Return Shipping...Who should pay?

[j_scott_o]

I have had bad luck on 3 orders in the past few weeks with ordering comics. I have just gotten back into collecting comics a few months ago after being out of the hobby for over 25 years (high school days). My question is, who should pay for return shipping in these instances:

 

1. Comic described as a 1st Edition. What I received was a 2nd Edition.

2. Comic rated as a VF/NM. What I received was closer to a F.

3. Item was damaged in shipping via Fedex. Required 'signature confirmation on delivery' for me to return. They do state on their web site that they won't refund shipping on items returned. However, I figured this wouldn't be due to an item damaged in shipping.

 

Here are my thoughts on them:

1. Seller should be responsible. Totally misrepresented item. (This was thru eBay. I had to file a claim to get the guy to even issue a refund. Now won't respond to my emails about return shipping.)

 

2. Seller should be responsible. When I notified the seller, they offered to give me a full refund PLUS the shipping to return it. (This is how I feel deals should be done!)

 

3. Seller should be responsible. If they had gotten insurance or packaged it w/ bubble wrap, this would not be an issue. They promptly refunded my item once they received the item. I have emailed them about the return shipping. Waiting to see what they say.

 

I look forward to hearing opinions on this.

[TupennyConan]

Seller should eat all the costs but buyers shouldn't be crybabies.

 

Especially newbs.

[Hado]

I'm torn, I've had a few bad experiences lately myself. For expensive items I didn't mind paying return shipping so long as the seller refunded my purchase price and original shipping, for the micro machine I bought for my friend Jess' birthday that didn't work, the seller just refunded my purchase price and told me to keep the item. And I think you got your 1 2 3 explanations mixed up. 2 sounds like the damaged in shipping.

[oakman29]

Seller is responsible.Now I'm going to give you the best advice you can get.Only purchase comics from board members or board members Ebay stores,this way you won't get F-ed.You've made some noob mistakes,but now you're here.Take advantage of the best comics message board on the internet.Just my

 

 

Oh and Welcome to the Boards. (thumbs u

[Hado]

Seller is responsible.Now I'm going to give you the best advice you can get.Only purchase comics from board members or board members Ebay stores,this way you won't get F-ed.You've made some noob mistakes,but now you're here.Take advantage of the best comics message board on the internet.Just my

 

 

Oh and Welcome to the Boards. (thumbs u

Advice I received only a week or so ago and am in the middle of the smoothest transaction ever, it's an expensive book by my standards and I'm not even worried because everyone here seems pretty solid.

[youmechooz]

Seller is responsible.Now I'm going to give you the best advice you can get.Only purchase comics from board members or board members Ebay stores,this way you won't get F-ed.You've made some noob mistakes,but now you're here.Take advantage of the best comics message board on the internet.Just my

 

 

Oh and Welcome to the Boards. (thumbs u

truth

[Designer Toast]

Seller should eat all the costs but buyers shouldn't be crybabies.

 

Especially newbs.

 

It is not Friday...yet.

[This is water]

Seller is responsible.Now I'm going to give you the best advice you can get.Only purchase comics from board members or board members Ebay stores,this way you won't get F-ed.You've made some noob mistakes,but now you're here.Take advantage of the best comics message board on the internet.Just my

 

 

Oh and Welcome to the Boards. (thumbs u

 

 

This is great advice. I have had no problems buying books from here. Everyone has been top notch.

 

I would add that you can find great deals on eBay and encounter honest sellers. I have had countless smooth transactions. You just have to be smart about how you go about your purchases on there.

 

Ask for scans if there aren't any, ask for complete details about a potential purchase...etc.

 

If you restrict yourself from purchasing on eBay you miss out on the largest venue of funny books.

 

As for your question, as a seller I offer to pay for return shipping and as a buyer I offer to assume the costs just to be courteous to the seller.

 

And welcome to the boards.

 

[sterlingcomics]

Stop ordering from massive comic companies like Lone Star or Mile High if you actually care about accurate and/or high grades.

 

eBay is the WORST place to buy raw books.

 

Find out about reputable dealers here (Foolkiller just came out with a respectable top 10 list).

 

Start buying more from here.

 

As to who pays....it all boils down to what the agreement was. Most sellers will have a return guarantee if they are good.

[Buzzetta]

I do not have an eBay store, I just list things I no longer want when the whim strikes me.

 

If it is something that is completely due to a boneheaded move that I made, I refund the shipping no matter what I said in the ad.

 

If is something that the buyer says, that they do not want anymore. (It has happened) they pay for return shipping. I sold something once only for the person to say that they changed their mind and wanted to return it. Hey, that is fine, it sold once, it will sell again. They pay for the shipping though.

 

BTW - I do not accept returns of any type for CDs, DVDs or things of that nature which someone bought, ripped, copied and wanted to return.

[FlyingDonut]

I think Beachbum should pay in 95% of the cases. In the other 5%, Roy should pay.

[lizards2]

Seller should eat all the costs but buyers shouldn't be crybabies.

 

Especially newbs.

 

Is it not Friday...yet.

[spideyfan76]

I think Beachbum should pay in 95% of the cases. In the other 5%, Roy should pay.

I think you have that backwards

[FlyingDonut]

I think Beachbum should pay in 95% of the cases. In the other 5%, Roy should pay.

I think you have that backwards

 

Canadian exchange rate, plus there's problem with Canada Post. That, and the hair.

[InvstmntComcSuply]

All of those are the fault of the seller.

Seller should be on the hook for the return costs.

 

As an aside. Why would insurance reimburse for damages due to a fragile item that was poorly packed? If all it needed was bubble wrap to avoid the damage, then the damage is due to the shippers neglect.

[Hamlet]

I feel that in normal grading disputes, the buyer should pay return shipping.

 

In general, most people are unable to avoid the tendency to grade looser when they are selling and tighter when they are buying.

 

This way, in a grading dispute, both sides have a little skin in the game, as they both lose out in shipping costs.

 

This prevents a buyer with grading expectations way outside of the norm from becoming a severe problem.

 

For major grading issues that were an obvious seller mistake (undisclosed internal defect) I think the seller should pay.

[Jeffro.]

I feel that in normal grading disputes, the buyer should pay return shipping.

 

In general, most people are unable to avoid the tendency to grade looser when they are selling and tighter when they are buying.

 

This way, in a grading dispute, both sides have a little skin in the game, as they both lose out in shipping costs.

 

This prevents a buyer with grading expectations way outside of the norm from becoming a severe problem.

 

For major grading issues that were an obvious seller mistake (undisclosed internal defect) I think the seller should pay.

 

In general I agree with this. I think it depends on the situation.

 

There is a tendency for people on these boards to think that the seller is totally responsible no matter what the situation, I think this smacks of a certain amount of entitlement on the part of buyers.

 

 

[Comicopolis]

Seller should eat all the costs but buyers shouldn't be crybabies.

 

Especially newbs.

 

This is true.

[Comicopolis]

Seller is responsible.Now I'm going to give you the best advice you can get.Only purchase comics from board members or board members Ebay stores,this way you won't get F-ed.You've made some noob mistakes,but now you're here.Take advantage of the best comics message board on the internet.Just my

 

 

Oh and Welcome to the Boards. (thumbs u

 

This is also true.

[Comicopolis]

Seller is responsible.Now I'm going to give you the best advice you can get.Only purchase comics from board members or board members Ebay stores,this way you won't get F-ed.You've made some noob mistakes,but now you're here.Take advantage of the best comics message board on the internet.Just my

 

 

Oh and Welcome to the Boards. (thumbs u

Advice I received only a week or so ago and am in the middle of the smoothest transaction ever, it's an expensive book by my standards and I'm not even worried because everyone here seems pretty solid.

 

Appearances can be deceptive.