Automatic Return - Getting Shafted on Shipping

SoCal Sam

Lunatic Member
You know where is getting worse. I just had a buyer click return on an item bought in error. He claimed it did not work which is BS because it was a trim piece. Buyer's mistake 100%, he even admitted it in a message. I get shafted Amazon style. Got the automated message stating return shipping charge will be added to my fees. And it looks like I will have to refund the original shipping charge. Rant over.
 
Been there, didn't let the system steamroll me. This was several months back when a buyer opened a return a couple of days after buying a power cable from me. After politely determining thru eBay mail that the buyer bought the part in error (he admitted he had missed or ignored my "don't buy this cable for Japanese units, won't work" disclaimer), I spoke with eBay support and they overrode the "seller pays return shipping" element on his return. I believe in those cases the agent simply assigns the cost to eBay so the buyer gets what they wanted and the seller's point about it being buyer error gets accommodated. You get to issue a refund in the normal way after the item is returned, without having to also pay for the return shipping. And guess what? After that, the guy never bothered to send the item anyway.

John
 
If it's the buyer's error, you don't refund their shipping costs. Call eBay and they'll sort it out.
 
New automated return system tries to pass that cost to the seller even when it's the buyer's mistake and even if you set up the listing as buyer pays return shipping. If they hit that return button, eBay will automatically bill your PayPal account for the original transaction and the return shipping cost (they provide the label so they know that cost). You have to actually talk to eBay to keep that from happening.

John
 
The OP is for Amazon automatic returns. They use FCM so if it's heavy watch out. Ouch!
 
You know where is getting worse. I just had a buyer click return on an item bought in error. He claimed it did not work which is BS because it was a trim piece. Buyer's mistake 100%, he even admitted it in a message. I get shafted Amazon style. Got the automated message stating return shipping charge will be added to my fees. And it looks like I will have to refund the original shipping charge. Rant over.
This is why I stopped selling on Amazon. I don't plan on paying for buyer's remorse, not from a buyer making up lies to return an item. Amazon doesn't care. "F*** the seller" is their modus operandi. Got stung once already. Never again.
 
I have had problems through Amazon and Ebay. I now go through Audiogon. Seems the customers are a bit better educated as to what they want, and the fees are much better. So far, it has been OK. Time will tell.
 
I had a terrible experience through Audiogon as a seller, made worse by Audiogon's complete silence while I tried to get them to intervene. Finally had to complain on Twitter about how they were reacting, and then one of their I.T. people read it and I finally got someone there involved. They have not been the same since the ownership (or management?) changed some years back. The buyer was also a totally abusive idiot. As a buyer, I've had no problems with Audiogon, and just closed a deal last week on a power cord. US Audio Mart has also been good--all of my transactions as a buyer have been smooth.
 
I had an Amazon customer return a 2LP title to me. The reduced UPS rate Amazon gets cost me $4.50 in return shipping. Media mail would have been around $3.12. It never ends. Luckily I don't get that many returns.
 
Just did a return on eBay. Of course the seller got stuck with a USPS Priority Mail return. He spent all of $2.63 shipping via Media Mail to me.
 
This is why I stopped selling on Amazon. I don't plan on paying for buyer's remorse, not from a buyer making up lies to return an item. Amazon doesn't care. "F*** the seller" is their modus operandi. Got stung once already. Never again.

I agree with you, but as a seller I have won two A-Z claims. Amazon did back me up.
 
Here is another wrinkle to my rant. An ebay newbie forgot to put his unit number in the address. Sometimes the USPS clerks catch this in the computer and I can contact the buyer. Sometimes they don't. I had a Priority package returned to me recently. First ebay phone rep could not understand the problem so I called back in for a second phone rep who was much better. Told me to cancel the order and issue a refund. However, there is no way to edit the shipping refund out as it was not my error that caused the loss. I had to eat the original shipping charge. Ebay rep indicated they will look into this and perhaps award me the lost shipping charge. Not hopeful at all.
 
Hey SoCal, did you get moved before the fires hit your area?
What is your latest Bookshelf Speaker you love?
You said you wanted a Scott 340a. I saw in LA Craigslist recently.
Best, Jeff from AZ
 
Hey SoCal, did you get moved before the fires hit your area?
What is your latest Bookshelf Speaker you love?
You said you wanted a Scott 340a. I saw in LA Craigslist recently.
Best, Jeff from AZ

I was close to the fire that burned in the 405 pass near the Getty. Luckily, I was against the wind so it went the other way. Book shelf speakers! Yamaha NX-E100, E150, and I think a few others. They are the same speaker bundled with a mini system. Cheap, cheerful, and great sounding is the Sony SS-MB150H. They must have sold in the thousands, I see them all the time. Woofer is long throw and shielded and runs full range, tweeter has only a single cap. This is one fast sounding speaker with decent bass. I have three pairs that I got for less than $10 per. Missed the Scott. Just looked on CL and the ad is gone. What were the details on it?
 
I will have to look for the Sony you mention. Still in LA + market Craigslist.
Something different about this one. Has AM-mine does not. Also lower center
circular pot is not on my unit. He also quotes higher power than normal (27 wpc)
Happy hunting!
60's VINTAGE SCOTT (Tube-Type) AM-FM STEREO AMPLIFIER - $325 (MiraMonte-Ojai)
 
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