A buyer wants a refund but won’t return their item

I sold a makeup palette about 2 weeks ago. The buyer just messaged me saying it’s damedged. I asked them to send me a picture of the damaged item. In my opinion the palette is fine. So I asked them to ship it back than I’ll refund and compensate the buyer on the shipping. They refused saying that they have no guarantee that I’ll refund the order. And now they said their contacting eBay through the money back guarantee. So what should I do? I’ve dealt with customers being unsatisfied with Their orders and they usually shipped it back and I refunded them. This person is refusing to ship it back and now their contacting eBay.
Message 1 of 17
latest reply
16 REPLIES 16

A buyer wants a refund but won’t return their item

You can refuse a return, but you can't refuse a refund.

 

Did you ship yourself or are you dropshipping?

If the latter, refund and save yourself a lot of hassle.

 

EBay will tell you to send the buyer return postage.

 

If the buyer is in Canada or the USA-- send a Return Shipping Label.

Go to the Paypal payment and get the unhappy buyer's address and transaction number.

Now go to Shippo

  1. If you don't already have a Shippo account enroll for one. You will need a Canada Post Small Business Solutions number from the Canada Post website. Both of these ae free.
  2. For a US customer you will need to send a USPS shipping label. This is available through Shippo.  You will find this link useful:https://postcalc.usps.com/?country=10440  Use the Shape and Size option and scroll down to the bottom of the linked page for First Class International Parcel. (Yes it's expensive-- are you sure you don't want to just cave in and refund? Your choice.)
  3. If your customer is in Canada, you can get a shipping label from Canada Post through Shippo or Paypal. Choose Expedited Parcel which is probably the cheapest tracked service.
  4. Now print the label and send it to the buyer as a pdf through the eBay Dispute. You could back this up by sending the same pdf to the buyer's PP email. Don't worry it can only be used once.
  5. If the buyer doesn't return the item, you win the case**. If she does, refund. Relist the item if it is unused and saleable.*
  6. If she loses the Dispute she cannot leave feedback and frankly, that's why you are going through all this. Feedback does not affect your standing with eBay, but is read by your future customers.

Best wishes.

No refunds without returns!

 

 

*I suspect your original refusal means you will not get something useable back.

**And eventually you will be refunded for the unused label.

 

Message 2 of 17
latest reply

A buyer wants a refund but won’t return their item

BTW -- customer not costumer-- unless you know you sold to a cosplayer.
Message 3 of 17
latest reply

A buyer wants a refund but won’t return their item

eBay will tell them to open a return request through the money back guarantee. Since the buyer is saying that it is a not as described situation you’ll have to accept a return and issue a return shipping label.  If they don’t mail the item within 5 business days you can phone ebay and ask them to close the return.  I’m not sure though how long you have to void the label.

 

 

Message 4 of 17
latest reply

A buyer wants a refund but won’t return their item

I had similar case. The buyer was from QC , the Item was brand new .

 

 

My Case :

The buyer didn't   return Item in time specified   by my Return Policy , the case was closed in my favor.

The Buyer  escalated   on EBay , providing Tracking #  ( the Tracking Info was received , the item never reached carrier ) ,after case was closed  , it was review by EBay and case was closed in my favor .

Then buyer opened case on Pay Pal . The Pay Pal review case  and close case in my favor.

The buyer escalated and provide Tracking # , Pay Pal Refund money to buyer , case was closed in buyer's favor. The Item never arrive to me. 

Pay Pal doesn't folow  user agreement OR written policy, they just want to see Tracking # and close case. 

 

I was contacted from CP to  , the buyer claim that Item was not delivered to me, the  money went to Sender . So the buyer got my Item, Full Refund from Pay Pal, coverage from Canada Post .

The Item cost was USD $ 140.00 + USD $ 20.00 Shipping  cost.

 

It  took 5-6  weeks  to resolve that mess .

 

You have choice To Refund  and forget about your Item OR wait until buyer provide  Return Tracking # .

If your Return policy is 30 days, the buyer can provide  Tracking on last day , you have to wait .

If you want your Item , DO NOT Refund until you get  Return Tracking # .

You shoul'd  Contact EBay CS   asap. oterwise they will Refund to buyer  .

 

Message 5 of 17
latest reply

A buyer wants a refund but won’t return their item

Ok so I just told the buyer to Return for refund, and told them that is part of ebays policy. Finaly the buyer is complying and sent the package back to me as ‘return to sender’ so I don’t have to pay the buyer for the shipping (thank god) well your information was useful. Thanks.
Message 6 of 17
latest reply

A buyer wants a refund but won’t return their item

Was the original parcel tracked?

Return To Sender is not necessarily a freebie for the sender. Also, it’s probably fraudulent to use ‘not deliverable’ as a ‘merchandising return’ service.
Message 7 of 17
latest reply

A buyer wants a refund but won’t return their item

fraudulent to use ‘not deliverable’ as a ‘merchandising return’ service.

 

Which makes me more doubtful about the veracity of the buyer's original claim.

Cheaters, cheat.

Message 8 of 17
latest reply

A buyer wants a refund but won’t return their item

Yes, I rather suspect this is case of someone finagling for a refund and to keep the item as well. Like, 'There's a nick on the corner, I don't want it but I do want it. What I want is to keep if for free.' 

 

Sadly, this is all too easily achieved across The River. Complaints of minor issues are greeted with, 'Well, okay. Keep it and here's your money back too!' Like?!? The River plays fast and loose with its third-party merchant's monies but ebay sellers are selling their own stock bought with their own money. It doesn't work that way here.

 

Your buyer sounds entitled and best avoided to me. 

 

Don't issue the refund until you can confirm you receive your item back. If instead you get a box of rocks, that's another matter entirely. There are avenues with which to deal with that. 

Message 9 of 17
latest reply

A buyer wants a refund but won’t return their item

well the buyer said they shipped the package, and PayPal has put my money on hold, so i’ll Just have to wait and see what happens.
Message 10 of 17
latest reply

A buyer wants a refund but won’t return their item

The buyer just told me they sent it as ‘return to sender’ not sure if i’ll end up getting charged for it. I’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
Message 11 of 17
latest reply

A buyer wants a refund but won’t return their item

Does Return to Sender track?

No tracking, no proof of delivery.

No proof of delivery, no refund.

 

And if an item is refused, isn't there some special case handling-- like no refund on postal costs?

Message 12 of 17
latest reply

A buyer wants a refund but won’t return their item

yes if the buyer just marked it return to sender, and hasn't opened a ebay return, then the buyer could be out of luck.. any return has to be tracked,, so keep us updated as to if you receive it back..  best of luck..

Message 13 of 17
latest reply

A buyer wants a refund but won’t return their item

Well the buyer seemed sincere. She said it should arrive by Friday or Monday, she lives in the next Provence so the shipping should be fast.
Message 14 of 17
latest reply

A buyer wants a refund but won’t return their item

Well it’s been 2 weeks now, and still haven’t received the item back. I didn’t get a single message from the buyer either. I contacted eBay about it, I’ll see what they have to say
Message 15 of 17
latest reply

A buyer wants a refund but won’t return their item

What does tracking say? If it was back in the postal stream, there would be updates.

 

Items that are marked Return to Sender (legitimately because the address was incorrect or undeliverable or illegitimately in the way your buyer used it) get pushed to the back of the pile. It might be 45 days later that you get it back, as has been my experience with addresses that were supplied incorrectly by the buyer.

 

Your buyer made a massive error in trying to circumvent postage fees by doing her remorse return through mail fraud. She is ineligible for a refund now according to the MBG (MoneyBack Guarantee). You can/should be nice and give one to her anyway if you ever get it back. That is, if. 

 

This is the MBG in all its intricate glory: https://pages.ebay.ca/help/policies/money-back-guarantee.html

 

 

Message 16 of 17
latest reply

A buyer wants a refund but won’t return their item

I contacted ebay explained the current situation and they closed my case. They said I don't have to do anything else.
Message 17 of 17
latest reply