Where is tracking number for a return?

[gopetersen]

I get the occasional request for an exchange (buyer bought wrong size or color and wants to correct the error). No problem, it only happens about once a year or less.

I don't get requests for returns or SNADs, so the whole SNAD process is a mystery to me.

Recently I got a SNAD. After I accepted the return, the buyer admitted to being a size larger than the listing decription, but since it happens so seldom, I didn't argue the point, I simply said return it.

I created a shipping label to send to the buyer but then I get a notice from eBay that they created a label for her, so I void my label. She uses the label (at least she said she did and I believe her, and she let me know it was in the mail). I have been through the case details and my message several times and I CANNOT find a record of the tracking number eBay gave the buyer.

Item has been marked as delivered but I don't have it yet. Sometimes the USPS carrier marks it delivered and it doesn't show up until the next day, but I still would like to know the tracking number so I can follow up if it DOESN'T show up in today's mail.

Can someone tell me how to find that number when eBay issues a return label? It doesn't seem to be in the case history or any of the messages.

[penguins_dont_fly]

Hi gopete!

I see it on my last closed return (remorse) when I open the return and click "see more" under "here's what happened"

That tracking number resolves into a USPS number beginning with 9 if you search for it on Google ... and it tracks correctly on USPS.com under that number too, even though it is strange ... Return Service coding, maybe?

[gopetersen]

Hey, penguins! Thank you for responding.

Several things about this are really strange...

If I go to Seller Hub > Returns there's nothing (which I guess makes sense, since it was processed as SNAD).

If I go to Resolution Center the case is not there, no open cases, no closed cases or return requests for this item.

If I go to eBay messages, it has a blue [See return details] button that takes me to the case (even though the case doesn't exist on the Resolution Center page).

When I expand it, it says

• eBay sent a shipping label to the buyer on your behalf.
• Return item shipped
• Return item delivered

Unlike your example (thanks for posting the pic), there's no information on tracking.

Does the buyer manually have to add tracking? Since eBay issued the return shipping label, the number should be automatic, or should at least have been posted somewhere.

[myjunqueyourtreasure]

Ebays attitude seems to be that as the seller you don't need to know.

[berserkerplanet]

The 420 is standard prefix (Routing Application Identifier) for full barcoded tracking number, and 5 digits following are the destination zipcode (can be also be 9 digit). Applies to all USPS IMpb barcoded labels (regular, return, .....)

93 is the Channel application identifier, and the beginning of what we typically see as the human readable tracking number.
(channel app ids are pretty much 92, 93, 94 for online postage from what I can determine. 95 for Retail APC postage)

Either the human readable tracking number (starting with 93) OR the full number (starting with 420) can be used for tracking online.

[penguins_dont_fly]

The return is still only a "return", no matter what the reason, unless and until someone escalates it to a "claim". It won't show in the Resolution Center until then .... I think ...

If the buyer uses the eBay label, the tracking is automatically updated into the Return when the buyer prints the label.

If you manually issue a label or if the buyer buys their own, they have to enter it.

Do you still have the progress bar up at the top of the Return?

eBay marks the item "shipped" when the label is printed (just like on a sale).

Since it says "Delivered", there has to be tracking linked somewhere 😞

Is there a "see more" link when you expand the Return details?

[hillbillymedia]

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@gopetersen wrote:

I get the occasional request for an exchange (buyer bought wrong size or color and wants to correct the error). No problem, it only happens about once a year or less.

I don't get requests for returns or SNADs, so the whole SNAD process is a mystery to me.

Recently I got a SNAD. After I accepted the return, the buyer admitted to being a size larger than the listing decription, but since it happens so seldom, I didn't argue the point, I simply said return it.

I created a shipping label to send to the buyer but then I get a notice from eBay that they created a label for her, so I void my label. She uses the label (at least she said she did and I believe her, and she let me know it was in the mail). I have been through the case details and my message several times and I CANNOT find a record of the tracking number eBay gave the buyer.

Item has been marked as delivered but I don't have it yet. Sometimes the USPS carrier marks it delivered and it doesn't show up until the next day, but I still would like to know the tracking number so I can follow up if it DOESN'T show up in today's mail.

Can someone tell me how to find that number when eBay issues a return label? It doesn't seem to be in the case history or any of the messages.

---

Hi GoPete. The last time I had a return I provided an ebay generated return label. When the buyer printed that label it automatically uploded that tracking number to the return. It has been awhile though so maybe something has changed? Is it possible the buyer used your 1st label and that is why you can`t find it? If they used your label the buyer would have had to upload that tracking number to the return I would think.

[gopetersen]

The buyer couldn't have used the first label that I purchased, because I messaged first to ask if she would like me to upload it or snail mail it to her (some buyers don't have printers). Before I got an answer, there was a message from eBay that they had generated one for her. So I voided mine. She never saw it.

I would like to upload a pic of the case history, but there is a quota on pics and I am only a pic or two from hitting the quota, so I need to save the space for the most important pics.

When I click See Return Details > "Show more", in the relevant section, it says:

...

-----------------------------------------------------

Jul 27  eBay sent a shipping label to the buyer on your behalf.

-----------------------------------------------------

Aug 02  Return item shipped

-----------------------------------------------------

Aug 06  Return item delivered

-----------------------------------------------------

...

There is nothing more that can be expanded.

It seems wrong that eBay doesn't include the information either in the part where they report they generated the label or in the line where it says the item shipped or was delivered.