Buyer switched my item and returned the damaged

[rosylife]

 

After receiving my item, buyer switched my brand new item to his damaged one and claimed that was mine  Requested the return, I called eBay customer service, she told me to accept it and she’ll take care the rest but she did not, she sent the full refund to the buyer. 
The photos he sent to me has my box in it. 

 

[rosylife]

I did not refund them but eBay did. 

[rosylife]

I’ve been buying and selling on and off on eBay for 17 years, this’s my first time to get into this situation. So sad 

[rosylife]

Been buying and selling on and off on eBay for 17 years, this’s my first time to get into this situation. So mad 

[rosylife]

This is my selling item photos

 

 

 

 

 

[rosylife]

I have 4 of them on the listing and they’re identical. I don’t know if I have to take pictures of all of them 

[rosylife]

Thanks for pointing it out to everyone can see. The photo has another box in it. I uploaded all the photos that the buyer sent to me, so very one here can see and justify it. 

[luckythewinner]

Unfortunately, your photos prove nothing to eBay. eBay was not there to observe what you shipped, or what the buyer received, or what the buyer returned.

When you look at the situation objectively, everything boils down to one fact: did  the seller ship exactly

what was pictured in the listing. And the only person who could ever know that fact for sure is you.

If eBay denied cases based on what the seller claimed they had shipped, then eBay would be overrun with unscrupulous sellers listing brand new Rolex's and shipping empty boxes.

Now that you know the reality on the ground, you have to decide for yourself whether selling on eBay is worth the risk.

[mam98031]

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@rosylife wrote:

I did not refund them but eBay did. 

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Why did Ebay do it?  Did you not process the return request?  Or did you try to fight it and took too much time with that and the buyer was able to escalate the claim to Ebay?

It is never a good idea to allow so much time to lapse that Ebay can step in on a claim as they will refund the buyer.

Some get confused by Ebay holding funds and think it is refunded to the buyer when it isn't.  When a Request for Return is filed, Ebay puts the amount of money the buyer paid on HOLD.  Once you complete the processing of the return, the money is released.

[broto_64]

Two things that stand out to me:

* The buyer's negative speaks of a back-and-forth that ensued between the seller and the buyer.

* The OP (seller) stated that ebay issued the refund.

Both of those factors indicate the seller may not have been fully cooperative. 

The best way to handle a customer complaint is to simply reply "please return the product for a full refund," accept the return once the buyer opens a case, issue the label, and once the item is delivered back to the seller issue the refund.

Nothing more, no matter what. It is best that way, never get into denying the buyer's claims (even if they're completely false). Doing so has the best chance of receiving back an unaltered item and protecting one's feedback, not to mention avoiding the defect and paying the FVF's (which, if ebay has to issue the refund then the seller will pay those).

[juvikingnorway]

This isn't the first instance in recent memory where some low-class ebay switcheroo scammer has posted pictures where the stolen item is also photographed along the broken item they intend to "return".

I think we are at a point where scams are so matured that it is reaching epidemic proportions, they are so confident in getting away with it that they are getting sloppy.

[vonlairdsales]

This just happened to me... THIS IS MY ABSOLUTE LAST TIME USING EBAY TO SELL ANYTHING.  Actually, it would probably be to my advantage to open a new account and run the same scheme on other sellers until I recoup my money (but I won't be a **bleep** like the guy who scammed me.)  NEVER selling on EBay again.  I wish I would have known before I listed my item.  

[global_military_surplus]

Yeap, I got duped as well, too many times now...time to leave eBay.

Not matter what, they will side with buyer, calling is a joke because they tell you one thing and the opposite happen after.

My UPS driver told me that he has several houses in his route that have people returning  daily large quantity of packages from eBay and Amazon. People are actually making a living scamming sellers, they get used or damaged goods for nothing, come on eBay and purchase a new item, file claim to return and switch with the old and they are getting away over and over.

[mam98031]

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@vonlairdsales wrote:

This just happened to me... THIS IS MY ABSOLUTE LAST TIME USING EBAY TO SELL ANYTHING.  Actually, it would probably be to my advantage to open a new account and run the same scheme on other sellers until I recoup my money (but I won't be a **bleep** like the guy who scammed me.)  NEVER selling on EBay again.  I wish I would have known before I listed my item.  

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I realize you said you wouldn't do what you proposed above, but I don't understand why it would even be something you'd consider.  How is whatever happened to you the fault of other sellers and why would they have to foot the bill for you?

I see you have had one sale last month.  If you explain what happened it is possible that some of us here could help you.  But without the details it would all be guesses.

[ebooksdiva]

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@rosylife wrote:

I did not refund them but eBay did. 

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Did eBay refund them as a courtesy refund or did they deduct it from your funds? 
Because if they refunded from your funds, nine times out of ten, if eBay is called upon to handle a return, they refund the buyer, have them keep the item while also giving the seller a defect and not crediting fvfs. The defect if you get on will show after the 20th of the month.