Buyer return processed as a refund without a return shipment. How to avoid?

[trre5111]

Sooo I'm pretty irritated with eBay right now. I accidentally mixed up shipping labels for two buyers and told each to initiate a return, and that I would direct them to repurchase the items at a discount once I got the correct items back. The first return request comes in. I accept it. As I'm going through, it gives me no options to select return shipping, but does say "buyer to ship by Aug 8" in the progress bar. After I confirm the return, the order details page initially says "waiting for return shipment". Shortly after, it changed to "refunded" and gives me no options for return shipping. 

I assume it processed as a refund without return, so I'm SOL here and will have to eat the entire loss with both buyers now. But if this ever happens again, how am I actually supposed to specify that the buyer needs to send back the item to receive a refund?? Do I need to initiate it from somewhere other than the return request? Last time I received a return it automatically had me create a return shipping label when I was going through the return details and I'm not sure what changed. 

[ebooksdiva]

When you accepted the return, a return label is automatically generated for the buyer. You only see tracking of the item.  
There isn’t a need to confirm unless you clicked refund. 
The only way a return can be refunded is if you clicked on refund. When that happens you are basically telling the buyer, here’s your money you can keep the widget. The buyer is not under any obligation to return once you refunded. 
The other way a refund can be given on a return is when the buyer requested eBay to step in, that doesn’t occur when the return is requested there is a waiting period for that of at least 4 days.

[inhawaii]

I'm not familiar with it because I don't use it but somewhere in your settings is a auto refund or refund without requiring a return. You need to turn that off.  Hopefully someone will be along that can help you with that.

[trre5111]

Yes, I believe the button did say refund. I didn't realize that was different than accepting the return and notifying the buyer. I didn't see any other options. What am I supposed to do to confirm the return instead? Am I just supposed to click away once I get to that final confirmation screen? Is there a way to make it so the return label is not generated automatically and I can provide my own, in order to fix the incorrect shipping dimensions? 

[inhawaii]

You are a genius.

I didn't think of that.

Throughout the whole return process there is a "refund" button, which if clicked on will refund the buyer without the buyer having to return the item.

[ebooksdiva]

Perhaps you should do a little research Return Shipping for sellers 

[ebooksdiva]

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@inhawaii wrote:

You are a genius.

I didn't think of that.

Throughout the whole return process there is a "refund" button, which if clicked on will refund the buyer without the buyer having to return the item.

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Should I take that as a pat on the back or a slap up side the head ?😱 🤣😜

[trre5111]

If anyone references this, I realized that this acted strangely because the buyer chose the wrong return reason "just didn't like it". Haven't had the issue on other returns and I'm not sure how to get the options to show up correctly with that return reason.