Is it free to post on eBay?

I bought something from ebay. It doesn't work. Can I Return post to sender for free?

• As the question says I bought a gizmo on ebay. It doesn't work so I want to return it. If I repack it in the original envelope can I just label it 'Return to Sender' and not pay? It'll cost a few pounds otherwise and I don't think it's fair I pay for useless goods. I'd have paid postage twice as well.

• Answer:

  Once you have OPENED a package you can not label it RETURN TO SENDER. The postal service will not take an opened package to deliver once it's been opened, and the story it doesn't work won't fly with them as you would not know it didn't work, unless you had opened it first. You can't return anything to the sender until you have agreed on the item getting sent back, what happens when you send it back, etc. If you send it back without the sender knowing that is happening, when it gets there they can just say they have no idea what you are talking about later when you ask about it. It may not be fair to have to pay shipping to ship back something that doesn't work, but those are things you should always workout with the seller beforehand if there is any possibility that the device might not work, especially if used. In all the years I have been buying off eBay, I have only had to return two things, and both times I contacted the seller to ask for a replacement or them paying shipping back to them, and have always gotten shipping since they did not have a replacement item, and didn't want a bad rating (I'm guessing on the rating), but they did the right thing and I have bought items from them since without any issues,