Buyer returned order to another address

[jewelry.box]

Hi!

So this is my case. I sold a phone to  a buyer and when he received it he sent me an email stating that he couldn't open the sim card slot. After I have advised him how to do so he still couldn't open it. So he told me if it is possible to send it back and have me open it for him. It seemed strange to me but anyway I complied and said sure, send it back. So, after a few days,  he opened a return request stating he didn't like the item and wants a refund. I assume he changed his mind, so I thought that when I receive the item back I will refund him. When I checked the tracking information he provided it stated that the item would be delivered to me within 5 days. At this time I start to get suspicious since I am an international seller and even if he had chosen the best shipping company in the world there is no way I would get my item back within 5 days. So, I keep an eye on the tracking and as I have suspected, the item got delivered in an address within the USA. So, as soon as I saw that I contacted eBay through e-mail to let them know and not refund the buyer. Now I'm worried that they will not respond in time (no customer service phone number anymore) since I only have two business days to refund him and they will refund him anyway. Did someone have a similar case like that and if yes, how did you handled it? Do you know how much time it takes eBay to answer an e-mail? Thank you for all of the responses

[whattheactualfox · Accepted solution]

Okay so this requires a bit of an explanation so bear with me OP

First off. I assume you agreed to a refund  via ebay. Now did you send the buyer a return label or did the buyer use a different one? (I assumed the buyer used their own label.) Now the buyer is responsible for sending it to the right address. If they send it to the wrong address, then I believe they loose their buyer protection. I would double check your return address to make sure it is not going to somewhere else.

Also contact ebay on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/eBayForBusiness) and let them know what is going on. Make sure you give them as much info as you can.

[jewelry.box]

Hello! 

Thank you for your reply!  If you mean i accepted the return i didn't. eBay accepted it automatically. Through the messages he never mentioned he was not satisfied with the phone. He only said he couldn't open the sim card slot and asked me if i could do it by sending the phone back. Also, i didn't send a shipping label. I think sellers outside USA cannot send shipping labels. 

[whattheactualfox]

I think sellers outside USA cannot send shipping labels.

Generally with international shipping it goes both ways. The best way to do it is to have the buyer send you back the item with a shipping label they bought, then invoice them via PayPal in their native currency. Sometimes I generally know ebay will provide the buyer a return label and invoice you. But I would assume your return policy is buyer pays shipping.

 If you mean I accepted the return I didn't. eBay accepted it automatically.

Under some circumstances. Ebay will automatically accept the return. I took this from their Fall 2017 Seller Update page (https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/seller-updates/2017-fall/returns.html

Beginning in October 2017, returns requests may automatically be accepted to make the returns process easier for you and your buyers. eBay will automatically accept a return request and provide a return shipping label to the buyer when the buyer pays for return shipping. If you offer free returns or if you’re required to pay for the return shipping label, automatic acceptance will only occur if you have not replied to the buyer return request within three business days.

Automatic acceptance allows buyers to ship items back to you quickly and efficiently, and get their refunds sooner. You will also save time and receive reimbursement for final value fees.

You can continue to control the efficiency of your returns process by creating rules in your return preferences to automatically approve returns or send immediate refunds without requiring the buyer to send the item back.