My first ever request for return - need guidance

kalsha

I have just received a request for a return. The reason given is "I don't need it anymore".
I am a private seller.
The item had free postage and we are talking small amount but I would like to do the right thing and of course avoid the defect.

I have 4 choices, accept, decline, refund the whole amount, refund partial amount.

I guess I will have to refund the original amount (which included the postage) but I don't have to contribute towards the return postage do I?

Can someone help me here please?

kalsha

Anyone?
What are the implications if I decline? I know it is a small amount but I am annoyed that he simply doesn't want it anymore - it reached well before the predicted time as I sent it first class instead of 2nd. I am not a business.

burnleymik

Seeing as though they decided they didn't want the item anymore, I would just ask them to return it and then you will give a full refund once you receive it back.

I wouldn't be offering to pay for return postage if the reason given was the one you stated and I am not sure (others a better informed than me), but I don't think ebay would force you to recover postage return costs if it wasn't an issue with what you sold or how you sold it.

soolin

If it is a straight return then the seller does not have to pay return postage.

As OP is a private seller they can refuse the return, but may well end up with poor feedback /a defect .

bxboards

Personally speaking, if this was a private sale and I had selected 'no returns' then I would decline the return request.

If you have said on the listing you accept returns (possibly the default option) then I would accept.

The right thing is for the buyer to sell it himself, or give it to someone who needs it, not for the seller to take a hit on their outbound postage, but the 'right thing' and Ebay do not always align.

kalsha

Thank you all for replying. I have just agreed to accept the return. I just hope I am not expected to pay for the return.

Just a thought for future - if I had listed the item with separate P & P and he had asked to return, not because it was faulty etc, but if he changed his mind, would I have to refund the initial postage?

I am beginning to wonder if it was wise for me to change some of my listings to offer free postage (I had just adjusted the starting price a little).

mrcol1000

kalsha wrote: »

Thank you all for replying. I have just agreed to accept the return. I just hope I am not expected to pay for the return.

Just a thought for future - if I had listed the item with separate P & P and he had asked to return, not because it was faulty etc, but if he changed his mind, would I have to refund the initial postage?

I am beginning to wonder if it was wise for me to change some of my listings to offer free postage (I had just adjusted the starting price a little).

You'd have to refund the whole amount they paid whether you charged postage separately or did "free" postage. If you had declined the return then the buyer could have claimed the item was not as described so you would have automatically be charged the cost of returning the item and still had to refund the full amount.

Even as a business seller, I find that as long as you describe items accurately that few people want to return items. If you accept returns or not it is easier just to accept a return than force someone to keep something they do not want. You can always block the buyer if you do not want to deal with them again.

kalsha

mrcol1000 wrote: »

You'd have to refund the whole amount they paid whether you charged postage separately or did "free" postage. If you had declined the return then the buyer could have claimed the item was not as described so you would have automatically be charged the cost of returning the item and still had to refund the full amount.

Had I declined, would ebay not see that first their reason was "don't need it anymore" and then after I decline, it suddenly becomes "item was not as described?"

On one of the threads where they were discussing the pros and cons of having postage separate, I'm sure someone had said the pro was that he didn't have to refund the postage element if the buyer had simply changed his mind.

Someone had stated that with inclusive postage the listing would not be "at the bottom" so I decided to try out a few listings with inclusive postage.

19lottie82

kalsha wrote: »

Had I declined, would ebay not see that first their reason was "don't need it anymore" and then after I decline, it suddenly becomes "item was not as described?"

Yes, its a possibility, but you can appeal this based on the fact they had messaged you previously stating that they didn't need it anymore. you should win based on this. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

just message the buyer and say you're sorry but you don't accept returns for goods that aren't faulty. suggest they sell it themselves and give permission for them to use the photos in your original listing.

kalsha

19lottie82 wrote: »

Yes, its a possibility, but you can appeal this based on the fact they had messaged you previously stating that they didn't need it anymore. you should win based on this. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

just message the buyer and say you're sorry but you don't accept returns for goods that aren't faulty. suggest they sell it themselves and give permission for them to use the photos in your original listing.

Thank you 19lottie82. I like your suggestions. I will bear that in mind for next time (hope there is no next time!!). I have already agreed to the refund once I get the item back. Just wanted it sorted before the Christmas hols. Thank you for your input.

CouponWoman

OMG I hope this isn;t the same buyer as me.
Yesterday I had the same request. To return a book bought 8 weeks ago as he has now read it and doesn;t need it anymore. It was only £5 odd incl postage. I haven;t replied yet as I am so annoyed. I have the same as you from ebay saying I can decline the request but am unsure what, if anything, can happen if I go this route. He left positive feedback in October saying he was really pleased with it so can;t harm feedback.

If I give in its open season on use and returns as far as I can tell. Read a book then send it back, order dvd;s for the kids to watch, then return, order a cd listen to it for 2 months send it back. ebay will become a lending library and sellers will be seriously out of pocket.

CWxx