Question on how sellers handle returns

[blueeggsandspam]

Until recently, I never returned something where the item didn't fit. All of my previous returns were for not as described items.

Seller has a 30 day return policy. Buyer pays return shipping. 

I started my return the day after I received it because the item didn't fit me. I paid for return shipping. First class parcel - $5 something. The same way it was shipped to me. 

She received it back on Thursday morning, the 11th. Since then, I've been following the return details on my buying account. It says that I can escalate it to eBay on the 16th if she doesn't process the refund. 

The original cost was about $44 with free shipping.  How much should I get back?  The original $44? 

I ask because I was over at Paypal last night for something else and noticed a $34 refund from her that was sent on the 11th when she received back the package. There is no mention of this refund on eBay in the return details. There is no mention in her listing that I'd be out $10 for the return. I could understand withholding the original $5 something for the shipping, but $10?

If I escalate this to eBay on the 16th, how much will I get back? I'm genuinely curious as to how this should work.

[mypostingid15]

You should receive your $44, but I would write the seller first if they only refunded $34.

[golf-usga]

The seller should have sent you back the entire $44 but is trying to circumvent the policy by going directly to paypal to refund.  Check the refund she sent you.  If it related to the transaction, there  should not be a problem.  If she sent it as a gift or a separate transaction, they she potentially has a problem

Escalate to ebay to get the full refund.    Depending on how she sent the payment, you might get the difference between the price ($10) or ebay may not know about the partial refund and send you the full $44

If they do send you the full $44, refund her that $34 payment she sent.

I have no patience with ebay sellers that try to manipulate the policies and rules.  She is trying to withhold a handling fee and the original shipping.  It does not work that way.

[blueeggsandspam]

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@golf-usga wrote:

The seller should have sent you back the entire $44 but is trying to circumvent the policy by going directly to paypal to refund.  Check the refund she sent you.  If it related to the transaction, there  should not be a problem.  If she sent it as a gift or a separate transaction, they she potentially has a problem

Escalate to ebay to get the full refund.    Depending on how she sent the payment, you might get the difference between the price ($10) or ebay may not know about the partial refund and send you the full $44

If they do send you the full $44, refund her that $34 payment she sent.

I have no patience with ebay sellers that try to manipulate the policies and rules.  She is trying to withhold a handling fee and the original shipping.  It does not work that way.

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On the PayPal side, the refund is tied to the original transaction. PayPal notes "The original purchase was April 2, 2019," and the bolded part is a link to my original payment, but there's nothing on eBay's return details screen about this partial refund.

As a seller, I always refunded the full payment when I received a return regardless of who paid for the return shipping, but it's been many, many years. I wasn't sure if something had changed about the policy.

I'll play it by ear and see what happens when I escalate on the 16th.  If I get more than I'm entitled to, I will definitely send it back.

[thevintagesilvershop]

I, too, would escalate to Ebay.  Seller is trying to manipulate the rules.

[jason_incognito]

The reality is that there are rules.

She wants the benefit of offering "free returns" and "fee shipping" without actually having to follow the rules on what that means. if someone offers them, use them and don'[t feel bad about it. They don't have to offer it.

[blueeggsandspam]

UPDATE:

So, as a seller, how do I sign up for *this* program?

The seller escalated the case to eBay last night and eBay issued me a courtesy refund for the amount the seller withheld. What the heck?

You received a refund

Hi xxxxxxxx, We have decided to issue you a courtesy refund for this case on Apr 14, 2019 to the PayPal account you used to purchase this item. The refund includes the purchase price plus original shipping. Please log in to PayPal to get your refund. This case is now closed, but you can view the details of the case in the Resolution Center.

Comments: We're sorry you had a problem with your purchase. We're issuing you a full refund.

Sure enough, logging into Paypal shows me that eBay Inc refunded the balance due. The seller is a top rated seller, 2300+ feedback, and sells only clothing. Surely she's had returns in the past. How often do they do this for her?

However it happened, I was made whole and left 5 star positive feedback. But questions remain...

Is this a TRS benefit? I couldn't find mention of it in the help files.

[southern*sweet*tea]

You should have gotten a full refund from the seller. Since the seller escalated, they most likely bought themselves an unresolved case strike. At least I hope they did. They certainly should have.

As far as I know it's not some sort of TRS benefit. Unless the seller offered free returns (and those are for ANY reason, or no reason at all) withholding part of a refund is no longer allowed for restocking, etc. A seller offering free returns can withhold up to 50% for damage or a faulty return, but NOT for original shipping.

Were it me I would have not left feedback.

[city*satins]

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@jason_incognito wrote:

The reality is that there are rules.

She wants the benefit of offering "free returns" and "fee shipping" without actually having to follow the rules on what that means. if someone offers them, use them and don'[t feel bad about it. They don't have to offer it.

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The seller didn't offer free returns.  The seller offered free shipping. If you re-read the OP the return policy said "Buyer Pays"

[myboardid]

This is not any kind of benefit for any seller.  It is a one time thing because she screamed and said she shouldn't have to lose money because you used her as a fitting room. 

[blueeggsandspam]

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@myboardid wrote:

This is not any kind of benefit for any seller.  It is a one time thing because she screamed and said she shouldn't have to lose money because you used her as a fitting room. 

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I can't believe I'm the first person to return something to her. I didn't lie and claim not as described to get free return shipping. I paid for it myself. If she doesn't want returns, she shouldn't offer them. 

[blueeggsandspam]

To be honest, the return flow was overly cumbersome on the buying side. Once I started the return, the transaction disappeared off of my purchase history. I had to click through numerous screens to find the transaction, then the return details, and finally the original payment details. It would have been nice to have all of that information on one screen. 

And of course, I had an "aha moment" while trying to figure out the logic behind what occurred. I completely forgot about using my meager eBay bucks on this purchase. As it turns out, the seller refunded my original PayPal payment minus what she paid for shipping. eBay then credited my PayPal for the shipping which she had withheld and reissued the eBay bucks certificate. 

If a buyer returns a free shipping item for fit, is a TRS seller's original shipping cost automatically covered by eBay when the return is processed? 

The seller has impeccable feedback. Surely I'm not the first buyer to return something to her, although from what I read on the forums, I may be the first buyer who didn't lie about the reason for the return. 

[city*satins]

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@blueeggsandspam wrote:

If a buyer returns a free shipping item for fit, is a TRS seller's original shipping cost automatically covered by eBay when the return is processed? 

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No.  The seller is required to refund the entire purchase price and is not allowed to withhold anything. This ability was eliminated when eBay  eliminated restocking fees.  The seller is presented with 2 choices in the refund screen for non SNAD returns.  Refund purchase price  or Refund purchase price and option to refund s/h if and only if s/h were a separate charge.

Your seller didn't use that screen as should have happened, and figured to withhold postage.   Not allowed.

TRS sellers don't get any opt-outs or back door benefits on non SNAD returns from eBay.

[city*satins]

I should add, I used to impose a restocking fee on non SNAD returns where I'd offered free shipping.    After eBay eliminated that, I quit offering free shipping for the most part, since as a clothing seller, I already get way too many try-on purchases and end up in the red on non SNAD returns.   The new Paypal policy not to refund any of the Paypal fees on refunds adds to my losses on returns, so free shipping will be almost a complete thing of the past for me in May.  I just can't afford to treat people to try on stuff at my expense.

[castlemagicmemories]

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@blueeggsandspam wrote:

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@myboardid wrote:

This is not any kind of benefit for any seller.  It is a one time thing because she screamed and said she shouldn't have to lose money because you used her as a fitting room. 

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I can't believe I'm the first person to return something to her. I didn't lie and claim not as described to get free return shipping. I paid for it myself. If she doesn't want returns, she shouldn't offer them. 

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Actually I doubt any seller wants returns, but I know what you mean.  Offering returns gives increased visibility and gives the buyer a sense of security, so it may be offered for those reasons to drive sales, in hopes they won't actually get any returns, but the buyer can only go by what the listing says.