Who should pay for return shipping costs?

In the last few weeks, I have read a few articles about return shipping costs. The argument / position put forward by Paypal is probably the most lame excuse for not wanting to get involved that I read: Paypal says "....people on okay feel closer to the seller during the transaction,and that brings everything to a more personal level, and expect problems to be dealt with as if you were dealing with a small shop owner, or neighbor...." The article goes on to describe how most mail order and online retailers do not pay for return shipping, so why should an okay seller?
What a crock. In the first place, most mail order / onlineretailershave customer support service that you can phone and ask questions. The items are NEW, clearly described, and clearly priced. Shipping costs are posted, there are no hidden "shipping and handling charges" that some okay sellers try to ding you with, and I do not know of any that DEMAND you pay insurance. And also, mail order gepanies are legally bound by the State, Province, or Country that they are doing business in, and with. THERE IS NO gePARISON BETWEEN REAL ONLINE RETAILERS AND okay SELLERS !!
This is what I have learned in my time being part of the okay gemunity, both as a buyer and a seller:
1/ Ask questions before you purchase anything. IT IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT MATTER buying online, it is not like going to the store and being able to see it, talking to the salesman, and reading the fine print on the package. You know immediately the total cost, the manufacturers warranty, and the stores return policy. If you drop it and break it, too bad so sad. If the salesman drops and breaks it, you get another one immediately - no arguments, no insurance claims, no emails back and forth, no geplaints to the Post Office, okay, or Paypal.
2/ Ask how much shipping costs will be, if the seller will gebine shipping, discounts, and if there is options to the service the seller is using, (UPS charges a fee when the value of the item is more than $20, and this is payable on delivery), so if you dont know that ahead of time, you are most likely not going to be happy with this extra expense
3/ Ask about issues that are important to you: is that ripple you see in the picture just camera flash, or does thatshirt actually have atear in it? Is that a crack in that screen, or is it just a reflection?
I came across a listing for a Monopoly game that had the following description: "...I am not sure if it is geplete or not, I am not about to count all the little plastic houses...." WOW !! A description like that should send you running away !! How hard is it to take 5 seconds tocount them and put that in the description?? Why would you want to buy that item if you had no way of knowing if it was geplete or not?
I came across a listing for some magazines that had the following description: "....do not ask me what they smell like...." Again, you have to ask yourself why the seller would put that in his description, (it is highly unlikely that he has no ability to smell), so I would tend to think he is hiding the fact that his magazines stink because they are moldy, or there was mice living in the box they were in.
Those are just examples that could apply to any item you arethinking ofpurchasing
4/ Stay away from sellers who say in their description that they will assist you with an insurance claim should that be necessary. Maybe some of the carriers in the US are different and I dont know all of them, but pretty much everywhere in the world, it is the SENDERwho isresponsible for claiming lost or damaged !! Think about it: how can the person who has no parcel, no shipping receipt, no idea when it was sent, where it was sent from, how can they make a claim?? If your package has been damaged while in transit, (that means the box will have a hole in it, or will be crushed), thenyes, you will berequired to take it in to the Post Office, or wherever, to help with the claim.
So this brings me to my point: If you take the time to satisfy yourself as to the condition of the item you want to purchase, and know exactly what to expect of the seller, you willREDUCE the chances of problems. If you did not notice that the movie you bought was in a format you cannot use, that is your own fault, and not the sellers. If the seller DOES NOTmake it clear what format the movie is in, then he/she shouldhaveto pay the return shipping costs, AND new shipping costs for sending out the correct movie.
If the seller does not say that the geic book he is selling is missing half of the back cover, or the baseball card has a huge stain on the back side of it, HE SHOULD EXPECT that the person buying it will not be happy, and will be demanding their money back, including all shipping costs.
The majority of members of okay are good and honest people, and I have been fortunate to deal with many. However, the reality is there is some dishonest ones who will take advantage of you, and take your money. All you can do is be aware, and be careful.
okay, and Paypal need to get their heads out of the sand on these issues, and do something about abusive andnegligent sellers.One of the prime policies that we get reminded of everytime we put in a bid on okay, is that you are entering into a legal, and binding contract. Well, if it is so legal, and binding, then I expect some legal, and binding protection when I buy something and it is not what the seller described. I would think that that is what everyone would like.