A buyer has requested a cancellation of the order received
Hello everyone, forgive me but I don’t know how to handle this: I put an item up for sale months ago, which has been sold in batches (I’m not a professional seller, it’s my only item for sale and it’s stuff I had bought in large quantities). A buyer purchased 4 items, but in the item photos (there are only 3, precisely to highlight the important things) the expiration date is visible. Only now, after receiving the package, did he notice the expiration date and ask to cancel the order. I should point out again that this information is shown in the photos and that these are not yogurt, meaning products that can’t be used after the expiration date; I’m still using them myself. Yesterday he asked for clarification through the order cancellation and I promptly replied (even though it was Ferragosto... sigh), making myself available for any solution. But now he is no longer replying and I don’t know how to act or whether to ask eBay to get involved. I know the buyer is much more protected than the seller, but on my side there was complete transparency, with photos and all, and I don’t know how to proceed. If anyone has any suggestions, I’d be happy to hear them! I should point out that I have no problem refunding him, but I would like to at least do it net of fees and shipping costs, since it was his mistake. Thanks again to anyone who can help me!
frangrand91
OP2 years agoThank you for your responses!! Obviously I have no problem accepting the return, I repeat that I replied to him right away yesterday, as soon as I read it, two hours after he sent it. I was just wondering how to proceed because besides the message on eBay I don't have any notifications or instructions, and I was asking whether it would be possible to return the amount excluding labels, as a "compromise". The problem is that I would like to resolve this without involving eBay since I am 100% willing to do it in any case, but without a response I don't want the 3 days I read about yesterday to pass.
You are right, the deadline is only in the photo but it was put there on purpose, there was no bad faith, on the contrary it was out in the open. Let's say that since there are three photos, if he had seen them before the purchase we would definitely have both avoided a headache! But it's no big deal, to err is human and I repeat that I want to resolve it, I just don't know how to do it if I don't get any replies from the buyer. Thanks again to both of you!
daxsisko
·2 years agoto sum up: if the buyer has already opened a dispute, you have three days to respond; if you don't respond or the buyer ignores the proposal made, the buyer can ask eBay to review the open dispute
so you need to establish EXACTLY what the buyer did.....but only you as the seller can know that, with the details given in the post only deductions can be made.....
frangrand91
OP2 years agoThanks again, I only received an email that says "Cancellation request
for order *******
has sent a related message"
etc etc
and I replied to them right away on eBay messages, in which, I repeat, I immediately stated my willingness to resolve it. On eBay I haven't received any notification on any screen, nowhere do I read that there's a problem with the order, so I don't know what I should do, also because the buyer isn't replying to me (I understand, it's Ferragosto), but I would really like to sort it out quickly and without problems because for me it's not a business and it doesn't cause me any trouble, it's just that since I'm not an expert I really don't know what to do and if after the three days I should contact eBay myself, I'm navigating in complete ignorance on the matter
daxsisko
·2 years agoin my opinion you're dealing with a buyer who is also a beginner or at least doesn't know eBay's rules, since having already received the package, it obviously makes no sense to open a cancellation request (in fact, the request has to be made before the seller ships, and the seller has the right to accept it or not)
anyway, I'm attaching the link to eBay's rules:
https://www.ebay.it/help/buying/buyers-can-cancel-order/che-modo-gli-acquirenti-possono-annullare-un-ordine?id=4004
I’ll just remind you that if you accept the cancellation, the refund to the buyer will be total (so item + shipping costs)
PS: the first answer still applies: either contact them through eBay messaging to propose a compromise (provided they read it and/or reply.....) or you have to wait for any dispute to be opened....
NOTE: eBay's rules are actually much more detailed (and not easy to summarize....), so there is also the possibility of proposing partial refunds (....but it always depends on whether the buyer is willing to accept them or not.....)
for example see link
https://www.ebay.it/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/come-gestire-una-richiesta-di-rimborso-venditori?id=4115
frangrand91
OP2 years agoThanks again, maybe nothing is showing up for me on eBay precisely because he requested a cancellation, but the package had already been delivered? For the shipping costs there’s no problem because it was free and I paid for the label myself, but I think I understood that he should send the item back to me, do I have to pay for that label too? For me we could even just call it quits and he can keep the items, of course I’d like to get the shipping back so I don’t end up in the red, but from what I had read around I thought I understood that he should go ahead with the return... I’m not understanding anything!! Anyway, if he doesn’t reply and opens a dispute, can I still let eBay know that I’m willing to resolve it or is it a "computerized" decision? Sorry for the time I’m making you lose, thanks again
daxsisko
·2 years agoas said, eBay’s rules are very “mixed” and not easy to summarize, so depending on what you decide to do (which, among other things, is quite subjective....) there is a certain path to follow (..... moreover, in some cases, the buyer’s cooperation is also needed, an example is precisely the partial refund....): to keep it brief, since there are several possibilities in this case (not counting any variants.....), it would just be a theoretical discussion....
the best thing would be to know the rules well in order to use the options it offers to the fullest.... which is not your case....
personally, if I had to assess the whole thing, I would do (as said by @deejaynick) a full refund (also considering the fact that you didn’t set free shipping in the listing....)
to finish, here are a few clarifications regarding some of your doubts:
maybe nothing shows up for me on eBay precisely because he requested a cancellation but the package has already been delivered?
cancellation is only a request from the buyer that the seller can accept or not (and, as said, it makes no sense to ask for it if the package has already been shipped): as said before, if you accept the cancellation, the refund is full (and that’s the end of it......)
"but I think I understood that he should send the item back to me — do I have to pay for that label too?"
if you refund him everything without asking for the return, you pay nothing; if instead you want the products back, you also have to pay him the return shipping costs
Anyway, if he doesn’t reply and opens a dispute, can I still let eBay know that I’m willing to resolve it or is it a "computerized" decision?
if he opens a dispute, in the first three days you can only communicate with the buyer, then, after the three days have passed, if eBay intervention is requested, they will assess the whole thing: the best thing would be to solve the problem within the three days.....
daxsisko
·2 years agoadditional note to the previous response: if they open a dispute, within three days you can, in the relevant form, propose a partial refund or issue a full refund (or refuse the refund.... among other things)
frangrand91
OP2 years agoThank you, I’d be perfectly happy to do the refund without receiving the return, if that’s an option!! I’ll wait for information from him or from eBay.., unfortunately, despite all good intentions, he isn’t replying to me and I haven’t received anything from eBay... one small note, shipping is indeed free, it says so in the listing... shipping costs are free for the buyer and I pay for the shipping label
daxsisko
·2 years agowell..... if that's what you have in your listing..... the very fact of selling as "new" material expired for human use..... I'd say it's a bit of a stretch to call that the buyer's mistake..... anyway, regardless of the judgment, either you find a prior agreement with the buyer, or you wait for their possible (and likely....) opening of a dispute.....
deejaynick
·2 years agoGiven that the expiration date is mentioned only in the photo and not in the description, and that, being a medical device, even if this does not pose a health risk, it could affect the validity of the test, I’d say you’ll need to ask the customer to request a return and provide them with a shipping label for the resend.
Even if, between us, it would be better to refund them the full amount given how small the sum is, without going through the eBay procedures that would penalize your account.