No reduction of Sellers Fees for a partial reduction to buyer

[lcocs2]

Sellers paying the price — YET AGAIN!

I sent a book (list price £95) to a regular customer in USA which was damaged in transit. Customer and I amicably agreed a £40 reduction in price as compensation.

I made the refund through the managed payment system and EBay took £40 from my Bank Account. Under Paypal a % of that would have been made up from a proportionate reduction in Fees. That is not the case now under the new managed payment system! EBay will not reduce the fees paid on the full price!

However, EBay immediately refunded the customer the appropriate portion of VAT they charged on the sale. (So, customer got a total of £42.40).

BUT EBAY are now keeping 100% of the seller fees . . . this was not HIGHLIGHTED in the switch to managed payments. Therefore, aside from EBay collecting fees early (not monthly as before) it appears sellers fees are now non-refundable.

Very unhappy with this surreptitious change to EBay terms and conditions.

[redwick1]

You do not get fees back for a partial refund on ebay only on full refunds

This is not new or due to managed payments

Also you do not or did not get paypal fees back for your fees.

This changed a while ago

[lcocs2]

1. Sellers always used to get a proportionate reduction in fees.
2. I did not claim Paypal reduced Fees
3. The procedure was changed surreptitiously???? and still remains as an 'unfair term' or business practice.
4. EBay could retain 100% of the VAT charged and hand over the transaction total to the Govt. BUT that would be 'unfair' to buyers if not illegal i.e. collecting VAT on non-existent sales? (Which sounds just like collecting seller's fees on non-existent sales!)

Perhaps someone could point out to me where this 'sharp practice' is CLEARLY & PROMINENTLY spelled out in the terms and conditions and when exactly the change was implemented.

[tobiasd4]

Paypal used to part refund fees, but stopped about 2 years ago, ebay have never part refunded. We all agreed to this when signing up to ebay, even if think it unfair. EBAY SITE = EBAY RULES.

[redwick1]

See the ebay policy.https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/fees-credits-invoices/fee-credits?id=4128

You are not eligible for fee credits in any of the following situations:

• You refund the buyer outside of eBay (using PayPal to send money, for instance)
• You issued a partial refund to the buyer
• You or the buyer asked us to step in, and the case was closed with a refund to the buyer

[lcocs2]

I rest my case!

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No refund of fees under Managed Payments if . . .

You issued a partial refund to the buyer
BUT UNDER

For sellers not activated for eBay managed payments

The same term does not apply! because it says you do get a fee reduction if "you initiate a refund through the refund flow" which is what I did!
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As I said it seems new under managed payments you don't get a refund!

Either way it is confusing and buried in the small print. It is still an unfair business term penalising sellers and charging fees on an element of 'zero final sale value'

PS "Final Sales Value" should not mean 'interim'  sales value. The Final Sales Value was reached after the refund was made and the transaction was concluded! 

[redwick1]

They only reason it says Managed payments is because the policy has been updated. All you have to do is search above for fees for a partial refund ebay and you will find posts on here going back several years saying that ebay do not refund fees for partial payments. Yours is a lost case.

[lcocs2]

re-read the T&Cs

Not opted in you get a refund . . . opted in No Refund

Simple innit!

Do you work for EBay . . . a lost case??? Nice friendly tone!

[tobiasd4]

If ebay allowed part fee refunds, we would all claim buyer paid less.

The lesson to learn is to describe items correctly & pack them to withstand a bomb.

If carrier damaged your parcel, then you need to claim from them.

[lcocs2]

Thanks for your response — it might have been more meaningful if you had read the discussion properly before opining . . .

> If ebay allowed part fee refunds, we would all claim buyer paid less.

UNDER T&Cs : For sellers not activated for eBay managed payments

"you do get a fee reduction if "you initiate a refund through the refund flow"

So, claim away . . . as long as you "initiate a refund through the refund flow" which is what I did!

However, under managed payments it appears the rules have changed . . . which takes us right back to the start of the discussion.

>The lesson to learn is to describe items correctly & pack them to withstand a bomb. If carrier damaged your parcel, then you need to claim from them.

Please keep on point . . . your two comments are irrelevant — the discussion is regarding EBay fees being charged 'unfairly' and the definition of the 'Final Value' (i.e. being what the buyer paid' for the transaction -v- an arbitrary 'interim' value. Final means Final!

I have escalated this with 'Customer Service Managed Payments' and fully intend to take it further i.e. legal / mediation if required!

I don't understand why everyone who has responded thus far (so-called community experts) just accept EBay can do what it likes . . . irrespective of UK law. There is a very strong legal argument against EBay's policy . . .

[tobiasd4]

I read your question, you haven't read my replies properly. Ebay NEVER part refunded fees, whether you think this ls legal or not doesn't matter here, you would have to take ebay to court if you think it was wrong. As we keep informing you, we ALL agreed to ebay T&C's when using the site & all have option to leave if we don't like them. The community experts that reply here don't always agree with ebay policies, but we can't change it.

[lcocs2]

I beg to differ. I have run a mail order book business since 1990 and been on EBay a very long time. (Different ID now retired)

Yes, I read your replies most carefully and yes fees were reduced proportionately in the past. As stated twice before . . .

UNDER T&Cs : For sellers not activated for eBay managed payments
you do get a fee reduction if "you initiate a refund through the refund flow"

However, under managed payments it appears the rules have changed . . . which takes us right back to the start of the discussion again!

Give it up as you are not helping anyone by preaching subservience to EBay . . . they are not above the law and unfair, illegal terms and conditions are precisely that.