@pburn wrote:
It is my understanding that a seller who offers "free shipping" as part of the item listing cannot then turn around and withhold that actual shipping cost from a refund; however, I'm going to @ mention the Community Team to get their definitive interpretation.
Please don't process any kind of refund until the Community Team has weighed in on this subject. The aren't available on weekends, so please be patient and wait for their response.
If a seller has free shipping for an item and gets a package returned because of an incorrect address, can the seller withhold the actual cost of the original shipping from the refund--even though it was free to the buyer?
Thanks!
Hey @pburn I'm happy to help clear this up. A seller may not withhold the shipping cost from a refund in this scenario. This help page will run you through the partial refund tool and explain when it is and isn't appropriate to withhold part of a refund.
I want to reiterate one point from this article: "This feature may not be used to recoup market losses on items returned in the same condition or to recoup return shipping and restocking fees. It may only be used to recoup losses when an item is returned used or damaged."
Kyle,
Hey @bigte92. When faced with that situation, I communicate with the buyer through messages to try and arrange either re-shipping to a corrected address or a partial refund. If the buyer chooses to open an INR (item not received claim) instead, I will first add tracking to the claim and reiterate that USPS attempted delivery and I'm willing to work out reshipping.
When I'm able to ask eBay to step in, I escalate to a case and add comments saying buyer is ineligible for MBG because they provided a bad address. (I try to beat the buyer to escalation.)
The case is closed in my favor and after the case closes I find the transaction on my orders page, use the 'send refund' option and give the buyer a partial refund for item cost less shipping/fees even though I'm not required to do so.
Exclusions and special coverage when the buyer doesn't receive an item
The buyer provided an invalid or incorrect address at checkout - Not Covered
I think kyle@ebay will agree that nothing has to be refunded in this situation, so issuing a partial refund despite a 'free shipping' policy is permissible. You're already doing more for the buyer than required by eBay policy.
Thanks for clearing that up, kyle@ebay.
Perhaps you like to field this question @dnasilver posed in an earlier comment:
@dhbookds wrote:
I have another question on the question of incorrect address provided by the buyer........doesn't that void the guarantee? So can't a seller not refund at all........and what would be the consequences if any?
The buyer provided an invalid or incorrect address at checkout
Hey @dhbookds am I correct in assuming you are referring to the OP's question where the item was delivered to the address that was provided during checkout, but that address was either incorrect or invalid? If that's the case, the seller is covered because they can prove delivery to the address they were provided.
Kyle,
@wastingtime101 wrote:
Hey @bigte92. When faced with that situation, I communicate with the buyer through messages to try and arrange either re-shipping to a corrected address or a partial refund. If the buyer chooses to open an INR (item not received claim) instead, I will first add tracking to the claim and reiterate that USPS attempted delivery and I'm willing to work out reshipping.
When I'm able to ask eBay to step in, I escalate to a case and add comments saying buyer is ineligible for MBG because they provided a bad address. (I try to beat the buyer to escalation.)
The case is closed in my favor and after the case closes I find the transaction on my orders page, use the 'send refund' option and give the buyer a partial refund for item cost less shipping/fees even though I'm not required to do so.
Exclusions and special coverage when the buyer doesn't receive an item
The buyer provided an invalid or incorrect address at checkout - Not Covered
I think kyle@ebay will agree that nothing has to be refunded in this situation, so issuing a partial refund despite a 'free shipping' policy is permissible. You're already doing more for the buyer than required by eBay policy.
Hey @wastingtime101 I sure would! You hit the nail right on the head here.
Kyle,
@pburn wrote:
Thanks for clearing that up, kyle@ebay.
Perhaps you like to field this question @dnasilver posed in an earlier comment:
Hey @pburn thanks for pointing this one out. @dnasilver we are indeed actual eBay employees. I would invite you to check out our page here.
Kyle,
