item arrived damaged, seller offered partial refund

[peterl8594]

after contacting the seller (and much back and forth) I've been offered a partial refund.   The refund amounts to the cost of the item and not the shipping (which was more than the actual item purchased).   

I cant tell if the item was damaged due to packing/shipping or if it was damaged beforehand.   Seller initially said he purchased insurance on the item, but as of tonight, he's offered this partial refund with no explanation.

Should I accept?  or can I get all of my money back?  (refund is 20.00, my total cost is 59.00)

Thanks

[patken123]

I will be following your thread with great interest,I'm just curious what the more experienced members here recommend,I know if it were me I would not even entertain the idea of partial refund no way no how,I paid for a new item  and I expect a new item .

[theundercutter]

You generally have 2 options of accepting the seller's offer, or opting for the PayPal/eBay Resolution Center.

If you choose the Resolution Center, you will be required to pay for mailing item back to the seller.

Alternatively, If you paid with your credit card, you could file a charge back with them as most credit cards offer additional purchase protection 

[reallynicestamps]

If the package was damaged in transit, it would have Canada Post (or USPS) packaging and an apology note.

The usual reason for such damage is poor packing on the part of the sender. Postal terminals are rough places. (Because of the machinery, not because the workers are playing soccer with the parcels.) Thorough packaging is necessary.

If the parcel was fine, the item was probably damaged before packing.

Both are the responsibility of the seller.

If the seller will accept pictures (of both the item and the packaging) as proof that the item is damaged, you would not have to ship the item back.

If the item was shipped through the Global ShippingProgram, it may have been repacked at the GSP plant. Badly. A very common complaint.

If you want more than the item cost back, and the seller will not agree, go to Paypal. They will refund your original payment when they have proof that the seller has received the item back.

Your return packaging may be smaller and lighter than his original packaging because it doesn't need as much protection.

[mater721]

"If the parcel was fine, the item was probably damaged before packing."

"If the package was damaged in transit, it would have Canada Post (or USPS) packaging and an apology note."

"Both are the responsibility of the seller."

This is where I don't understand the "protection" for the buyer.

Even if buyer saves some money by packaging the returned item differently, it still sounds like buyer is out of pocket.

If both are the responsibility of seller, why is seller not bearing more of the cost?

[lady.stark]

My answer to your problem would depend on one thing: was it shipped through the Global Shipping Program or not? Because if it was, the solution will be different.

[pjcdn2005]

Have you opened a case and if so, is it a case through ebay or paypal?

If the case is through ebay, and you want to return the item for a full refund, the seller may have to pay for the return shipping cost depending on whether or not the new system is available on .ca yet. It may also depend on where the seller is located.

[reallynicestamps]

If both are the responsibility of seller, why is seller not bearing more of the cost?

Basically eBay/PP is trying to protect both seller and buyer.

But that is sort of an unintended consequence of PPs policy -- that they cannot refund money they never touched.

While most people are honest, there are scammers among both buyers and sellers.

You've met a problem seller.

It is not unusual for buyers to 'rent' items on eBay. That is, buy, use for a special event, and return the used garment. (Look at formal and bridal gowns in the Sears catalog. That's why they will not accept returns on garments where the label has been removed.)

And then the guys who break their own item, replace in on eBay and return the broken item.

Paying for the return postage makes these practices less economically feasible.

The Standard Practice is that the buyer pays for return postage.

There is also a Best Practice where the seller pays for return postage, either with a prepaid shipping label or when the item arrives. This also requires negotiation on the amount the seller will cover, since the buyer might want to use a much more swift and expensive service than the seller does.