@maakieblablabla
I think there is a different perspective and way to "see" what what others might see in what you wrote so I am offering that view point. You are free to accept this view or reject it.
Any "explanation" to a buyer is going to come off as argumentative. We see this all the time, sellers who want to 'reason' with a buyer to get them to see things the seller's way. It rarely works out for the seller. Any buyer who takes the time to ask for a refund is likely not happy about something. So being cognizant of that and accommodating to it is often Job #1.
The first part of that note suggested that all of the info was there in the listing. The easy implication being that the buyer was too stupid or lazy to read it. When I encounter stuff like this, I put on my "buyer" hat and see things from the buyer's perspective and then think, "What would I want?" in this situation. That usually leads to a happy resolution.
While yes, explaining that the cost to return ship, does make logical sense, it sounds like you aren't willing to take the return. Plus the buyer now realizes that they are going to lose money by sending it back so figures it isn't worth it and now might feel cheated.
No one is suggesting you not work with the buyer as you can, just that the approach needs empathy and a different style. Put on your buyer's hat as a guide. I hate to say this but that reply looks like a pretty black & white approach. There is no one size fits all for every situation. To say you aren't going to communicate now is not the right approach. You can't just issue a partial refund without the buyer's consent. Come on, just adjust your STYLE. Use a style that is compassionate to the buyer.
I have seen too many sellers that let their egos get in the way or who easily get b*tthurt over small stuff. The n these sellers take a stand on principle or whatever, rather than making adjustments. Hey, everyone is free to run their business as they see fit. But in the long run, less stress, better reputation, etc. when one treats a buyer with empathy, kindness and caring. I'm just saying.
You don't need to block people automatically. Point is that IF this buyer is playing a game to get free stuff, then you want to nip it in the bud. Some might wait until the second time they have a bad transaction with the buyer before blocking. It is an individual business decision.
Now as to the last part about returns and shipping costs. Yes, I think you are on to something there. It took me a while to figure out that with all of the time to photo, list, package, ship, etc. that small dollar value items are not worth selling on eBay. While returns will be a small part of the 'cost of doing business' on eBay it is a cost that one needs to figure into their business plan. Once I set aside a small amount of each sale for the cookie jar fund, I realized that the time & effort wasn't worthwhile for the return received. But everyone needs to make that decision for them self - but many skip out on the "insurance" aspect of selling and then get caught, get angry and get frustrated when returns happen. Lucky for you the experience was with a low cost item and thus the 'loss' or tuition paid was low.
You are on the right track, perhaps just a few small changes will help things go smoother? Best!
