Issuing full refund for return; what do I do about the return mailing label?

[pithecanthropus4152]

I have a dissatisfied buyer who is going to return the item he bought for a full refund.   

As I was going through the process of issuing the refund, I briefly saw something about providing a return mailing label, that I could either do it from the listing or else do it outside of eBay somehow, but I honestly didn't pay full attention because I assumed I'd be able to get to those options somehow.  I didn't see any actual buttons or menu options; it seemed to be nothing more than an informational pop-up.

I think it's reasonable that I have to pay return shipping since the buyer paid for the outgoing shipment, but I don't know what I'm supposed to do next, if anything.

[dbfolks166mt]

     Caution: Never issue a refund before you have the item back. Did the buyer actually open a return request or did they just ask to return the item through a message? 

[caldreamer]

Tell customer to go to PURCHASE HISTORY and open "return request" (customer prints label themselves).  EBAY automated system will determine who is responsible for "return shipping" based on the reason customer gives for return.   

If customer uses reason "not as described, defective, counterfeit, missing parts" (seller at fault).  Seller will be forced to refund (purchase price + shipping BOTH ways).

If customer uses reason "changed my mind or buyer's remorse" then customer must pay shipping BOTH ways.

[mam98031]

SLOW DOWN.  Do NOT refund the buyer until you have the item back.  If you refund before the buyer returns it, it is highly likely you will never see the item.  So Wait.

Go to the claim the buyer filed.  Inside the claim accept it and there will be an option for you to send the buyer a return label.  Do everything through the claim once one is opened, even communicating with your buyer.

[soh.maryl]

May I respectfully suggest that, if you were considering refunding BEFORE receiving the item back, you need to go back and brush up on how the return process works.  You NEVER issue a refund unless/until you receive the item back.  The only reason you would even think of that would be if you've decided you don't want it back for some reason, like the buyer claims it's broken in a million pieces, for instance.

Yours is the third message today from a seller who (mistakenly) wants to issue a refund pre-receipt of returned item.  We had a message here just yesterday from a seller who, for some reason, panicked when the buyer opened an NAD case and refunded a significant amount of money before getting the item back.  If/when that happens, the buyer is under no obligation to return it and has both the item and the refund.