Why can't I give a partial refund on a returned item?

[chileboy]

I sold a factory-sealed memory module to someone. My auction stated Returns Not Accepted.

When he recieved it, he opened it and then realized he couldn't use it - he thought his notebook PC had two memory slots, but it only had one apparently.

So he issued a return request with "Doesn't fit" as the reason, along with a message detailing what happened and "hoping" for a full refund.

What I would really like to do is have him return it and refund half his money (which is what I responded). I figure then I can sell it for half-price or whatever.

But that's not one of the choices that eBay gives me. I can accept the return, in which case he gets a full refund, or offer him a partial refund, in which case he keeps the item.

I realize I can just refuse the return and be done with it, but I'm trying to be a nice guy and meet the buyer halfway. Plus couldn't he still leave me negative feedback?

Can I "refuse" the return, have him send it back and then refund half when I receive it? Or do I risk running afoul of some eBay policy?

[missjen831]

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@chileboywrote:

I sold a factory-sealed memory module to someone. My auction stated Returns Not Accepted.

When he recieved it, he opened it and then realized he couldn't use it - he thought his notebook PC had two memory slots, but it only had one apparently.

So he issued a return request with "Doesn't fit" as the reason, along with a message detailing what happened and "hoping" for a full refund.

What I would really like to do is have him return it and refund half his money (which is what I responded). I figure then I can sell it for half-price or whatever.

But that's not one of the choices that eBay gives me. I can accept the return, in which case he gets a full refund, or offer him a partial refund, in which case he keeps the item.

I realize I can just refuse the return and be done with it, but I'm trying to be a nice guy and meet the buyer halfway. Plus couldn't he still leave me negative feedback?

Can I "refuse" the return, have him send it back and then refund half when I receive it? Or do I risk running afoul of some eBay policy?

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He doesn’t get a full refund if you accept the return, unless you originally offered free shipping. “Doesn’t fit” is a remorse return so the shipping cost can be deducted unless it was originally free.

[chileboy]

I did offer free shipping, but my issue is that it was factory sealed when I sent it to him, and he opened it. So I likely can't resell it for the same price, so I feel the refund amount should reflect that.

[missjen831]

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@chileboywrote:

I did offer free shipping, but my issue is that it was factory sealed when I sent it to him, and he opened it. So I likely can't resell it for the same price, so I feel the refund amount should reflect that.

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You would have had to specify a restocking fee in your return policy in order to issue a partial refund. Since he opened a return request and returned the item I don’t think you can decline the return? Or did he return the item before the request was accepted? If you deny the return he can turn around and file with PayPal and get a full refund 

[chileboy]

He did open the request but hasn't returned it yet. I offred him the partial refund in a message - that he hasn't yet responded to - before I realized "Return with Partial Refund" was not one of the choices eBay gives you on the Return Request form.

Remember too the item was listed as "Returns not accepted". I'm just trying to do the guy a favor. If he hadn't opened it, I probably would have let him return it and given him a full refund.

[supercharger-parts]

 What I do in cases like this is tell them that I cannot offer a partial refund until the item is returned as eBay does not give me a button to check to do that.  So if they would like a partial refund, and you can specify the amount, they should send it back to you first with tracking for their own protection and then once you receive it you will send the "partial refund" offer to them to accept. 

OR you can do it straight from PayPal.  You do not get your final value fees returned to you on a partial refund.  Though it seems as long as you refund at least 80% of the original price your final value fees are refunded.

I've had to do it this way twice and kept all the info in the messages so that everybody, including eBay knew what was going on, the eBay teammate I spoke with thought it was a good solution to the issues I was having on these returns.

Just BE SURE to not accidentally click "accept" while you are messaging, because you want to click offer partial refund once it arrives. 

[missjen831]

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@chileboywrote:

He did open the request but hasn't returned it yet. I offred him the partial refund in a message - that he hasn't yet responded to - before I realized "Return with Partial Refund" was not one of the choices eBay gives you on the Return Request form.

Remember too the item was listed as "Returns not accepted". I'm just trying to do the guy a favor. If he hadn't opened it, I probably would have let him return it and given him a full refund.

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The return policy doesn’t matter. If you click “accept return” he gets a full refund. You can deny the return and then tell him to return it but there’s nothing to stop him from filing an SNAD. If you accept the return and he sends it back, you can’t offer a partial refund though the return request. 

[chileboy]

How could he file a SNAD? I sent him exactly what was stated in the auction, it was his fault that he couldn't use it.

[missjen831]

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@chileboywrote:

How could he file a SNAD? I sent him exactly what was stated in the auction, it was his fault that he couldn't use it.

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Buyers lie all the time. I’m not saying he will, I’m just saying it’s a possibility, something you should keep in mind. 

[richard1rst]

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@chileboywrote:

Can I "refuse" the return, have him send it back and then refund half when I receive it? Or do I risk running afoul of some eBay policy?

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You can issue a partial refund by going into the Paypal payment record and doing it there.

[stuff4divas · Accepted solution]

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@chileboywrote:

I sold a factory-sealed memory module to someone. My auction stated Returns Not Accepted.

When he recieved it, he opened it and then realized he couldn't use it - he thought his notebook PC had two memory slots, but it only had one apparently.

So he issued a return request with "Doesn't fit" as the reason, along with a message detailing what happened and "hoping" for a full refund.

What I would really like to do is have him return it and refund half his money (which is what I responded). I figure then I can sell it for half-price or whatever.

But that's not one of the choices that eBay gives me. I can accept the return, in which case he gets a full refund, or offer him a partial refund, in which case he keeps the item.

I realize I can just refuse the return and be done with it, but I'm trying to be a nice guy and meet the buyer halfway. Plus couldn't he still leave me negative feedback?

Can I "refuse" the return, have him send it back and then refund half when I receive it? Or do I risk running afoul of some eBay policy?

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Don't hit the accept return button. Keep all your messages thru the return request in case eBay needs to review. Tell him to send it back and supply the tracking #, and upon receipt of the original item & your passed inspection of it, you will refund him a partial refund only because you now have to take a loss by not being able to sell it in a sealed pkg. (he is not returning it as originally sent). 

OR- refuse the return

Or- give him the partial refund, keep item, if u think the refund amount less the item will off-set your costs, time, etc

[vintagemoth12]

If I ship something with free shipping and they return it for remorse can I deduct the shipping cost from the refund? It would be, "shipping is free only if you keep the item".

[sam9876]

"If I ship something with free shipping and they return it for remorse can I deduct the shipping cost from the refund?"

No.

[chileboy]

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@missjen831wrote:

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@chileboywrote:

How could he file a SNAD? I sent him exactly what was stated in the auction, it was his fault that he couldn't use it.

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Buyers lie all the time. I’m not saying he will, I’m just saying it’s a possibility, something you should keep in mind. 

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Hmm. I see what you're saying. 

Well, the guy has good feedback as a buyer. Maybe I'll wait and see how he responds to my offer and take it from there. As @richard1rst said, I can issue him a partial through PayPal. So I could agree with him to "refuse" the return on the eBay form and tell him when I get the item back I'll give him the credit that way. Of course, he'd have to trust that I'd do that, but as it stands now I could just refuse it and give him nothing anyway.

Thanks for your time & advice.

[missjen831]

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@vintagemoth12wrote:

If I ship something with free shipping and they return it for remorse can I deduct the shipping cost from the refund? It would be, "shipping is free only if you keep the item".

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No. You have to refund in full. However if  you don’t accept returns and the buyer does not open a return request, you can negotiate the return details amongst yourselves. Which is what I would have told the OP to do if the buyer hadn’t opened a return.