eBay / RM returns label pricing - how do they determine cost ?

[tech-tonix]

After several months pain-free, I had 2 returns/refund, "SNAD", - 1 genuine, 1 a change of mind but rubber-stamped by Ebay. Hey ho.

Both medium sized boxes approx. 6 kg.

HOWEVER

1st return 11th Jan, Ebay charged me £3.35 inc VAT, can't complain.

2nd return, 12th Jan, Ebay charged me £7.93 inc VAT.

(I'm not VAT reg'd)

Is it Ebay's way of finger-wagging at me, the naughty step for 2 in 2 days ? "Get a grip" or whatever ?

At least the £3.35 one was the fake SNAD so some justice there, inadvertently

TIA for any suggestions or reports confirming what's happening

[divinedressesdaily]

Hi

buyers are usually offered a choice of labels for a return

RM48 which is usually at £3.35 for small parcel size up to 2Kg in weight 

Parcelforce for the larger  dimension parcels over 2kg which was possibly £7.93

Its possible one buyer chose the RM and the second buyer chose the PF ?

I send quite a number of my orders with Parcelforce due to the both the weight of the order and size of the box required to protect the outfit  and headpiece -  and if a buyer requests a change of mind return many will simply print off the RM48 one rather then the Parcelforce one - I queried this at my post office as I was a surprised that basically the item was being posted using an underpaid label for the size and weight - my postmaster said they had been instructed not to query or get into any arguement over incorrectly priced pre paid labels -  he said RM were losing a fortune on these pre paid return labels for online returns

[tech-tonix]

Thanks, useful info, though they were both returned via RM Tracked 48. I don't know if one or other was chosen by the buyer as up to 10kg, say, & the other upto 2kg. I wasn't aware buyers had an option to specify parcel weight for returns. I could understand them being given Parcelfarce or RM options. 

[gothicrosegallery]

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@divinedressesdaily wrote:

Hi

buyers are usually offered a choice of labels for a return

 he said RM were losing a fortune on these pre paid return labels for online returns

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I've used ebay returns a couple of times and have never been offered a choice of label.

RM charge the receiver, ie ebay, for the correct weight/size plus an admin charge for every incorrect return label used.

[divinedressesdaily]

Well my buyers do get offered a choice of label - this week alone 
I have had two large buyers returns delivered via parcel force and the label printed via the change of mind return request for  PF48 -  and when I process their refund I can see that £7 odd is deducted from their refund to cover the cost of the label

and yes RM do charge for incorrect labels 

but it seems that many items are getting through without any issue

- of course perhaps my postmaster is totally ill informed - and is spouting total rubbish but somehow I doubt it 

[myriad*seller]

I thought the labels are generated based on the weight/dimensions info given by the seller in the listing? 

Where no dimensions/weight are given, the system defaults to the cheapest label, which is sometimes insufficient for the size/weight of the item requiring return, meaning the buyer has to contact eBay CS to get a suitable label (for dimensions/weight) issued.

Was there a difference in the details you added to the listings or did you miss out adding dimensions/weight info to one listing? That would explain why different prices were charged. 

[tech-tonix]

I don't add dimensions/weight etc as I'd never seen a purpose to it (until this RM returns costing has reared its head), I assumed it was just Ebay poking its malign/rapacious snout in to attempt to pressure me in some way regarding my outward postage costs. So it looks like the 1st return was very undercharged, as it was maybe 5 - 6kg in a very lkarge box, whereas the 2nd return (the more expensive one) was about a kg lighter & half the volume/size