eBay item sold, buyer change of mind

ANNA

I'm a private seller. I sold an item, the buyer paid, so I immediately purchased a postage label DPD via ebay.

My buyer then changed his mind, wants to cancel and get refunded. I haven't posted yet, but paid for the label. My buyer hasn't opened a cancellation or a return request.

How can I refund my timewaster buyer without being out of pocket myself for the postage or ebay seller fees?

soolin

ANNA said:

I'm a private seller. I sold an item, the buyer paid, so I immediately purchased a postage label DPD via ebay.

My buyer then changed his mind, wants to cancel and get refunded. I haven't posted yet, but paid for the label. My buyer hasn't opened a cancellation or a return request.

How can I refund my timewaster buyer without being out of pocket myself for the postage or ebay seller fees?

All you can do is cancel the sale due to 'buyer changed mind' and then go back into your postage labels and request a refund. I have never had a change of mind where I bought a label via packlink for a courier, I've only ever had to cancel an RM label and it takes 2-3 weeks to be refunded, so double check that cancelling is an option.

You will get your FVFs back but lose the 30p fixed fee part. I always block the buyer as well, we don't need buyers like that!

GadgetGuru

Agree with above post. It's better this way - at least the buyer hasn't had a chance to open the item and use it - this way you can just relist the item in the same condition. 
I've had buyers who open a return request stating the item is faulty, meaning the seller has to pay all the return postage, only to receive the item and see its not faulty at all. It's actually perfectly fine, but now opened and used. The buyer only states the item is not as described so they don't have to pay the return postage, leaving the seller out of pocket on postage both ways, as well as now sitting with a used, and lower valued, item!

Don't bother with the hassle. Ask the buyer to open a cancellation request and go through the process - this way you'll get your eBay fees back (bar the 30p). 
Request a cancellation for the postage you purchased - this may take a while since they wait to ensure the label isn't used, but it'll come through eventually. 
Above all else, block the buyer!

vacheron

It's really easy to void a Royal Mail label if purchasd through ebay. I have processed refunds through Paklink, but it is a bit more convoluted (at least when I last did it).

soolin

vacheron said:

It's really easy to void a Royal Mail label if purchasd through ebay. I have processed refunds through Paklink, but it is a bit more convoluted (at least when I last did it).

I agree RM ones are easy to void on ebay, (and they do refund in a few weeks) but this is a DPD which is why I suggested OP needed to double check.

ANNA

Update:

DPD via ebay informed me they were processing my refund. So I refunded my change-of-mind buyer in full. I then blocked the buyer.

Now DPD have informed me that they do not issue refunds for parcel pick-ups, only drop offs. I am out of pocket for more than ebay's 30p non-refundable charge!

I'm posting this as a helpful warning to others.

soolin

ANNA said:

Update:

DPD via ebay informed me they were processing my refund. So I refunded my change-of-mind buyer in full. I then blocked the buyer.

Now DPD have informed me that they do not issue refunds for parcel pick-ups, only drop offs. I am out of pocket for more than ebay's 30p non-refundable charge!

I'm posting this as a helpful warning to others.

That was a fear I had as I know that many couriers seem very reluctant to refund anything g for any reason. I’m sorry you are out of pocket though. 

Thank you for updating