eBay

eschwartz790 · ‎06-14-2017

I recently listed a few Nintendo (NES) games from my childhood collection on eBay. All of our games were photographed and tested on our old NES console before we listed them. One buyer made an offer for one of my games, which I accepted.

Upon recepit, the buyer claimed that what he recieved has a manipulated circuit board rendering the game "destroyed". I did some searching around Google and found other instances where buyers were either switching out the circuit boards within the games, or returning broken games in exchange for what was sent to them. I am thinking that is what's happening here.

Is there anything I can do to defend myself here? It seems it would boil down to my word against his, which is extremely upsetting to me, as I can assure that I sent exactly what I photographed - a game that was in excellent shape and in working condition.

a_c_green · ‎06-14-2017

Unfortunately, as a new seller with a high-value item (frankly, I had no idea those old games were worth that much), you're going to be a magnet for scammers.

Best you can do is a short, businesslike response:

"I'm sorry that you're not happy with the game. You can return it for a full refund."

That's all. No debate, no arguing, and hopefully you will receive back what you sent out. He may just be fishing for a partial refund here, but there's no need to give in to that.

retrose1 · ‎06-14-2017

All I had to do is see that you had listed video games and I knew that you had less than 10 feedback and were getting claims of problems by the buyer.

First off, never list anything that has a dollar value that is more than your recent selling feedback. And do not list anything that you can not afford to lose.

Do not list anything with no returns and do not list using Best Offer. Most newbies do not know how to take advantage of no returns and mistakenly think that it means no refunds and they make mistakes. Best Offer is a mistake because once the buyer sees that you are willing to negotiate before they get the item, you should be willing to keep negotiating after they get it.

There are some things that are VERY high risk on ebay and game stuff is in the top 5, right in there with cell phones, computers, precious metals, and designer handbags.

You can tell the buyer to return for refund, but the odds are good that you will get back their broke piece of junk. There is nothing you can do to defend yourself, except get scammed and then file reports against the buyer with the post office for fraud, and the buyers police department and ic3.

(*Bleep*)

phcd1 · ‎06-14-2017

@eschwartz790 wrote:

...Is there anything I can do to defend myself here? It seems it would boil down to my word against his, which is extremely upsetting to me, as I can assure that I sent exactly what I photographed - a game that was in excellent shape and in working condition.

Nope. All you can do is

1. Raise your prices to cover such losses

or

2. Sell where you can get paid in cash

rixstuff · ‎06-14-2017

Agree to the refund upon receipt of your game back. If, when it comes back, it isnt hte same item you sent or it has been screwed with, refuse the refund on those grounds (not same condition or not same item). If your game plays fine, then just relist it and resell it again.

I find that many times when a scammer is confronted by a seller who WONT just roll over and fall for their nonsense, they tend to just go away. Insisting on the return before the refund may stop him in his tracks all by itself. Just keep repeating "Sure as soon as I get it back in the same condition as shipped...."

lex-talon · ‎06-14-2017

@eschwartz790 wrote:
I recently listed a few Nintendo (NES) games from my childhood collection on eBay. All of our games were photographed and tested on our old NES console before we listed them. One buyer made an offer for one of my games, which I accepted.

Upon recepit, the buyer claimed that what he recieved has a manipulated circuit board rendering the game "destroyed". I did some searching around Google and found other instances where buyers were either switching out the circuit boards within the games, or returning broken games in exchange for what was sent to them. I am thinking that is what's happening here.

Is there anything I can do to defend myself here? It seems it would boil down to my word against his, which is extremely upsetting to me, as I can assure that I sent exactly what I photographed - a game that was in excellent shape and in working condition.

The buyer stated that your game has a "manipulated circuit board". He might be implying your copy of the game is a "reproduction" copy and not an original oem one. It sounds as though the buyer may have opened up the housing of the cart and switched the circuit board? What did the buyer mean that the game was "destroyed?" You cannot prove to ebay that the buyer may have switched your circuit board or a different game. They will always side with the buyer. Have the buyer return the game to you and refund when you get it back.

nowthatsjustducky · ‎06-14-2017

How long ago did the sale happen? Although it is pretty much impossible to prove to the satisfaction of any entity that can help, it is possible he beat the game (if it is the type of game that has an ending) and is treating you like a lending library (not calling it a rental, because he is trying to get his money back).

This sounds very much like an incident I had a few months ago.

Buyer purchases a Super NES Mega Man X cartridge after making an offer I deemed reasonable. A month later, right before his MBG time runs out, and plenty of time to beat the game more than once; he files a return request claiming that he believes the game is counterfeit. I tried to give him enough rope to hang himself with to have CS deem it buyer's remorse should I call them; but he was too slick and just said a generic "It looks like a replica" with out giving any specifics. Since he was not going to take the bait, and the clock was ticking, I went ahead and agreed to refund on return.

I figured returns for me are so infrequent thanks to my No Returns policy; that the costs of accepting one were more than covered by all the returns I have not had since I implemented my No Returns policy. 😉 So anyway, I got the game back, and he got his money. I relisted it for about $10 or $20 over what I had it at first time (can't remember the details exactly), and it resold in less than a month. And I never heard a peep from the new buyer until he posted good feedback for me.

So for your buyer, just go ahead and take the return this time around (add him to your blocked buyer list of course), then put the game back up and jack up the price a bit. If the game is desirable enough, it will sell at the higher price. It may take a month or two, but the right buyer will come along at the right time.

If it works, sell it. If it works well, sell it for more. If it doesn't work, quadruple the price and sell it as an antique.

-- Ferengi Rule of Acquisition #80

eschwartz790 · ‎06-15-2017

Why am I getting all of this advice to return and refund? Why should I take the loss?

retrose1 · ‎06-15-2017

@eschwartz790 wrote:
Why am I getting all of this advice to return and refund? Why should I take the loss?

Because - the way ebay has the rules set up - if you do not take the return, ebay will refund the buyer - out of YOUR pocket, and let them keep the items.

This is the risk you take when you list your stuff on ebay and don't read ALL the rules before you do so. ebay is all about making ebay money and keeping buyers happy makes ebay more money than keeping sellers happy.

There is nothing you can do except tell them to return and then start reporting the buyer (and ebay) to outside authorities, including he Feds and the cops, after/if you get scammed.

(*Bleep*)

itsjustasprain · ‎06-15-2017

@eschwartz790 wrote:
Why am I getting all of this advice to return and refund? Why should I take the loss?

Because if you dont agree to take the return for refund then Ebay will force the refund anyway and then you really will take a loss.

If you agree to take the return for refund - so that the buyer has to return it before getting his money back - then the buyer might back down & forget the whole thing. Right now he is hoping that you will either give in completely or offer a partial refund but you do not haveto do either.

At least by requiring a return first you MIGHT actually get the original cartridge back unmolested and you are more or less back where you started. If you refuse the return then you really will take the loss because you will have no cartrigde AND no money either.

rixstuff · ‎06-15-2017

@eschwartz790 wrote:
Why am I getting all of this advice to return and refund? Why should I take the loss?

If you take the return you are out maybe $3 in shipping but you can still relist and resell the game (provided it is the same game). Handle it yourself and there is no harm. Leave it for EBAY to handle and you are screwed. Enough times of Ebay stepping in to make your buyers happy and you wont have an account long. That is the much greater loss.

reallynicestamps · ‎06-15-2017

"I'm sorry that you're not happy with the game. You can return it for a full refund."

Rinse and repeat.

You can't win in a 'he said/ she said" .

Your demographic is heavy with entitled neckbeards who confuse 'cheating' with 'winning'.

You are a new seller with little reputation and a Defect for refusing a refund will kill your selling account.

The best you can hope for is the lending library scenario which leaves you out the cost of postage but gives you a saleable game.

The worst is a junk game, all those postage costs, and a Learning Experience.

BTW, you don't have to tell the buyer that you will send a Return Shipping Label, but if you do, not only do you encourage an honestly unhappy buyer to return the game promptly, but if a scammer doesn't use the RSL, you would win any Dispute and and unused RSL is not charged to you.

phcd1 · ‎06-15-2017

@eschwartz790 wrote:
Why am I getting all of this advice to return and refund? Why should I take the loss?

You only have two choices (after you try and fight a return within 3 days).

1. Have the buyer return the item and you pay return shipping and refund 100% of the item (inc original shipping)

or

2. Have the buyer keep the item and you refund 100% of the item (inc original shipping)

Once you accept that, you'll be a lot happier trust me.

I suggest you have all your items with "No Returns accepted" and fight the ones you get (and you WILL get some) as long as you can and then accept the return and HOPE you get the same item back. That is all you can do.

tarpedge · ‎06-15-2017

@eschwartz790 wrote:
Why am I getting all of this advice to return and refund? Why should I take the loss?

You can throw a wrench in the return attempt and prevent it from going forward: Tell your buyer that you're happy to refund as soon as you receive the return, and have verified the secret mark you placed (which you didn't and there isn't a secret mark) on the item.

alanadamsbidder · ‎06-15-2017

"I'm sorry that you're not happy with the game. You can return it for a full refund."

I would add a little bit more to that wording, to give the buyer a preview of your intention. Something like:

"I'm sorry that you're not happy with the game. You can return the game, and if the item returned is the same item in the same condition shown in the listing pictures, a full refund will be issued."

Getting the item returned back to you forces the buyer to confront scenarios such as breaking the cartridge while trying to open it, or similar, because now they have to send it back to you. Just a bit of additional incentive for the buyer to consider, since they know you'll send eBay pictures of what they return & your original listing pictures before the item went out, if the condition isn't the same.

That may or may not work out better in your favor, but at least it will be a possibility. If you don't accept the return and eBay forces the refund on your behalf, you never get to see the condition of what the buyer would return.