Return never arrived

[mynewfindstore]

I have a return that did not get shipped back before the deadline of June 18.  On that day, I received an eBay message to refund the buyer!  It would usually close automatically but this one did not.  I contacted customer service THREE times and they said they would close it.....it is still open!  The only option now is to refund.  The tracking shows no movement.  Where can I get real help on this?  It says to respond to the return buy June 24....then what?  I get a defect and money taken from me with no item back??  eBay for Business on Facebook is not there anymore and I can't find where they moved to....was going to go wherever they went.  Very frustrated!

[baydealz]

That's so cute, you got burned and want support as a seller?..now it doesn't automatically close if tracking shows it wasn't sent back?  I thought they did that or you had to submit 'return not received' or something.  If not, I suspect ebay limited that as well to provide 'better customer service' in their continued thinking that the customer is the lying, cheating end buyer. 

Thanks for playing, you just PAID to box up an item, pay for shipping, send it off and lose both the money and the item. 

[gurlcat]

She said the return has an acceptance scan now.  So why do you say "and the item" ? 

[mynewfindstore]

Yeah I am getting the item back....if she is sending the actual item lol.  My issue is that this is being sent LATER than the last day to ship it back....not really fair to me!  

[gurlcat]

I really don't know what to make of this situation.  I can only offer my condolences and 100% agreement that it is outrageous, also it wigs me out because you're not the only one with a thread like this, where a buyer's return window somehow became a return .... open hole.   Like is this a glitch or the new normal? 

[mam98031]

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@mynewfindstore wrote:

So I have news....she shipped it back today.  Now what to do?  She was supposed to ship by June 18.  I should not be responsible for this!  It's too late....

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Oh but you will be.  If the Return for Refund case is still open, now you need to wait for the item to arrive and then refund the buyer accordingly.

[mam98031]

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@mynewfindstore wrote:

Yeah I am getting the item back....if she is sending the actual item lol.  My issue is that this is being sent LATER than the last day to ship it back....not really fair to me!  

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You are TRS, if the item comes back to you and it is different than what you sent, used, damaged, etc.  Anything that reduces its value, you can reduce their refund by up to 50%.  

Here are some guidelines to help you determine how much to deduct from the buyer's refund.

Condition of return	Refund deduction guidance
Excellent condition: Unused, undamaged, or unaltered All items included in the original package Factory or vacuum seal must not be broken/opened (if applicable) Original tags included & attached (where applicable) Must include provided certificates of authenticity, grading, or appraisal	No deductions
Good condition: Missing original packaging Factory or vacuum seal is broken/opened, but the item is still in its original condition Original tags included but unattached	5%–10% deduction
Fair condition: Missing parts Some signs of wear or use Item has been installed Item has been registered or user has not logged out of the device's account, and it cannot easily be set back to factory settings Original tags missing	15%–30% deduction
Poor condition: Significant signs of wear, or significantly different than how it was shipped to the buyer Missing essential parts Item is damaged, scratched, defective, or requires service or repair  Missing provided certificates of authenticity, grading, or appraisal Opened items that cannot be resold (perishables, liquor, makeup)  Sold multiple items but the buyer didn’t return all of them	35%–50% deduction

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/handle-return-request-seller?id=4115#

Let me know if you have any questions.  I'm happy to help.

[mam98031]

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@gurlcat wrote:

I really don't know what to make of this situation.  I can only offer my condolences and 100% agreement that it is outrageous, also it wigs me out because you're not the only one with a thread like this, where a buyer's return window somehow became a return .... open hole.   Like is this a glitch or the new normal? 

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It has been this way since they changed it during the Pandemic.  They allowed more time for buyers to return items because of some of the difficulties of the Pandemic and getting around.  But they have never put it back even after all this time.  

Some one asked about this recently, maybe it was in the Seller check in, I honestly don't remember.  They said they have no intention at this time to change it.

[mynewfindstore]

This hardly seems fair since she shipped it way after the deadline.  I would be ok with sending another item of equal value but I guess you are saying I can't do that?  Ugh!!

[mam98031]

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@mynewfindstore wrote:

This hardly seems fair since she shipped it way after the deadline.  I would be ok with sending another item of equal value but I guess you are saying I can't do that?  Ugh!!

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It is what you have to deal with.  You can try to fight it if you want, that is completely up to you.  However you won't win and you will get a defect and you won't get your FVFs refunded when the buyer is forced to be refunded by you.

As I explained to the other poster.  These extended times started back in the Pandemic and Ebay hasn't put them back yet and don't seem to much in a hurry to do anything about it.

However you suggested an concern about the item that is coming back to you and I gave you some information on legit ways you can reduce their refund if that becomes necessary.

[mynewfindstore]

Yes I know about the partial refund option but there is a drawback to that since you don't get your fees refunded then either.  eBay knows how to stick it to the sellers!  

[mam98031]

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@mynewfindstore wrote:

Yes I know about the partial refund option but there is a drawback to that since you don't get your fees refunded then either.  eBay knows how to stick it to the sellers!  

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OK, but let's say the item price was $50 and you end up refunding them $20, that means you lose getting a refund on fees of $2.65 but you are saving $20 - 2.65 = $17.35.  

I don't see it the same way you do.  I do not see this a sticking it to sellers.  I am grateful for the ability to do the reductions in refunds.  It protects my feedback and the buyer can't come back on me for the amount they didn't get refunded.  That would be between them and Ebay.  So for me, I would not mind losing the 2.65 as I save myself 17.35.  That is a win to me.

But I respect you see it differently.

[remote_controls_and_more]

Every time a return was shipped and delayed, I have always waited until I received it back to refund. I have no idea what they shipped me until I get it. I will get daily reminders to refund from ebay. Even after a week or 2. But they have always eventually arrived then I refund.

[mam98031]

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@remote_controls_and_more wrote:

Every time a return was shipped and delayed, I have always waited until I received it back to refund. I have no idea what they shipped me until I get it. I will get daily reminders to refund from ebay. Even after a week or 2. But they have always eventually arrived then I refund.

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You need to be very careful when you do this.  Yes it can work to handle it this way, but it can also backfire on you.  If the icon appears on the open case to ask Ebay to step in and the buyer asks for them to, then Ebay will force the refund to the buyer.  But as long as the case is open and the option to as Ebay to step in is not available, then you are fine.

Sellers can contact Ebay and ask for more time on the case.  That will usually work to delay the ability to ask Ebay to step in.

[gurlcat]

This has nothing to do with the pandemic or pandemic return time window.  It is true that eBay did raise the number of days during the pandemic and it has stayed that number, but the deadline showed to the you and your buyer WAS the final day of that (extended) window.  

The real question is, why even state a given deadline date if it's actually meaningless?  

eBay's language about it is pretty disturbing to me.  What's up with all this "we may" business?  "May" -under WHAT circumstances?  What makes them extend 15 to 35 for this buyer but not that one?  
THIS buyer didn't do diddly squat for 15 days, so the return should have been CLOSED, period!

How long a buyer has to ship the return:

Once the return is accepted, we'll provide the buyer with a date by which they should ship the item back to you. After 15 business days, if we don't see any indicators that the item is on its way back to you, we may close the return and protect you from negative feedback. Some returns may remain open for up to 35 business days. Returns cannot be closed at the request of a seller.

• eBay or seller-provided labels: If an eBay label was automatically provided or you provide non-eBay return labels and upload tracking, we may close the return if we don't see tracking scans or signals from the buyer showing the item was shipped within 15 business days of when the label was provided. If tracking is not uploaded, we may wait up to 35 business days before closing the return
• No label provided: If the buyer is responsible for return shipping, we may close the return if we don't see tracking scans or signals showing the item was shipped within 15 business days of the return being accepted. If you are responsible for providing return shipping and do not upload a label, we may wait up to 35 business days from the date the return was accepted before closing the return.

[albertabrightalberta]

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@zgnisaer wrote:

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@mam98031 wrote:

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@mynewfindstore wrote:

That should happen but I have not had the case where a return was not shipped and on the last day the buyer has to ship the item, and ebay notification appeared saying "the item should now be delivered".  Actually, the title of the eBay message was  "Has the item been returned?"  I got two of those!

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During the Pandemic Ebay adjusted the timeframe for buyer's returning items to give them a huge amount of time to get the item shipped.  It was recently asked when Ebay was going to put it back to the timing we had pre-pandemic.  Their response was there was no plans to change it at this time.

So all you can do it wait.  Don't message the buyer.  Just wait.  In a couple weeks, if they haven't shipped it back, then you will prevail on the claim.  I currently have one of this type of returns too.  I've been waiting a couple weeks now for them to return the item.  The tracking still shows that the label was created but nothing beyond that. 

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Pre-pandemic, it was 15 business days. The buyer printed the return label, so eBay waited until Jun 24, in case tracking scans start showing up.

Post-pandemic, it is still 15 business days.

Not sure why the confusion, that eBay has any timing to revert?

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This is not accurate. Ebay gives the buyer approx. 21 days to return the item.