Request for Return due to buyer's fault - Seller dilemma!

[2compassion]

Hello wonderful eBay Community!

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving Holidays with supper sales!

Well, I had much less sales than usual; and to add salt to the injury, I officially had my first return request with a twist so need your advice please!

Just a note that due to privacy issue of this matter, I am using my “obsolete buying account on eBay” to reach out as this is public domain. I am actually a Top Rated Seller Plus, and I understand that returns are the cost of business so I need to absorb the loss.  But here is my dilemma!

I had shipped a heavy item across the country and the reason for return was not because item was damaged or not as described. The buyer admitted to her own shortcomings stating like this:

“Oh, I thought it was mirror, but I needed a table instead” <<being discrete here>>  

Even though the title clearly indicated what the item was with the measurements and the pictures, buyer orders the wrong item but wants to return it back!  This is observed! It cost me a lot of money to ship it, now I have to pay the same amount to have it returned!  That’s more than the item cost to me!

Anyhow, when I checked the buyer page, to my surprise, buyer had only one feedback from me! A brand-new account with only one purchase history! And no feedback as a seller, but it shows that she/he been a member for quite a few years! Did the buyer sign in as quest? Or does she/he have multiple accounts with different user ID just to abuse the system and con us all?

Now, knowing her/his history in purchasing and not understanding how much it cost us as seller for someone like her/him not to read the title, see the pictures, order the wrong item, and then wants to return it (assuming buyer is not a con artist as I mentioned above), should I approach the buyer and offer a partial discount on the item? Or should I give her/him full refund and let buyer keep the item for free, so I can avoid paying the return shipping? Considering the fact that the buyer is not going to take her/him time and pack it carefully and it will probably return to me as damaged or partially!!!  

Part of me wants me to educate the buyer (nicely thought) that what she/he did was not right to begin with… I have to sell at least 3-4 items to recoup my money considering the average sales price of the items in my store.

Please advise what would you do in cases like this? I’m really puzzled with buyer presence on eBay! And don’t know how to approach buyer at all.

Sincerely,

[laststopgeneralstore]

Accept the return and move forward. Use the time that your spending worrying about this to list more items that will sell quicker. No matter what you do, their is nothing that will make this go away the easiest other than accepting the return. With online sales, you will always have fraud no matter where you go so it's something that you(all of us) will have to deal with eventually. Don't let it ruin your day.

[dnasilver]

Being a TRS as you stated it is simple. Make a decision. It is your choice and no one else's. You know the costs, you know your finances, and none of us know any of that pertinent information in making a sound opinion. Enjoy the Holidays and don't let everyday business issues consume life.

[frodobagginskennedy]

what is the offocial reason in the request for return,  Did they say changed mind?  if so tell them to return but they will pay return shipping as well as original shipping.

[stuff4divas]

@2compassion   If u offer free returns, u have to accept it back, but u don't have to reimburse the original cost of shipping to the the buyer since they admit it was their error. Once u receive the item back, intact, refund the cost of the item, but not the original shipping cost. If u receive it broken, u can deduct up to 50% of the item as well.

OR> see if u can work out a deal with the buyer on a partial refund that would be less than what u would pay in the return shipping cost, ie>  will cost u $50 for return shipping, offer the buyer $30 partial refund.

The above info is based on 'what i would do'. Good Luck

[2compassion]

No, they buyer wrote that they made a mistake themselves in selecting the item.  Not that there was something wrong with my item! eBay has already issued the return the label but held my pay out till the item has been shipped. 

[2compassion]

Thank you! Seems like I have options! 

[2compassion]

@stuff4divas what about the return shipping? You only mentioned the original shipping? 

[2compassion]

@dnasilver I sure will. Thank YOU! 

[albertabrightalberta]

That the buyer had 0-feedback prior to purchasing your item and receiving feedback from you is irrelevant. (Has the buyer left any feedback?) Sometimes buyers join ebay with plans to shop and simply either don't find what they want or they did make purchases but didn't receive feedback. 

Whether the buyer has other accounts of which you are unaware is unknown but likely irrelevant too. 

Since you are able to look at their history indicates on the account they used, means they didn't buy from you as a guest.

"should I approach the buyer and offer a partial discount on the item? Or should I give her/him full refund and let buyer keep the item for free, so I can avoid paying the return shipping?"

Yes, you can politely explain to the buyer the expenses involved when buyers don't read listing carefully. Also,  you can offer a partial refund for the buyer to consider and if declined, you'll still have the option of either refunding without a return or providing return shipping so they can send it back. 

That latter choice is up to you to decide which is the more economical and less stressful option.

[2compassion]

@laststopgeneralstore Thanks! True. This is my first return so it's a learning process... also wanted to handle it with grace and less loss!  As you see the notes from other sellers, they say, the shipping cost can be recovered. 

[albertabrightalberta]

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@stuff4divas wrote:

@2compassion   If u offer free returns, u have to accept it back, but u don't have to reimburse the original cost of shipping to the the buyer since they admit it was their error. Once u receive the item back, intact, refund the cost of the item, but not the original shipping cost. If u receive it broken, u can deduct up to 50% of the item as well.

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I believe that if @2compassion 's listing has free returns, seller pays return shipping and If the item was "free" shipping, the original shipping can't be deducted because it's part of the item price. (Someone correct me if I'm mistaken but this is one reason why I don't use "free" shipping.)

[albertabrightalberta]

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@2compassion wrote:

No, they buyer wrote that they made a mistake themselves in selecting the item.  Not that there was something wrong with my item! eBay has already issued the return the label but held my pay out till the item has been shipped. 

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If the shipping label was issued automatically, that's because you have a return policy and must accept the return for any reason or for no reason. 

Without a return policy, you would have had the option to refuse the remorse return.

[fern*wood]

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@2compassion wrote:

@stuff4divas what about the return shipping? You only mentioned the original shipping? 

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Depends on your return policy.   Since I can't see the listing, that's a detail we need to know.  You mention you are a TRS and you also mention Plus, so if this listing qualified as Plus, then you mush have offered free returns.   Free returns means for any reason or no reason at all and you are required to pay the return shipping.  The original shipping can be keep only if you charged the buyer shipping originally.

Just a thought, did they file a return yet?  If they used a not as described reason, then you can't keep the original shipping either.

[2compassion]

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@albertabrightalberta Thank you for your all your advice:) I am crystal clear on what is going on.  Now.  You guys are awsome