Serious flaw in eBay returns

[darth_baggins]

(duplicated post from Experienced Sellers Forum)

I've got a customer wanting to return an item which I've agreed to. I asked them to open an eBay return but the label is coming up at £3.35 which only covers up to 2kg and the item is 3.1kg.

According to this announcement eBay should be providing labels for up to 20kg.

https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Announcements/Introducing-a-cheaper-way-to-return-items-that-weigh-l...

I've been on to live chat and got nowhere with them, I was told I can either use the 2kg label (which is ridiculous as the label will be rejected) or provide my own and upload it to the case. I sent the CS agent the link to the announcement and I was repeatedly told that I can only send a 2kg label.

So is the agent wrong or is the announcement wrong? If eBay want to handle returns then surely there should be some provision for the seller to put the actual weight of the item in?

dave@ebay 

katie@ebay 

marco@ebay 

Can you shed any light on this please?

[lincolnshiremarine]

Thank you for posting this, as useful to know.

This is just another mess up by ebay on the postage side of things, we have the EDD that ebay have messed up, that ebay keep telling us all it is WORKING, and now this.

You might as well speak to a brick wall when talking to ebay with issues.

Any ideas on how we can get ebay to listen to us on the EDD side.

Best wishes

[bojangled]

@darth_baggins 

are you on Facebook? Rumour has it you get a decent response via the DM method.

Never tried it myself..

[dave@ebay]

Hi @darth_baggins 

Do you have an item number and Ill ask the shipping guys to have a look at it?

Thanks,

Dave

[darth_baggins]

Thanks Dave. Item is 395127914358

I did google about the issue and there are several posts over the last few years saying users got on to live chat and eBay changed the weight for them, but the CS agent I spoke to said that this was not possible.

All I want is to be able to send a label in the 2-5kg category.

[darth_baggins]

Thanks. I've heard similar but I don't do Facebook.

[dave@ebay]

Thanks, @darth_baggins 

Let me look into it and I'll com back to you in bit.

Thanks,

Dave

[bravergrace]

I  haven't encountered this specific problem myself, but from reading other posts, I get the  impression that eBay just issue labels up to 2 kg, with an agreement with the carriers that they must accept those labels for items up to 20 kg. 

In the case of Post Offices, SOME - perhaps all - branches seem to have been instructed not to query parcels that don't meet the size or weight requirements shown on the label.

I would guess there's supposed to be some sample check-weighing done on returns, so eBay can be surcharged at the end of the process (£x per overweight parcel), in the same way that my franked parcels are accepted by the post office and if any are underpaid, I risk getting a surcharge bill - but the post office and my customer won't be surcharged.

[lincolnshiremarine]

I will try facebook, thank you.

[darth_baggins]

I've not had the situation before either, but when searching on the internet, there are several people saying they took an eBay return to the post office and it was rejected as being heavier/underpaid.

[bravergrace]

Curiously, the Post Office page on the subject of returns doesn't mention complying with size or weight restrictions at all.

https://www.postoffice.co.uk/mail/returns-service

[darth_baggins]

https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Member-To-Member-Support-DO-NOT/Ebay-has-given-me-the-wrong-weight-r...

Old post but still possibly relevant.

https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Member-To-Member-Support/Wrong-weight-on-postage-label/td-p/7512812#....

Slightly more recent.

Also https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Member-To-Member-Support/Seller-sent-return-label-with-insufficient-...

And https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Member-To-Member-Support-DO-NOT/Postage-return-label-incorrect-weigh...

So it seems like it does matter, at least at some post offices.

[dave@ebay]

Hi @darth_baggins 

The guys in shipping came back to me. They advised that we use data to predict the correct weight band for the return item. If for any reason this is the incorrect weight band, the return label can still be used and will be accepted at any Post Office or Royal Mail Customer Service Point. 

You can issue the label and the buyer will be able to return the item. There shouldn't be but if there are any issues let me know.

Thanks,

Dave

[4_bathrooms]

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dave@ebay wrote:

Hi @darth_baggins 

The guys in shipping came back to me. They advised that we use data to predict the correct weight band for the return item.

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Predict the correct weight? The seller entered the item's weight when they listed the item. Surely the return is likely to be heavier than the original stated item weight (for example; the buyer might use additional packaging when returning). Sigh...this is as bad as estimated delivery dates.

[bravergrace]

Does anyone else have memories of the early days of eBay returns, and that double-bed mattress propped up outside the post office door in the rain, waiting for the postman to come and pop it in his little van?  And eBay saying "But our data predicted it would be a small parcel..."