Charging handling fees on items returned
Q: Is it Islamically permissible to:
1. To charge a general 15% handling fee for all returns for admin & transportation costs. Example, the seller is in Durban and the buyer is in Johannesburg or Cape Town. The seller incurred admin & transport costs to get the goods delivered & will incur costs to get the goods returned. There could be various reasons for the returns - incorrect goods supplied, excess stock bought, damaged goods received, buyer cannot sell the goods etc.
2. If there is a price dispute between the seller & the buyer for goods supplied, can the seller write off the disputed amount as a donation?
Note: The sales rep quoted the buyer a price and the admin office charged a higher price. When the buyer received the invoice, he queried the price & refused to make payment until he is charged the quoted price.