with problems that are still avoidable rather than wait til all the wrong steps were already taken. I'm not being facetious; this is possibly the most common issue we see here, members wrongly trusting their own decisions and/or advice from foreign contract phone employees who don't understand eBay policies/features whatsoever ... THEN coming to ask for help from experienced members, when the situation is either too confusing or too finalized for us to advise any remedies.
hartungcards
·5 months ago"Any ideas?"
Send the right color the next time.
christworks
·5 months agoYes, I have a couple of ideas. Don't mail out another item or issue a refund (I know that's not what happened here) before you get the return back. They could have sent you a box of rocks back. Also, don't go by what eBay reps tell you. If nothing else, come here and ask and someone will get you on the right track.
You messed up sending out the wrong color as you know. I'm sorry that happened. You messed up again sending out the correct color if you wanted to ensure you got the other item back without refunding. Unless you offer exchanges as part of your return process, you are locked into the refund.
I realize you were just trying to get the right item to your buyer ASAP and that's good. I'd do the same. I've mailed out the wrong part a couple of times. I immediately ship the new one and ask the buyer to return the wrong one. Neither time did they and I was okay with that or else I would not have sent the correct item.
You are probably not going to hear from your buyer, so learn the lesson, accept the loss, and move on.