Buy plants which turn out to be dying. Seller being awkward, where do I stand please

[jell-jamm]

Hi All

i bought 12 plug plants, 6 of one colour, 6 of another colour. When they arrived they looked odd but I just thought it was because of the different colouring. The foliage on 6 was green but these others they were smaller plants, the leaves reddish brown and felt different but again I just thought it was a difference with the colouring.

over the days it became apparent the plants were dying a serious death and after researching they sould have been green just like the other 6 so it appears they have been posted out in that condition. When I started the return for some reason it went onto the wrong colour but I rectified this as the seller was already trying to gaslight me telling me the plants are perfect condition but I can return them.

I was sent a return label via the message but something about it just seems very off and after checking back tonight I've had a message from the seller telling me if I use the label ebay have sent me "please note if you use the eBay label the cost ( £3.20 ) will be deducted from the refund"

Am I missing something here? How is it I get sent unhealthy plants and I also get told I'm not to use the eBay label or I'll be paying. I don't trust the seller at all. I see from her feedback she likes to accuse many buyers of being liars. Maybe some are but those plants were never posted out in the same condition as the green ones. They were in the same package together. 

how should I handle this please? It's already going to cost me to take it to the post office, cost me again for using ebay label, I'd be out of pocket for the purchase price and more besides. I think the seller is banking on this so I just don't bother. When the plants arrived I initially left positive feedback due to not realising that from research the plants appear to have what is called root rot.

[technthread]

It shouldn't be costing you anything to return a defective product. If you selected the correct return reason. What reason did you choose for the return?

[jell-jamm]

When I initially started the return I must have clicked the wrong item but I'd already spoken to seller on the correct item in messages. I stated it was the top plants in the image to which it was claimed they are healthy. I realised it had come through on the wrong item which is where the seller sent the label so to make sure she couldn't screw me over I initiated the return on the correct item which straight away provided me with a QR code I cou,d take to the post office or I could print the label which I did last night.

the seller must have seen this and messaged me on the correct return item stating the above quoted message. The item was just shy of £8, £3.95 postage. I've just been reading others feedback and someone has said seller sent a postage label that wasn't enough to cover the cost. Is there a way I can deal straight with eBay? 

[jell-jamm]

I did it as item does not match description or photos, which it doesn't 

[technthread]

So you just need to use the return label that eBay generated automatically on the item that is to be returned. The seller will be charged by eBay for that return label, I believe it is actually £3.50. They aren't allowed to deduct that postage from your refund once they receive that return.

If the other order doesn't need returning as you are keeping those plants, you can close that return case as that one is a separate order and the seller can sort out getting a refund for that label which won't be used.

[jell-jamm]

Thank you, very helpful.