Buyer wants me (seller) to request refund from ebay for an item sent through GSP

[shopdummy]

I hope someone here can help me with this.  This is only the second time I've used Global Shipping and I'm not sure what is going on.  Today I received a message from a Canadian buyer who asked that I refund his money for an item.  The reason was he was going to have to pay around $50.00 in customs fees and he didn't want to pay it.  He said he had contacted ebay and they told him I would have to approve the refund.  So I contacted ebay and asked if this was a legitimate reason to refuse an item and ask for a refund and they said I had done everything correctly and they would take care of it.  
I feel for this guy but I don't think his customs fees are my problem.  How does ebay handle customs fees?  Are the buyers notified when purchasing that customs fees may be in their future?
Has anyone else had this occur and if so, how did you handle it?
Thanks,
Karen

[wastingtime101]

I would tell the buyer it's in eBay's hands since it was shipped through eBay International Shipping and you have no control over customs fees.

Yes, buyers are notified they may have to pay import charges before they commit to purchase. Some items they can pay fees in advance, others they have to pay on delivery, and they may have to pay a broker fee to the carrier.

The reason eBay told the buyer you would have to approve a refund, if that's even what they said, is because the buyer does not have any protections. They are not covered by the MBG if they refuse to pay what they owe. Unless you volunteer a refund (which you shouldn't - you will not get your item back) then the buyer will not get one. They should pay the fees.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy...

Exclusions and special coverage when the buyer doesn't receive an item

The item was shipped internationally and didn't clear customs because fees or duties weren't paid

- Covered: The seller overstated the value of the item or misrepresented the item's location, which caused customs fees or duties to be higher
- Not covered: The buyer didn't pay applicable customs fees or duties for any other reason

[shopdummy]

Thank you for your reply, that helps a lot.  I didn't refund his purchase and guess I'll either get the item back or he'll pay what he owes.

Much appreciated,  

Karen

[deltilogical]

Do not refund until item returns.  This is fully on your INTERNATIONAL buyer.

[wastingtime101]

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@shopdummy wrote:

Thank you for your reply, that helps a lot.  I didn't refund his purchase and guess I'll either get the item back or he'll pay what he owes.

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As I mentioned before @shopdummy , you will not get your item back. If the buyer refuses to pay customs fees and the item is returned to sender, it will go back to the eIS hub where it will be liquidated at their discretion. You will keep the proceeds from the original sale.