Issuing a refund for item has been shipped and current in transit

[electricsalesnow]

Hello, I am a new seller here

Currently buyer has been open a case and request a refund. However I did shipped out the items and they are in transit right now, so I have a few questions if anyone could answer...

- How can I cancel the shipment that already sent out (I bought the UPSP label through Ebay) 

- Should I issue a refund right away or wait until the package going back to me? also should I send a message to the buyer and ask them to refuse the package and they will have the refund after the package is going back?

If anyone could answer or have experience in resolving similar as above, please help.

Thank you

[bkb1942]

Do not refund until you have package back. Or they will have refund and your product.

[electricsalesnow]

Thanks for the reply, so I should send them message and ask them to refuse the package, and don't refund until I have the product, is that what best I should do?

Also is there any way to cancel a sent out product that is in transit now? I paid the label through eBay so I'm thinking there must be some way to do that...

[rebell45]

If the buyer opened an INR case you will need to respond within the time period allowed. If you do not, eBay will issue the refund and give you a strike.

First thing to do is determine where the package is. Is it moving through the system? Or is it stuck somewhere?

Go to the USPS website and search Missing Mail. Submit a help request to see if they can locate the package. You can have the PO intercept some packages and have it return to you. Costs about $15.00.

You can ask the buyer to refuse the package if you have already refunded them. Otherwise, if the package shows delivered after you refunded and the buyer won't return it or pay again, you have 30 days to file an appeal with eBay. The tracking showing delivery will be your proof.

Good luck.

[grasscarp]

Do not cancel the order now. That will  not make it re-appear at your address!!

You can ask the buyer to refuse package and maybe he/she will actually do it. 

Best advice is to let buyer send package back with return return label provided by ebay. Keep ALL communication thru ebay. No e-mail or texts!!!

Once the buyer sees that you are not going to issue a refund without receiving the item back, they may just decide to keep the item after all.

Do not issue a refund until you have the package back -  unless you can afford a complete loss. Buyer changed their mind - let them wait on their refund.

Not all buyers (or sellers) will do what is right.  So sad!

[bonjourami]

Is it past the estimated delivery date? Then provide the tracking number to the pkg.to show it is in transit.She filed item not received? You can do a recall on the pkg depending on when it was shipped, but there is a fee for that. If she refuses the pkg when it is delivered, she loses all buyer protection, she may know that.

[comics-scifi-collectibles]

@bkb1942   The way the ebay MBG works is that the buyer can receive a refund even when the package is still in transit if it is late arriving.

If you do not refund the buyer once they file a refund request then they can ask ebay to step in and force a refund you will be out your sellers fees and get a DEFECT.

You can try a package redirect, there is a fee for it so I would only do this for expensive items.  

 I have been fortunate so far but I have talked buyers into waiting in the past when packages have gone on a walkabout. The buyers said they felt comfortable waiting because I reached out to them and communicated about the issue.

This is what I would say: I know you are anxiously awaiting your package and I appreciate your patience in these difficult times. Please rest assured that you will receive your item or a full refund. You have 30 days from the last estimated delivery date to file a refund request on ebay. I am following up with the postal service and will keep you updated.

Hopefully communicating with your buyer will talk them down off of the ledge.

If you end having to refund before the item arrives then you will need to send the buyer a paypal invoice and hope they repay you.

I would say on the invoice: I see that your ______ finally arrived, I hope you are enjoying it.

You will need to ask the buyer for their paypal email address to send an invoice.  This is allowed and not considered an offsite transaction since the sale already took place.