Refusing an order

[oaktree12]

Not sure this is actually the right place for this, but would love to hear what people think.

If you ordered an item that was delivered with free postage, but then refused the item at the door for whatever reason...should the cost of postage still be taken from the refund?

The postage wasn't really free, it was included in the price. The Seller still had to pay it. It wasn't their fault you changed your mind.

If it’s eBay or similar (ie a person not a business) then they don’t have to accept a return and refund unless the item is faulty/not as described. They had to pay for postage, it’s just that the costs were included in the item price. You’re lucky if they’re refunding you at all really. They shouldn’t be out of pocket because you changed your mind (Obviously if it is a business or they say in the description that they accept returns for any reason then this doesn’t apply)

Yes it's a business, I ordered via her website. Ok thanks everyone

Sorry to be a know it all, but most people are wrong here. If the parcel is not delivered then legally, a business (also including eBay private sellers), have to return the full sale amount including original postage costs. Morally it may suck, but that’s the case.

Be careful who it is with. I refused Hermes delivery on Fri. I just got message they will deliver today🙄
Even their tracking says "it's on its way back to the sender"...

Thejoxter yes, that’s correct eBay private sellers don’t have to accept a return as such, but if the item isn’t delivered then they must refund, and that includes cases like this. Failed delivery does not count as a “return” in ebays books.

Yes, I think you should have to pay because not only has the sender paid for the postage to you, they also have to pay for the cost of returning it as well.

As you didn’t actually possess the item at all does distance selling rules apply? I thought it meant that you could return the item after seeing it and it not being suitable, wrong size, or not as described etc. As you refused it at the door, you didn’t return it because you didn’t like it when you saw it!

I would say you should pay return postage in this case. Can’t really expect seller to pay postage both ways, when you changed your mind without seeing it.

you tried to cancel the order before you were informed that it was sent. so they shouldnt charge you for return.

Frankly, the seller did their part, you changed your mind after the order had been dispatched, why would the seller have to pay for your indecision?

If it has been sent via Royal Mail, then, when you refuse the order (or if it is carded and you do not collect it from the sorting office or arrange re-delivery, then after 15 working days) it is returned by Royal Mail.
Currently this is at no cost to either party, it's just something Royal Mail have always done.

However if they sent via a carrier eg DHL, DPD etc then they WILL charge for a redelivery. Even then, if you changed your mind about an order it is often easier for the sender to say to refuse the item so it gets returned by the carrier than rely on you to take it to the post office (or wherever needed) to return it because although you'd have to pay for the return if there isn't a returns label in the parcel many people are awkward about having to waste time returning stuff or about having to pay, even if it is their fault or choice to cancel the order.

If the seller told you to refise it at the door, then no you shouldn't pay for the postage

the parcel is not delivered then legally, a business (also including eBay private sellers), have to return the full sale amount including original postage costs. Morally it may suck, but that’s the case.

Yes, that is true, but if Royal Mail are delivering and the item is refused at the door, neither sender nor recipient has to pay for the package to be returned to the sender.

If the recipient receives the parcel then they have to take it to the PO and pay for it to go back (or the sender may have a reply paid label inside), so it is cheaper all round if the recipient refuses and Royal Mail just returns it.

I still don’t understand. Did you need the item by a specific date, and it was useless to you after that date?

Legally the seller has to refund you the original postage apart from any postage upgrade you may have selected (which doesn't apply in this case - but would if you had chosen to pay an extra fiver for Special Delivery or something).

The seller will lose out but that's how it is, the distance selling regulations are there to protect consumers not sellers/businesses.

Equally, as others have said, the seller won't have to pay for return postage at all if it was Royal Mail and you refused it at the door.