Buyer initiates a return as coat does not fit.

[luv4orphans]

I have a buyer that wants to return an item as she says it does not fit her. I am not in the habit of accepting returns for obvious reasons.

I try to describe my items as much as I can so this doesn't happen.

Coat is XS, all measurements are in the pictures. Buyer says the coat is way too large for her. She weighs the same thing as I do and coat is snug on me. I understand different body build so she could be legit. I had another prospective buyer from another site but closer to home try this coat and had same weight and same height as me but muscular built and coat was way too small, she couldn't even zip it up. So wondering if its buyer's remorse.

Just wondering on what I should do here. And who pays shipping costs in a case like this.

[pjcdn2005]

If buyer opens a return request and uses the 'does not fit' as the reason for the return, they will have to pay for return shipping.  If they use one of the not as described reasons  such as seller sent wrong item etc., then you will have to pay for return shipping.

[reallynicestamps]

She doesn't want the coat.

And yes it is Buyer Remorse.

If she returns it on her own dime, which she should as Buyer Remorse, you have a coat you can relist and resell.

If she becomes annoyed by an obdurate seller the coat may become Not As Described and you have to pay for the return.

And what you get back may not be As Described if she gets really mad.

Just tell her to return the coat for a full refund.  Don't mention postage.

Refund when you receive it.

Neither of you is wrong.

You did the right thing with measurements, and her body is just not the right shape.

Just as you and your friend had different experiences with fitting.

It's business, not personal.

[luv4orphans]

Do I need to pay for initial shipping or does she. She doesn't say item is not as described just that it doesn't fit her which I doubt. Those coat are made XS and they are very small and she says the coat is way way too big on her.
What's a full refund. Price of coat and initial shipping costs
Or just the price of the coat itself.

[reallynicestamps]

Try "I regret you are not happy with your purchase. Please return the coat for a full refund."

A full refund would be every penny she sent in the first place.

Yes, you will be out the original shipping cost.

But if she goes for a Not As Described, you will be out two shipping costs and she can leave feedback.

I believe that if your Terms of Sale include No Returns, you can charge a restocking fee, but if the buyer is being polite, I wouldn't push it. (I also seem to remember that eBay stopped allowing restocking fees, but I'm unclear about that.)

Not every transaction will go perfectly.

And again, I don't think you did anything wrong. Stuff happens.

[luv4orphans]

Cost of shipping was close to $27.00. I sell different items and shipping costs vary a lot. Not just a couple of dollars here. I understand business wise but I am not a big time seller and can't really afford to refund shipping because somebody decide they don't want something. I don't have the shipping fees the post office got it.
Sales are so slow I might as well just close up the shop lol. I have tried different ways to sell and nothing is budging so I don't know.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@luv4orphans 

The sad part is, in the past the seller was responsible for creating a true and accurate listing with fair and honest shipping, accurately explaining where the item was located.  Then there was the part 2 of the equation. The buyer was supposed to read the listing in it's entirety before committing to purchase. Either bidding or BIN. The accept part was the contract to purchase. Now with some returns being made on whim, it's extremely difficult to tell if any request is true and honest. It's very easy for a buyer to click on NAD even if it's another true reason.

-Lotz

PS. If does not fit, they must acquit? Hmmm  🙂

[pjcdn2005]

You don’t have to refund original shipping for a buyers remorse return unless the original shipping was “free”

[tryubik-useonlyasdirected]

"You don’t have to refund original shipping for a buyers remorse return unless the original shipping was “free”"

Yes, Free Shipping is were a restocking fee equal to shipping comes in handy.

[luv4orphans]

Thanks. I just finished talking to ebay and that's what I was told. This is definitely a case of a buyer changing their mind. She's the same weight and height as me and the coat is snug on me and way too large on her.

[luv4orphans]

The coat was well described and all measurements provided. Person is same weight & height as me so I am not sure why this coat is snug on me (the reason for selling) and way way too large on her. The fair and honest shipping prices you are talking about never existed. This is an ongoing problem on ebay. Some sellers are still charging outrageous fees mostly from the US. They don't seem to be able to tell the difference from Canada to overseas and try to charge us the same. Been on here long enough to know when I am getting railroaded. But for the newbies that don't its an ongoing problem and not easily fixable. I charge what I have to pay at the post office and nothing more. But still get hit the most in S&H fees.

[reallynicestamps]

Some sellers are still charging outrageous fees mostly from the US. They don't seem to be able to tell the difference from Canada to overseas and try to charge us the same.

Even here we meet newbies who don't notice they can set multiple destinations in the Custom Destination part of International Shipping.

There are also enough US sellers who will not ship to Hawaii or Alaska, or even military addresses, that eBay makes that an option.

I charge what I have to pay at the post office and nothing more.

Are you including all your packaging costs, plus the fuel surcharge and GSP?

And of course using metric measurements.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

That could be one of the biggest problems in all this. A good percentage of buyers really don't understand how much shipping is or should be. They think if it's high, we are overcharging them. They also don't understand the fees involved in the process. And as noted by several posts on here some buyers are under the impression shipping is based on an items value. Not sure where they came up with that thought. I have always used calculated shipping. Very few use Flat Rate because there are too many variables with the items I sell. I've never used a high handling fee like the sellers that charge 5.00 per item when you pick up in person. Or refuse to combine on shipping. I pass on the savings whenever I can. Have done it that way since day one and no plans to change.

-Lotz

[luv4orphans]

Yes I am doing all that. I don't charge packaging costs, etc. I try pricing the item a bit more to take all that into consideration. Otherwise you get dinged in your ratings on shipping and handling charges even when you only charge actual shipping fees that the post office charges me . And yes using metric measurements. I sell a variety of items so I find I have to use calculated shipping. Otherwise its a guessing game based on previous similar sales but it also depends on location. So too hard to do it that way.

[luv4orphans]

Yes me neither don't know where they came up with that idea. Shipping has nothing to do with the actual item. Its a no brainer. I sell too many different things on a regular basis to stick with a flat rate. I know they came out with those flat rate tables but haven't had much time to look into that. I wanted something a couple of months ago and the seller wouldn't budge from $68. US. This could have shipped here for $25, $30 at most and that's pushing it. She was charging the same for overseas. I had to pass.
I tried different ways to ship and offered Free Shipping and that doesn't work either. You have to up the price of the item and people just pass over it. Me too I find calculated shipping works best for me.
Sometimes I have better luck selling on marketplace as people don't have to pay shipping fees. Not sure what it is but has been really slow for the last year. Saw a boost around christmas time and now zilt is moving.

[reallynicestamps]

@luv4orphans 

I don't charge packaging costs, etc.

Well, actually. You charge your customer for all your costs. You are just including the cost of packaging in your asking price, instead of making it a line item.

I sometimes pretend to myself that those costs are covered by the difference between buying my stock in Canadian dollars and selling in US dollars.

offered Free Shipping and that doesn't work either. You have to up the price of the item and people just pass over it.

And for me, it works great.  Free Shipping means one less step for the consumer and attracts the impulse buyer.

Your customers disagree. That's what makes horse races, eh?

[luv4orphans]

You look like you sell mostly stamps so its more feasible for you. There's a big difference between shipping that and the price of a 30" doll. Or purses. If I up the price too much it doesn't sell or can take quite a while. There's the difference between you and me. The only thing to my advantage is buyers from Canada are buying at home because of the US currency and the global shipping program. Its gets too expensive for a lot of us when buying from the US nowadays. But most dolls go to US buyers and I won't say anymore on that subject.

[reallynicestamps]

I agree.

I sell a few more bulky items (ricarmic is another stamp dealer and his lots are often measured in kilos and cubic metres rather than being envelopes) and I would never ship those as Free Shipping.

That is for items that can go Flat Rate.

However, check out the cost of shipping some of your bulky items to various parts* of the USA. You may find that Flat Rate shipping will sometimes work. And If you can use Flat Rate you can use Free Shipping.

Generally not, but sometimes.

Which is cheaper ? A $50 item with $15 shipping or a $65 item with Free Shipping?

*Ooh ooh ooh- make sure those zipcodes include Hawaii. A lot of US sellers will not ship to Hawaii or Alaska because it costs a little more for them than for mainland shipping.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@luv4orphans 

Now if there was some sort of calculator in eBay that was reasonably reliable for calculating shipping for multiple units accurately that would be awesome. (30% of my items). Seems to be on the fritz again.  <Sigh>

-Lotz

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

How does it work when a customer just marks return to sender on a shipment without putting in a request for a return? Will find out Monday if I owe for the shipping. Not sure even what item is being returned.

-Lotz