return shipment for refund

[azee11092]

i am in canada and ordered a harmonium from india for $338 but when it arrived it was significantly not as described, it was defective and unfunctional and also there was no book and bag with it as mentioned in the listing.sent pics to the seller and he asked to return it for refund but the return shipment cost is $1000 from dhl and $800 from fedex and the seller ,ebay and paypal nobody is ready to bear this cost.what should I do now and what are my options to get the refund .

thanks 

[i.am.vivian]

In a case where the item is Significantly Not as Described the seller has to pay return shipping.  Either that or refund without getting it back. 

Sometimes if an item has some damage but can be fixed the buyer and seller agree on a partial refund. 

But if it is SNAD the seller will be required to pay return shipping.  You will find the RESOLUTION CENTER link at the bottom of this page (in about the middle)

The system wants you to contact the seller first.  You've done that so just escalate to a claim as soon as possible. 

http://resolutioncenter.ebay.ca/

[momcqueen]

Your seller has less incentive to try to keep you happy if you're already publicly unhappy with his or her product or service. It's better to wait until your issue is resolved before you leave feedback.

[i.am.vivian]

On another thread a user criticised the boards for too much opinion and not enough information which is probably true just not very nice so here is some INFORMATION to look at.  You should get to know the eBay policy pages even though it isn't very exciting reading.  It can be useful to know anyway. 

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/buy/return-item.html#shipping-charges

It says 

 If you're returning an item because it isn't as described in the listing, the seller is responsible for return shipping charges, regardless of the seller's return policy. 

also this

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/policies/money-back-guarantee.html#description

When an item doesn't match the listing description

When an item is returned to the seller

• The cost of return shipping is the seller's responsibility. For return of items with a total cost of $750 or more, we require signature confirmation.

[momcqueen]

Good work, Vivian. Citing sources earns top marks in my books!

[i.am.vivian]

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@mjwl2006 wrote:

Good work, Vivian. Citing sources earns top marks in my books!

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Whew, thanks!  Some people think it is dull, monotonous and BORING  which is probably true and it is all that  but good I think to have some facts to check things up against.  That way love it or hate it, others can see we are not inventing.  🙂

[momcqueen]

No, no. Always cite your sources! That way, people cannot argue with you if they don't like what you've said, they have to take issue with the source of your source material.

[afantiques]

I may be wrong about this but in cases where sellers ship 'free', I think it's possible that that is all they have to provide for return shipping. Something about the seller not being liable for more return shipping than they were paid for shipping in the first place.

International returns do not seem to work in accordance with ebay policy which in this as in so many other ways, is designed for the domestic market only.

It would be interesting to see how this plays out. Best case is if you go through the ebay 'Not as described' process and do not have to return the harmonium. I wonder how much the seller pays to ship these?

If it fits a Fedex 10KG flat rate box and this service is available to India it would cost more like $140 to send back.

[i.am.vivian]

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@afantiques wrote:

I may be wrong about this but in cases where sellers ship 'free', I think it's possible that that is all they have to provide for return shipping. Something about the seller not being liable for more return shipping than they were paid for shipping in the first place.

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You are.  🙂   There is nothing on any of the eBay Help pages anywhere that says if the item ships "free" the seller can expect to get it back "free".  Free Shipping  just means that the shipping cost is included in the item price.  There really is no "free" shipping. 

If it was so easy to get around then all sellers would say "free" shipping and never have to pay to get anything back.  They could just send useless junk to buyers and then tell them to return the item at the buyer's expense.

The eBay MBG policy says

Either we generate a return shipping label or the seller can provide a label. We add the cost of an eBay-generated label to the seller's monthly eBay invoice.

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/policies/money-back-guarantee.html#description

so according to their own policy they will provide a label.  If they can't actually do it then they will have to provide funds somehow because their policy does not equivocate.  There is nothing in the policy that says, "unless the seller is really far away".  So eBay should be able to get the buyer a label for India same as if it was a seller printing a label to India.  Then eBay adds the cost to the seller's account.

The OP will probably have to call eBay about it and make a fuss about getting the rtn shipping paid or else the claim will just time out in the seller's favor if the buyer does nothing and just waits.

[azee11092]

hi

thank you all for your suggestion  but nothing worked out as the case was opened with paypal and they can't do anything for return shipping cost except for apologies and they didn't let me open the case with ebay so that ebay could step in for money back guarantee. called ebay and paypal 100 time. both made me go back and forth with no results . i wasn't allowed to appeal the paypal decision nor ebay opened the case again even the case was closed with paypal.

really dissappointed.it was a horrible experience , buyers beware of paypal they have no transaction security  for canadian buyers doing international transaction and also beware of sellers .

also got a solution from ebay representative "why don't you sell it further to get your money back "

what a professional service .

[momcqueen]

When you buy something on ebay and it is SNAD, it's very important to use the ebay Money Back Guarantee to open that case so that the seller is responsible for return shipping. Paypal offers no such reassurances. You'll know for next time. Unfortunately, this is something we have all learned the hard way as buyers, I think. 

Is it repairable? Will the seller issue you a partial refund to find the costs of repair?

[azee11092]

that's what I learned too but then they should allow me to open case with ebay. cuz i hve all the proof and there are two missing items as well .the seller has negative feedbacks from other customers too with same problems.

well, the seller is not at all cooperative .he never reply and for all my msgs he only says "retrn the item " and then again he has no answer to answer for return shipping cost.even he don't have the answer for missing items and he never accepted and apologized for them

[momcqueen]

Did you use a credit card to pay through PayPal? If so, you may try calling the credit card company. Most have their own form of buyer protection.

[azee11092]

on the advice from paypal called the credit card company

at first call they opened a case that we will contact seller's bank but didn't sent any notification to paypal.

called again and then the same  "if u have the item in your pocession we cannot do anything . return the item , submit tracking no then we can help in refund " since its an international transaction and this is our policy ."

[momcqueen]

You can't use Canada Post? It weighs too much?

[azee11092]

its 10 kg

fedex quoted $800

dhl through which it came $1000

item bought for $338

[azee11092]

it was $328, paid $10 extra for shipping and handling 

[momcqueen]

Get a quote from Canada Post, you may find it less costly. As a seller, I'd not send anything international via courier unless it exceeds the weight limit for the postal system. This may make a return feasible. If you can send it back for $150 to get your $328 back.

[i.am.vivian]

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@azee11092 wrote:

its 10 kg

fedex quoted $800

dhl through which it came $1000

item bought for $338

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You need the exact length, width, height in centimeters, and the exact weight of the PACKED item.  From your postal code to the seller see what rates you get from Canada Post.  Do not use "Surface" shipping. Its untraceable and takes 2 or 3 months to get there.  You need to send it TRACKED, but you can start your credit card chargeback as soon as you have a tracking number

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/far/business/findARate?execution=e1s1