Buyer Wants To Return Item, But The Item Has Not Been Received As Of Yet

[bb_cool_stuff]

This has to be an eBay first.

Message from the buyer this morning wanting to return the item.

No problem, refunds upon arrival & the buyer would have to pay return shipping.

Double checked & Get This, the buyer has not received the item. Was mailed yesterday.

Item # 400517562135, purchased on the third, mailed yesterday.

Probably will tell the postal clerk to mark " Return To Sender. "

I believe I will charged for the return shipping if it is marked return to sender.

Anyone ?

[pierrelebel]

"I believe I will charged for the return shipping if it is marked return to sender."

Sometimes you get charged by Canada Post - other times it goes through without charge.

Nothing you can do at this time but wait until it comes back.

"This has to be an eBay first."

Not really.  I would think most sellers with a large number of transactions have come across buyers who changed their mind before receiving the item.  It has happened to me a few times.

[i*m-still-here]

I have done this a number of times as a buyer and there has never been a charge to anyone.

All items arrived at their destinations even when the country was over-seas.

The PO told me to mark simply RTS, but I opted for big red letters instead.

It's best to do this from the PO and allow them to process the package rather than dropping in the mail box.

The other option, depending on how the item was shipped, is for the buyer simply to refuse the package.

That works too.

Of course you're dealing with an item being returned from the US and thus the USPS and that may not be the same.

[i*m-still-here]

....... Ooops I left out that the receivers were not charged either.

[bb_cool_stuff]

I would think most sellers with a large number of transactions have come across buyers who changed their mind before receiving the item. It has happened to me a few times.

Have never seen this previously on the boards, but obviously it happens.

First time for everything I guess.

Nothing you can do at this time but wait until it comes back.

You're right, I will see what happens.

[bb_cool_stuff]

Of course you're dealing with an item being returned from the US and thus the USPS and that might not be the same.

Hasn't been returned as of yet because it still in transit to the buyer in Saskatoon, not Stateside.

[rosscd57]

Just remember - buyers are not the only ones that can begin a dispute. If it is returned and you have to pay the return postage and you feel that the purchaser should have been responsible for the return, your can dispute it.

I had a similar situation, the buyer informed in an email that she did not want the item not be picking it up at the Post Office. I figured that I would have to pay thereturn fee - I phoned PayPal and the agent suggested that if that happened, I should request the return Postage fee using the dispute process - it was about $30.00. The agent said they would make a note in my file re the phone call.

She had been after me for a few days to give her a refund. I told her that would papped after I receive the item back in good shape.

I got the item back about 20 days into the process.

Without refunding her, I started a dispute and within a few days, PayPal refunded me the cost of the item, plus the original cost of the Postage to send it  and the return Postage fee and deposited the money back in my account. PayPal removed the item price from my account and she was refunded the cost of the item - whether they took the original and return Postage funds from her account  or not - I don't know.

Then she gave me a neg - so I phoned again and the neg was removed.

[bb_cool_stuff]

Message from her when I got home.

Seems she bought it as a gift & her relationship has recently gone south.

Maybe they will reunite & she won't have to send the item back.

[pjcdn2005]

How did you start a dispute? I've never seen a link to do that. Or do you just do it over the phone?

[rose-dee]

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@pjcdn2005 wrote:

How did you start a dispute? I've never seen a link to do that. Or do you just do it over the phone?

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Yes, I'd be interested too.  I have never seen anything like this reported by anyone. 

It sounds almost unbelievably generous-minded of Paypal, and unless it was some sort of unusual exception, gives me comfort that "seller protection" may actually work.

[rose-dee]

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@rosscd57 wrote:

Without refunding her, I started a dispute and within a few days, PayPal refunded me the cost of the item, plus the original cost of the Postage to send it ...

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Actually, 'ross'I'm interested in this too.  I could see Paypal refunding the cost of return shipping, but I would have thought Paypal would refund the original shipping cost to the buyer, not the seller, since it's normally the buyer who has paid for the shipping (unless it was free shipping and you paid the whole cost). 

Did Paypal give you any explanation about this, or just deposit the money without any note?

[rosscd57]

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@pjcdn2005 wrote:

How did you start a dispute? I've never seen a link to do that. Or do you just do it over the phone?

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Just go into Customer Service, then Resolution Center and click on one of the: I Sold An Item icons

[rosscd57]

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@rose-dee wrote:

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@rosscd57 wrote:

Without refunding her, I started a dispute and within a few days, PayPal refunded me the cost of the item, plus the original cost of the Postage to send it ...

---

Actually, 'ross'I'm interested in this too.  I could see Paypal refunding the cost of return shipping, but I would have thought Paypal would refund the original shipping cost to the buyer, not the seller, since it's normally the buyer who has paid for the shipping (unless it was free shipping and you paid the whole cost). 

Did Paypal give you any explanation about this, or just deposit the money without any note?

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No they just deposited the money and closed the case. However, I believe that it was based on the note left on the listing by the PayPal agent that I first called. He was very critical of the way the buyer communicated to me in the email she sent me and made a point of telling me that he was going to leave note on the listing number that would be helpful if it got to a point where PayPal would have to make a decison.

This has happened to my once before as well. A buyer sent back a very expensive item but they insured it's return for three times its selling price on eBay and I had to pay about $50.00 more to redeem it at the Post Office. I started a dispute on that one and they refuned my the $50.00. No note on that one either - I don't know whether they took the funds from the buyers account or not.

[rose-dee]

All very interesting, and all news to me - restores some of my faith in Paypal.  Good on you!

[rosscd57]

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@bb_cool_stuff wrote:

This has to be an eBay first.

Message from the buyer this morning wanting to return the item.

No problem, refunds upon arrival & the buyer would have to pay return shipping.

Double checked & Get This, the buyer has not received the item. Was mailed yesterday.

Item # 400517562135, purchased on the third, mailed yesterday.

Probably will tell the postal clerk to mark " Return To Sender. "

I believe I will charged for the return shipping if it is marked return to sender.

Anyone ?

---

I just re read your original post.

There is a real difference between a buyer marking the package "return to sender" and not picking up the package. I don't think you can tell the Post Office to return it to sender unless you are willing to pay the postage. They will not do it at - least here in Canada they won't.

A package not picked up will be returned to the sender after two weeks. The sender then has a choice - accept if and pay the delivery fee or not accept it and let the Post Office keep the package.

I think I'm right on this - anyone else know for sure?

[pierrelebel]

Sorry Ross but your post is incorrect.  Here is what Canada Post has to say on the subject:

"We are required to deliver all items in the mail stream, but you can refuse an item upon delivery. Simply inform the delivery person that you do not wish to accept the item and it will be returned to sender.

If you have already received the item, you can still return it provided that the item has not been opened and no labels have been removed. Bring the item to any Post Office and state that you want the item returned to sender.

If an item you sent has been refused by the addressee the item will be returned to you using the same service you used to send it. The fees for the return service will be charged upon delivery of the item."

http://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/personal/support/helpcentre/receiving/delivery_items.jsf