Issue with return request

[kingofoldschool]

Okay, so this is the 1st return request I have gotten as a buyer. The buyer marked the return as the item did not match the photos or description.

However, it was missing parts, so the option of "missing parts" should have been selected instead as for the reason for the request. I fully admit that I mistakenly forgot to package up a couple of items up and I told them I would send them out to them on my dime the next day along with a game for it (sold a Playstation VR set) as an apology. I sent them another message after it shipped with the tracking number saying it should  be there by the middle of this week.

They responded thanking me and said they only opened up the return request because they thought I could be a scammer. However, tracking shows they received it Thursday morning and they aren't responding to my request to cancel the return and to provide feedback so my funds could be taken off hold.

What should I do? First, I feel like the buyer misused the return request by selecting a different option than what he described as the problem. Second, I mailed out the missing parts and he thanked me for doing so, that would constitute agreeing to a resolution. Third, he was quick to ask for a return/refund, yet is less quick in closing the case and responding once everything was made good on my end. Do I keep the return request open since I've been communicating and I have communication proving that a resolution was worked out? I'm afraid to ask eBay to step in since that apparently is less than favorable for sellers. Would the return request close automatically in my favor if the buyer doesn't do anything or do I have to accept the return despite working out a resolution and just wait to see if the item is actually returned?

[kingofoldschool]

Okay, so this is the 1st return request I have gotten as a buyer. The buyer marked the return as the item did not match the photos or description.

However, it was missing parts, so the option of "missing parts" should have been selected instead as for the reason for the request. I fully admit that I mistakenly forgot to package up a couple of items up and I told them I would send them out to them on my dime the next day along with a game for it (sold a Playstation VR set) as an apology. I sent them another message after it shipped with the tracking number saying it should  be there by the middle of this week.

They responded thanking me and said they only opened up the return request because they thought I could be a scammer. However, tracking shows they received it Thursday morning and they aren't responding to my request to cancel the return and to provide feedback so my funds could be taken off hold.

What should I do? First, I feel like the buyer misused the return request by selecting a different option than what he described as the problem. Second, I mailed out the missing parts and he thanked me for doing so, that would constitute agreeing to a resolution. Third, he was quick to ask for a return/refund, yet is less quick in closing the case and responding once everything was made good on my end. Do I keep the return request open since I've been communicating and I have communication proving that a resolution was worked out? I'm afraid to ask eBay to step in since that apparently is less than favorable for sellers. Would the return request close automatically in my favor if the buyer doesn't do anything or do I have to accept the return despite working out a resolution and just wait to see if the item is actually returned?

[mr_lincoln]

@kingofoldschool   Feedback has nothing to do with your funds being released.  They will remain on hold until the claim is resolved ... the Buyer is given a specific amount of time to return the item to you ... if they simply ignore your messages and never return it then you can have eBay step in and close the claim when it's over.  If the Buyer ends the claim at their end then its over that way too ...

If you have asked them to close it then you have to wait.

[onlinecentral]

You buyer needs to take action. Otherwise, the case will time out in your favor in 19 days if the package never gets a scan.

Changes to handling return requests that appear abandoned.
Starting April 1, 2020, we will no longer close returns early at the request of a seller when the buyer has not shipped the item back.
https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/seller-updates/2020-spring/service.html#returns-cases

[kingofoldschool]

Even if I haven't selected to accept the return?

[onlinecentral]

If you have not accepted the return;

1) The buyer can ignore the case and this will time out in your favor.

2) The buyer can escalate and get a refund without sending a package back to you.

[kingofoldschool]

Wouldn't it be more in my favor if there is record of communication and agreeing that I would send the missing items and provided the tracking number? The buyer even uploaded pictures that proves that the item was just missing parts vs what I had pictured. I don't necessarily think this person is trying to pull a fast one on me, but I'm just a little apprehensive as I really need this money for the holidays.

[1tuna]

communication between the buyer and sellers means nothing,it really needs to take place in the dispute console.This is your 1st return and you are already blaming the  buyer for choosing the wrong reason.You readily admit that you screwed up by shipping the package missing parts.

 sellers shoud be familiar with the returns process,it is in your best interest to be familiar with the MBG

keep on selling

[mr_lincoln]

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@kingofoldschool wrote:

Wouldn't it be more in my favor if there is record of communication and agreeing that I would send the missing items and provided the tracking number? The buyer even uploaded pictures that proves that the item was just missing parts vs what I had pictured. I don't necessarily think this person is trying to pull a fast one on me, but I'm just a little apprehensive as I really need this money for the holidays.

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I've read a number of your posts and others' replies ... one thing to understand is that there are OVER 25 MILLION Selling accounts and if you multiply that by the number of items they sell the resulting number of transactions is immensely huge ... monitoring is done primarily by computers, each case is simply a transaction being processed electronically with no human oversight ... so as @1tuna mentioned, communication between Buyer and Seller is not part of the return claim process and therefore is not monitored for claim decision making purposes.  You can certainly try contacting eBay to discuss the situation, if you can get them on the phone during the Pandemic, but your path of least resistance is to let the claim run its course and wait.

And by the way, don't spend all that money when you get it, you are still responsible to pay eBay's monthly invoice ...