How to claim return postage refund from seller after a dispute has been closed?

[ITBabe]

Hi

Does anyone know how I can claim back return postage costs from a seller who sold a faulty item?

I opened a dispute and requested a full refund from them, this refund was to include ALL postage costs  (delivery & recorded delivery return postage costs) plus the actual winning bid price.

Paypal has refunded the winning bid price plus delivery costs but no recorded delivery return postage costs that I incurred?

I received an email from the seller earlier today stating that I had paid for this delivery method but Royal Mail had just posted the item through her letterbox and never asked for a signature!

She also informed me that the amount of refund that I would receive had nothing to do with her because it would be refunded directly by Paypal and if I had a problem with that I would have to contact Paypal.

If it is correct what I have been told by her then I am now issuing a request that Paypal refunds this money to me.

We as buyers should never  be 'out of pocket' and should be refunded ALL MONIES at all times.

Regards

[PayPal_Siobhán]

Hi there ITBabe,

We do not cover return costs, as PayPal can only reverse an existing PayPal transaction, and not place an additional charge on any customer.

This means that you must bear the cost of returning the item yourself, however you will be refunded the postage costs you paid during the original transaction.

Siobhan

[tink_m]

Distance selling rules state that return postage is the responsibility of the seller if the goods are faulty so there should be redress that Ebay and/or Paypal can offer to the buyer to recoup their expenses.  In my own case there is correspondence proving the seller agreed to refund the return postage, yet has not, so Ebay/Paypal should assist the seller in these circumstances since they instigate the premature closure of the case to the detriment of the buyer.  This is not only unfair but the practice of unscrupulous sellers should be stopped.

[kernowlass]

DSR only applies to business sellers and a lot of sellers on ebay are not businesses.

So you have to bear that in mind when you buy from a private seller.

If the seller was a business then of course you should have return postage costs if the item was faulty but paypal cannot force a seller to do so and so your only option is the small claims court. 

[tink_m]

Thanks for your input.  The seller is a business seller and consistently ignored my correspondence and totally frustrated me.  Consequently Ebay advisors negotiated for me and in effect took control of the process. Whilst I am grateful for what seems to me to be a partial refund, the seller should not be able to act in this manner.  To add insult to injury, Ebay close the case even though it is known that you are not happy with the outcome, and that return postage was agreed.

The process was also tedious and elongated - you are forced to enter a tracking number for the return but if you do not have a tracking number you cannot register an acceptable reply so the process remains in limbo.  Ebay monitor all correspondence and could be more proactive for the sake of other victims of such treatment.