Buyer wants refund before returning item

sharonm_2

Hi. I wonder if anyone can advise me please. I sold an item on eBay and the buyer emailed to say it wasn't as described (manufacturer's fault). I offered a full refund but she won't return the item and wants the refund first! What do I do?

go_cat

Stick to your guns return first then refund ... you could maybe as a sweetner pay her for the return postage up front

Sambucus_Nigra

Say no????

sharonm_2

If only it was that easy. I want to keep my 100% positive Feedback score, lol

theonlywayisup

Would John Lewis give you a refund before you return the goods?

Explain that you will email and process her refund as soon as the goods are back - that is what both Paypal and Ebay will tell her.

You could offer to pay her returns postage before the item arrives, if she scans you a copy of the CoP. That way, she may feel a bit more reasurred.

Enterprise_1701C

This is a classic - you are very unlikely to get the item back if you give the refund first. It all depends on how much the item was and how desperate you are to have that item back. Even if you do refund first there is no guarantee you will not get a neg.

Best thing to do is stick to your guns - the buyer would have to return the item prior to a refund if they opened a dispute anyway, and if they leave a neg you can reply to it giving details.

sharonm_2

Yes, I'll try that. Thank you very much

pinkshoes

Just be polite and reassure them that they'll get a full refund once the item is returned.

If they do leave a neg, then just respond with "buyer wanted full refund but refused to return item". It wouldn't put any buyers off if you respond politely giving your side of the story.

RFW

theonlywayisup wrote: »

Would John Lewis give you a refund before you return the goods?

They probably wouldn't but if goods are faulty then they are legally obliged to refund before return or pay for item to be collected.

theonlywayisup

RFW wrote: »

They probably wouldn't but if goods are faulty then they are legally obliged to refund before return or pay for item to be collected.

I completely agree. Even some of the larger companies do not abide by the DSR, but I would doubt any company giving a refund before return (or at least before they have booked a return).

RFW

It's not such an unusual request if you think about it. A seller wouldn't send something without first receiving payment. Not particularly talking of this case, but if a buyer receives a badly damaged item that should have been sent new then why should they trust the seller to honour a refund.

I very rarely refund without getting the returned goods back, I tend to do so if I know the customer and I am at fault.