This Is A First

[mwp8019]

Hi,

So, last week I completed a sale of a watch. The buyer paid for it and I as I was preparing the watch for shipment, he sent me a message that he had purchased the wrong type of watch and wanted me to cancel the sale.

I wrote him back stating that he had already purchased the watch and there was no good reason to refund him especially since the watch had a heated bidding history.

I sent the package to him via registered First Class but he refused it twice and now it is sitting back in my office.

So, what do I do here? I won't pay to ship it back to him but it is his watch.

Puzzled,

Mike

[luckythewinner]

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@mwp8019 wrote:

So, what do I do here? I won't pay to ship it back to him but it is his watch.

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Morally, you would voluntarily refund the buyer less the shipping cost.

You got the watch back, be thankful. A less reasonable buyer would have completely screwed you by accepting the package and filing a "Not as described" dispute and returning an empty box and still getting refunded.

[redmodelt]

Sorry, but you should have just cancelled when they asked, you would have gotten your fees less the .30 cents back and could have relisted or used the 2ed chance offer. Forcing a sale on a buyer does not end well, they could have opened a charge back later and they would have gotten both the watch and refund and you would have paid the $20 fee to boot or could open a not as described return. 

Refund and block the buyer. 

[mtgraves7984]

I'm with @luckythewinner. I'd also offer that you consider cancellation if/when this happens again. Had you cancelled way back then, this could've sold to the right buyer by now. Good luck.

[calicorecordsandcds]

redmodelt is spot on!

You should have just refunded that buyer.  I would not have blocked them for they may be telling the truth.  People are often not very informed on purchases and mistakes do happen as a seller you should realize this.  I would have instantly put that watch back on Ebay because hello heated bids do you think the others bidding are not still looking.  Now it has for sure cooled down.   

Buyers  have to stop assuming sellers are all dishonest and we have to stop assuming all buyers are scammers or dishonest (this seems to be a disease on ebay without merit in many cases, not all).

Great response Red

[monica-sells]

You are one lucky seller........

The way you handled this you (by all metrics) should be out the money as well as the item........

all the buyer had to do was accept the shipment....file an INAD, and, with your "No Return" policy, not return it....this buyer admitted an error and made it easy for you...you could have even offered a 2nd chance to the other bidder(s)

Give the buyer the refund before it becomes a chargeback (and costs you more money) and count your blessings...then read up on your responsibilities as the seller for returns

[fern*wood]

No, I definitely wouldn't ship it back to them, but I doubt they will just forget the whole thing and let you keep the watch and the money. 

[m60driver]

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@mwp8019 wrote:

Hi,

So, last week I completed a sale of a watch. The buyer paid for it and I as I was preparing the watch for shipment, he sent me a message that he had purchased the wrong type of watch and wanted me to cancel the sale.

I wrote him back stating that he had already purchased the watch and there was no good reason to refund him especially since the watch had a heated bidding history.

So, what do I do here? I won't pay to ship it back to him but it is his watch.

I sent the package to him via registered First Class but he refused it twice and now it is sitting back in my office.

So, what do I do here? I won't pay to ship it back to him but it is his watch.

---

You made the first mistake by not canceling the sale upon the buyer's request before shipping.  What the heck were you thinking?1?  Maybe retail is not for you.

The buyer then made the second mistake to your advantage by refusing the package so now you can refund less your expense such as shipping.  And yes, you should refund that amount as you were the one to make the first error in judgment.

And by the way, it is indeed your watch now and was your watch once the buyer asked to cancel.

[maxine*j]

I have to join the chorus here and suggest that, in future, you cancel an order when a buyer asks you to.  Why would you want to deal with an unhappy person?  Yes, it causes you a bit of aggravation and time, but little else, and cancelling at the buyer's request does not affect your metrics. 

By taking the considerate approach, you might have made a good customer for life.  Now you're probably going to have to deal with a credit card charge-back, because I doubt your buyer is going to let you have both the watch and money.

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[fashunu4eeuh]

Mike, this puzzle has an easy solution. So easy that i am puzzled by your choice—that of attempting to force a sale on an unwilling buyer.

When a buyer changes their mind, it can be in the eBay seller’s best interests in the long run to accommodate the request. That is because on eBay, any unhappy buyer can get a refund by invoking the ironclad Money Back Guarantee. (And with that, can come penalties and hits to your seller metrics.)

That guarantee trumps any seller terms to the contrary. You are so fortunate your buyer has shown such patience in waiting for you to fix the issue.

Some flexibility in applying one’s terms of sale can be a positive move.

Refund, relist, and move on. 

[theteamsetguy]

Mike,

Here my advice to you. Refund the buyer the cost of the watch minus the lesser of the actual shipping charges or what you charged the seller if anything to ship it.

I would relist it because it sold quickly the first time it will sell quickly the second time.

I would also get up to speed on eBay’s money back guarantee as it relates to sellers.

[redmodelt]

Seeing as the buyer asked to cancel before the watch was shipped but was shipped anyway, they should get the full refund including shipping. 

[simba6]

If a buyer wants to cancel and it's not been shipped, DO SO.   You will never make them happy and just invite a false not as described case.  Worse yet, they might "help" it get that way.

Pick up that package before it's lost.

[albertabrightalberta]

Wow! This is the first time in a long time that I've seen every response in agreement to an OP's decision! 

As @redmodelt advised, this is a case in which the buyer should get a full refund. 

Sorry @mwp8019 but you handled this very poorly. Apologize to the buyer, admit that you should have canceled and issue a refund.

[johnrj1226]

Don't  know  the time frame ofrome time of order to the  verbal cancellation request but a buyer  can cancel a  paid for order within a given time period and possibly a bit longer if they contact eBay.

Read this policy,-

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/member-behavior-policies/order-cancellation-policy?id=5298&st=3&p...

Your best  course of action at this point is  to fully refund this "almost not so happy"  buyer. and cancel the transaction as  the buyer requested.