Postage refunds

[d-o-y]

Would like to know why mentors are continuously giving out false information regarding postage refunds. I have sold about 15 items and have offered free postage using my preferred methods which were either tracked 24 or special delivery and have requested a refund using the link provided and have filled it out in full within the 14 day period and have received nothing. This dates back to 18 May so is way beyond the 30 days that I should have got refunds. As far as I know nobody else who offered free postage and has claimed a refund has received one. In view of this I do think that mentors should stop informing people that they will get a refund and stop providing the link as it is not being actioned.

I have been selling and buying on ebay for 23 years and have found it to be an excellent selling site up until now with this ridiculous insistence that people have to post items using SD labels and can only send by tracked 48 or EVRI. It is also noticeable that on trustpilot they are now getting a 1 star rating and most of the negative comments are recent and to do with the posting method.

[goodibags]

Why do you think the postage should be refunded? It is usually paid by the buyer. Or if an item is sent 'freepost' then with SD it's deducted from the original item price.

A refund would only be due if an item was lost in the post. Or if you used a separate postage label to the one SD provided.

[d-o-y]

 Refunds are supposed to be given if a different method of postage is used other than SD and the seller is paying for it and it is not happening which is why there are all the complaints.

[goodibags]

Yes, I understand. If you have upgraded the postal service to Tracked 24 or Special Delivery at your own cost then you should definitely get a refund for the unused SD label. After all, Ebay will have received a refund for it.

I don't know why it should take Ebay so long to process these but it sounds like you may just have to keep reminding them until they do.

[thepillenwerfer]

If you use Simple Delivery the Buyer can choose "Express Delivery" which is Tracked 24.  There's no reason to suspect RM treat Tracked 24 parcels with more care than Tracked 48; they just deliver them faster.  Simple Delivery covers most things against loss or damage up to £750 so, unless your items are worth more than that or one are of the few items not included in the scheme there's no need to use Special Delivery.

As for postage refunds it wouldn't be a problem if you let the Buyer pay.  Do you really think anybody believes they are getting it for 'Free?'

[goodibags]

Here are two more reasons to get buyers to pay for postage, there are probably others:-

1. There are no buyer fees (yet?) to pay on postage, these are only on the item price.

2. SD rates are subject to change, so rather than having to re-price your items each time you can get the buyer to take the 'hit'.

[style_wise]

This is a good question. Do you know you've just reached other Sellers like you, here? Perhaps this would be better posted on Member-to-Member Support where a Pro Mentor can respond? Or better yet, in Chat with the eBay Community Team on Wednesday for Kat or Marco?

[podlingsmum2007]

When filling in the claim for a refund of the unused simple delivery label, did you give the replacement tracking number for the service you used? I have read on another discussion that the simple delivery label is only refunded upon the evidence a similar tracked service was used.

[*vyolla*]

---

@podlingsmum2007  Spot on.

Sellers can only get a refund for a label a) if they were offering free postage and b) there's a tracking number uploaded showing delivery.

From eBay's guidance page:

If you don't use the Simple Delivery label provided, you or your buyer will be refunded, depending on who paid for postage.

• If you selected 'Buyer pays’ when you created the listing, your buyer will automatically be refunded for any Simple Delivery label that isn’t used after 30 days
• If you selected ‘Seller pays’ and offered free postage on your listing, you'll need to fill out the Request a refund for Simple Delivery form (link below) for the label that wasn’t used. Make sure to send your request within 14 days of your item selling.
• https://www.ebay.co.uk/claims/simple-delivery/refund/seller

  To process your refund, we'll verify the following:

  • The label was paid for by you (you offered free shipping to the buyer).
  • The refund request is created within 14 days from the item's sale.
  • The label wasn't used within 14 days of the item's sale.
  • The package was delivered using a different tracking number.

    If your request meets all these conditions, you'll receive a refund for the shipping cost.

@podlingsmum200

[notstopbuying]

I followed all those rules and still no refund on three separate orders for the postage costs, different label used, details uploaded to the eBay system, refund requested for postage label within the required time.

[marco@ebay]

Hi d-o-y, thanks for your post.

Just wanted to clarify that I haven't seen mentors providing wrong information around this particular topic, while I understand where you are coming from, saying that you could receive a refund doesn't necessarily means that you would, as certain criteria has to be met in order to get a refund for your label. If you haven't received a particular refund, it could be because your label didn't qualify for a refund. There is another post on this thread that explains where you'd qualify for a refund for your label. For further information, you can click here and here. 

Thank you,

Marco

[d-o-y]

Total nonsense!

I have carried out the correct procedure about 15 times and given both the old tracking reference that ebay sent and the new tracking number one which I got from the post office when I sent an alternative way. I also sent ebay agents scans of the post office receipts which they requested and still have. I have claimed all within the 14 day period since the end of May and filled in the form in entirety andreceived nothing. In all but two of my sales I provided free postage. I can't understand why you are repeatedly sending this duff link when you must surely know by now that refunds for free postage sales are not forthcoming and it is rather tedious and repetitive. 

I have been selling and buying on ebay now for 23 years and have found them overall to be excellent until now but this wretched SD procedure has tarnished things for me and numerous other people.  The best thing would be to offer an option to private sellers where they can either sell free using SD or pay a sellers fee of say 5 or 6% and let them choose postage.

I note you have a fairly low feedback rating so maybe you only registered recently.

Finally, you must realise that the vast majority of complaints have come since the introduction of SD labels

[d-o-y]

Done all that. Information given is repetitive and inaccurate. 

[d-o-y]

Further to my earlier post, I see that you have a zero feedback so presumably have no experience of buying or selling on ebay.

[thepillenwerfer]

*vyolla* has been on here for at least ten years.  A lot of regular posters use a separate 'Posting ID' that they never, or rarely, use for Buying or Selling.

Marco is a member of e-Bay staff.

[d-o-y]

Why use a different ID? The more feedback ratings the better unless they are negative.

[plpmr]

Presumption is a very dangerous thing.

Marco is an eBay employee.

Apart from everything else, members can have more than one account.

[thepillenwerfer]

I don't but if there's a falling-out amongst posters on here one party could mess the other about for revenge by buying their items and then complaining they aren't as described, entering stupidly high bids on their auctions and then not paying &c.

Feedback only reflects on the number of successful purchases and sales a Member has had.  What matters more on here is the number of Accepted Solutions they've authored, Helpfuls received &c.

[d-o-y]

Wrong

If people make bids and don't pay they get a black mark against them. Also, you can block bidders if you don't want them.

Also, negative feedback can be erased if it can be proved unjustified.  

If items are not as described then you can give or receive a refund.

I have been buying and selling on ebay for 23 years so I know all this.

Ebay announced many years ago that people could not have more than one account as it wanted to discourage shill bidding.

Lastly, regarding SD labels, I have not even downloaded one or a QR code. I have got the buyers address from sending an email to them and am rather tired of the trash about not qualifying for a refund when the ebay agents have stated that I have qualified on several occasions (I even sent them copies of the receipts from the post office) and done nothing apart from stating that they would move the case upwards (I have the references and copies of the transcripts) so I wish the mentors and conversationists would stop repeating misinformation and stop referring people to the links which are worthless.

I am sure mentors are useful and helpful on other subjects but not this one for sure.

[thepillenwerfer]

You are correct that people get black-marks for non-payment, though how many know or care is a mute point, but it still messes the Seller about.  As for spurious Not as Described cases a seller has to either refund and let the Buyer keep the item or pay to have it returned leaving them out of pocket.

You are the one who is wrong about multiple accounts.  See: https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/identity-policies/using-multiple-accounts-policy?id=4232

None of this has anything to do with your complaint about not getting postage refunds.