1st partial refund offer declined, how to issue larger partial refund requested by buyer+close case

[yelloworchid]

My first partial refund offer to the buyer was declined. Buyer wants larger partial refund, and to keep the item. How do I issue the larger partial refund, let her keep the item and close the case without seller resolution?

I do not see the above as a selectable option on eBay. 

Trying to avoid a case without seller resolution because: 

I have only sold 29 items in a year and a half — but have had three returns — from two unique buyers in that time, making my cases closed without seller resolution over 10%. How do I improve my percentage and avoid changes to my account if I sell so few items? My account standing was rated below average because of these three returns. My percentage has not improved over 3 months even though have had zero cases without seller resolution. Apparently this is because I do not sell enough items. So, I am trying to handle the above mentioned case properly so my account is not adversely affected and I do not lose selling privileges. Thank you.

[dhbookds]

Have they filed an ebay case?  If not, you can go to paypal and issue a partial refund.....  you won't get any fees back from ebay.........but the buyer can just keep the item.

With an ebay case, and a no return policy, I don't know how you're going to handle it....

[a_c_green]

---

@yelloworchid wrote:

My first partial refund offer to the buyer was declined. Buyer wants larger partial refund, and to keep the item. How do I issue the larger partial refund, let her keep the item and close the case without seller resolution?

---

Okay, first of all, "closing the case without seller resolution" is what you want to avoid. If the two of you agree on a partial refund (keeping all communication through the dispute case that I assume she has opened), and you then issue the refund there, then that's your "seller resolution," and the case will be closed without penalty to anyone.

It's only if you dig in your heels and refuse to refund, or ignore the response deadline for answering the buyer, that the buyer can ask eBay to step in. That will likely result in a forced full refund to the buyer, no return of the item, and a seller penalty that can hurt your account if that happens more than once or twice. 

I notice you're selling high-priced items with no returns, but that does not mean that a buyer can't request a refund if they report that it's Not As Described. eBay policy trumps your own, so if you can't agree with the buyer on a partial refund, you can (and probably should) ask them to return it for a full refund instead, and then you might find a happier buyer next time. You are not obligated to make a partial refund, but some enterprising buyers can make a hobby out of bullying sellers into partial refunds for spurious reasons, and you should understand that you do not have to play that game if you don't want to.

[yelloworchid]

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond.

I am trying to figure this out. But, like you do not know how. It cost me 129.00 to ship the item plus a round trip Lyft ride. So, I am trying to do my best to make her happy and make Ebay happy etc.

[yelloworchid]

Hello,

Thank you for your great response. I know it takes valuable time to write these.

I did not understand what it means to keep all communication through the dispute case? I have been writing to her and responding to her messages via the message center. Should I be responding through the option in the seller resolution center entitled : communicate with buyer?

Understood about Ebay policy trumping my own.

Also, I appreciate the fact that there are people who make a hobby out of requesting partial refunds on spurious grounds. I am willing to accept a partial refund - because the item cost me 129.00 to ship (buyer paid 99), and I may be out the item anyway if it is broken while en route back to me.

Am I going against an unwritten protocol by writing back in a manner may be viewed by some as being lengthy?

[pjcdn2005]

Would this happen to be a buyer in Canada? There is a post from a buyer asking what would happen if they declined the refund, they were told that the could decline and the seller could offer another partial amount but obviously they were given the wrong information.

If it the same person...you and the buyer agreed on an amount through messages but the buyer then changed their mind and declined the amount resulting in the only option showing for them is to ask ebay to step in.  Does that sound right?

I'm not as familiar with the resolution process as others here are perhaps @a_c_green or @dhbookds could comment.  I am guessing that you would have to issue the refund through Paypal and then trust that the buyer didn't ask ebay to step in.  I don't know how they would benefit from doing so because then ebay would likely tell you to accept the return and they don't actually want to return.  Do the other posters know if a buyer can close the case at this point?  If not, ebay won't step in until asked to...correct? When would the case time out?

[a_c_green]

---

@yelloworchid wrote:
I did not understand what it means to keep all communication through the dispute case? I have been writing to her and responding to her messages via the message center. Should I be responding through the option in the seller resolution center entitled : communicate with buyer?

---

Yes, you should use the option in the resolution center so that the system can see that you have responded to the buyer. 

I assume that we are talking about your sale of the 19th Century French Confit Jar. As that is 18" tall and presumably heavy as well, I can see that Shipping costs for that would be high. What exactly is the buyer complaining about? Did it arrive damaged, or are they just having Buyer Remorse and think they paid too much for it?

---

@yelloworchid wrote:
Am I going against an unwritten protocol by writing back in a manner may be viewed by some as being lengthy?

---

No! You are fine. 😊

[reda3615]

Yes, in a return request, you can only offer a partial refund once, and the buyer can choose to accept or reject your offer.

Let your buyer know that you will be issuing the larger partial refund through PayPal, and that on their return details page, they should click If you no longer want to return this item, you can close this request.

If your buyer subverts the agreement and clicks ask eBay to step in anyway, eBay will issue a possibly inappropriate return label (which will be billed to you when it is first scanned) and require the buyer to return the item (which they wanted to keep) in exchange for the remainder of the refund upon return.

[yelloworchid]

Hi There 

The listing said the pot was 18 inches. It is 12.5 inches. Have to check that it actually said 18 inches. 

They are also having buyers remorse and said they paid too much. But, I responded to an offer from them in an amount which they chose.

So, I am doing my best. 

How can you tell it’s the 19th century pot please?

I am trying to offer her a partial refund via PayPal and let her keep the item — but unsure if that will satisfy the system requirements for resolution.

Did not at first understand how the word defect is used in EBay terminology. And I am trying to avoid a defect in my account. 

Thank you you so much! 

[yelloworchid]

I am now responding to her through the resolution center. Did not know that this was preferable til you told me. 

[yelloworchid]

The buyer isn’t from Canada. I don’t believe it’s the same person.

Your questions are good ones;

“Do the other posters know if a buyer can close the case at this point?  If not, ebay won't step in until asked to...correct? When would the case time out?”

It is my understanding that the buyer can choose to close the return request and say that she doesn’t want to return it anymore. 

Unsure — I don’t know where the return details page is located, or it’s contents (this page was referenced in one of the great responses I received on this forum)

Thank you for contributing. 

[a_c_green]

---

@yelloworchid wrote:

The listing said the pot was 18 inches. It is 12.5 inches. Have to check that it actually said 18 inches. 

Yes, you have 18" shown at the end of the listing title, and your description states (in Item 3) "18 inches high - 8.5'' across." I would suggest photographing these items with a ruler or tape measure in at least one or two pictures, so that buyers who do not read descriptions will see the actual measurements, and of course in this case you would have also caught your own error that it was only 12.5" tall instead of 18".

---

They are also having buyers remorse and said they paid too much. But, I responded to an offer from them in an amount which they chose.

Normally I would say that Buyer's Remorse is not something for which you need to offer a partial refund, but in this case you've got an item that is only about 2/3rds the size that they were expecting, and it's delicate and risky to ship, so agreeing on a partial refund would be your best outcome here.

---

@yelloworchid wrote:

How can you tell it’s the 19th century pot please?

I did a search of your Sold items, and that was the only one that showed a Shipping charge of $99 payable by the buyer, as you described. 

@yelloworchid wrote:

I am trying to offer her a partial refund via PayPal and let her keep the item — but unsure if that will satisfy the system requirements for resolution.

Yes, you should be able to send a partial refund of the original sale, and the buyer should agree to close the dispute at that point. I would not suggest just sending money directly from PayPal, because eBay would have no way of knowing that you have refunded anything at all.

[yelloworchid]

It is a good idea to take photos of the items so that there is no confusion on anyone’s part and so I do not make a mistake.

Apparently, I can only offer a partial refund once. She declined the first offer. Then buyer countered with a request for larger partial refund and keeping the item. Which I said ok to but am unable to implement. 

Will not list any heavy or bulky items in the future on eBay. 

Thanks so much for responding.

[dhbookds]

I would not suggest just sending money directly from PayPal, because eBay would have no way of knowing that you have refunded anything at all.

@a_c_green 

You mean you would not suggest sending the partial from paypal outside the paypal transaction.....right?  If you do a refund FROM the paypal transaction, it does show up on the Ebay paid/ship page (just did a postage refund)....so ebay would know.  My fear is, that it would not show IN the case....and that's the reason I hesitate to suggest it.. 

[a_c_green]

---

@dhbookds wrote:

I would not suggest just sending money directly from PayPal, because eBay would have no way of knowing that you have refunded anything at all.

@a_c_green 

You mean you would not suggest sending the partial from paypal outside the paypal transaction.....right?  If you do a refund FROM the paypal transaction, it does show up on the Ebay paid/ship page (just did a postage refund)....so ebay would know.  My fear is, that it would not show IN the case....and that's the reason I hesitate to suggest it.. 

---

Yes, my bad; I should have been more precise. I was thinking of a Refund action from within eBay, such as when you select the View PayPal Transaction from the Action column on your Sold items page, but yes, that takes you to PayPal anyway and then you can refund part or all of the original payment. So that would be the way to do it.

What I meant was that you should not just do a Send Money transaction from your PayPal account, because that does not get logged as being a return of the original payment. If for some reason eBay stepped in to the dispute later on and enforced a full refund, the buyer would get all of their original payment back. The Send Money that they already received would not be deducted from the refund amount. 

So yes, find the original transaction (the buyer's payment) in PayPal, and then follow the prompts there to do a partial or full refund.