Return an item by hand, without a courier

[cgh985]

How do you return an item by hand?  I collected an item from a seller and I want to return it without a courier. 

The return process is forcing me to choose a courier (at a cost) with no option to do it myself.

[**peaseblossom**]

You can return it by hand but you won't have proof of return so if the seller doesn't refund your money you won't be able to progress the case with ebay to enforce the refund.

[cgh985]

Does that mean the only way to have proof is to get a courier to do the return?  Is there no system to allow a seller to acknowledge to my account, that I have returned the item?

The seller is 1 mile away.  If I proceed with selecting a courier (at £5.93) then return it by hand (myself) will that act as proof? 

[**peaseblossom**]

No, because you need the tracking to show delivery.   It depends on how much you trust the seller to issue refund if ebay are not going to be able to enforce it.

[themidnightcaller]

This seems to be quite a flaw in the system.

[jonat_broad]

Not really. Why would ebay go to the effort to program an option that would be liable to be used by a minority of customers? 80/20 rule and all that - its just not financially worth it to them.

[themidnightcaller]

You would think there would be a return code a buyer could use like the collection code.

[cgh985]

Yes, that would work.  I don't expect the seller to reimburse me 'on-the-spot' but a flag could be set by the buyer to acknowledge they are in possession of the item with refund pending.

A simple system to let eBay know the buyer has the item and the seller account is awaiting a refund, not rocket science.  I am not objecting to a small fee, just a lot of inconvenience packaging and hoping it is not damaged, delayed or even lost in transit.

[pozroz]

Get the seller to write a one-line Ebay message to you, something like: 

Confirmation of item being returned to me just now by in person hand-delivery by seller. 

That forms evidence of return for Ebay staff to see and check on later. I've been told by Ebay on phone to do this. 

[lucy_farmer]

'That forms evidence of return for Ebay staff to see and check on later.'

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Unfortunately  returns and refunds etc. are all dealt with by automated systems ; ebay *staff* won't be involved.

And the only thing the computer takes as evidence of return is the tracking number.

'I've been told by Ebay on phone to do this. '

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Ebay CS often talk a complete load of old cobblers on the phone.

[jimthing]

It's not automated. The seller has to click a button to issue refund. Should they fail to do so and claim non-receipt of goods, the buyer opens a case, adding a comment that the seller left a message saying they had received it.

I've done this, phoning ebay as a backup should the seller muck me around. Ebay issued me the refund accordingly every time it (rarely) happened.