international return issues my story

[goidor]

hi 

im posting this to maybe help anyone else who is faced with an international sale but cannot provide a return label

i would like to share my recent experience regarding an international sale 

i sold a laptop to someone in italy item arrived in good time  ebay global shipping was not used

within 24 hrs the buyer had opened a case of item not as described so basically the laptop turns on and works on external screen but not its own one the screen is not broken probably a loose cable

i accepted the return 

spent 2 days trying to get a label to upload for buyer to return

things i tried

rang ebay for help was told he would move up higher to get help i needed someone would ring in next hour they didnt

tried to register on italian postal was not possible i cant provide info they need

buyer refused to give me his paypal addy so i could send money to pay for lablel

he also didnt answer questions like are you able to print  a label if i send one no reply

its an easy fix im happy to pay at local computer shop for repair no reply

can you contact ebay italy for advice no reply

all he says is he is waiting for ebay to send him a label they dont i do i tell him

i sent my message in english and italian to him

today i rang CS early to get an english talking person no offence meant to anyone

he listerned to me read all messages and said i can he can see ive tried very hard to resolve this issue

he would now email ebay italy and ask them to help resolve it i should receive a response within 24 hrs from ebay italy 

i got a reply from them within 2 hrs ( see below)

Thank you for contacting eBay Customer Service.
My name is Heaven, and I'm happy to assist you with dispute no. xxxxxxxxxxx.

From the checks you have provided the buyer with sufficient funds to create a return label, thank you for your cooperation I have informed the buyer of this incident.

I have suspended the process for 3 days to give you both the opportunity to proceed with the return.

I'm sure I've provided you with the necessary information. I wish you all the best and a successful continuation on eBay.

Best regards,

Heaven

eBay Customer Service

since this reply  (03/01/26) the case has been put on hold for 3 days for them to gather more information

ive not been asked for anything yet

i will update as and when i hear anything or have an outcome

[red_magpie]

This is what an eBay rep replied when asked the same question in reverse, i.e. a UK buyer trying to get a seller in China to pay for returning a faulty item:

"Now if a seller is based outside of the UK, lets use China as the example, and the item is sent from China it is still the sellers' responsibility to provide means of return to the buyer if it's a not as described case. This should be a label or payment for the buyer to send the item back. If the seller does not provide means of return within the seller make it right period the buyer can reach out to our teams and we escalate the case. What normally would happen here is that the agent will send the seller a warning that they have 5 days to provide means of return or we will close the case in the buyer's favour."

You seem to be at the final stage before eBay closes the case in the buyer's favour. When they do, the buyer will not be required to return the item and you will be penalised with an account defect for failing to resolve the problem.

We have heard from other sellers who have sold items (to the US), but with much the same difficulties as you have described. With zero cooperation from their buyers they eventually refunded them and let them keep the items.

Good luck, but there have already been suggestions that some overseas buyers are abusing the money back guarantee by refusing to assist in the returns procedure in the hope of getting their item for nothing. eBay's money back guarantee is so biased in the buyer's favour that it could almost have been written as a handbook on how to defraud sellers.

[tommystrezures]

I find it odd that eBay can issue a returns label just like that for something within the UK, so why can't they issue the buyer a label in this case to return the item for international postage. Its not rocket science.

The system as @red_magpie is biased to the buyer, and if you aren't careful you will lose your money and the item. Do come back and let us know.

[*vyolla*]

I'm not understanding that message from the Italian CS rep:

"From the checks you have provided the buyer with sufficient funds to create a return label, thank you for your cooperation I have informed the buyer of this incident."

I thought that you were unable to provide a label or send a payment to the buyer because they wouldn't play ball?