Ebay won't honor date on Return Request

[catcookielover]

Buyer started a return request on Jan 6 for a $200 pair of Chanel shoes. I sent a free label on the same day. The buyer has not printed the label or shipped them back

Here are the instructions ebay has on the return request.

"We've asked the buyer to ship the item back by Jan  22." "If the buyer doesn't send the item back by Jan 22 we may close this return"

It's now Jan 24 and I have ebay contacted several times. They refuse to close the request. They said they are now giving the buyer till January 27. They won't even tell me when they will release my funds that are still on  hold.

Is there anything I can do?  

[lamber9347]

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@catcookielover wrote:

Buyer started a return request on Jan 6 for a $200 pair of Chanel shoes. I sent a free label on the same day. The buyer has not printed the label or shipped them back

Here are the instructions ebay has on the return request.

"We've asked the buyer to ship the item back by Jan  22." "If the buyer doesn't send the item back by Jan 22 we may close this return"

It's now Jan 24 and I have ebay contacted several times. They refuse to close the request. They said they are now giving the buyer till January 27. They won't even tell me when they will release my funds that are still on  hold.

Is there anything I can do?  

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That's very unfortunate. Have you tried using the chat option to reach out to another person? I've used the chat option many times and they always answer quite quickly. I find them very helpful. Remember that each time you will receive a different answer because it's simply a different rep. Try again and maybe you'll get lucky with someone else and they will close the case in your favor. Worth a shot. Best of luck to you.... 

[catcookielover]

Hi,  thank you for posting! I tried the chat twice and even talked to one on the phone.  The Reps couldn't give me an answer. Only saying that they were giving the buyer more time.  

[lamber9347]

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@catcookielover wrote:

Hi,  thank you for posting! I tried the chat twice and even talked to one on the phone.  The Reps couldn't give me an answer. Only saying that they were giving the buyer more time.  

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I'm sorry to hear that. It's only a few more days. Try to stay positive that the buyer has changed their mind and wants to keep the shoes. You did everything correctly now just wait it out. Try to be patient while remaining positive. Hang in there.... 

[catcookielover]

**I forgot to add that the buyer request reason was for fit, so hopefully won't go against my record. 

[daw365 · Accepted solution]

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@catcookielover wrote:

"We've asked the buyer to ship the item back by Jan  22." "If the buyer doesn't send the item back by Jan 22 we may close this return"

It's now Jan 24 and I have ebay contacted several times. They refuse to close the request. They said they are now giving the buyer till January 27.

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In the Spring update last year before the pandemonium, eBay gave us a clue:

How much time are buyers given to ship returned items?
When buyers are sent an eBay-generated return label, the return is closed if the label is not printed within 10 business days. If the buyer prints the label, we allow the return to remain open an additional 5 business days to ensure shipping scans are captured.

So your buyer viewed the label which eBay assumes it was saved or printed.

[lamber9347]

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@catcookielover wrote:

**I forgot to add that the buyer request reason was for fit, so hopefully won't go against my record. 

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Unfortunately all returns will be logged on your account. You can view them at anytime via seller's hub. Returns will stay for 18 mos then go away. This should count as a remorse return so it's not a demerit type, but it will still sit there. It happens but you needn't worry yourself over one return. 

[mam98031]

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@lamber9347 wrote:

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@catcookielover wrote:

**I forgot to add that the buyer request reason was for fit, so hopefully won't go against my record. 

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Unfortunately all returns will be logged on your account. You can view them at anytime via seller's hub. Returns will stay for 18 mos then go away. This should count as a remorse return so it's not a demerit type, but it will still sit there. It happens but you needn't worry yourself over one return. 

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Properly filed Buyer Remorse returns do not count against a seller in the Service Metrics.

I'm not sure where the 18 months comes in.  To my knowledge Ebay only counts stats for evaluating sellers for a maximum of 12 months if the seller does less than 400 transactions in the past 90 days.  And those sellers that do 400+ transactions in 90 days only have their stats evaluated on their accounts for the previous 90 days.

[catcookielover]

Thank you everybody for being so helpful and explaining this so much better!  I will wait it out a bit longer.😊

[mam98031]

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@catcookielover wrote:

Buyer started a return request on Jan 6 for a $200 pair of Chanel shoes. I sent a free label on the same day. The buyer has not printed the label or shipped them back

Here are the instructions ebay has on the return request.

"We've asked the buyer to ship the item back by Jan  22." "If the buyer doesn't send the item back by Jan 22 we may close this return"

It's now Jan 24 and I have ebay contacted several times. They refuse to close the request. They said they are now giving the buyer till January 27. They won't even tell me when they will release my funds that are still on  hold.

Is there anything I can do?  

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Ebay goes by Pacific Standard time and it is the 23rd still on the West coast.  So when something says it MAY be closed on the 22nd, it actually means the 23rd, because what is says is BY the 22nd.  So they wait until that day is completely over.

Ebay announced a few months back an extended window for buyers to return items due to the pandemic.  That policy is still in effect.  

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Announcements/Temporary-changes-to-timelines-for-Returns-and-Claims-du...

[eunster1313]

(Thank you everybody for being so helpful and explaining this so much better! I will wait it out a bit longer.)

All you can do is wait it out.

eBay revoked the authority from the customer service agents to close these cases

at a sellers request. You are wasting you time calling or contacting eBay for help

because even if the customer service agent wanted to help you they are not allowed

to any more. That's why you are getting the vague answers from them.

You will find this towards the bottom of the page.

2020 Spring Seller Update-Updates to how you service your customers

https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/seller-updates/2020-spring/service.html 

[mam98031]

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@eunster1313 wrote:

(Thank you everybody for being so helpful and explaining this so much better! I will wait it out a bit longer.)

All you can do is wait it out.

eBay revoked the authority from the customer service agents to close these cases

at a sellers request. You are wasting you time calling or contacting eBay for help

because even if the customer service agent wanted to help you they are not allowed

to any more. That's why you are getting the vague answers from them.

You will find this towards the bottom of the page.

2020 Spring Seller Update-Updates to how you service your customers

https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/seller-updates/2020-spring/service.html 

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Under the normal rules, the seller wasn't asking for it to be closed "early".  But there are extended terms in play right now for buyers per the link to the Ebay announcement I provided up thread.  They have not ended that extended term yet, it is still in play.