Global Shipping Programme didn't handle my return

[hwcskidmark]

"We handle the rest: Your sale is complete when your item arrives at our domestic shipping hub. We take care of international shipping, customs, returns and post-transaction communication with buyers."

That's what the lovely blurb says under "Global Shipping Programme" on the order page for my sold item. I see it now.

I hadn't seen it when I received a notification about a return request, from a buyer overseas whose package had arrived completely battered and crushed. No, the onus was put on me to sort that out. On me to issue a refund. On me to obtain, via whatever third party website I might find, a postage label for the buyer to return the damaged item. Not a whisper about letting eBay handle all this for me.

Of course the only postage options I could find on the websites of companies in the buyer's country were prohibitively expensive, so the buyer got to keep the item in addition to a full refund.

Why on earth was I prompted to deal with this issue, under threat of eBay "stepping in" if I missed the dreaded deadline, when it's supposedly their responsibility to take care of it as part of the Global Shipping Programme? It seems to me that if they had, then I'd at least have a damaged item on its way back to the UK right now, which I could resell at a discount. Instead, the buyer can do that themselves and make a profit from this, while I'm entirely out of pocket.

[wyntersemporium]

Hi you dint need to offer a refund eBay will step in you should have asked eBay to help you with this as they handle refunds from gsp 

[hwcskidmark]

That's certainly what I'll do in future, if it happens again while I'm still selling on eBay (those days are numbered for the same reason as everyone else with one eye on the door lately). But why do I have to initiate that transfer of responsibility? From their proud blurb above, it should be the default. Involving me at all in the after-sale process just confuses things for everybody, including the buyer if they end up getting passed around between contacts.

[wyntersemporium]

When I had Twitter or x I used to pop on to ebays x page and ask them to help! Which they did numerous of times. 

[marco@ebay]

Hi hwcskidmark, thanks for your post.

If your order was sent with GSP and the buyer received the item with damages, we can definitely look into it for you. If you confirm the item number, I could send that for review for you no problem.

Thank you,

Marco

[hwcskidmark]

Item number 186950808924. If you tell me I'm going to be reimbursed for the refund marco@ebay I'll send you a virtual Kit-Kat.

[marco@ebay]

I'm more of a virtual Snickers kind of guy, hwcskidmark! I'm only joking!😅

Thanks for that, I've just sent that for review and I will provide you with an update as soon as I can.

Thank you,

Marco

[marco@ebay · Accepted solution]

Hi hwcskidmark, thanks for your patience on this.

Great news here (good news are even better on a Friday😅), your case has been reviewed, and because this was a GSP order, we've granted a refund for you. So, you will receive a refund in the next 5 business days. No further actions are needed from your end, so all good. If you don't receive your refund in 5 business days, please feel free to let me know and I will take a further look for you, but it should be all good!

Have a nice weekend 🙂

Marco

[hwcskidmark]

Thanks marco@ebay, your virtual Snickers is winging its way to you by virtual carrier pigeon

I know what you're thinking, but it's still in safer hands/talons than the overseas courier used for my order.

[caddyscane]

While GSP does take care of it all, they have made the process confusing and unnecessarily complicated. You'd think there would be a button with "GSP escalation" but no, u have to manually get in touch with customer service. I refunded my first one i sold and it caused absolute chaos as it didnt refund the buyers tax and import fees.