Damaged parcel was not delivered

[1laloba]

On 29 Nov I received an order and on 30 Nov I sent by Hermes, carefully packed and kept the receipt. Last night (11 Dec) my buyer asked where her order was. On checking the tracking,  I learned the order had reached the Hermes national hub and on 7 Dec was listed as damaged beyond repair. Neither I nor my buyer were informed. I told my buyer about this and asked her to request a  refund through Ebay so I could immediately refund her but also obtain a refund myself. She resisted saying I should just refund her via Paypal. I explained that I was keen to resolve it and refund her but needed her to raise the issue with Ebay who seemed unaware that any action was needed on my part. I spent a long time going round in circles with the robots in their live chat, And also did the same with Hermes and Paypal. I have exchanged several emails with my buyer trying to reassure her of my best intentions who says she can't raise it with ebay.

I am keen to help my buyer but worried that if I simply refund through Paypal without Ebay prompting nme, I wont get my money back. We are both victims and my buyer is increasingly angry with me. 

Any advice please folks. Thanks

[redwick1 · Accepted solution]

You are right the buyer has to open the dispute

ASk her to come here for reasurance of the policy

If you refund through paypal then you will pay the ebay fees 

Also if by any chance it got to ebay refunding you would have paid the refund twice because ebay would not know you already refunded

You will pay the fees on paypal fees as you dont get them back.

All you can do is wait for her to open a dispute

You then claim off Hermes if you bought from their online site

If you bought through ebay then you claim off packlink

[1laloba · Accepted solution]

Thank you for your advice, I am reassured that I am not being difficult, just trying to do the right thing. I will hang on until she makes a complaint. Good point about risk of refunding her twice.

[redwick1 · Accepted solution]

You are not being difficult

This is the ebay policy on not received items and how a buyer should deal with it
https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/buying/returns-refunds/reporting-item-didnt-receive?id=4042

[1laloba · Accepted solution]

Thank you, I'll send the link to my buyer and leave it with her. Many
thanks for your good advice

Kate

[red_magpie]

You need to point out to your buyer that refunds for any reason MUST be made through eBay's resolution centre.

EBay processes the buyer's refund, and gives the seller a credit for their final value fee.

If a seller tries to refund the buyer direct through PayPal, they lose their fees for the sale and eBay is will penalise them with a defect on their account for making a seller-initiated cancellation. Explain this to your buyer.

Nobody makes her buy through eBay. If she does, she has to accept their rules, as sellers have to.

[1laloba]

Thank you for your helpful advice it is very reassuring

[fargvs]

Always ask a buyer to open a suitable case and only issue a refund through that eBay case on return of the item (if necessary)... make sure that you have sufficient (or add) funds in your PayPal account to fully cover the total refund amount ... there is No affect on your account if you follow the case instructions carefully ... using a PC/Laptop is best >

https://resolutioncentre.ebay.co.uk/ 

https://pages.ebay.co.uk/ebay-money-back-guarantee/index.html   

For information >> A PayPal refund (separate companies) outside an eBay case can result in a loss of your selling fees and a possible further eBay refund request and payment is not unknown.   PayPal payment processing fees are not refunded.

[1laloba]

Thank you for your good asdvice, it is very reassuring