Reverb's return protocol:
The most important thing here is your return policy at the time the buyer made their purchase. This will decide how long the buyer has to report any problems or let you know they want to return the item.
If the item arrived not as described, it's up to the seller to provide a return postage label and/or make a claim with the carrier if the buyer reports issues within 7 days of delivery. If a postage label bought from Reverb was used with Safe Delivery, then our Support Team needs to be contacted so the case can be escalated to our Resolutions Team.
If the buyer wants to return the item simply because they don't like it, they can only do so if your return policy allows returns. If that's the case, the buyer must provide their own return postage label, and once the item is back with you, the refund must be processed within 48 hours.
What happens after the refund is sent through Reverb Payments?
After a refund is started through Reverb Payments, your billing card will be charged within one business day. Before your billing card is charged, you can see the current negative balance on your Earnings page. If any order is refunded on the same business day your payout is approved, we’ll use those funds towards the negative balance owed to Reverb.
- Reverb refunds the buyer.
- Reverb will try to charge your billing card on file within 1 business day of the refund being issued.
- Once the billing attempt is successful, the refund amount will show on your billing statement.
- If the charge doesn't go through, we'll keep trying to collect and also use any future sales to cover the balance.
- We'll also send you an email if your billing card needs updating.
- We can't bill outstanding debts to PayPal accounts or to bank accounts. Sellers must be able to provide a valid billing card.
Refunds sent for sellers using PayPal
After a refund is started, the money is automatically taken from your PayPal account by PayPal.
You will be refunded Reverb's 5% selling fee for refunds issued in full. For partial refunds, you'll get back Reverb's 5% selling fee in proportion to the refunded amount. Payment processing fees and bump fees aren't prorated on partial refunds.
For UK sellers:Learn more about Reverb’s fee refund policy here.
Examples of some common return situations:
The buyer doesn't like the item and wants to return it.
- A buyer asks for a refund because they don't like the colour of the item.
- Their request is within the seller's return policy, so the seller conditionally approves the refund request.
- The buyer provides and pays for their own return postage label.Before returning, the buyer checks the seller’s return address.
- The seller receives the item and completes the approved refund within 48 hours.
- The buyer gets their money back in their account within 3-5 business days.
An item is damaged in transit.
- A buyer receives a damaged item and sends photos to the seller via Reverb messages.
- Since the buyer’s refund request was submitted the day after delivery, the buyer is protected with Reverb Buyer Protection.The seller used a postage label bought from Reverb with Safe Delivery.
- The seller contacts Reverb Support to report the issue.
- The case is escalated to our Resolutions Team.
- A Resolutions agent contacts both parties within 5 business days and immediately starts working on the claim.
- The issue is sorted within 5 days and both parties are compensated as appropriate.
A shipment gets lost during transit.
- A buyer notices their tracking information has been stuck on “in transit” for over 14 days and messages the seller.The seller bought their postage label from the carrier directly.
- The seller makes a lost package claim with the carrier.
- The carrier declares the item lost and reimburses the seller.
- The seller issues a refund to the buyer for the full amount.
- The buyer gets their money back in their account within 3-5 business days.
Additional resources
How do I respond to a buyer's refund request?
Learn how to properly respond to a refund request on Reverb.
How do refunds work on Marketplace Facilitator Taxed orders?
If your buyer was charged tax, learn how refunds work in these situations.
What happens after I initiate a refund?
Starting a refund on an order? Learn about next steps.
How do return postage labels work for sellers on Reverb?
Need to get your buyer a return postage label? Learn how.
My order has been upgraded to the Reverb Resolutions team, what happens next?
Reverb's Resolutions team helps with claims and disputes.
How do I contact the buyer of my Reverb order?
Need to get in touch with your buyer? Learn how.