eBay

cathy_748 · ‎03-07-2017

I recently returned 2 items of clothing to a seller. The seller agreed to a refund of the item and shipping. When I click on return details, the amount of the item is correct but the shipping cost is way below what I paid. I'm getting refunded USD 2.89 for shipping but I paid 11.88 CAD even with the currency conversion that's not even close. The same is true for the 2nd item but the difference in shipping isn't as off.

I contacted the seller to let them know the total refund wasn't being calculated correctly but they say they can't change it. Within this email exchange, they received my items and refunded the amount set by ebay (so they say) and not what I actually paid,

Does anyone know why the return details are wrong?

ypdc_dennis · ‎03-07-2017

@cathy_748 wrote:
I recently returned 2 items of clothing to a seller. The seller agreed to a refund of the item and shipping. When I click on return details, the amount of the item is correct but the shipping cost is way below what I paid. I'm getting refunded USD 2.89 for shipping but I paid 11.88 CAD even with the currency conversion that's not even close. The same is true for the 2nd item but the difference in shipping isn't as off.

I contacted the seller to let them know the total refund wasn't being calculated correctly but they say they can't change it. Within this email exchange, they received my items and refunded the amount set by ebay (so they say) and not what I actually paid,

Does anyone know why the return details are wrong?

Are you talking about what it cost you to return it? or the original shipping cost when you purchased?

Paypal should have the purchase details.

-..-

pinetreecottage · ‎03-07-2017

Some sellers charge a re-stocking fee, maybe that's the discrepancy.

cathy_748 · ‎03-07-2017

I'm referring to the original shipping cost. Paypal just has my shipping total in a lump sum and not divided per item. I returned 2 out of 6 items. My total shipping cost were $140 which is why I want some of it back

cathy_748 · ‎03-07-2017

I asked and they said they don't do that

sylviebee · ‎03-07-2017

cathy, I'm wondering what could have cost $140.00 to ship. That sounds like a lot and knowing that might help get some perspective on your current situation.

cathy_748 · ‎03-07-2017

It was 5 tops, 1 pair of jeans and 1 skirt. I bid on these items not realizing the ridiculous shipping cost. I was so annoyed when 2 of the tops they sent were defective.

cathy_748 · ‎03-07-2017

Forgot to mention this was shipping from US to Canada. Although I'm pretty sure it didn't cost them that much to ship.

reallynicestamps · ‎03-07-2017

Was the Global Shipping Program (spit, spit, spit) involved?

If so you paid import fees to cover the duty on the shipment, the sales tax on the shipment and a small fee (~$5) to PitneyBowes for wrangling the shipment through customs.

Because technically you didn't pay Canada those fees, Pitney Bowes did that, you don't get them back.

sylviebee · ‎03-08-2017

@cathy_748 wrote:
It was 5 tops, 1 pair of jeans and 1 skirt. I bid on these items not realizing the ridiculous shipping cost. I was so annoyed when 2 of the tops they sent were defective.

Yes, $140 for shipping would be way too high.

As femme asked: Was your package shipped via the Global Shipping Program? That might explain the high cost of shipping "if" your items were also expensive because that shipping program adds import taxes.

What was the value of the items?

Sorry to be so nosy, but it's impossible to grasp your situation without that information.

cathy_748 · ‎03-08-2017

No it wasn't shipped using GSP. They shipped using USPS first class. I didn't pay any customs, fees or taxes.

I'll see if I can attach an image of the problem. The first photo will show what I paid and the second is what Ebay/ seller said my return would be.

cathy_748 · ‎03-08-2017

marnotom! · ‎03-08-2017

@cathy_748 wrote:

No it wasn't shipped using GSP. They shipped using USPS first class. I didn't pay any customs, fees or taxes.

Are you sure it was First Class International? I just looked up how much it would cost to mail a three pound, 15.9 ounce package from Boston to Iqaluit by that mailing method and it comes in at under forty bucks.

sylviebee · ‎03-08-2017

cathy, what was the total cost of the items you bought?

So far it sounds an awful lot like someone did a number on you.... or............ like the seller was pushing item cost over to shipping charge.

So far it's hard to tell exactly what's going on.

sylviebee · ‎03-08-2017

P.S.: or....... it sounds like you bought multiple items and the seller didn't offer you combined shipping. Is that what happened?

It's not what you posted about........ but are you happy with that? I wouldn't be.

I don't believe that eBay has any strict rules about how to deal with shipping refunds which involve multiple purchases from the same seller, but this is "off" for sure.

In fact, returning a portion of the original purchase also introduces issues which aren't straightforward.

Did you pay return shipping or did the seller pay?

Are these items from China?

You've posted about a difficult issue with a paucity of information.

cathy_748 · ‎03-08-2017

Thank you for all your suggestion. Yes the shipping was quite the rip off but that's not my issue at the moment.

I may have figured it out. I believe they refunded me the amount for shipping as though I'm in the US and not in Canada.

sylviebee · ‎03-08-2017

The seller would be refunding from your original payment so it would be difficult to make that mistake.

As a seller who keeps the cost of shipping as low as possible for buyers I get annoyed just thinking about it, but if it's not a problem for you that you paid $140 for shipping a package that would have cost a fraction of that amount to ship then that's up to you.

I'm not sure that they're separate issues.