eBay

aphystykqa · ‎01-01-2024

Hi, I recently sold a vinyl record LP to a UK buyer, and he says that upon arrival the record received a scratch (allegedly) caused by the PVC cover I included with the record, as during the post it has got knocked around or something, so he says. I will say here-and-now that this is the very first time I have had an item sent which has received damage in the post in my life, so my 100% record of success has sadly come to an end, as I always parcel items up, whether Vinyl's (or whatever else) extremely well, in strong packaging, etc.. etc..

But, be that as it may. The customer is unhappy and either wanted a Full or Partial refund. Anyway, we couldn't come to any resolution over an acceptable partial refund amount, as he felt the partial refund offer I made to him was not good enough. So, anyway he chose the route of a Full Refund which (of course) I 'reluctantly' accepted.

Now, when he bought the record initially, as it was £215 in total (after he haggled me down by £20, from my initial price) - Plus, I offered 'free' P&P for UK sellers - so there was no extra amount for P&P - then I posted it using 1st Class Royal Mail service with a Tracking number, which I initially entered into Ebay after I sent it, and as (everyone) should know. By the rules of Royal Mail. I also have to write out my address on the reverse of the parcel.

So, the unhappy buyer has now posted the record back to me by means of Royal Mail, but as chosen 2nd Class with a Tracking number, and has started the Return.

Ebay is then asking me - when I click on the ( VIEW RETURN DETAILS ) in My Ebay Sold page. So, when I clicked on that, then Ebay asks me to Start The Return and asks me to pick ( 1 of 3 options )

As Follows :-

Provide an eBay label

Upload your own label

Confirm you sent a label

Well, why would I need to provide a label for a buyer, when my address is written on the back of the parcel. That's my (First Question) - You see, even the unhappy buyer had the intellegence to work that bit out lol. He simply wrote that out onto the parcel when he sent it. Pretty much 'common sense' - if you ask me. But yet, Ebay does not have an option saying "No Label Required" - which is strange ?? - or, am I meant to chose their 3rd Option ? Of - Confirm You Sent A Label ?

(Second and Third Question) - Whichever option I choose, does Ebay charge me money for this Label or Already Sent a Label option, and does Ebay refund me the Ebay sellers fees - since the transaction turned out unsuccessful, due to the 'alleged' damage caused by The Royal Mail (so he says)

Also. When I sell my items. Ebay gives me the choices with the Returns Policy between the options of

1) Buyer Pays for Return postage
2) Seller Pays for Return postage

Well, I listed and always have listed every item I have ever sold with (Option 1) - of the Buyer pays return postage. Yet, the buyer said in his last message to me, that he is expecting to get paid for the postage amount he has paid to send the LP back to me (the cheeky g*t). I guess he'll give me a bad feedback - since he couldn't be bothered to read my returns policy before buying. And what is even more cheeky, is, that on the records this buyer is selling, he offers the exact same returns policy himself !! Where the buyer has to pay for the P&P for returning his items for refund. Pot-Kettle-Black immediately comes to my mind on that one

buffster1963 · ‎01-01-2024

As it was damaged in the post, the buyer should have opened a not as described return and you should have then sent a pre paid postage label for him to return it. The buyer only pays return postage in a change of mind return.

View solution in original post

buffster1963 · ‎01-01-2024

As it was damaged in the post, the buyer should have opened a not as described return and you should have then sent a pre paid postage label for him to return it. The buyer only pays return postage in a change of mind return.

aphystykqa · ‎01-01-2024

@buffster1963 wrote:
As it was damaged in the post, the buyer should have opened a not as described return and you should have then sent a pre paid postage label for him to return it. The buyer only pays return postage in a change of mind return.

The 'Unhappy' Buyer parcelled up the parcel, went to the post office and sent it back to me, and then opened a returns case to get his money refunded.

I clicked on the link accepting the return, and the returns process has now begun.

Ebay has then given me the options on the 'Provide return postage label' page, which says :- Select how you would like to provide the buyer with a label. Or, you can confirm that you already sent one.

Then (as I wrote in my OP) Ebay asks me to choose either to - 1) Provide an eBay label 2) Upload your own label 3) Confirm you sent a label

It is why I have come on here, to ask this question in my 6th paragraph above in my OP. You see, common sense should prevail, that since I have used the method of Posting with a Royal Mail Tracking Number for 1st Class Recorded - which Ebay systems can easily Verify. Then it is very clear that the Royal Mail demands that my own address must be written on the rear of the parcel. The buyer has this, and thus wrote my address by hand in order to send it back to me, so no requirement for any Ebay label at all, as why would he need this ? - which is why I wondered why Ebay hasn't put an option for (No Label Required) ?? Very strange. So, instead they want me to Lie, and say that I have already sent a Label. Or 2) - is to issue a label to a buyer, which I may have to pay for.

At the moment, I have just left things in a state of Limbo, and have accepted the return, but not clicked on either of those three Ebay Label Options.

There is a couple of links below, which says the word (NEXT) and then the word (REFUND NOW). So, if I chose not to go down the route of an Ebay Label, then when I receive the record in return, can I simply ignore that and click the (REFUND NOW) link instead ??

buffster1963 · ‎01-01-2024

The buyer has done it the wrong way round, but as long as you refund without Ebay having to get involved then you will get your fees refunded to you. For that amount, you should have sent special delivery rather than first class so you could claim fir damage ( or loss).

geosacha007 · ‎01-01-2024

Yes, when you receive it back you can just click to refund and bypass the return label.

But you should also pay the buyer for the return postage as it is your responsibility. He is not being cheeky.

aphystykqa · ‎01-01-2024

@buffster1963 wrote:
The buyer has done it the wrong way round, but as long as you refund without Ebay having to get involved then you will get your fees refunded to you. For that amount, you should have sent special delivery rather than first class so you could claim fir damage ( or loss).

Thanks for both your helpful replies. Actually, this is the very first time I have gone down the Ebay Label's route, I usually just click Refund when I recieve the item in return, as I assumed that when Ebay gives us the two options of either Buyer Pays Return Postage or Seller Pays Return Postage, that choose the Former rather than the Latter would mean he'd pay and not me. Oh well..

I'll send the label then, and when it returns issue the refund.

Oh yeah, I am really annoyed now that I didn't send it by Special Delivery. I was going to do at the £235 original price, but when he wanted it for £200 - which I said No to, and instead compromised on £215, so I thought, I'd try save a bit on the Postage, given I'd thrown away £20 already, but anyway, as sods-law goes, it just worked out that the parcel I sent Recorded which only insures a maximum of £50 on, means it's hardly worth trying to get some money back from Royal Mail out of that £50. They'd probably only give £10 or £20 for some inaudable scratch, which is pretty much a surface hairline really, as he said he played it and played okay. Just *bleep* off about the whole thing really, but, just got to deal with it.

Anyway, thanks 🙂

aphystykqa · ‎01-01-2024

@geosacha007 wrote:
Yes, when you receive it back you can just click to refund and bypass the return label.

But you should also pay the buyer for the return postage as it is your responsibility. He is not being cheeky.

As I said in my previous replies, I thought when Ebay gave the option to sellers to choose for (Buyer to Pay Return Postage) (which I have done on all my listings and always have done since I joined Ebay) then I thought that is exactly what it meant, that the Buyer pays, that's all. The only reason I said he was cheeky, as he offers the exact same returns policy as I do lol

But now I have learnt that Buyer Pays for Return Postage is as useful as s Chocolate Fire-Guard to sellers, then it's just redundant. So anyway, I've just paid for the label, so it covers his costs to send it back.

Just stressful when transactions don't go successfully when selling online. I'm not bothered about refunding, that's no problem, as I've asked a few times for refunds when records have been incorrectly graded, and it's always been myself that has had to pay for the Postage to return to seller. I guess they did what you said, and just clicked on Refund Buyer instead, so they don't have to pay for a Label lol, and as I didn't know this, I end up out of pocket. Oh well, I'll know in future..