"Buyer Protection"? Why is the Buyer responsible for return shipping when an item is "not as described" or damaged due to bad packing??

[londoninium]

I am an avid porcelain collector and frequent eBay Buyer, however, I am getting very discouraged with the number of items I am receiving damaged during shipping simply due to poor packing on the part of the Seller or "not as described" i.e. with prior damage or "restoration" not mentioned in the listing.

Aside from the obvious disappointment, eBay "Buyer Protection" supports these unscrupulous Sellers by insisting that the Buyer bear the cost of return shipping before being entitled to a refund.  And not just any return shipping - to quote the "Buyer Protection" wording -

"If we resolve an item not as described case in the buyer's favor, we will in most circumstances ask the buyer to return the item to the seller - - - before we refund the buyer and try to recover the refund amount from the seller. In those cases, we'll ask the buyer to promptly provide a shipping tracking number to us. For items valued $250 or above - - - we'll also require the buyer to provide signature confirmation where such signature confirmation service is available from the shipping company. Return shipping will be at the buyer's expense. It is the buyer's responsibility to ensure that the item is properly packaged and shipped. If the item is not delivered to the seller's return address in the condition in which the buyer received it, the buyer may not be eligible for a refund."

Why is the Buyer specifically held responsible for an item being "properly packaged" when a Seller is not held to the same standard?

I think these "rules" need to change.  Certainly, in the case of "Buyer's Remorse" these conditions are both understandable and responsible - however, provision needs to be made for the specific issues of inaccurate descriptions and inadequate packing on the part of Sellers.

How do we get these "rules" changed??

[femmefan1946]

There are several reasons for the "buyer pays return shipping " policy.

First, PP and eBay cannot refund money they have never had. When you return an item PP can refund your original payment, but never touches the money you paid the post office.

Second, there are buyers who return items that are exactly as described for "buyer remorse". They bought two and kept the one they liked best. Or they bought two and return the worst one to the seller who charged the most.  Or they decided they just didn't like it. Or it was the wrong shade of blue. Or Or Or.  Demanding that the buyer pay for returning reduces the number of these claims.

Third, the postage is equivalent to the gas or bus fair to WalMart when a buyer decides to return a WM purchase. WM won't refund your gas money and neither will most sellers.

That being said, when you receive an item that is not as described, start with a polite note about the problem to the seller. Some sellers will cooperate when they realize that the problem is due to their own error. Pictures will often take the place of returns with these sensible sellers. Keep it polite and calm. You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.