Seller refuses to compensate my return shipping

[kegeli]

I am registered on American eBay. I bought a phone for cheap in late August from a German seller. The seller has a 100% feedback and the item description said that the item was fully functional, implying that it had no problem. The phone was originally shipped to my German address, but I wanted to give the phone to someone outside of Germany. When the box was opened for the first time and the phone was turned on, the display was changing colors to violet. Apparently, the display has a hardware fault.

I wrote to the seller in German, who insisted that this behavior was normal and the phone was fully functional. I opened a SNAD case on eBay and indicated that the return from my current location to Germany would cost me about 31 Euros, but the seller did not accept return. I escalated the claim to eBay. American eBay representative told me that if the seller did not accept a return in five days, eBay would refund me. Apparently, the seller did not want to accept return and I think she complained to German eBay, because I received a letter from German eBay rep to provide a written proof of the defective phone in German. It is impossible to get such expert document written in German in my country, so I again contacted American eBay rep and provided video footage clearly showing the defective screen in action. American eBay again put the case on hold for additional five days. On the last day of this period, the seller told me that she would accept return only from Germany.

Three days ago, eBay told me that my return was accepted and that the seller had sent me a return label. I did not receive any shipping label because the seller sent it to a German address. When I contacted the seller and  wrote to her to send 33.90 EUR/36.95 USD to my Paypal address to cover my shipping fees, she responded that she was told by German eBay that she only had to pay for the shipping in Germany and it was my risk that I sent the phone abroad. I again complained to American eBay that the seller did not want to pay for the shipping. American eBay tells me that the seller had sent me a shipping label and I have to return the phone. I am frustrated because I did not receive any shipping label and this shipping label is good only in Germany. The seller is cheating because she knew from the beginning of our messaging that the phone was no longer in Germany.

eBay does not want to understand that I can't use the German return label. If I pay for the return myself, I will lose money. I asked for help on eBay community, but the folks there were not sympathetic and put the blame on me instead of dishonest seller because I can't send the phone from the original shipping address. If I file a claim with Paypal, will Paypal force the seller to compensate for the return shipping? Because if Paypal makes me pay for the shipping, I will still lose money.

[nevadasmith]

ebay seller would pay for return shipping ,since you received it in Germany,she sent you a German return label.

I tis not her fault,you left Germany with the item 

[kegeli]

The whole situation is her fault because if she had written about the screen problem in the description, I would not have bought it. When you sell defective electronics as fully functional, this can be considered scam. I trusted her 100% feedback and thought the item was fully functional. If I present evidence to Paypal that return shipping costs more than half what I paid for the item, can Paypal refund money without returning the item?

[kegeli]

Paypal representative promised me in mid-October that Paypal would help me with the reimbursement of the return shipping, which cost me almost half of the money paid for the SNAD item. So I returned the item to the seller. Now another representative tells me that Paypal can't refund the return shipping because of my country. Reneging on a promise is a bad business practice.

[kernowlass]

@kegeli

Yep sadly you are another victim of bad advice from customer services

You have to activate the 'return shipping on us' option at some point BEFORE you made the transaction you are claiming for.

Also you can only do that IF that option is available in your country which appears sadly it is not in yours. 

[kegeli]

One Paypal representative wrote to me on Facebook on October 16: "PayPal can help you with the return cost of an item." The same person wrote to me on October 19: "I would advise you to return the item in order to resolve the claim. If you can then let us know when this is done, and we can look at reimbursing your for the return shipping costs." My understanding was that this was a promise that Paypal would refund me the shipping cost.

When I complained to another representative and quoted these messages, she told me that my feedback would be passed to the relevant department. Does that mean they will consider making 'Return shipping on US' option available in my country?

Is it worth bothering to call Paypal support and get another representative?

[kernowlass]

@kegeli

and we can look at reimbursing your for the return shipping costs.

Sadly thats not a promise, however by all means reach out to them again and see if they will reimburse you as a goodwill gesture?

[kegeli]

The parcel was unexpectedly returned to me today. The stamps on the envelope indicate that the delivery was refused TWO times! The seller was apparently hoping that she would dodge the refund. Anyway, I will resell it locally to recoup the shipping fees.