eBay

wolverine1094 · ‎12-02-2022

I sold a jacket that got returned due to not fitting properly. I always list 5 measures to help with sizing. I allow returns but state that the buyer needs to pay shipping both ways unless item is misrepresented. When I got the USPS notice on my door that I needed to pick this up at the local PO and pay $32 I immediately called eBay customer service since this had never happened to me before and did not want to make a costly mistake. I was advised to pay this shipping charge issue a refund and eBay would refund me direct for the return shipping. This did not happen and after another call to eBay they then asked me to find receipts to prove that I paid this return shipping cost. I did that and now they want me to send this buyer a PayPal invoice. I told them this was ridiculous and thought it was not the right way to handle this at all. Ebay cust service sent me a message on how to send a PayPal invoice to this buyer but it requires an email for the buyer which I never had access to. This whole thing has cost me a lot of extra time and quite a bit of frustration and I am still out over $32. If anybody knows what I should do to get my $$ back that would be great….I can’t even get either PayPal or eBay on the phone.

lacemaker3 · ‎12-03-2022

@wolverine1094 wrote:
Yeah, I did not think USPS did COD either. The jacket was received, tried on, and then re boxed and mailed back COD via USPS. I have had other returns over the years due to buyers remorse and eBay paid for the return shipping….I guess they are not doing that anymore. When I was advised back at the very beginning of this disaster by the eBay rep to pay and get the item from the PO that was what I thought was going to happen based on past experiences along with this rep telling/lying to me about an eBay reimbursement.

Again, eBay has really sunk to a new level here with their advisors, the policies that sellers are forced to follow and how they review or not review transactions…it’s clear from my auction that I allow returns but the buyer has to pay shipping both ways, jacket not fitting is not me misrepresenting it, if eBay did not want to eat the cost of this shipping THEY should have just billed this buyer. Doing nothing and sticking their head in the sand sucks for me…

@wolverine1094 wrote:

@wolverine1094,

Thanks for the additional info. That note says the item was returned postage due, not COD. There are examples of the shipping label shown in the link I provided before; it is clearly marked Collect on Delivery Hold for Pickup, so it doesn't look like a normal shipping label.

It sounds like the buyer packaged the jacket up in the same box you used, and then mailed it back "Return to sender" or something like that. The sender is responsible for the return postage when that happens. Can you confirm if the buyer just sent it back, or if they actually used a Collect on Delivery shipping label?

The buyer was not supposed to do that ... when it's a buyer remorse reason, like "didn't fit", then the seller's return policy determines who pays for return shipping. The screenshot of the listing shows that your return policy then was for the buyer to pay the return shipping. That's what they were supposed to do.

You said: "I have had other returns over the years due to buyers remorse and eBay paid for the return shipping". Actually, when that happens and the buyer uses the eBay return shipping label, then eBay charges the buyer for it. eBay doesn't actually pay for the return shipping. But the buyer has to print and use the eBay return shipping label for that to happen.

I suggest that you contact eBay customer service on Facebook.com/eBay or Twitter.com/AskeBay to reach eBay employees who might be able to help you with this.

fab_finds4u · ‎12-03-2022

COD? Do you mean postage due because eBay issued a First Class Label which won't be enough postage for a leather jacket?

If your policy is no returns you can decline a doesn't fit return. If your policy is returns accepted you must accept a return for any reason. The buyer would be responsible for return shipping and if they didn't pay enough for shipping eBay would probably force you to refund anyway using the analogy you can't have the item delivered and keep their payment. Contact eBay and see if they'll give you a voucher for the shipping since the return cost should have been paid by the buyer.

allen1853 · ‎12-03-2022

Ebay has, again and again, done sellers such disservices. A customer service rep will "promise" to refund you to get you off the phone. They have no authority to make such a promise and eBay will not do it. The whole "send the buyer a Pay Pal invoice" is another way to just get you off the phone. No way your buyer is going to pay any such invoice even if you get their Pay Pal email or user name. I no longer even try to sell clothes on eBay. You cannot provide enough info to protect yourself from buyers used to Nordstroms getting on their knees to service them. Good luck if you continue to sell clothes. Ebay loves people who spend over $6000 a year on sneakers, but not the sellers.

wolverine1094 · ‎12-05-2022

Thanks for your response…you may have something here. Somehow I was credited a few dollars by eBay for this shipping so they may have done just what you stated…provided a first class shipping label for a 6 plus pound jacket being shipped from Hawaii to NJ. My notice may have been shipping fees owed. I am going to visit the local PO with my receipt and inquire. Thanks again! I will update this thread when I get an answer.

yotman19 · ‎12-05-2022

refuse delivery

wolverine1094 · ‎12-05-2022

So it turns out that either eBay or this buyer purchased a shipping label that only covered about $3 of the shipping which cost a total of about $35. How would I figure out who purchased this label? I messaged the buyer about this shortage but have not gotten a response….this type of stuff does not happen with Amazon, that’s for sure….

lacemaker3 · ‎12-05-2022

@wolverine1094 wrote:
So it turns out that either eBay or this buyer purchased a shipping label that only covered about $3 of the shipping which cost a total of about $35. How would I figure out who purchased this label? I messaged the buyer about this shortage but have not gotten a response….this type of stuff does not happen with Amazon, that’s for sure….

@wolverine1094,

If the buyer had used the eBay return shipping label, and assuming it was a "did not fit" return which is buyer's remorse, then the buyer would have been charged the actual cost of the return shipping, whatever it was.

Return shipping labels are different; they can be used for either priority or regular mail, and they are not charged until the post office scans the label, at which point they determine what shipping service is being used. If it's in a priority mail box, then it is returned priority. eBay uses USPS return shipping labels, it's a special service for businesses:

https://www.usps.com/business/return-services.htm

So, if the buyer only paid about $3.00, then the buyer must have bought the shipping label themselves.

Your buyer probably isn't going to respond, because they didn't want to pay for the return shipping in the first place. They probably did this to avoid being charged for it.

silvercrown90 · ‎12-05-2022

You should have ignored the package that was sitting at USPS. You have no obligation to collect a returned item that hasn't been delivered. USPS would have eventually returned it to the buyer if you had not paid the COD amount. The only way eBay will force you to issue a refund is if the buyer has the tracking number and can prove that it was delivered to you. No delivery, no refund.

Sorry this happened to you and you were misinformed as to how to handle a return that was not shipped back properly.

silvercrown90 · ‎12-05-2022

Even if postage was due, you are under no obligation to pay it or pick up the item. If a buyer opens a return, they have the responsibility to get the package delivered to you, with a tracking number showing that it was delivered. eBay will not force you to refund a buyer on a return that has not been delivered.

gwens*4saleitems* · ‎12-05-2022

Honestly !! What does it matter who did what to / with the shipping label ?

You got your jacket back ?

You got your JACKET back?

You got YOUR JACKET BACK !

Now, relist it. Raise the price a tad bit to compensate for the shipping CHARGE you paid.

Resell it.

Move on for pity's sake.

kensgiftshop · ‎12-05-2022

@silvercrown90 wrote:
You should have ignored the package that was sitting at USPS. You have no obligation to collect a returned item that hasn't been delivered. USPS would have eventually returned it to the buyer if you had not paid the COD amount. The only way eBay will force you to issue a refund is if the buyer has the tracking number and can prove that it was delivered to you. No delivery, no refund.

Sorry this happened to you and you were misinformed as to how to handle a return that was not shipped back properly.

It really doesn't matter where it was delivered, if tracking shows it was delivered, they'll issue a refund.

If the OP hadn't picked up the package and it was returned to the buyer, there's a good chance the buyer would end up with the jacket and a refund.

Have a great day

wolverine1094 · ‎12-09-2022

You sell cheap $20 items…this was an $800 jacket that I lost over $30 in shipping fees….I start3d this thread to warn others and see if there was a way to recover my $$. I have been on eBay for almost 25 years now and this is a first for me. Paying eBay now almost 13% of my sales and being treated this way sucks…

lessons learned here are to NOT expect accurate info/advice from eBay customer service. It seems that I should have just left this package at the local PO since it was not returned properly(with shipping paid in full). In the future if I have a concern I will post it on th8s forum rather than call eBay customer service.