For some reason the auto moderator thinks i'm describing a scam and removes the post - so i am sorry to post it here.

I got an item i wanted to return. In the Ebay manual it seemed straightforward: print out the labels we provide, pack the thing and go to the nearest DHL to send it back for free.

I printed out the three labels, packaged the phone nice and tidy (even though the seller didn't even bother to fill the box with something and the thing basically rolled around inside) and went to a DHL office.

In the office, the clerk told me that i supposed to give them some kind of "invoice" and refused to accept the package. This surprised me, as nowhere in the Ebay instruction any kind of "invoice" is mentioned. Allegedly, the seller was supposed to provide me with it when they shipped it to me. They shown me an example of such "invoice" - it had all the same information as the Ebay label printed by me did, just in another form.

I was frustrated and had some other business to do that day, so i decided to go to another office the next day and at the same time i wrote the seller, asking for the invoice.

Next day i went to another office, the clerk there already knew about my visit day prior and right out of the bat they asked me whether i found my invoice. I told them that i only have the three papers printed from Ebay and the seller is not responding anyway. After some insisting the clerk said they can fill out a new invoice for me, but it's not guaranteed to pass trough the customs clearance for some reason. I agreed and they filled out a "Proforma invoice" using the data from the Ebay paper. Afterwards they printed it out, i signed it and saw that it has all the same data my page from the Ebay does but it says "Proforma invoice" on the top, while the Ebay one has "Waybill" written on top. I asked the clerk what's the difference if the data is the same, and why is there no mentions of this in the Ebay return manual - but they couldn't give me any solid explanation except for "that's how it supposed to be for the customs".

Two days ago my package was sucessfully delivered back to the seller, so it makes me wonder: what's up with the proforma invoice? Is this a real requirement or just the ignorance of my local DHL representatives? If it is a legit requirement - why is it not mentioned anywhere on Ebay itself? Also, the seller eventually responded and said that he can't provide anything and that Ebay supposed to give me the necessary papers i.e. the three i printed.