How to produce a return label from china?

[otopho]

I have a buyer in china who requested a return on an item I sold that "was not as described". I did not agree with his reasoning and refused the return, so he started a case, and ebay now wants me to send a return label, or they will refund without him needing to return the item.

I have no idea how to go about producing a shipping label with chinese mail to send it to the US. Ebay does not seem to have any tools for that purpose. I could ask the buyer, but he has been totally unresponsive. 

I'd prefer to offer a partial refund,  as the case has already been escalated I can only give a complete refund. Neither ebay nor paypal alow me to send a different amount, even if it were the refund plus a fee to cover return shipping. Any help or previous experience would be greatly appreciated.

[hafoster · Accepted solution]

You need to find out the cost of online-viewable tracking from China to US:

http://community.ebay.com/t5/7/9/m-p/26171191#M199072

send that amount via PayPal as "Goods & Services" not as "Friends & Family" --

to your buyer's email address shown on your buyer's payment at PayPal --

then give that PayPal Transaction ID to eBay before the 5-day hold expires.

Later, if your buyer never uses that money to buy a return label --

go back to PayPal within 180 and Item Not Received that money back.

[femmefan1946]

It's pretty hard.

The simplest is using Shippo. They are worldwide and I can, from here in Canada, send a USPS label to an American customer.

As I recall, I could also supply an Australian and a UK label, but I am not sure of what countries Shippo works in.

You may find this useful in any case, to determine what kind of (TRACKED!!AIR MAIL!!) rate you need to cover.

http://www.ems.com.cn/serviceguide/zifeichaxun/e_zi_fei_cha_xun.html

https://www.travelchinaguide.com/essential/postal-service/rate.htm

Otherwise, you would have to use Paypal's Send Money service and , well, send money to cover the shipping.

Make sure you say it is for postage. And put the eBay transaction number into the text box.

Note that this is sent as a new transaction, not as a Refund which as you have found, doesn't work.

If he doesn't use it, then you start a PP Item Not Receivd disput e to get your money back.

Google Translat e might b e useful to communicate with your buyer. Send messages in both English and Chinese.

The cost of return shipping with tracking and air mail may be higher than the value of the returned item.

You may also find it useful to look into Cookie Jar Insurance, (self-insurance) to cover problems like this.

Also the GSP is good Seller Protection. I would not ship anywhere that is not covered by the GSP.

[otopho]

Thank you for the fast response!

Part of the problem I have is that in paypal it shows the transaction, but I can not initiate a refund/partial refund. In addition there is no way to click or select the buyer in order to make them the recipient of a payment. It seems totally absurd to me that this is not possible. 

I have asked the buyer for his paypal info, but so far he is unresponsive. My fear is that he is just intending to wait out the 5 days so that ebay forces a full refund without needing to return it without communicating. This is why I would like to be able to produce a label myself, so I am not dependent on him to figure out shipping.

My first preference is to just give a partial refund and forget about the item, but I have no way of doing this unless he sends his paypal info.

[otopho]

I'll investigate what shippo can do for me. I'd found the ems link already, but I can't seem to send the buyer anything via paypal at this point, so I really want to produce the label if I can.

Thank you!

[otopho]

I found his email in the original sale email from ebay, to send money. It still seems bizar to me that paypal does not include this feature.

He has rejected the partial refund, but will give me a shipping quote. The shipping will be about $25 each direction for a $41 sale. It is absurd, but this is the only option that ebay gives me other than just giving the item away.

[hafoster]

Keep your communication with your buyer to a minimum.

After you get the return shipping quote, go silent.

Pay the quoted amount as Goods or Services:

You must reply to the 5-day hold with this PayPal Transaction ID.

Following, eBay will monitor the tracking your buyer is expected to provide --

and force a refund when that tracking number shows delivered.

But if your buyer never returns the item --

the case will automatically close.

If that happens, open and immediately escalate an INR to retrieve your money.

[hafoster]

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@otopho wrote:

My fear is that he is just intending to wait out the 5 days so that ebay forces a full refund without needing to return it [by not] communicating.

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Send the estimated amount if your buyer stalls the quote to run your time out.

Your goal is not to physically create a label: No refund if it's never used.

Rather, kill the clock by showing that you paid return shipping.

[mikgile-39]

Sounds like the buyer is trying to use the return cost of shipping to get you to cut your loses and issue a full refund and let him keep the item. You might want to call ebay and see if he has a history of doing this if he has done this before sellers probably reported him. If there has been reports of this activity in the past supposedly ebay will actually step in and close the claim in your favor. You should call them to see what they can do.

[otopho]

He quoted a price for double the shipping weight, more than the item sold for. I know how much it originally weighed, so I adjusted the price for the correct weight. I sent him this with the refund. Hopefully that will be the end of it.
Thanks to everyone who responded!

[myangelandmyprincess]

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@otopho wrote:
He quoted a price for double the shipping weight, more than the item sold for. I know how much it originally weighed, so I adjusted the price for the correct weight. I sent him this with the refund. Hopefully that will be the end of it.
Thanks to everyone who responded!

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Wait you sent money for return shipping and sent a refund ?