Issue refund for item returned by USPS - ebay says "wait for buyer to open a case"

[nuclearomen]

Yeah, so new user bought an item from me on the 31st, it was sent USPS first class - USPS attempted delivery Jun 3rd, returned package to me for Insufficient Address - package arrives to me today. I sent buyer inbox through ebay the other day, they never responded. I go to issue refund via Orders page dropdown - ebay doesn't have a reason for package returned by carrier - so i call ebay - they tell me "wait until the buyer opens a INR claim" - lol...**bleep**!? Why on earth would anyone wait for a buyer to open a case on them just to issue a refund? I said No, I'm selecting "other reason" and adding another note to the buyer and that's it. 

[rebell45]

Won't get your fees back that way.

[dentalsales4u]

I would refund with problem with buyers address.

You'll get your fees back and I believe it will also protect you regarding feedback.

[nuclearomen]

according to the refund I will, but if I don't whatever - it wasn't much/not a large money item anyways. Understand the user is brand new, the package was attempted delivery Jun 3rd and Send back to me that day, buyer never mailed or contacted ebay, which means they never even checked the tracking. I sent buyer inbox few days ago saying it was on way back to me...buyer never replied. I'm not waiting to refund when I have the item back and said buyer will likely never contact me anyways. 

[nuclearomen]

that option ( @dentalsales4u ) is not on the options list for issue refund... I believe that option only appears prior to purchasing label. 

[katzrul15]

Yes, exactly what you outlined.  If you have the item, Buyer gets a refund.  Some Seller withhold the shipping in these scenarios - I usually just refund the entire amount to avoid an issue.  But I do select Buyer's address as the reason, as it is the buyer's addy that caused the issue.

[dentalsales4u]

Did you try to cancel the transaction instead of refunding?

I've done it in the past without any problems, but then again, I don't use eBay labels.

[nuclearomen]

@katzrul15 i wanted to, but as said above, that option wasn't supplied on the drop down menu of reasons...that's why I selected other reason, not selecting INR, it's not my fault buyer doesn't know their own address. I could have waited for buyer to open a case - yes - in this case, because it's new user that had not contacted or responded _ i felt it best just to go ahead and issue the refund now. 

[nuclearomen]

no, never done that, especially after an item had shipped? Never heard anyone doing that. But I do purchase label from ebay shipping. 

[bbravo65]

...I got the same scenario but USPS didn't return my item...package was held for weeks then nothing burger happened...package was disappeared, vanished into air...I filed a Missing Mail case but got no compensation because it wasn't Priority Mail...

...the buyer later (almost 2 mos.) admitted they had moved and didn't forward their mail but then file INR case, eBay looked into the tracking history and disregarded the matter that it had been almost 2 mos. and I never got back my item, still made the decision in buyer's favor...

...completely out of money...lesson learned...but if it happened again, probably will lose money again...and...learned again...but still don't see the best outcome to deal with this...

[femmefan1946]

EBay does not require that a seller make a refund for a shipment when the buyer gave an Undeliverable address.

This includes shipments that were Refused and Returned to Sender.

Don't do anything until the item gets back to you.

Don't do anything unless the buyer opens an Item Not Received dispute. Then put the tracking into the dispute that show that the shipment could not be delivered.

In spite of the legalities here, ethically you cannot have both the item and the payment. However, I can see no reason for you to be out your shipping costs, any return fee you might be charged by USPS, or your fees, and would suggest that any refund should be reduced by those amounts.

[nuclearomen]

@femmefan1946 

thanks for the advice... not often I have ever had to refund, especially for item being returned to me for bad address. I already did the refund, as stated it's a new user who doesn't seem to be paying any attention to tracking or ebay after they opened account and ordered. Normally would have heard from a buyer by now about it, or they would have opened a claim by now and just dealt with it by entering tracking number etc... In the end, yeah, likely I did something I probably could have gotten off not doing, but I'm honest so I just refunded and fact it was a cheap item, any fees / shipping I loose is no big deal, I can make it back on any sale really + I have the item back and can just resell it..so not too concerned about that aspect. In the future I'll keep this (and others) comments in mind.  

[hggvf-0]

In my opinion it was a fraud that's why he reported and asked them to refund the money I also faced the similar casehere that's why I am pretty sure.