Refund Confusion

[cwnc]

A buyer purchased an item. I inadvertently sent an incorrect item. When I discovered this, I printed another label and sent the correct item. The buyer returned the wrong item he received from me. I have now received it. Now eBay is telling me to refund the buyer for the correct item they have now received. The problem is that there were two shipments with the same tracking number for the same item.  I can not get the buyer to respond to any messages or texts.

[pikabo-icu]

@cwnc   How did you use the label twice?

That's not allowed and I'm surprised it processed & traveled to the buyer. 

If your buyer is happy with the new shipment, have them go to the return case and cancel it on their end. 

It sounds like the buyer is still wanting a refund..

Did your buyer open a case against you? 

[pikabo-icu]

Oh my stars @wastingtime101   this is a doozy.

If you have time can you advise PLEASE. 

[cwnc]

I printed a separate label, paid for it twice, and there are two tracking numbers for the same item. The incorrect one and the one I printed to send the buyer the correct item.

[cwnc]

No, the buyer requested a refund, which I gave him.  The problem is, as I mentioned in my post, the buyer won't respond to me on eBay messages or via text.

[pikabo-icu]

@cwnc   I pinged somebody that I know will have an answer.. If there is an answer to be had.

Are you sure they were the very same tracking number? 

[cwnc]

No, there were two tracking numbers and two separate labels, both printed on eBay. I just bit the bullet because it was my mistake; I paid for two labels.

[wastingtime101]

It sounds like the buyer filed a return request and shipped one of the items back through that return request. eBay expects you to refund.

The way to handle this within the system, after the buyer opened the return, would have been to process the return as normal and have the buyer make a new purchase for the correct item. By shipping the second package on the first transaction all it did was muddy the waters. I know you were trying to do the right thing, but you may end up at a bigger loss because of it.

The buyer returned so the system expects you to refund through that return. Only way around it is if the buyer voluntarily closes the return and I'm not sure if they can do that after shipping the item back. Another option is to have the buyer place a new order and set it as local pickup just so you don't have to worry about the shipping aspect.

How communicative is your buyer?

And how pricey is the item?

This is honestly messy so if we're talking like $30 or something, unless the buyer is willing to place that new order or close out the existing return, I'd just chalk it up as a small fee for a lesson learned and move on. Let the buyer keep the item for free due to the inconvenience.

If this is a larger amount you'll want to work with that buyer, maybe try giving them a call as something like this is often easier explained and smoothed over with a quick conversation.

[wastingtime101]

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@cwnc wrote:

No, the buyer requested a refund, which I gave him.  The problem is, as I mentioned in my post, the buyer won't respond to me on eBay messages or via text.

---

OK you posted this while I was writing my earlier response, and what you're saying here conflicts with your first post.

Here you're saying you gave the buyer a refund. In the first post you said eBay is saying you have to refund him. So ... which is it? Was the transaction refunded or not? You didn't go outside eBay's system and refund through PayPal or something, right?

[pikabo-icu]

@wastingtime101   Now they said there are 2 tracking numbers and not just one.

So couldn't they enter that where eBay is telling them to refund? 

Thank you BTW for popping in here. This is a first for me. 

[wastingtime101]

No - eBay's return system does not support that. I don't even know if a return was opened.

Seller has provided bits and pieces of info, some conflicting.

Either they'll come back and lay out all the steps that happened so far, or they won't, but it'll be near impossible to help further without knowing what's going on and right now I have no clue what's going on.

[kensgiftshop]

Your post are a little confusing?

First you said there's two shipments with the same tracking number, then you say there's two tracking numbers.

First post, you said that Ebay is telling you to refund, then in another post, you say they requested a refund and you gave it to them.

What does the buyer need to respond to?

[gator08041971]

Well there is a larger issue.

If the buyer isn't responding to inquires on this matter, they may never at this point.

Why would they?  They got the item for free.  From their perspective they don't have to.  And eBay is going to agree with that.

Now.

If you have a phone number for that buyer, you could try to call and sort it out, but that may or may not be considered invasive by the buyer.  Not all buyers realize their phone number may be printed on the order details. (invoice)

But if they won't communicate, there is little you can do about it.

[12345jamesstamps]

'inadvertently sent an incorrect item'....and it's considered a loss for the seller. Just my opinion.

Would I ever ask a buyer to return the wrong item which was IS my mistake?...Nope

I actually did that last week...both buyers got the wrong items.

I never mention for them to return wrong items.

Both buyers didn't even want a refund.

One buyer got a similar item I mailed out ASAP and a freebie I gave him...and stated he would return wrong items even me giving him the postage...no wrong returns from him yet...LOL But I did get positive feedback.

Other buyer didn't want anything...and bought more stamps and I gave him  free items.

I offer both buyers a free item from my items for sale up to a certain amount...both didn't want it.

Buyers are busy and you are pushing a buyer to return something when they are not shippers.

The mistake was hoping buyers would return the items...which usually doesn't always happen.

And buyers can be lazy to close an open claim...got to close that claim before eBay does it if buyer is not honest and escalates claim for a refund.

[cwnc]

This issue has been resolved in my favor by eBay via a phone conversation.