eBay

momcqueen · ‎03-21-2017

Just a quickie question here:

If a buyer wants to make a 'remorse' return on an item that included 'free' shipping as part of the item price, how does that work? When giving a refund for remorse returns, sellers are not obligated to give the buyer their original postage paid back. Correct? I recall that is the case form my research in the past.

So then what if that 'postage paid' was 'free shipping' paid by the seller? Does it mean the seller can deduct the cost of postage to the buyer from the refund given on return? Or is that where a restocking fee is supposed to come in: to reduce losses on remorse returns on items sold with postage included in the item price.

I don't handle enough Returns to know the answer.

Thanks.

momcqueen · ‎03-22-2017

Good advice, of course.

I'm not entirely naive, so I do know where this is headed. This is the reason I applied a '20 per cent restocking fee may be applied' to all my listings: in the event I had to use it to cut my losses against a Remorse Return on an item that sold with free shipping. I've never had to actually charge that restocking fee, mind you, since I don't have Returns.

But I'm not asking for the elevator passcode to the upper floor of ebay HQ in San Jose, I'm merely looking for a definition of the term Original Shipping as it applies to Remorse Returns. According to ebay's clear policy on the matter, a refund of Original Shipping is not mandatory on Remorse Returns. I've cited it above, it's left to the discretion of the seller. As is the Restocking Fee.

Is it the Original Shipping as paid by the buyer?

Or is it the Original Shipping as Paid by the Seller?

The two are often not the same thing.

As to the curious manner in which this 'Return' was 'requested', please be assured that I'm not entering into a lengthy discussion with the third-party in this instance, I told them I'd happily take it back as per the Return Policy on the listing and that the buyer needed to open a Return request with ebay.

There are too many oddities with the nature of the request that came in last night for me to get into here. I have strong suspicions that I cannot ethically share.

Suffice it to say, I'm posing this question for rhetorical purposes at this point.

Maybe I'lll throw it at the new ebay Canada rep should they open a Weekly Chat thread as we were promised.

pjcdn2005 · ‎03-22-2017

'
@mjwl2006 wrote:
I seek procedure. There is no question of 'entitlement' afoot as I don't have a Returns case open to issue *any* refund toward. It's not about what the seller charged for postage, it's about what amount the seller paid for postage. I'm looking for official clarification as opposed to opinion.

It's not about what the seller charged for postage? That is exactly what it is about. The policy does not say that the seller can withhold their shipping costs, it says that they can withhold shipping Charges. They are referring to amounts you charged the buyer, not what you paid for postage.

From the policy

If a buyer returns an item for any other reason, including deciding not to purchase the item after all, you keep any restocking fee specified in the listing Return policy. You can waive this fee, if you like.
In these situations, you can also keep the original shipping charge.