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.

[lcocs2 · Accepted solution]

I am pleased to inform you that EBay has refunded the fees charged on the partial refund I made to my customer.

This may set a precedent . . . but equally it is pre-emptive of any further escalation!

For the record :

All communication with buyer was made through EBay messages
Buyer sent photographs of transit damage through EBay Messages.
I set out clearly and precisely what the refund was for and that the buyer wished to keep the book and that the refund was being made in full and final settlement.
The refund was initiated through the EBay refund flow.

I think there are two key issues.
1. EBay had automatically refunded the buyer the VAT originally charged on the refunded amount i.e. confirming the Final Transaction Value to be after deduction of the refund? Calculation of fees had to follow the same path! Any court would rule that Final Value has to mean Final Value . . .
2. The terms and conditions regarding partial refunds had been altered for those opting in to managed payments . . . giving rise to a technical issue which still needs resolving.

I am grateful to EBay for swiftly resolving the matter.