RETURNS PROCESS LEAVES SOMETHING TO BE DESIRED

[momcqueen]

While I do appreciate the Returns process is a work in progress, I find it highly annoying that if I approve a Request, there is no place for me to put special instructions to the buyer. Like important ones.

Did I miss something? I looked for a place to communicate between page forward buttons. 

This buyer is asking to return something outside the 14-return period that I have specified. It is 29 days past purchase and, for that reason, I want her to know that I will certainly be charging the 20 per cent restocking fee that is mentioned in the Return Policy portion of the listing. Also, I need her to know it has to be sent back with tracking. And I need her to know she needs to get it back to me in a way that it will not be wrecked in transit so I can resell it again and, most importantly since this is an international buyer, I need her to know it must be marked as a MERCHANDISE RETURN so that it doesn't trigger import taxes for me.

While it's true that I can (and did) send her those instructions via Messages, it seems to me like there should be an official way to do so via the Returns process so that it is an official part of the Return case. As in attached to the case itself so she can see it when she goes there, not look at it in Messages.

Also, given that this is a return for reasons of remorse (the person for whom she bought it doesn't have an interest in this line of toys anymore, she says) is the refund for item price or item+postage price less the 20 per cent restocking fee.

I don't have a lot of experience with Returns so I don't actually know the answer to that. I'm thinking it's full amount no matter the reason it's being sent back minus any restocking fee that may apply. It will also mark the first time I intend to apply the restocking fee simply because this is so far past my actual allowable return period. Or should I have said 'no'for that reason? Too late now but for next time.

Thanks for your advice or insight.

Maureen 

p.s. I could also add all that information in the Return Policy portion of each listing, it seems like overkill since the part about something being a MERCHANDISE RETURN applies only to international orders. But maybe that's what ebay wants us to do. 

[momcqueen]

I've called ebay Customer Service about this twice and made my feelings known as firmly and intelligently as I could muster.

I could try paypal directly but I don't know if they have any control over whether or not to interfere. I somehow think not.

I am stuck without these funds until Sept. 23 before I will even know if the buyer ever really intended to send this back. The day afterwards is the first point in time I can call to escalate it with Customer Service to close in my favour so my funds will be given back to me. 

If I were a top-seller in ebay.co.uk as well as ebay.ca, this would not have been the case. Those funds would have only been frozen if it was a Return case opened for nefarious reasons like INR or SNAD. Still, I resent this. It is an unnecessary intrusion into my financial wellbeing and one that will ultimately have negative consequences for future ebay customers in so far as I won't be accepting any more returns for reasons of remorse after the 14-days as outlined by my Return policy. 

[rose-dee]

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@mjwl2006 wrote:

If the ebay UK buyer sends it back, actually marks it shipped with tracking, ebay has permission to freeze my funds at that time. Not sooner. It's completely unnecessary, bad for my business and therefore bad for ebay. But I explained this to the CSR and was told this is the cost of doing business here. 

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I absolutely agree, although I see that my earlier suggestion was pointless, as you've been given no quarter from CS.  Not that I would have expected them to relent, but then I'm a tenacious sort who would prefer to be told "no" than not to try.  Yes, you could try Paypal and see how far you get with them. 

Your experience with this is a good reason for sellers, especially smaller sellers, not to accept buyer's remorse returns.  

I once had a buyer want to return an expensive tailored suit because it was a bit too small, despite the fact that extensive detailed size information had been given in the listing.  I very politely declined the return, but pointed out that there was enough value and demand for the item that the buyer could just resell it on eBay (or wherever) and likely recoup most of their purchase price, in addition to avoiding the cost of tracked return shipping to me.  

Given in your buyer's case the original shipping to the U.K., plus VAT, plus return shipping, plus restocking fee, it seems almost irrational for them to want to return the item when they could have got good coin by reselling.  Heck, doesn't eBay continually tell new sellers it's just a matter of 1, 2, 3 to list, sell and ship?  

Do try to cheer up though -- you have complete sympathy here if that helps.      

[pjcdn2005]

It's actually 14 calendar days, not business days. 

http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/buy/return-item.html

You must return the item – in the same condition as you received it – within 14 calendar days of requesting the return. It's good practice to include tracking information (if available) when returning an item.

Defintely longer than the 5 days we have here....I hadn't  realized that.  

This is reply should be to mj...

[rose-dee]

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@mjwl2006 wrote:

If I were a top-seller in ebay.co.uk as well as ebay.ca, this would not have been the case. Those funds would have only been frozen if it was a Return case opened for nefarious reasons like INR or SNAD. 

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It makes no sense at all to me that you should not be dealt with by eBay based on your home seller status.  

Even so, in my view any hold placed on a TRS seller's Paypal account, even for INR or SNAD return, is wrong. There is far too much meddling in sellers' businesses by eBay as it is without sticking their fingers into our accounts.  

[momcqueen]

According to the details of my return, this buyer has until Sept. 23. They opened the request Sept 3. The CSR said 14 business days. And unless I cannot count, that brings us also to Sept. 23 like the Returns case indicates. I recall the actual law that I read about uk consumer protection said 14 calendar days but I'm going on memory and that is in direct conflict with what eBay is telling me.

[pjcdn2005]

I guess the help pages are wrong, it wouldn't be the first time.   

[momcqueen]

Speaking of incorrect help pages, I noticed today that the eBay.ca help pages say a seller needs to get signature on delivery for any order valued at $750 but it doesn't specify currency and I'm certain that's $750 USD. According to PayPal seller protection, that dollar value is different for CAD. So either eBay copied and pasted from eBay.com the wrong data, or PayPal seller protection and eBay seller protection is different.

[momcqueen]

Update Sept. 24: The buyer never did return the item or upload tracking so I called ebay Customer Service this morning to ask the case be closed. They said they would do this because (see above) the buyer never did return the item or upload tracking. I am supposed to see my $155 unfrozen (and given back to me) within 24 to 48 hours.

This makes four return requests opened where no item was forthcoming. I've never actually had an item come back. 

I think it's time for the policy to change so that funds are frozen (if necessary on remorse returns at all) only when the buyer uploads tracking to show an item is actually being sent back. Otherwise, this was a period of 20 calendar days where my money was taken for no reason whatsoever.