Buyer buys 2 of an item and needs to return one

[bargainbasement101]

Buyer buys 2 of an item and needs to return one. Ebay doesn't offer him a partial refund.  He has to return both to get  a full return.  The buyer wants to return the defective one only.  Does anyone know how to handle this?

[richard1rst]

well before we get too deep into it let me ask this:

If one is defective do you even want it back? What are you going to do with it if you do get it back? Are you going to just throw it away? Then the answer is easy. Why pay return postage on an item you are going to throw away.

On the return request there is a line "offer a partial refund and buyer keeps the item". Give him a 50% refund with the understanding that he is just going to throw it away. Case closed.

Now if you do want it back then that is a whole 'nother matter and requires a deeper explanation. So answer the above first.

[bargainbasement101]

I send all defective items back to the factory with a prepaid label.  They, in turn, replace them and ship them back to me prepaid postage.  So I am out just the ebay postage

[dare-2046 · Accepted solution]

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@bargainbasement101 wrote:

Buyer buys 2 of an item and needs to return one. Ebay doesn't offer him a partial refund.  He has to return both to get  a full return. 

The buyer wants to return the defective one only.  Does anyone know how to handle this?

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How many of this item do you want to return?

[richard1rst]

Well, in that case you have the advantage of being a TRS which gets you an extra perk.

On the return page there us a link for eBay to send them a prepaid label. DO NOT USE THAT ONE.

eBay will charge you the same price as the original label. Except the original label was for 2 items and he is only returning one. Therefore the package will be half the weight and size of the original and should be cheaper. So create a label yourself with the correct size and weight and then save it as a PDF file and email it to him as an attachment. On the return page there is a space to indicate you sent your own  label and to enter the tracking number. Do it.

Now when he returns just the one you have the advantage, as a TRS, to adjust the return. So deduct 50% of the return with the explanation that he bought 2 and only returned 1. Since that is what was agreed to in the beginning you are covered.

Hope this helps.

[myboardid]

I would send a return label printed from the USPS website and refund through PayPal or Venmo

 or a check after you get the item back. 

[richard1rst]

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@myboardid wrote:

I would send a return label printed from the USPS website and refund through PayPal or Venmo

 or a check after you get the item back. 

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Sorry I don't agree. If he opens a return request through eBay the only way to close the return is to send the refund through the return request. At the 50% discount as detailed above.

Printing the postage through the USPS web site will cost more than reprinting one through eBay or Pirateship of stamps.com or Paypal.

[bargainbasement101]

One thing I forgot to mention in my original post . "Per eBay's policy, this return has been automatically approved and we've asked the buyer to send the item back." 

[richard1rst]

Doesn't change any of my advice. Approving the return does NOT mean that they have sent a return label. That they leave to you.

[bargainbasement101]

The only problem with this solution is that some buyers (2 of mine so far) don't see the option where they can choose the number of items want to return.  When that happens, I suggest to them my own solution.  My personal solution is that the buyer buy a replacement from me.  When he gets the replacement, he opens a return request and I send him a refund after I get that returned item back.

When ebay automatically  accepts the return request, I cannot contact the buyer and get more specific information on the problem.  By contacting the buyer before he opens a return request,  I have the opportunity to work out the problem without him having to return the item. Hence saving time and postage.