Buyer misusing ebay returns

[wotnot101]

I have been selling on and off on ebay UK since 2005 and the majority of sales go through without any issue. This week I listed an old Samsung tablet that is fully functional. As a private seller I have selected no returns. Two days after the buyer receives the tablet, they file a not working not matching description. I messaged the buyer to find out what is wrong to see if I could help. The buyer states they cannot get on the internet. I gave them instructions but they came back stating they are experts, just give me a refund. I am suspecting the buyer is misusing the returns to have me the seller pay for the return.  I asked for pictures to show the WIFI page and as it happened the buyer is only a few miles away, I even offered to visit and help show them how to set it up. The buyer came back with I have not got the time. Please sort this now. I have sent them a returns label and I guess I have to take this on the chin and be out of pocket because ebay sides with buyers, even when they are blatantly abusing the returns.  Once I hopefully get the tablet back, I will be out of pocket for two shipping costs.

A thought, if I sent the buyer a private invoice outside ebay and demand the shipping cost be paid, should the invoice not be settled I will pass this to a small claims court. What thoughts do others have on how to beat the bad buyers, as ebay will not help, it’s a point of principal. Without sellers there are no buyers.

[house*of*paws]

Hi @wotnot101 

The tablet apparently didn’t function as expected … regardless of whether the buyer’s expectations were realistic.

I’m very sorry this happened … but it’s usually best just to accept the return and move on.  You’re not likely to get the satisfaction you’re hoping for by trying to outsmart the buyer.

[powell-memorabilia]

You have no case against the buyer. eBay approved a return label, that is all there is to it.

Absolutely, eBay needs buyers and sellers. But, there are too many sellers on eBay. There are not enough buyers. If you were running eBay, would you take the side of the people that you need more of, or the one that you have too many of?

[wotnot101]

Thanks for the reply. I will be reporting the buyer for missuse of returns and I have now blocked the buyer. As a occasional seller it does sometimes seem not worth selling when you end up out of pocket, due to eBay polices. Where did you get the information from there are not enough buyers?

[200roses]

Copied:

"As of Q3 2022, there are 135 million eBay users worldwide (eBay, 2022). This refers to the number of shoppers who have bought something on eBay at least once in the past 12 months. The number of eBay users in Q3 2022 marks a 2.2 percent fall from the previous quarter and a 11.2 percent decrease from the year before."

"from 2000 to 2021, the American Customer Service Index has recorded out of a total of 100 points, eBay scored the lowest satisfaction rate in 2015, when it earned 75 index points"

"there are a total of 1.7 billion listings on eBay (eBay, 2022). That’s more than 12 times the number of eBay buyers"

[old_legends]

I just got taken advantage of by horrible buyer. I have had little experience, fortunately, with bad buyers and followed the Ebay agent's instructions on how to handle this. I had no returns on a large area rug. The buyer literally destroyed the rug. And the buyer walks away with all her monies plus shipping costs and I end up with a worthless rug.

I had Ebay spend less than a day on an appeal, and apparently the only way to appeal is let the 'system' close the case and return the buyers monies? So every assurance's by the Ebay agent that being a star seller and being with the company over 24 years would get Seller protection. Right.

So sad and unfortunate that there are no remedies for seller's, while Ebay virtually grants buyers every wish. Terrible way to treat people who are the heartbeat of your business. Without us, specially the sellers who work hard to keep buyers happy on a daily basis, get treated with such little respect when they come across an abuser of the system.

Shame on you Ebay.

[200roses]

about 5 years ago I sold here some trinkets! It did not last long, a guy from NY bought some, and messaged me that it does not fit I said fine return it and get a refund! He said its a hassle to return it and I should just issue a refund, for what it was worth, it made more financial sense for me to just issue a refund. 

That said,  it was really great doing business here, it just wasn't for me. And to be honest I suffered more from dishonest sellers than buyers!