How can a seller charge me 40% of purchase price of boots for a BOX that arrived damaged?

[jenngoostrey]

Bought a pair of expensive boots from a seller, and they do not fit. They have not been worn, tags are on, and they are immaculate.

In order to return them, I need to pay to ship (that's fine) pay to insure (more $ for me to waste) and now I see they want a 40% restocking fee for any damage to the BOX. When these boots ARRIVED, the box was torn on the corner. The boots were $170. are they seriously saying that I have to pay %40 of that because the box is torn, and I RECEIVED IT THAT WAY!?

This is so shady.

[avenueshopswapsell]

Looks like a lot of negative feedback for this seller...I think you may be out of luck

[maggiebvintage2010]

Have you contacted the seller?  Try explaining that the box arrived damaged, and asking for confirmation that you will not be charged the re-stocking fee.   Was the box put inside another box for shipping?  If not, be sure to mention that.  As a long shot, you could try an Item Not as Described case, since by default they are claiming that every box will arrive without damage.

If you don't have any luck with that, you could put them up for sale yourself to recoup your money.

[dmil8030]

Hello 'jenngoostrey', 

<<now I see they want a 40% restocking fee for any damage to the BOX.>>

Where, exactly, does it say this?  You are right, 40% would be outrageous.  I ask because I have read over 

the seller's return policy and I don't see it, but I admit to being a bit groggy this morning.  

I see only a restocking fee of $8.50 USD.  The seller does mention a "return policy enclosed in your package", 

but the seller will not be allowed to change the terms on the sly and ding you for 40% when the listing clearly 

says $8.50 (about 12 bucks Canadian).

What I see on the listing is a fairly standard return policy.  Compared to some I've seen, this one actually seems

fairly friendy:

"a 30-day return policy. If you return after the 30 day return window, we will accept your return, but your refund will be based on the value your item is selling at presently, not the cost you bought it for. . . . Please contact us through your Ebay account . . .for a return authorization. Please see the return policy enclosed in your package for full details. If you want to exchange for another item, your shipping is FREE! If you are returning for a refund, there will be an $8.50 restocking fee if you request and use the prepaid return label. 
In the unlikely event that you receive a wrong item or damaged merchandise, we'll take care of it. Please contact us within 7 days of receipt for your return authorization and allow us to place your replacement on hold. Your return package of the damaged/wrong merchandise should be mailed back to us within 14 days.
INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS – Prepaid return labels can not be used outside of the US. Please follow the instructions for returning or exchanging and choose the shipping company of your choice."

Again, it says if you received a damaged item, they will "take care of it".  Euphemistic though that is, charging 40% for

a damaged box will not  likely be considered acceptable, not by ebay/paypal at any rate.  

When an item simply does not fit you are required to pay return postage with tracking.  But as the previous poster says, 

what effort did the seller make to ensure the box arrived in pristine condition?  Assuming, that is, that it even left the store 

that way. 

If you want to see what ebay says about restocking fees, under the heading Returns there is the following:

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/policies/selling-practices.htm

Note where it says, "If you charge a restocking fee for returns, we recommend that you only ask for a reasonable amount.

You shouldn't charge restocking fees for items returned due to damage, defects, or not-as-described in the listing."

The item condition in the listing is described as "New with box", but it does not state the condition of the box.

Perhaps I'm niggling over semantics.  But the way I see it, if the seller wants to quibble over the condition of the box 

then they place you in the position of maintaining that the box was not in new condition when it arrived.

So what am I missing?  Where's the blurb about the 40% because that is so ghastly it needs to be seen.  

[reallynicestamps]

I need to pay to ... insure (more $ for me to waste) and...

Technically, there is no need to insure the package.

You do need to use a service that includes Delivery Confirmation, which is true of most parcel services. 

If you think the seller is hostile, you might want to invest $1.50 to ramp that up to Signature Confirmation, normally only needed on items valued over $750.

When you can prove that the item has been delivered the seller is required to refund.

If you have problems with the refund, instead of working with the seller, open an Item Not As Described Dispute with Paypal. However, you say that the item actually is as described, the problem is just that they don't fit, always a difficulty with mail order clothing.

[Anonymous]

There's no $1.50 option for getting a signature on  shipment sent from Canada to the USA.

[pjcdn2005]

Under the shipping handling tag, the return policy states:

Please do not apply tape or labels directly to the box, or a 40% re-boxing fee will be charged.

Is that what you are referring to when you say that they will charge you in the box is damaged?

How were the boots sent to you? If they were sent in the original boots box which was then put into an exterior box, you can return them the same way and there won't be any restocking fee. They don't want the original boot box to be used as the outside box.

The $8.50 that the other poster mentioned doesn't apply to you as it is only if you use the return label that they send and in your case, you can't use a return label .

"there will be an $8.50 restocking fee if you request and use the prepaid return label"

[dmil8030]

<<Under the shipping handling tag, the return policy states:

Please do not apply tape or labels directly to the box, or a 40% re-boxing fee will be charged.>>

Ah, there it is.  Thanks.   (. . . did I mention I was a bit dopey?)

The whole thing says, 

"All merchandise must be returned within 30 days of purchase. Merchandise must be unworn and with original tags

and/or boxes to be accepted. Please do not apply tape or labels directly to the box, or a 40% re-boxing fee will be charged."

That doesn't seem too bad to me, as return policies go.  No one likes returns.   

What the seller clearly does not want is people using the boot box (or shoe box or whatever) as the mailing package.

There is no mention of the box being in "like new" condition, - not in the listing or under the s & h tab. 

Hmm, it appears to be more of a misinterpretation, as the OP suggested the seller would charge "a 40% restocking fee for

any damage to the BOX". 

That is not implied anywhere that I can see.  A torn corner?  I see nothing in the listing to indicate this would cause a 

problem.  The seller simply does not want the box rendered completely unusable by having someone else's postal 

stickers all over it.

So then, if not the $8.50  (I'm still not sure about that) . . .  Is this to say that there will be no restocking fee applied at all 

to the returned order?

Or have I missed something else yet again? 

[femmefan1946]

The $8.50 that the other poster mentioned doesn't apply to you as it is only if you use the return label that they send and in your case, you can't use a return label .

"there will be an $8.50 restocking fee if you request and use the prepaid return label"

Well, that's an interesting response to the new 'seller pays return shipping' policy. (MSG?)

I don't think this seller would be too amenable to refunding a Canadian buyer's return shipping either.

[mcrlmn]

Go to PayPal and open a claim for 'Item received damaged'.
Enter the amount of restitution that satisfies expenses you feel should be the seller's responsibility; such as registered parcel return.

The slight damage to the box aside, who's fault is it the boots don't fit?
Sizing can vary among countries. I'd have done my homework before tossing $170+ online.
40% restocking is a gouge to dissuade returns.
Ignore and escalate to claim on PayPal.