Proper Paypal Refund Etiquette?

[civiclx]

I am not aware of a refund option on paypal so I'm asking you guys for your opinion.
Let's say you help someone out by placing an order for them with an online site. You have the person pay up front for the product and the paypal fee, $35 + $2.
Eventually you find out that the site can't fulfil the order so it's canceled and you have to give the person a refund. Would you
a. refund them the $35 that you received after fees
b. pay them back the $37 they paid you
c. pay them the $37 plus a paypal fee so they actually get their whole $37 back?

So in short, would you pay paypal fees for giving a refund?

 

[The Ringer]

You should get your fees back.

 

[Darth Waller]

There should be a Refund link inside the payment information screen on Paypal's site. You have the option of doing a partial or total refund. When you do a total refund, it should also do any Paypal fees as well.

 

[civiclx]

thanks. I will check for the refund link. I run a thread over on another board where I help mostly Europeans out with getting DVD exclusives. I haven't had to give a refund yet obviously, but I'm going to have to give three because I was unable to get them the D9 Best Buy Vest edition. I'm probably just going to pay them back what I actually collected after fees. I've done quite a bit to help people out so I think they'll understand. Granted, placing an online order isn't much work since I can do it from home, but I still don't like losing money for helping someone out.
It's unfortunate that they lose money too but

Thanks guys.

 

[The Ween]

You should not be out any money at all. It's not your fault the website couldn't fill the order. You shouldn't have to swallow the fee.

 

[civiclx]

Yeah being in my position, I agree with you. It's unfortunate for them but they're good guys so I think they'll I understand. I've helped
quite a few people out over there so i have pretty good unofficial feedback.
I've only made two or three paypal payments. Is there a way to send them money without them getting charged any fees?

 

[duck of death]

If you do a full refund then Paypal should send them back the full amount they originally sent you. So if they sent you $37 and Paypal took $2 in fees leaving you $35 in your balance and you do a full refund, Paypal will send them back the $35 from your account plus the $2 they took in fees. You won't have to eat the fees or go out of pocket in any respect to return them the full amount they sent you. When you do a refund no one at either end is charged fees -- they just get their money back and your balance goes back to whatever it was before the money came in.

 

[civiclx]

Thanks for that info. Unfortunately it has been more than 60 days so I will have to just make a normal payment. If I send it as a gift, will they not have to pay fees?

 

[duck of death]

If it's a gift they should get the full amount and not lose any of it to fees. Obviously, Paypal hates it when they don't get a cut, but if you don't do the personal/gift payments too often they should leave you alone about it.

 

[civiclx]

I will try than then.

Thanks again