Buying and Selling on eBay: Tips, Tricks, Problems & Questions

[txwoodworker]

Will keep you all updated
i called ebay today as they suggested and the agent told me that ebay will provide the return label to the buyer, so now i just need to wait for the item to be returned.
surprised to hear that, but at least it's not out of my pocket (for now)

I've never heard of that. That's a new development.

 

[Fueco]

I’m sure it doesn’t really affect anything, but it has irked me for some time that buyers are allowed to leave low DSR ratings for part of the price of their purchase that they can see before they purchase an item.

 

[goatamous II]

I've never heard of that. That's a new development.

My whole argument was that I don't think I should pay for the return label because the buyer can't read. Surprised they agreed with me. I spoke with two separate agents and they both said "you listed correctly as pre-owned, so nothing for you to do"
I was not expecting the agent today to say "we'll send the buyer a label"
email below was from ebay.

Thanks for your patience. We know returns can be inconvenient, so please know we appreciate your understanding.

We had a chance to review the buyer’s return request and decided to ask them to return the item. There’s nothing you need to do at this time. This case will not affect your seller performance.

For next steps, we’ll track the buyer’s return to you and then deduct the refund and original shipping amount from your funds once it’s delivered. If the buyer doesn’t ship their return by Sep 19, 2023, we’ll close their case, and you won’t have to pay for a refund.

If there’s anything wrong with the item once you receive it, we’re here to help. You can send an appeal or, if you have any questions, you can contact us.

 

[txwoodworker]

Oh, that's bullshit.

we’ll track the buyer’s return to you and then deduct the refund and original shipping amount from your funds once it’s delivered.

We agree you did nothing wrong, but we're going to give the buyer a shipping label, at your expense because, of course we are.
I thought you meant that eBay was PAYING for the shipping label too. This feels like a further extension of the "you're going to take returns no matter what" policy.

 

[sjmin209]

We agree you did nothing wrong, but we're going to give the buyer a shipping label, at your expense because, of course we are.
I thought you meant that eBay was PAYING for the shipping label too. This feels like a further extension of the "you're going to take returns no matter what" policy.

If I read the message correctly, eBay is paying for the shipping label. They're saying that the purchase price and the original shipping will be refunded, not that he'll be charged for the return shipping.

 

[txwoodworker]

Ah, you are correct. But they are still going to debit not just the item, but the original shipping so he's out 1/2 of the shipping. If it's truly a no-fault return, he wouldn't eat shipping.

 

[eddyroxx]

Is there a way to change the number of days on return policy?
I am only getting 2 options: 30 days or 60 days.
I would like to change it to something like 7-10 days

 

[goatamous II]

Ah, you are correct. But they are still going to debit not just the item, but the original shipping so he's out 1/2 of the shipping. If it's truly a no-fault return, he wouldn't eat shipping.

This is it and something I'm hoping I can fight
I don't want to refund the original shipping amount because of a buyer's mistake

 

[capnwes]

My whole argument was that I don't think I should pay for the return label because the buyer can't read. Surprised they agreed with me. I spoke with two separate agents and they both said "you listed correctly as pre-owned, so nothing for you to do"
I was not expecting the agent today to say "we'll send the buyer a label"
email below was from ebay.

Thanks for your patience. We know returns can be inconvenient, so please know we appreciate your understanding.

We had a chance to review the buyer’s return request and decided to ask them to return the item. There’s nothing you need to do at this time. This case will not affect your seller performance.

For next steps, we’ll track the buyer’s return to you and then deduct the refund and original shipping amount from your funds once it’s delivered. If the buyer doesn’t ship their return by Sep 19, 2023, we’ll close their case, and you won’t have to pay for a refund.

If there’s anything wrong with the item once you receive it, we’re here to help. You can send an appeal or, if you have any questions, you can contact us.

I'd just wait to see if it actually returns, when it does...

FIRST use the report buyer tool...you can do that now (see below)

THEN call back for a shipping refund

DON'T FORGET to double check to make sure you get your final value fee credit, sometimes they are not automatically refunded depending on how the claim was escalated.

REMINDER: if you have the ability and exercise your right to give a partial refund on a return, ebay will keep the entire FVF on the transaction. So in some cases it's wiser to eat the shipping.

 

[capnwes]

Is there a way to change the number of days on return policy?
I am only getting 2 options: 30 days or 60 days.
I would like to change it to something like 7-10 days

No, they did away with the shorter policies on most categories a while back. There are still a handful of electronics categories that allow 14 days.

 

[goatamous II]

Thanks Wes - i did use the report a buyer
I'm not a top rated seller, so I cannot give a partial refund. This means that I'm going to have the original shipping cost deducted as well, then I have to fight ebay after.
Good call out on the FVF.


also, update
Ebay customer service: the gift that keeps on giving (cc @txwoodworker because you've been following this)
Turns out that their offer to step in and provide the return label was simply a means if i was unable to provide it myself. They were going to charge me for the label that they provided.

Why am I writing that in past tense? Because I got an email today saying that they could not generate the label and now I have 4 days to provide it.

I called and after a discussion, was basically told "yes, we agree with you, it's buyers remorse, however we cannot overturn a SNAD case once it's opened"
Added additional notes (there were already notes there from before stating buyers remorse)
So now i'm back to the advice folks in this thread gave me: provide the label, get the item back, then fight ebay.

Ebay has instructed me to not refund when the item is received, but instead to call them immediately to step in. Not holding my breath at all that this will work out in my favour.

 

[txwoodworker]

When you call, they'll tell you to refund and appeal. Best case scenario after that is youll get a full refund including shipping after appeal. I've done it once, eBay actually covers it because the buyer gets 100% back.

 

[Fueco]

Happiness is selling something for $240 plus shipping and then seeing the same thing listed for $25 less with free shipping. Having 7500+ feedback does have advantages.

 

[goatamous II]

When you call, they'll tell you to refund and appeal. Best case scenario after that is youll get a full refund including shipping after appeal. I've done it once, eBay actually covers it because the buyer gets 100% back.

Final verdict

Buyer didn't ship the item back on time. Case closed in my favour
I can't help but laugh

EDIT: i am holding my breath. the tracking does show that it's been shipped, so who knows if this is done or not, but i'll wait and see.

 

[goatamous II]

Final Final verdict - the day after I posted the above message, the buyer appealed and was awarded the full refund.
Then I appealed and was denied.
Then I called again and finally got a US based rep who understood the **** show and acknowledged that it was mishandled the entire way. So she put in a request for me to get a courtesy credit.
Today was the deadline for the courtesy credit. I called to check in and was told the request for a courtesy credit was denied.

In the end they gave me a $30 coupon and I'm moving on with life.