Dishonest Buyer - Ebay is No Help

[comic_box]

Recently sold a $530 item (comic book), Buyer received it and gave a great positive review of it, then later claimed it was "restored" and not worth the money. I offered to take it back, which I do not normally do, but in the interest of honesty and transparency I refunded the Buyer before I received the item. Now the buyer is silent on the matter and will not return the item. Ebay will not help because the Transaction is "closed" and there is apparently no way to talk to a person at Ebay. Frankly, this is enough of an issue to sue the Buyer or report a crime, and discontinue all relationship with Ebay. They do not support the Seller and offer no way to speak with a human. I'm done. 

[buyselljack2016]

There is nothing to contact eBay about.

You refunded. eBay is done with the transaction.

Seller error refunding before item returned.

[luckythewinner]

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@comic_box wrote:

Recently sold a $530 item (comic book), Buyer received it and gave a great positive review of it, then later claimed it was "restored" and not worth the money. I offered to take it back, which I do not normally do, but in the interest of honesty and transparency I refunded the Buyer before I received the item. Now the buyer is silent on the matter and will not return the item. Ebay will not help because the Transaction is "closed" and there is apparently no way to talk to a person at Ebay. Frankly, this is enough of an issue to sue the Buyer or report a crime, and discontinue all relationship with Ebay. They do not support the Seller and offer no way to speak with a human. I'm done. 

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eBay has policies and procedures that make it very clear how a seller should handle a return.

• The buyer request a return on eBay
• The seller provides a prepaid shipping label for the return
• The buyer returns the item
• After the item arrives, the seller refunds the buyer

You chose not to follow eBay's policies and procedures. That is not a reason to sue eBay, it is a reason to accept responsibility for your actions and learn from your mistake.

[ms.rodriguez*]

Well the good news is that it looks like you have the biggest tax deduction loss of the morning from the posts that I have read.   The $530 is there under your EARNINGS /INCOME column .  You will need to add it now to the LOSS/expense Deduction column $530.   Take a photo of the refund and save it for when you do your taxes.  (or print it and put it wherever you are accumulating your receipts.

I would send another email to that buyer and asking them to least send you some of the money since now you are short and will have a hard time feeding your pets and kids.  Keep pets first. If necessary name the pets.  I'm thinking its a younger buyer and they will like a dog/cat better than a kid. Also include a paypal address to see if they will send you at least X.   X has to be less than 530.   They are not going to give you the 530 but maybe they will give you half or whatever number. you ask them to pay  you.  Appeal to them to at least let you break even on this particular comic.  Sometimes, this may work.

[dhbookds]

Agree with @buyselljack2016 

Never refund until an item is returned.......

hard lesson to learn......but not everyone is honest.......sorry it was so expensive......

[sextons-sweet-deals]

Why in the world would you refund before getting the comic back?

Honestly, you probably would have received an empty box, a different comic, or the buyer manipulated the shipping label (if you provided on in a case they opened) to an address in your area to shop delivered. 

Your feedback tells me your kind of new and the thieves love new sellers. 

I would have listed that comic as pick-up only / pay then. 

Straight question: Do you think it could have been restored? 

Take Care.

[miyasamaco]

You have away your item. It was incredibly foolish to refund without the product in hand. 

[kensgiftshop]

There's been no crime committed and no reason to sue anyone.

You're the one that made the mistake of refunding before the book was returned.

Even if you did talk to CS, theres nothing they would do.

[bonjourami]

if you continue to refund buyers before you get your item back, you probably are done. Dont forget to cancel the listings you have up before you leave.

[soh.maryl]

Do you really see appealing to the buyer in that way would be effective?

Have you had experience, as a seller, where the buyer actually responded positively to that?  

[retro_entertainment_collectibles]

Whilst you could contact authorities they do not act upon he said/she said and ultimately its up to a district attorney to determine crime hence why "False Arrest" exists.

Small claims likely require that you provision proof that the item has been authenticated by an independent party w/ knowledge of such things.  Grading services and such do that type of work I guess.  Courts don't work on he said/she said either unless its political in which case it's "Who said, what said, where said, there said, they said, spy said, why said?"

[monica-sells · Accepted solution]

curious...did the buyer submit it for grading and get the "restored" designation prior to slabbing?

if so, the return was justified....

however, normal protocols are to receive the item BEFORE you refund....

unfortunately, by not following the procedure, this transaction went south

good luck, I hope the buyer has some decency to do the right thing morally and send it back

[rustydalmatian]

Sad fact (and sad grammar), but people are getting more dishonester all the time. 

[comic_box]

The buyer also has a selling account on Ebay, with lots of inexplicably positive reviews. I think I have just run afoul of a criminal, and they have probably re-sold the comic book already. Very disappointing. 

[comic_box]

You are correct, apparently the buyer got someone to say it was "restored", and at that point I gave them the benefit of the doubt and offered to take it back without any problem. I screwed up and did not wait to get it in my hands. I hate dishonest people.