Buyer requesting return after item was just shipped a day and a half prior

[orange.and.oak]

Hello! 

So I've run into the odd experience of a buyer trying to request a return on an item, which I suppose isn't strange at all, but it's something I've little experience with personally, despite selling on ebay for many years now. But the bigger issue is that the item was purchased and paid just this past Monday 03/29, and I had the parcel turned over to USPS the very next day in the afternoon.  It was shipped USPS First Class. Tracking shows the parcel is proceeding as normal, no delays, no issues, and yet just this morning I receive a Return Request from this buyer. They state "doesn't fit" as their category and "I don't like it" as their reason for the return request. They've not yet received the parcel, and it's progressing on-time on it's way. It's only been a day and a half since it was shipped. 

I've attached a message to this Return Request for the buyer, stating that the parcel hasn't yet arrived to them, and is not delayed. That'd I'd still be willing to process their return if they still want it once the parcel actually arrives to them, but not before.  This is fortunately a low-price item, so I'm not terribly worried, just confused.

So my question(s) are - firstly, how does eBay even allow for these requests to be made, when tracking quite clearly shows the parcel was only just shipped out less than 48 hours prior (and was turned over to USPS less than 24 hours after payment). I get it in situations where parcels have met severe delays in transit, and perhaps wind up as an INR, but there is no delay here.

Second, beyond sending the message, what further recourse do I have here, just in the worst case scenario (I don't like to think poorly of others, but-) should the buyer respond nastily to my message, or double-down on their request and begin demanding?  What steps have I to protect myself and prevent someone from effectually just getting all their money back and stealing my item?  On the Return Request form, right up top, it of course states I am not obligated to accept the return, but I very much doubt that phrase to be a way of saying "don't worry, we'll protect you". : (

I've kept  my account in good standing for years, and I'd be saddened for an impulsive buyer to come along and sully things after they've developed buyers remorse, or worse yet, hoped to get away with something nefarious. In fact, I just recently experienced a negative interaction with a different buyer not even a month ago who left an oddly aggressive "neutral" in my feedback, for a parcel that was confirmed by USPS to have been very sadly damaged and tampered with in transit. That buyer then went on to send several harassing messages to me thereafter. I'm dreading the near future holding a third surly character in waiting, as often bad things tend to come in threes.

I thank you all for your time and any help and advice you can offer! 

[frgre3717]

Id accept the return and put the ball in the buyers court to actually return it.

[loveyourimagination49]

April Fools Joke?

They have the wrong seller?

Don’t worry about the what if’s.

[mtgraves7984]

My first thought... the buyer has your purchase confused with another seller's item. If that is so... maybe message them and see if they'll correct the error and close the case. That'd be 'best case' scenario.

My next thought... if the buyer receives it, and still wants a Return, allow it. (I'd not approve the return  until it's delivered... watch the timeline on the case and the info on Tracking.) If the Return cites 'Doesn't fit', which is a remorse reason... at least you'd not be out return shipping and you'd get your product back to resell. That's the 'worst case' scenario right now, and it doesn't look too bad.

[lamber9347 · Accepted solution]

@orange.and.oak Several things could be occurring here. Buyer may have simply made a mistake and meant to open a return on another item. People no longer read or pay attention, specially if using their phones. 

The entire return program is automated, there is no one at eBay actually reviewing these cases. There are simply too many of them a day to do that. 

Buyer always has everything on their side so you need to tread lightly with this. I suggest you first simply reply to the buyer and ask if they selected correctly on the return as your item is still in transit. Wait for their reply, if they do send one at all. 

If they reply that they have changed their mind, which seems to be the issue based on their choice of reason, then ask them to mark the item as return to sender. It will then be returned to you and you can refund them. They will lost buyer protection this way but that's not your concern here. You need to take care of your selling account. 

Above all remain calm and courteous, which it sounds like you are. The ball in always in the buyer's court so stay kindly and try to remain positive that all will work out. No you are not obligated to accept a remorse return but if you don't accept it then you will receive negative feedback. So you trade one for the other basically, which is more important to you? 

Think it out but keep in mind there is a time limit, also on the buyer's side. Make sure you respond within the timeline or you will automatically lose the return. Remember it's all automated. Best of luck to you....

[orange.and.oak]

Oh, I'm perfectly willing to process the return, that's not so much the issue. What's got me confused is how this is something that can be requested at all less than 48 hours after the parcel was shipped. I could understand if it'd been in transit 8, 9, 10 days, but it shipped less than a day after payment and is proceeding fine. If they want to return - fine. But I'm just not comfortable processing a return well before the buyer even receives the parcel at all. That seems like an awful precedent to set, and if this IS somebody just taking advantage of the system, I'd feel complicit to any future sellers they target next. The buyers account is rather new. I don't think it's asking much to have this buyer wait until the parcel actually arrives to go ahead with this process, yeah?   

[orange.and.oak]

Thank you very kindly for this answer - this is brilliant advice and I appreciate you taking your time. I've definitely reached out and am just waiting to hear back from them now. I'll keep my eye on the tracking of the parcel as well, and should I hear back from the buyer over this, and they do wish for a return, I will offer them the instruction of marking it return to sender. 

Also, thank you for defining exactly what "not obligated to accept" means in that sentence! Quite the trade indeed. I'd certainly rather handle the return than chance the feedback. I understand that people change their minds sometimes - that's fine! This situation just threw me for such a loop! 

Thank you again for your lovely and helpful answer!

[orange.and.oak]

Hello and thank you so much for this great reply! I appreciate you taking your time to offer help and advice! 

I've gone ahead and sent a message to them regarding the return and politely informed them that I'm happy to process a return once the parcel has actually been delivered (which looks like it should be within the next day or so, per the tracking. So that's nice and soon). I've offered them instruction on returning the parcel to me and am hopeful that they will be amenable to this and all will be smoothed out.

Thank you again, mate! : ) 

[lamber9347]

@orange.and.oak I can see you are a professional about this and not taking it personally. So many others fall into that trap. Online selling can be very fun and a nice way to make extra money, but in the end one is selling items to perfect strangers in other parts of the country. Things happen. You are very intuitive about how to handle these and I can see you will be a successful seller. Best of luck to you....

[orange.and.oak]

Hi there! Well, some folks can possess a rather unusual sense of humor, that's true! It would be nicest to find out it's more to do with the second on your list, but even if not, I'm hopeful it can be worked out politely. I suppose this whole situation just gave me a real confusion! I appreciate you stopping in to help though! Take care!

[johnrj1226]

People often just  change their mind shortly after buying things or they may have found a same or similar item as yours at a more attractive price or maybe their dog bought the item when they weren't watching their cell or ran across their key board or for a myriad of other reasons.

Welcome to the world of sales/selling.  Sold for  a career for over 4 decades.

If they don't  want your item don't fight it or try to rationalize why.  Just a part of  doing business. Simply & professionally communicate  these words "return for refund" but you don't have to like it.