Collection only expensive item returned via courier, what do I refund?

[mitchiemasha]

Do I refund...
Full amount and returns postage.

Full amount, no return postage.
Full amount, minus the paypal fees, no return postage.

He hasn't sent it back to me via ebay returns, there's a return open but it's still awaiting dispatch. Paypal haven't put any funds on hold. He already gave me + feedback ages ago.

I told the buyer to bring the item back to me in person as it's too expensive and heavy for a Courier, I have no problem with a refund and it was collection only for this reason... but he refused, insiting I pay for the return. He ended up paying for the return but believes ebay will refund that automatically with the main refund once the item arrives, neither of which have happened.

I will refund but would like to know what the correct thing to do at this point is. He has abused the returns system as it's not faulty but I'm glad he never actually broke the item... I've been using it all day, it works, I even made a video.

Thank you 

[rusticrye]

Glad to hear that it came back undamaged. 🙂

You said in your other thread that the buyer paid by PayPal. So you will have to refund the full amount the buyer originally paid, and through the open return request so that you at least get the Ebay selling fee credited back to your Ebay account.  That will auto-refund the buyer and auto-close the request. You can't part refund, as buyers are legally entitled to receive back the whole of their original payment, regardless of the reason for return. That is the law.

Sadly, PayPal no longer refund any payment processing fees, regardless of where you refund, so you're stuck with that, I'm afraid. So consider adding the buyer's Ebay ID to your Blocked Bidders List so he can't mess you around again. And sell collection items on Gumtree or similar in future, so that buyers don't have the option to pay in anything other than cash or bank transfer.

Ebay cannot force return costs when a buyer goes down the DIY route. The buyer is not entitled to a refund of his return costs in any case, as this was in effect a change of mind return, which I'm sure he knows and is why he didn't escalate the return to Ebay in order to force you to pay them upfront. At least he has some scruples, it seems!

I assume the reason the funds are not on hold in PayPal, as they normally would be when a buyer opens an Ebay case, is because PayPal sensibly offers no buyer protection on most collection items. But you must never refund through PayPal anyway, as you would have no way of getting the Ebay selling fee credited back to your Ebay account. Refunds must always be actioned through an Ebay return request or case.

@mitchiemasha 

[mitchiemasha]

Oops... I've done a few small transaction refunds via paypal, ebay shows as refunded or more so "0" payment, I presumed we'd get an ebay fee credit but know i lose the PP fees. I've done a few partial refunds via PP too. I guess I'm doing that wrong.

Thanks again.

[john1297576]

How did buyer Pay, collection items should be cash on collection and NO RETURNS, buyer should satisfy themselves before paying.

If paid by paypal, the only way you can refund is through a case. Buyer has been very foolish, as only by returning through a case, can he enforce a refund. You only get the selling fee refunded if done this way.

You say there is a case open, what sort of case? If not as described then you should have provided the return label, if just a return then buyer pays return cost. 

I am afraid that this is all down to the buyer, the case must be completed and tracking added to prove delivery, then you refund in full.

Anything else you pay is up to you, he cannot escalate unless he can prove delivery.

You cannot get your fee refunded, unless completed properly. You could try cancelling but this may be impossible with a case already open and in any case it would need buyer to confirm and he does not seem the cooperative sort.

[mitchiemasha]

There is an ebay return case which I thought was strange as the item was collected by him from me. I okayed an ebay return label but that wont work as the £3 label wont cover the item. He did end up paying for his own courier but he needs to link that into the return somehow. The ebay return shows awaiting dispatch but the actual courier will show delivered. The case is "Doesn't work or is defective" which isn't true, user error, I've used it all day but lets forget about that.

Luckily it was £1 max fees promotion so there's no issue on the seller fee... otherwise that would be £90.

Should i just click refund now in ebay or wait or refund via paypal?

Thank you