Buyer demanding refund of shipping

[ctebay]

A customer bought a pair of new Sanita shoes (no box but pristine with absolutely no sole wear).   They messaged a few days ago that the shoes didn’t fit.  Bummer but I just replied for them to follow the ebay return process.  They started a return for doesn’t fit reason.

But after this, they messaged that these shoes must be seconds because this size has fit them in the past in this brand and I am a bad person for not disclosing this and I better refund them for shipping.

I know eBay doesn’t require me to refund shipping if the return reason is doesn’t fit.  Is the buyer able to escalate this and change return reason?  Also, will eBay remove feedback if I don’t refund shipping and the buyer complains about this in feedback?

[Old Dad]

This is not unusual, a buyer finds out they have to pay for return shipping and come up with some contrived reason it isn’t there fault.  I would call eBay to see what they say, probably refund at their expense I suspect.

[mickdog]

Because they started the return and checked that box (doesn’t fit) and you have said you will accept returns, I’d not say anything else to the seller (as Jay calls it “the silent treatment”). If they return, you should be able to refund only the original price (plus you are paying for the return postage, assuming you have free returns marked). If they want to dispute it with ebay, let them. It is likely that ebay might refund them shipping as a courtesy, but not take from you.

The other thing that could happen is that they won’t return it in the time specified and the case will be closed by eBay. This happened to me recently. Seller received item, said it was “cheap” (it was a vintage barware set, well-photographed and described) and wanted a return. Selected “Changed mind.” I accepted return of course. Then, they sneakily sent a message to another one of my items in my store (so their message wouldn’t be in the message thread of the item in question) basically threatening me to refund shipping because ebay won’t do it automatically. I ignored this message completely (but kept it if I needed to send to ebay). Person never returned. I called once the 15 business days passed, and asked for closure of case, and the next day it did. Yay!

[sonia]

In this situation I would advise the customer that sizing models for a lines of shoes can change over time, and that could be the reason for the shoes not fitting. Then I would go silent, not refund their shipping, and if they give me bad feedback, call ebay. If ebay doesn’t remove it, I would respond to the feedback so other buyers can see.

I have seen a number of shoe reviews over the years (mostly on amazon) that talk about the sizing changing on some popular shoe (and google just brought up one such comment about dansko and sanita). Sometimes buyers message me before buying asking if the pair I’m selling are the “old” or “new” sizing, which of course I never know.

 

[MDC Galleries & Fine Art]

I go with Mickdog. No use trying to explain anything at this point. When a seller replies and starts giving an explanation to a situation, that is just possibly educating that buyer with information he may never have even thought about. Such as sure, yeah that’s it, sure, why didn’t you tell me which size chart you were using.

Well just as plausible is that may they are now retaining water, got fatter, gravity works so pulling down on their body their feet are getting wider or longer, etc., etc. see my point.

Don’t give them any info. We use automatic returns. Ebay answers then within seconds and sends them a return label. This prevents them “Phishing” for a discount-refund. You can always resell a returned item if still in good shape and re-coupe most of your money. In about half the cases the item is never returned anyway.

If you made an error you will know it and in those cases refund the intial shipping and you eat the return shipping cost, no matter how much. Your bad, so it is a cost of doing business. Same as if you drop and break and item before you ship. Your bad, you eat it.

But with any return reason for anything short of our mistake, Nope.

Also don’t run afraid of a negative review. You have “tools and skills” to deal with that as well as all of the experienced talent here at SL to help you through it. Deal with a complaint only if it happens.

We currently have a request for a return of a small Haeger cat figurine ceramic planter. A sitting cat with a small backet that will hold some small amount of dirt and a small flower or a small group of artifical flowers. His reason for requesting a return is ” It is defective, it won’t work”. Are u kidding me. A small area to place flowers “won’t work”. Well, Ebay gave him a return label within seconds of asking for a return. No discount or partial refund. Just send it back. He has until Oct. 5th to return it. I don’t expect it back. If he does, then refund him minus the original shipping since the return shipping is a replacement to us for that and that is that.

If he creates a negative feedback do that battle if it happens.

Also do not be too hasty to respond as a “Reply” to anything he may post as his feedback. I have heard here on SL, that once you post a reply to any “feedback you recieve”, that it locks Ebay out from removing the Feedback or other things.

Just an opinion from us down here at MDC Concepts, Inc. That and 1.50 will get you half a cup of coffee.

Mike – MDC Galleries and Fine Art

[ctebay]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.  I’m going to do the silent treatment and see what happens. Thanks!

[Author]

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