Sig Required Package Refused by Buyer Question ...

[radioelect]

  If a $600 item was sent USPS ( Prio sig req), and it was refused by the buyer ( tracking shows - Refused, return request processed on xx Aug) ,  and the return never arrives back,  as a seller are you "out" the $600 ( other than any insurance if purchased), and must refund the buyer, or is their some sort of protection/claim procedure in this situation ??

[penguins_dont_fly]

You will get the item back since it has been refused. Return service is the lowest priority service.  If it has been over 2 weeks since it was refused, open a Lost Package claim.

When the item gets back to you, you can refund the buyer. You can deduct original shipping cost if it was charged separately (not Free shipping)

A buyer that refuses delivery has voided their MBG protections (in most cases). 

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy...

Buyer obligations
Generally, the buyer is responsible for accepting the item when it arrives. If the buyer refuses delivery, their claim is not eligible for the eBay Money Back Guarantee.

Exceptions:

The buyer can provide, via written proof from the carrier, that they refused the package because it arrived empty or was damaged in shipping
The buyer accepted and opened the package only to determine that it was an empty box
The item arrived COD because it didn't have enough postage on it
The item arrived after the estimated delivery date

[fab_finds4u]

You shouldn't get signature delivery until it meets the threshold. It can be very inconvenient to go to the PO to sign for the package if they work during the day, and many people want to limit their people to people contact because of the virus, and I don't  blame them. 

[donsdetour]

The refusal protects you .

The return method of your shipping will take time for you to get it back. 

How was this shipped??

Yet it he end result you will be out the money.

[radioelect]

Just to clarify,

ASSuming for the sake of example, the item gets lost on the way back, it Never arrives back, & the only tracking entrys end at the initial refused in the Buyers zipcode ... 

   What to do when the buyer demands his refund ? 

[toysaver]

I always consider it a good thing when a buyer does this.  Considering this was for a police scanner and the most likely person to want it is the anthesis of the police, a criminal.  They may have had the intention to claim it never arrived or planned to do a switch-a-roo of some sort.    The signature through them for a loop.

[postingid7659]

Buyer has voided the money back guarantee so you can tell him to fly a kite if you want.  

[rebell45]

What does the tracking show now? If it is sitting somewhere, try filing a Mail Search on the USPS website, that sometimes gets things moving.

[penguins_dont_fly]

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@radioelect wrote:

Just to clarify,

ASSuming for the sake of example, the item gets lost on the way back, it Never arrives back, & the only tracking entrys end at the initial refused in the Buyers zipcode ... 

   What to do when the buyer demands his refund ? 

---

If they "demand" their refund via an Item Not Received case, you upload the tracking showing the "refused" scan and then call eBay and ask them to close the case because the buyer refused the package.

You refund them minus the original shipping and then file a claim with the Post Office for a Lost Package.

[m60driver]

By the way, if they refuse a shipment you can refund less your costs once returned and that can include your shipping costs even if you offer "free shipping".

[postingid7659]

Presumably you could tack on a restocking fee, too, since the buyer has no recourse and refunding at all is just being ethical at this point. 

[fab_finds4u]

You can refund the original shipping the buyer paid. If shipping was free they paid zero for shipping and therefore you deduct ZERO.  You can't make deductions on the item cost itself. You can't deduct the shipping if it was free shipping or else it was not free shipping after all,  but shipping with conditions and the listing didn't offer conditional free shipping.  The buyer could dispute the charge with PayPal and they would not let the seller keep any part of the item cost.

[fab_finds4u]

No, you can't make a restocking fee an afterthought.  The buyer needs to know  if there's a restocking fee beforehand.   What is wrong with you people?  They might lose eBay protection in the past but I doubt it now because it's been discussed by eBay employees here what if a package is received you weren't expecting back. Like it shows back up on your doorstep because the buyer refused delivery,  and the answer was it depends on the seller's return policy.

No returns accepted they would lose protection because they would only be forced to refund if it's not as described. They can't claim not as described if they refused delivery and never got to examine the item.

If their policy is  30 or 60 days returns accepted the buyer can return it for any reason  including they no longer wanted it so they refused delivery.  As long as it can be returned in the original condition within the seller's 30 days or 60 days returns  they get a refund if tracking shows returned to the sender.

[radioelect]

  To update, the item arrived back and I processed a full refund ( it was actually a $700 item, BTW,  not $600) ....

   ** There was the simple USPS "return to sender - refused " small white label stuck on diagonally Over the original barcode ..  , the reason tracking ended at the buyer's zipcode ....

   This buyer was an oddball, He was "annoyed" in his message looking for his refund,  that it was sent US Prio "without his knowledge" until after the fact of refusal, due to his address is "set" to refuse all Sig required USPS deliveries for some odd problem/ reason he has locally. ( ?? He did get the tracking info as soon as the label is created and entered, days before delivery, & could have had it held for pickup ..?) ...  I had politely replied to him that if he needed any special / particular delivery he should have (logically), emailed,  or at least put that in the checkout message when ordering ..

He replies: 

 " ... so I am not sure how telling the customer after the item has shipped resolves that issue. It if that information was included on the listing I could have requested UPS or ordered with another vendor. USPS is set to reject ALL signature confirmation to this location without any human intervention...."

     Obviously, we choose the carrier based on destination zipcode to get it there by date required... I of course am not going to email back any "**bleep**-for-tat " messages trying to point out or prove anything, I'm ignoring his last message, he's getting a full refund, & I'm moving on ....

     As far as if it didn't ever come back , I think the main problem would be a credit card chargeback, I think that would be lost without a receive signature, regardless of any Ebay guarantee outcome ...