Who pays return shipping on eBay and how do sellers handle it?
Return shipping on eBay depends on both the return reason and the return policy on the listing. Sellers often get frustrated because they think one rule applies to everything, but eBay treats buyer-remorse and seller-fault returns very differently.
The most common confusion happens when a buyer says the item was not as described, damaged, or wrong, because those reasons usually create more seller responsibility than a simple changed-mind return. The return cost question is therefore really a policy-and-reason question.
Read the return request reason, compare it with your listing policy, and then use the official return workflow to send the proper label or refund response. If you believe the buyer used the wrong reason, document the facts and decide whether to resolve directly or let eBay review the situation.
Do not ask buyers to pay return shipping privately and promise reimbursement later unless eBay's official process specifically supports that path. Informal arrangements are much harder to defend if the case escalates.
Official eBay pages to review: