eBay

dutchman48 · ‎05-02-2015

I have just read the new user agreement and found absolutely nothing about international sales as far as returns, who pays, under what conditions, method used, costs etc.

Ebay has been evading this issue since they instituted their stupid return policies.

This information is crucial for anyone selling internationally.

Has any one got any further information on this issue as we all know all buyers pick SNAD for Ebay's wonderful return policy.

sylviebee · ‎05-02-2015

When returning and item to another country the seller issues the cost of shipping to the buyer via paypal prior to the return.

Then, upon the return the seller refunds the initial payment.

Tricky? Yet bet! But that's what they've eventually settled upon at this point.

Under what conditions? It """seems"""" as if this applies to all returns.

pjcdn2005 · ‎05-02-2015

The information suggests that for all snad returns the seller pays for the return shipping. There is nothing saying that international snad cases are any different. But it is not specified how this can be done and I've heard of a few Chinese sellers just ignoring their buyers when they request the return shipping cost.

It's crazy that they make up these rules with no system to carry them out.

pjcdn2005 · ‎05-02-2015

@sylviebee wrote:
When returning and item to another country the seller issues the cost of shipping to the buyer via paypal prior to the return.

Then, upon the return the seller refunds the initial payment.

Tricky? Yet bet! But that's what they've eventually settled upon at this point.

Under what conditions? It """seems"""" as if this applies to all returns.

Not all returns...only items not as described.

As far as I know there is absolutely no policy on how this is supposed to work. I think that you get different answers with different customer service reps.

femmefan1946 · ‎05-02-2015

Sending a shipping label (only available domestically not internationally) is one thing.

But sending cash to a buyer who is complaining about the quality of the item? I guess I'm just a nasty suspicious old woman, but it sounds way too much like throwing good money after bad.

"Oh you don't like the colour? Here's more money and I can't do anything to make you return it."

Makes me feel a little sympathy for those Chinese sellers who ignore complaints.

dutchman48 · ‎05-02-2015

As femme says, not a hope of doing that. I am just as suspicious and cynical as she is!

pjcdn2005 · ‎05-02-2015

I just had a not as described return from the U.S. I told her that I would repay her the return shipping once I received the item back. She didn't argue at all and I kept my word.

It would be easy for a buyer to accept the return shipping money before buying a label and then decide to keep the item. The seller might refuse to send the return shipping money once they got the item back but at least the buyer would have some sort of recourse with ebay or with feedback. I doubt that the seller would have any recourse.

Off topic...

The return was a lady from California. It took 14 days for her to receive a Tracked Packet package. The package went from Alberta to Chicago to California and must have sat in a sorting center or two.

I received her first class international return within 4 days.

sylviebee · ‎05-02-2015

@pjcdn2005 wrote:
@sylviebee wrote:
When returning and item to another country the seller issues the cost of shipping to the buyer via paypal prior to the return.

Then, upon the return the seller refunds the initial payment.

Tricky? Yet bet! But that's what they've eventually settled upon at this point.

Under what conditions? It """seems"""" as if this applies to all returns.
Not all returns...only items not as described.

As far as I know there is absolutely no policy on how this is supposed to work. I think that you get different answers with different customer service reps.

Just reporting my experience(s) and what I was told by eBay.

Others experience may not be the same and of course you can work something out with a buyer without eBay's ""guidance.""

In those cases ......... if a buyer agrees to wait for shipping costs at a later date, the scenario (obvisouly) changes.

Perhaps not ALL returns work this way, but since virtually all buyers who request a return will claim the item was not as described it pretty much amounts to the same thing.

mr.elmwood · ‎05-02-2015

The whole supposition is a red herring.

I have never had a Cdn return.

I get about 3-4 requests per 600 sales to the US. Most due to a product problem that is remedied with a refund.

I had one request for an international return, three years ago. One request, from outside North America, in the last three years. No, wait, lemme think. the ONLY request in 12 years.

I'm gonna get my knickers in a knot over one request every 12 years? I don't think so.

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sylviebee · ‎05-02-2015

@dutchman48 wrote:
As femme says, not a hope of doing that. I am just as suspicious and cynical as she is!

If you want to return an item and contact the seller requesting a return because the Item is Not as Described............. and the seller agrees to take the return, there is no option for the seller to not agree to pay return shipping.

When the seller agrees to the return the seller also agrees to pay return shipping: they go hand in hand.

If the buyer and seller agree then return shipping can be paid after the item arrives back with the seller.

If the buyer does not trust the seller and calls eBay, then eBay will instruct the seller to prepay the cost of return shipping via paypal before the return.

If you think about it that is really no different than supplying a pre-paid shipping label as is done when the return is executed within the same country.

Of course, where it gets really tricky is when it comes time decide the amount.

That's a whole new story.

pjcdn2005 · ‎05-03-2015

If you think about it that is really no different than supplying a pre-paid shipping label as is done when the return is executed within the same country.

Not in all cases. I'm not sure what happens here but in the U.S. when a return label is issued through ebay, I've been told that the seller does not pay for that label unless the label is used. If you send money directly, there is no guarantee that the buyer will buy a label and send the item back.

sylviebee · ‎05-03-2015

@pjcdn2005 wrote:
If you think about it that is really no different than supplying a pre-paid shipping label as is done when the return is executed within the same country.

Not in all cases. I'm not sure what happens here but in the U.S. when a return label is issued through ebay, I've been told that the seller does not pay for that label unless the label is used. If you send money directly, there is no guarantee that the buyer will buy a label and send the item back.

Not saying it's right or wrong. Just saying that this is the way eBay is handling it "at this time."

That could change in the future.

In any case, if the seller sends money for shipping and the buyer doesn't end up returning the item and pocketing the money instead, then the worst case scenario is that the buyer has received a partial refund.

I think that most sellers would prefer that solution anyway. I know I would.