paypal angle advice - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

t walgamuth · #1 03-03-2012, 02:14 PM

I sold a differential to a member which required modification to achieve his needs. It turned out that what was desired could not be done so I need to refund his money. What is the best way to do it and minimize our paypal fees. Do a refund of the original transaction seems obvious but is that the best way?

Eskimo · #2 03-03-2012, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

I sold a differential to a member which required modification to achieve his needs. It turned out that what was desired could not be done so I need to refund his money. What is the best way to do it and minimize our paypal fees. Do a refund of the original transaction seems obvious but is that the best way?

If the option is available, then issuing a partial refund of the transaction is the way to go. Part of it will come from your funds, and part of it (fees) will come from PayPal.

As an example, I recently refunded $5 because I was able to combine the item with other items to reduce the overall shipping cost. For a refund of $5, I paid $4.86, and PayPal paid $0.14.

Looking at one of my recent transactions, it notes that, "You have up to 60 days to refund the payment."

The Clk Man · #3 03-03-2012, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

I sold a differential to a member which required modification to achieve his needs. It turned out that what was desired could not be done so I need to refund his money. What is the best way to do it and minimize our paypal fees. Do a refund of the original transaction seems obvious but is that the best way?

Sometimes, those fees are just the cost of doing business, money isn't everything, doing the right thing is.

t walgamuth · #4 03-03-2012, 02:28 PM

Why would I want to do a partial instead of a full refund, please?

t walgamuth · #5 03-03-2012, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Clk Man

Sometimes, those fees are just the cost of doing business, money isn't everything, doing the right thing is.

I am not trying to cheat paypal out of what is rightfully theirs but I don't want to pay anymore than I need to out of ignorance.

Eskimo · #6 03-03-2012, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

Why would I want to do a partial instead of a full refund, please?

Sorry, Tom, I misunderstood. The way I first read it, I thought that you and the buyer were sharing some responsibility for this.

If you consider the problem to be "all yours", then by all means refund in full.

The Clk Man · #7 03-03-2012, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

I am not trying to cheat paypal out of what is rightfully theirs but I don't want to pay anymore than I need to out of ignorance.

I'm not saying that. I'm just saying that sometimes doing the right thing costs money, and may I add that it's money well spent.

t walgamuth · #8 03-03-2012, 02:39 PM

I am trying to do that.

The Clk Man · #9 03-03-2012, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

I am trying to do that.

You are a good man Mr. T.

Eskimo · #10 03-03-2012, 02:59 PM

Tom,

I think that if you issue a full refund, then PayPal credits you the amount of the original transaction fee minus $0.30. So, that's the "cost of doing business" that's associated with the PayPal aspect of the transaction.

t walgamuth · #11 03-03-2012, 03:05 PM

That sounds more than fair.

Thanks very much!

t walgamuth · #12 03-03-2012, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Clk Man

I'm not saying that. I'm just saying that sometimes doing the right thing costs money, and may I add that it's money well spent.

I am a little testy about this because I had to pay my indie to help me get the diff out of the car, and then had to pay my favorite machinist to tear the diff apart to make the swap and now we found out it cannot be done.

Cost me about $300 to find out I cannot do it so have to refund my buyer's money (its not his fault!).

Ouch!

Eskimo · #13 03-03-2012, 03:25 PM

The way I read the opening post, I thought that you had sold something, then shipped it to the buyer, who then found out that he couldn't modify it as he wanted. That's why I thought there might be some sharing of responsibility.

If you want to find a bright side to this, Tom - it's WAY better to find such a problem when the items are still in your own hands. When you're refunding the price, and refunding (sometimes expensive) shipping, and then trying to figure out whether it's worth it to pay to have the item returned to you - ugh!

Money spent with your indie and your favorite machinist isn't completely wasted money, either. A struggling economy thanks you.

t walgamuth · #14 03-03-2012, 03:42 PM

heh!

I have been there with the other angles too.....broken glass items....items which were not what was wanted but misunderstood.....

I had a fellow want to return a fuel injection pump over a year after he bought it because he figured out he did not need it.

Another fellow bought a steering gearbox for a chevy I had advertised on the impala forum...and wanted a refund...after i had sent him pictures of it including the serial numbers. he then told paypal that I had never shipped it and got a refund. I protested and they eventually gave me the money back but less a $20 fee for the dispute. (what TF?)

I have gotten super cautious about making sure what is being shipped is exactly what they want and think it is.

The Clk Man · #15 03-03-2012, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

heh!

I have been there with the other angles too.....broken glass items....items which were not what was wanted but misunderstood.....

I had a fellow want to return a fuel injection pump over a year after he bought it because he figured out he did not need it.

Another fellow bought a steering gearbox for a chevy I had advertised on the impala forum...and wanted a refund...after i had sent him pictures of it including the serial numbers. he then told paypal that I had never shipped it and got a refund. I protested and they eventually gave me the money back but less a $20 fee for the dispute. (what TF?)

I have gotten super cautious about making sure what is being shipped is exactly what they want and think it is.

There are all kinds if people out there. Last year, one of my customers came into my shop and asked if he could get his money back on 300 business cards because his cell number had changed. I just looked at him in amazement.