Just received a full refund, who pays for return shipping if item bought via GSP?

[patken123]

Hi all, please help me understand how GSP refunds for shipping.

This question is probably answered a few times but my search for an answer to my specific question did not get me anywhere, I sincerely appreciate your help in advance.

Here's the story : 

Bought an item through global shipping programme, it was a soldering unit that was claimed to be in good working condition, when I received it it was not working as expected,(the unit would shut off after 3-5 seconds)  so I held on to the unit for a few days and tested it and came to the conclusion that it was defective.

Contacted the seller and let him know what was happening, also filed a claim that the item received was defective.  ,and requested to return for full refund, ebay informed me that the seller does not accept returns but eBay will provide a refund regardless of the seller's policy.

Today I received a message from eBay dot com that I received a refund, "Good news! Your return request is approved. The seller will provide you with a return shipping label to send the item back.

Now here's my question, who is going to pay for full shipping cost? although eBay has approved a full refund including shipping charge but will the seller pay for his share of the shipping to the hub in Kentucky and will eBay pay the rest? 

I just don't know what to expect, if eBay refunds me all the money back to myPP, that to me means I am fully covered so will I receive two shipping labels one from the seller and one from eBay? I just have a feeling somewhere along the line I'll end up paying the shipping charge to Kentucky.

Please help me figure out this return shipping cost that's spoused to be fully covered.

Thank you.

[marnotom!]

Since your communication from eBay states that the seller will send a return shipping label your way, I interpret that to mean that the seller pays for return shipping of the INAD item, as is the case for any INAD claim whether or not the GSP was involved in the initial shipping process.

The rub here is that the seller will likely not be able to provide a return shipping label and there’s a good chance that they won’t send you the funds for shipping the item as they’ll probably balk at the cost. I’m betting dollars to doughnuts that you’re going to end up keeping the defective soldering unit.

[marnotom! · Accepted solution]

In a nutshell, the GSP doesn’t support the return of defective items; they’re handled as they would be for a sale where the GSP wasn’t used.

(Items damaged in transit from the Global Shipping Center are handled differently as the damage did not occur in the seller’s watch.)

[patken123]

Marnottom, first , thank you for taking the time to read and reply,

Based on the two separate messages I received, it looks like the refund has already been authorized and will be deposited in 2-3 days in my PP, but what confused me was this generic form eBay sent that says, hang in there, the seller will send you a return label, eBay already told me that the seller does not accept returns, so it doesn't make much sense to then send me a label? , I think  it is likely that they let me keep the defective unit and cut their losses, although I am more than happy to sent the broken unit back  butat what cost.

The reason for posting here was mainly to prepare myself for the worst case scenario which is me getting the full refund but end up paying the shipping charge from Canada to Kentuky from my own pocket.

[marnotom!]

If you’re going to get a PayPal refund in the next two to three business days, there’s nothing to force you to return the item on your own dime. That refund can’t be taken back if the item isn’t returned. And it’s unlikely that a US seller will be able to purchase a return shipping label for use in Canada.

For what it’s worth, the seller’s “no returns” policy doesn’t mean “no refunds” and is more in reference to remorse returns, anyway.

[patken123]

We'll see what happens, I will post the outcome  of this transaction as soon as I find out , thank you again .

[pjcdn2005]

I don't know why they would say the money was being refunded and then mention a label was being sent.  That is confusing. It is also confusing that they mentioned the sellers no return policy since that is irrelevant when the item is not as described/defective.   But if the gsp is refunding the full amount which is what they do if it was deemed to be shipping damage, a return won't be required.   If they are requiring the seller to refund and the seller  wants the item returned, it will be their responsibility to pay for return shipping from your location to their location.  

[patken123]

pjcdn2005, thank you for chiming in, I'm glad you also find the 2 messages that I received, somehow contradicts each other or confusing but the more I think about it (and after reading marnotom's posts) it looks like eBay has already decided to refund regardless of the time limit they had put on the seller to find a solution which was/is Aug 24., this refund should have been granted after me asking eBay to step in but if eBay has already decided to refund before that date, it only can mean the seller does not want the defective unit back and did not contest the refund .

the other message about me waiting for the seller to send the return label is also dependant on the seller's decision ,he has until Aug24 to send it or I'm supposed to ask ebay to step in and force him somehow to do so, this is the part that does not make sense but I will wait and see what happens after  Aug24 .

I forgot to mention, this seller has not contacted me through this ordeal, I don't know how to interpret that but it'll be clear in a couple of days.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts.

[marnotom!]

Yeah, the seller may have decided not to contest the refund request knowing that they wouldn’t prevail anyway, or he may have just messed up 🤪

Incidentally, if you were to return the item, it would likely be directly to the seller and definitely not to the Global Shipping Center in Kentucky. The GSP doesn’t get involved in returns.

[clemowbooks]

You have the refund in hand?
The seller may or may not send the Return Shipping Label.

If he does, ship. He wants it back and paid for the return.

If he doesn't , don't. He doesn't want it back, and won't pay for the return.

In either case, you have been refunded and the money is back with you.

If you have been promised a refund but don't have it yet

The seller may or may not send the Return Shipping Label.

If he does, ship. He wants it back and paid for the return.

If he doesn't , don't. He doesn't want it back, and won't pay for the return.

If he doesn't send the label, eBay will refund you and go after him for their money.

Do you actually have the refund at this moment?

[patken123]

The refund was deposited in my PayPal the day I first started this thread and a couple of day ahead of eBay's deadline (Aug 24) , so far the seller has not sent a return label nor has he contacted me since I filed my request, had he sent me a return label, I would have gladly sent his soldering unit back, it is still sitting in the box waiting to be shipped. 

I doubt very much I'll hear from eBay or the seller at this point.

Thank you all again for your replies and sharing your thoughts.

Ken.

[flipistics]

Ironically, if you had a working soldering unit, you could probably fix your soldiering unit! 🙂

[reallynicestamps]

the seller will send you a return label, eBay already told me that the seller does not accept returns, so it doesn't make much sense to then send me a label?

The seller can have a No Returns policy (but not a No Refunds policy) however he is entitled to demand the return of disputed goods before refunding.

Normally he is then required to pay for the shipping. If he doesn't, you are refunded. If he does, you are refunded after the shipping shows it delivered.

It doesn't have to be a label, he could send you money by Paypal, or stamps in the mail-which is very slow, or use Shippo or Stamps.com both of which I believe can sell Canada Post shipping labels to US customers.

So maybe you will get a return label, but whether you do or not, you should be getting the refund.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@flipistics wrote:

Ironically, if you had a working soldering unit, you could probably fix your soldiering unit! 🙂

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Good point. In many situations it seems like eBay's written policies are "more" defective than the item that is being considered as defective. 

-Lotz

[patken123]

The soldering unit is not your commonly used iron with an element that heats up to high temperature, I have 4 of those in my shop, the unit I was after is called "low resistance slodering unit" it works with low voltage but high Amperage, the reostat inside the unit was defective and would not stay on after five seconds.

For furthur info, google LRS.

Thank you by the way for chimimng in.

[patken123]

Thank you all again for your comments, most were consturctive but some were not so much, as

I mentioned in post #12 , the issue has been dealt with and resolved, now whether a simple soldering iron could have fixed a complex low resistance soldering unit, that's something some of you seem to know more about than I do .

I sincerely appreciate those of you who genuinely wanted to help, you know who you are, and I thank oyu.

[flipistics]

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@patken123 wrote:

now whether a simple soldering iron could have fixed a complex low resistance soldering unit, that's something some of you seem to know more about than I do .

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It case it wasn't clear, that was meant as a joke since other people had already addressed your issue.

[patken123]

Got it, we're good then.