Seller wants me to create return label but it cost 50% of the item I am returning!!!

[sporkysdad]

The seller didn't like my reason for return so they opened a case. Ebay said they HAD to accept the return regardless of the reason. Seller said I had to pay shipping since the item was as described. Fine. Except it's from USA to Malaysia and every shipping option costs anywhere from 80 to 300 dollars on a 150 dollar item!!!! I have asked the shipper to use their discounted rates as a shipper to generate a label for me but to let me know before actually buying it. Doesn't EBAY have some centralized shipping service I can use w a hub in the USA? If so, how can I access it for a Return? Looking for a cheap way to return this. Thank you in advance. Patrick

[kensgiftshop]

@sporkysdad 

What reason did you select for the reason for the return?

[wastingtime101]

Why do you want to return the item?

I'm assuming the seller shipped to you direct, and not through eBay International Shipping? If that's the case then the seller cannot generate an international shipping label from your country to the US, nor can eBay. There is no centralized hub in the US to return the item if it wasn't first processed through eBay International Shipping program.

Revising post based on the seller being in Malaysia and buyer being in the US (initially I thought it was the reverse).

No, there is no centralized US hub where you can ship the item and get it to the seller. No, the overseas seller cannot generate an international shipping label so you can return from US to Malaysia.

So the original question still stands - why do you want to return the item? Once you answer that we can provide more helpful advice on how to move forward @sporkysdad .

[powell-collectibles]

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@wastingtime101 wrote:

Why do you want to return the item @sporkysdad ?

I'm assuming the seller shipped to you direct, and not through eBay International Shipping? If that's the case then the seller cannot generate an international shipping label from your country to the US, nor can eBay. There is no centralized hub in the US to return the item if it wasn't first processed through eBay International Shipping program.

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Why can’t the seller generate a label on usps.com or PirateShip?  That’s if this is not simply a remorse return.  

[wastingtime101]

Because the buyer is in Malaysia.

[kensgiftshop]

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@wastingtime101 wrote:

Because the buyer is in Malaysia.

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No, seller is in Malaysia.

[wastingtime101]

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@kensgiftshop wrote:

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No, seller is in Malaysia.

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My misunderstanding. Thank you.

Same answer in reverse then  @powell-collectibles . Seller needs a US address to create an account with USPS or PirateShip to generate labels from US to international locations.

[powell-collectibles]

I know that you need a U.S. return address, but not sure if you absolutely need a U.S. residence to register.  Or, if you can purchase a label as a guest.  

[wastingtime101]

You need a US address to create an account. There are no guest purchases through USPS or Pirate.

[sporkysdad]

The item is apparently a knock-off version of a popular graphic novel. The covers look just like the original, but these books, which are noted for their colorful artwork in the originals, are in black and white. It did not mention that they weren't color so I was very surprised when I got them. Esp since the covers were exactly the same etc. Because the seller did not state they were color, ebay said the return postage was on me since that was my reason for the return. The seller responded to my request saying that he could not create a label for less than $80. Moreover he stated that it cost HIM $80 to ship it to me the first time and because of that he has suspended his online store for now. I checked and I no longer see any listings under his store.  Frankly? I'm at a lost. I have never had to pay that sort of money to ship anything and I've shipped items to Europe and paid for shipping from Japan. Trying to decide what makes sense. Pay $80 and get maybe $125 out of $150 back netting $45 and losing $104? Trying to make sense out of a mess. Still trying to decide if I believe they paid $80 to ship a $150 item to me. After printing costs and ebay fees I don't see how they would have made a dime. Open to ideas. 

[sporkysdad]

I love PirateShip. We use them all the time for non-Ebay sales etc. They are our go-to and gave me the $80 price. It was shipped to me via DHL. But when I went to the DHL website and tried various packaging and even using my own packaging, it came back as $283usd to ship 9lbs from the US to Malaysia. Obviously PirateShip gave me a choice between USPS or UPS w USPS being the cheapest. 

[powell-collectibles]

@wastingtime101 

just checked - you can register for a usps account, regardless of country of residence.  

[wastingtime101]

Is it definitely a counterfeit and not an authorized repro?

If it's counterfeit then you can send a DM to one of eBay's social CS teams to discuss the current status of the return: ebay on facebook or askebay on X

[wastingtime101]

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@powell-collectibles wrote:

@wastingtime101 

just checked - you can register for a usps account, regardless of country of residence.  

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Thanks @powell-collectibles - I'll have to look into that. And you can definitely buy postage? I wonder when that changed. I remember speaking with a Canadian friend ... last year? ... and as of then she still couldn't create a USPS account to buy labels since she is in Canada. She was trying to register so she could generate a return label shipping from US to Canada. I think she ended up using Shippo instead.

Edit: OK here we go - from 4 months ago, another Canadian seller:

https://www.reddit.com/r/USPS/comments/1iji6cq/international_trying_to_pay_for_a_usps_shipping/

They run into a problem because of international payment method and billing address.

[sporkysdad]

I am not sure. I am unaware of any authorized copies allowed to be BW which is what threw me for a loop. I've seen a LOT of these as I have been searching for a better price that the $200 the 12 vols cost new. I thought I had found a discount copy of the real thing. Maybe factory seconds/open box or something but still legal and not breaking any copyright laws. I mean they were $150 and the other ones I eventually bought after realizing these were BW only cost $50 more. I've bought factory seconds before and never had an issue. I will see what I can do on FB.