Sorry, but I respectfully have to disagree here. It isn't so much the lack of training, but more the fact that eBay sets the "script" for what customer service can do for you. I have been helped by US and non-US natives in regards to customser service. I have had great help from both, and also have been misled by both. It isn't necessarily the lack of knowledge on their part, a lot of times it is the sellers themselves--calling in with no knowledge about the policy or defect they are asking about. There is a saying here, but I forget who says it all the time--"You need to have your ducks in a row before you call."
It is up to the sellers to do their own research and to know the policies here. I think the issue in your case is that there is only so much that the CS reps can do, when you try to circumvent policy. Which is what you tried to do here. I don't blame you--false SNAD returns are awful--but they have a limited amount of knowledge when you try to re-write the script. They also have a limited amount of power--they do what their boss tells them to do--and whatever power trip, seller punishment, or policy emforcement eBay deems important at that minute, is what they have to follow.
I actually think you got better customer service than most--I have never heard of any seller getting out of paying the shipping when a SNAD is opened (not recently with the new policy updates, that is). Usually they would just tell you that their hands were tied, and you need to pay the buyer off to close the case--period. The fact that someone actually tried to help you with this--well, I bet they spent quite a bit of time on the phone with you. And somehow in the end you actually did get refunded for the shipping? I am not clear as to what the actual outcome was here--but if you got ANY money back for shipping, then count yourself one of the lucky few.
