eBay

nogaboga · ‎03-15-2025

Buyer opened a request. Package is on its way back to me. Buyer sent a new delivery address. Funds are on hold. Buyer paid for original shipping.
How do I make buyer pay for the new shipping label? I read through every page in the eBay help pages, but the only action I would like to take - ask eBay to step in - is not available to me anywhere. If I try to refund the buyer, shipping cost gets refunded too automatically, and I don’t think I should be paying those.
How do I solve this?

Thanks!

borientis7 · ‎03-15-2025

I would suggest that you call customer care for further assistance. I know you are unwilling to bear the cost of the shipping, but that is the only other option. Sometimes, we have to do what we normally wouldn't do for the sake of the integrity of the business. Whether you bear the shipping cost or you give a refund, money is still leaving your pocket. Why not bear the shipping cost? Unless, you want the product back in your space.

jerseyboymusic · ‎03-15-2025

@nogaboga I wouldn't do what @borientis7 suggests. Too many headaches.

If a return request was opened, refund and close out the request when the item gets back to you. Let the buyer know you will relist it and he will have to repurchase it (making sure he has the correct address on the order)

FYI there is NO "customer care" to call and if you get a call back from Ebay "customer support", they will give you wrong information (aka tell you what you want to hear) and get you off the phone as fast as possible

ebooksdiva · ‎03-15-2025

@nogaboga wrote:
Buyer opened a request. Package is on its way back to me. Buyer sent a new delivery address. Funds are on hold. Buyer paid for original shipping.
How do I make buyer pay for the new shipping label? I read through every page in the eBay help pages, but the only action I would like to take - ask eBay to step in - is not available to me anywhere. If I try to refund the buyer, shipping cost gets refunded too automatically, and I don’t think I should be paying those.
How do I solve this?

Thanks!

You need to put tracking into the case showing a delivery was attempted, but is now being returned to sender. Buyer would lose the case because the buyer provided an incorrect address at checkout. You should win the INR. See Money Back Guarantee Policy

If the buyer wants the item you would need to give the buyer your PayPal email address you can do that by calling the buyer, their phone number would be in the order details page.

bdmh-enterprises · ‎03-15-2025

Did the buyer open an INR after the packaged was attempted to be delivered and sent back? Did you put the tracking number into the case? An item Returned To Sender is supposed to be considered delivered and you should win that case.

Then AFTER getting the item back, you should be able to give a refund MINUS the original shipping cost. Note they send RTS slower than normal so it could be a bit before you get it back. After giving the refund you can then relist the item and the original buyer can buy it again if they still want.

Customer service is generally incompetent at best and to be avoided at all costs.

nogaboga · ‎03-15-2025

Buyer contacted me after the failed delivery attempt. He has the tracking info.

thank you for the replies. Does anyone know - how do I proceed with <winning the case>? The only options available to me are these:

if I do nothing, I never see the funds. Does anyone know what should be my next step? How do I open a case or win a case here?

Thank you!

nogaboga · ‎03-15-2025

(Item should arrive back at my address today according to tracking)

mamacassidy · ‎03-15-2025

@nogaboga

I had a similar experience recently.

I clicked the button to Update the Tracking, and then copied and pasted the tracking number.

I then clicked the button to message the buyer. I wrote something like "The item was sent to the address provided to your ebay account: 123 Main St, Anywhere, USA. Tracking shows UPSP attempted delivery on 12/12/2024. The buyer provided an invalid or incorrect address, and the package was returned on 12/13/2024 as Undeliverable."

I added every detail of information that I thought was relevant, including the dates and addresses as well as the exact wording from the money back guarantee, even though all this is 'already in the system'.

The INR was closed in my favor.

As far as shipping it to a new address, some people recommend having them pay shipping through Paypal and some recommend creating a new listing through ebay that covers shipping and fees and let them 'purchase' that listing.

12345jamesstamps · ‎03-15-2025

There will be a label usually on the package stating why item was returned to you.

I would refund buyer after item is returned. I would not resend it out.

I get returns all the time...but buyers never contact me.

nogaboga · ‎03-15-2025

So this request (INR?) is being reviewed by eBay automatically? When does that happen? Do I write a messages to buyer with the eBay review in mind?
I just don’t know what to do right now. Do I just write that the package was returned to me and that I’m waiting for eBay to refund the money to me?

mamacassidy · ‎03-15-2025

@nogaboga

Yes, this INR is being reviewed by ebay. You have a certain amount of time from when the INR was first opened by the buyer to respond. I would respond as I described above, writing all the details into the message box. After the time (I think maybe 4 days?) shown in the INR has passed, an icon will appear to you that asks ebay to step in and close the INR.

As far as re-sending the item, I'd set that up through the ebay message system, not discuss that through this INR.

As the post above states, it's up to you if you want to re-send it. I did not re-send the item I received back, but I went to "view order details" and did a partial refund of the purchase price minus any fees.

Edited to add: anytime someone opens an action through ebay (INR, return request, etc) it will be reviewed by ebay. You must respond and/ or refund within a given time, or ebay will automatically refund the buyer.

It's only when someone directly messages you that you're having a conversation with just them (although, ebay can see all of those messages).

bdmh-enterprises · ‎03-15-2025

@nogaboga wrote:
Buyer contacted me after the failed delivery attempt. He has the tracking info.

thank you for the replies. Does anyone know - how do I proceed with <winning the case>? The only options available to me are these:

if I do nothing, I never see the funds. Does anyone know what should be my next step? How do I open a case or win a case here?
Thank you!

From that list choose "update tracking". If the tracking # is not automatically added at that point put it in. That should be it. It says "for buyer" but it's for the case in general. There has always been this disconnect between the computer that handles tracking and the computer that handles disputes, so you have to add it even though it's incredibly unintuitive.

ebooksdiva · ‎03-16-2025

You need to update tracking details for the buyer in order to win the case.

annadryl · ‎03-16-2025

I had this happen to me as well just yesterday, and it's the weekend so that affects it because it's only a 4-day window to react. I haven't received the return back yet and I'm not wanting to send a replacement to the same address (they confirmed) because that didn't work the last time.

Seems like kind of a return black hole here?