Buyer mistake -- accept return?

[autonerd71]

Hi all - I sold a pair of model locomotives. I got a return request today -- the buyer didn't realize they were HO scale, and apparently they came up in a search that included the word N scale. My listing does not mention scale (an oversight) but the boxes (in the lead photo) very clearly say HO SCALE.

The buyer has offered to pay return shipping, and my gut feeling is to be a good sport and take the return. However I'm still out the out-bound shipping (not sure about valuation fee), not sure if eBay will try to ding me for return shipping costs, and frankly I'm not eager to have the models back, they've been on the market for over a year. (They are around a $120 item.) The buyer has already left positive feedback. I'm only a casual seller, this isn't a business for me.  Oh, and my listings say that I do not accept returns.

What's the right thing/best thing to do here?

Thanks in advance.

[autonerd71]

Oops, correction, it looks like I'd be refunding the purchase price only, not the shipping.

[portkoop-0]

Well...

Speaking from my personal experience this would be a "good" return.

I know about being out time and money at least one way, but I would accept it without much hesitation.

We've all done it, a quick oversight, I've even ordered things when the information was clear in front of my face and still I bought the wrong size.

It happens.

I would be a good sport, not that we really have a choice but I could see being in good spirits about it.

[kensgiftshop]

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@autonerd71 

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Even though you don't take returns, the guy is being honest and willing to pay return shipping.

They could have filed an INAD, and you would have been stuck paying return shipping, plus give them a full refund

[autonerd71]

Hi all, I thought about it for a few minutes and read these replies, and decided to issue the refund. Sounds like I'm out nothing (actually I might make a couple of bucks from the handling fees and shipping discount) and the buyer was indeed honest... and reading all the other messages here about scammy buyers, I suppose I should be happy to have one of the honest ones. I suppose he could have cited an oversight in my listing and made it a NAD and dinged me for shipping.

Assuming I get the final value fee credited, I'm out nothing ... just hoping my locomotives survive the out-and-back journey!

Thank you for your help and advice. I needed a nudge towards the right thing.

[gracieallen01]

One thing to keep in mind on ebay - there is no such thing as 'No Refund'.  Your 'No Returns' is basically wasted space in the description for most categories.  ebay has it's Money Back Guarantee.  You don't have to accept returns - ebay will be glad to let the buyer keep the item.  But, ebay will require a refund.  Many times it is a matter of the seller not wanting to hassle with a return and will just refund.  How you handle it is up to you, but it is generally highly suggested that the seller request a return for refund (cuts down of a few of the scammers).

[calntom]

Refund once the item is returned and inspected. 

[portkoop-0]

Yeah at this stage just accept the return, you want to wait until the locomotive is back in your possession before issuing the refund.

[tellmemama]

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@gracieallen01 wrote:

One thing to keep in mind on ebay - there is no such thing as 'No Refund'.  Your 'No Returns' is basically wasted space in the description for most categories.  ebay has it's Money Back Guarantee.  You don't have to accept returns - ebay will be glad to let the buyer keep the item.  But, ebay will require a refund.  Many times it is a matter of the seller not wanting to hassle with a return and will just refund.  How you handle it is up to you, but it is generally highly suggested that the seller request a return for refund (cuts down of a few of the scammers).

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This isn't accurate and I wish posters wouldn't perpetuate this myth.  Sellers are allowed to state they do not accept remorse returns just like stores that don't issue cash refunds but store credit only.  Ebay will never force the OP to refund and allow the buyer to keep the item unless the seller does not resolve a NAD case.  Which this clearly is not.  The buyer bought the wrong item (HO scale instead of N) due to the messed up eBay search but the picture clearly shows HO scale.  In the end, the item is as described.  

Therefore the OP is welcome to advertise and enforce the no remorse returns policy.  Which this clearly is.  If it were me, I'd accept the return since the buyer was being honest.  But I'm not obligated to do so. 

And I wouldn't be penalized if I refused.

[autonerd71]

It didn't strike me as a situation where eBay would force the return - the page seemed to make it pretty clear that I could deny the refund, and that if I did refund the item the buyer would pay return shipping.

[tellmemama]

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@autonerd71 wrote:

It didn't strike me as a situation where eBay would force the return - the page seemed to make it pretty clear that I could deny the refund, and that if I did refund the item the buyer would pay return shipping.

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You're right.  In this particular case eBay would not force the return.  But like I said, since you have an honest buyer who is willing to pay the return shipping, I'd probably go ahead and refund when you get it back.  Personally I offer 30 day returns/buyer pays shipping so I don't have a dog in this fight.  But as mentioned upthread, he could have lied and opened a Not As Described case so you'd be stuck with paying shipping both ways.  He didn't.  That alone deserves giving him a little slack and allowing the return.

Nonetheless, you're allowed to refuse remorse returns.  Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

[gracieallen01]

@tellmemama 

I apologize for not mentioning remorse buyers.  I will attempt to be careful about that in the future. 

Those, the honest return remorse buyers, aren't often seen on the forum when a seller comes complaining about a false return reason.  Or, when it is an obvious remorse case, that the buyer even admits, and claims SNAD.  As far as 'Return for Refund', that is basically for remorse cases - the buyer foots the shipping.  However, it would seem that there are many more 'damaged', NAD, Item Not Received, faulty returns cases, etc., by far, than honest remorse cases.

Still in all, it is true that there is no such thing as NO RETURNS - if a buyer decides that they ARE going to return something - not as described is always a good fall-back position for an ebay claim.  The seller takes it or the buyer can go to their credit card provider for a chargeback - then the seller is out the item and money.

[autonerd71]

Thank you again everyone for your help and advice!

[autonerd71]

A follow up to anyone who cares: I decided to do the return. The auto-refund system didn't work, so a PayPal support staffer had to process it manually -- and he refunded the shipping as well, which they agreed was in error and I am still trying to get back. I got my invoice and eBay billed me for the FVF and return shipping. So now I'm in chat trying to get THAT back. I've invested at least an hour in chat with support and I'm potentially out $40 for trying to do the right thing. I'm hopeful eBay will process the returns and credits, but the moral of the story is: DON'T DO THE RIGHT THING.

[kensgiftshop]

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@autonerd71 wrote:

 I got my invoice and eBay billed me for the FVF and return shipping.

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If they charged you the return shipping, the buyer filed an INAD instead of a remorse return.

Since the buyer filed an INAD, you don't have the option to deduct the original shipping and the buyer would get a full refund.

When you tried to refund through Ebay, was there enough funds in your Pay Pal account to cover the refund?

If there wasn't, that's why it wouldn't go through.

Does it show the refund was given in the Ebay case or is it still open?