mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999
Hi, All!
I have been selling on eBay periodically for 10 years, with 300 reviews and 100% positive feedback since the beginning. Never a bad review.
Here is the situation for which I am looking for some guidance:
- Several days ago, I sold a $17 Lego set. Shipping was USPS Priority Mail for $12.
- It was packed very well in a sturdy box with an ample amount of bubble wrap.
- It was delivered to the Buyer in Michigan on time.
- Earlier today (Wednesday, December 18th), I got a request for a refund from the Buyer. He claims the Lego box was severely damaged.
- The Buyer also gave me negative feedback at the same time he requested the refund. I had no opportunity to correct the problem before getting the negative feedback.
- I requested pictures of the damaged box, and he sent me a picture of the damaged contents, the Lego box, not the exterior shipping box. (Please see pictures, attached.)
- When I told him I needed pictures of the shipping box in order to start the USPS insurance process (via the Priority Mail insurance), he sent me additional pictures.
- The problem is, the pictures the Buyer sent me of the damaged shipping box are NOT of the box I used to ship this Lego set. The box for which he sent pictures has Priority Mail tape on it (which I don't have), and is far too big for the product I sent. It is also a box from Amazon competitor Jet, and it is NOT the box I used. (Again, please see the pictures.)
- After seeing the shipping box pictures and realizing that they were not of the box I shipped to him, and thinking that this looks like a refund scam, I then requested from the Buyer a picture of the shipping label I sent him actually adhered to the damaged box.
- Since I use 1/2 page adhesive labels and tape them down to ensure there is no chance they will lift off if placed on any shipping tape used to seal the box, there is no way the Buyer could claim the the label had become detached from the box.
- The Buyer has not yet responded to my request for a picture of the damaged box WITH my shipping label attached to the box. In fact, I don't believe he will send me one.
- If the Buyer did send me a picture of the damaged box with my shipping label adhered to it, I could start the USPS insurance process, but I don't expect this to happen. The Buyer won't show me my box since the box I sent him is likely in good shape.
- HOWEVER, it is the negative feedback that is really bothering me. I want that removed.
- To put this behind me, I would agree to refund the full amount and let the guy keep the Lego set. But I want to get the negative feedback removed.
- Unfortunately, I do not expect the Buyer to do this for me or cooperate in the removal of the negative feedback.
- Will eBay help me? Any thoughts on how to proceed?
- I believe that If I refund the purchase and let this Buyer/scammer keep the Lego set without him first removing the negative feedback, eBay will likely consider this an admission of fault on my behalf. Yes?
- Again, I am looking for guidance on how to get this negative feedback removed by eBay. Any thoughts?
Thank you!
Jeff
Clearly it was damaged. If you want the item back you need to approve the request for return. Ebay will issue a label to the buyer and they can then return the item to you.
If you don't want the item back, apologize to the buyer and just issue a full refund.
Your choice. But you will need to do one or the other as this is not a case you can win.
As for the feedback. A nice apology email to your buyer is in order. I'm sure they are disappoint. They may have had their heart set of giving that exact gift to someone special to them for the Holiday. So not only are they disappointed that it was damaged, they now have to find another gift to replace it and it may not be the same thing. So we always need to respect that at this time of year especially.
Once you've done that and you have refunded your buyer. Then send another email and ask if they would consider revising their FB. Apologize again for the issue and that you had thought it was packaged well enough. If they respond that they will change the FB. Send them another email, thank them and let them know that they will receive an email from Ebay shortly regarding revising the FB. If they click into the email, there will be a link so they can easily make the revision.
Then go an issue them a Feeback Revision Form. But don't send one until you have an agreement with the buyer that they are willing to do this. These forms have a shelf life and if it expires, you can't send them another one. Also you only have a precious few of these available to you.
Shipping damage can happen no matter how well we package items.
@snowbirdliquidations wrote:Hey mam98031, please read the entire post from the OP! You clearly missed that this was not the same box that was sent out and the buyer either did a switcharoo scam -or- they are mixing things up that were purchased from another seller with this seller (which happens with people who buy a lot of stuff). Regardless of which, this seller is the one who is the victim here.
Since the buyer is not cooperating or responding anymore, I doubt you would be successful with a feedback revision request. They might not be replying back because they know they are caught or maybe they are just embarrassed for mixing you up with another seller.
Feedback revision requests are limited. I am not sure I would recommend to waste one with a person who is not likely to respond and go dark. Better to save those cards for a rainy day and try to get some protection from Ebay about the feedback.
If you offer free returns, you can definitely get that negative feedback removed after the case is resolved & closed postmortem. If you do not offer free returns, then you still may be able to get it considered for removal after the fact if you get a nice enough support rep who can use simple logic to determine that was undeserved feedback.
Hey I get it. But it just isn't the nature of the Ebay system. If this buyer files for a return the seller can't prove that they used a different box. Sadly the seller will not be able to win a case if they try to fight it.
As to the FB revision form. I did explain that in more detail in my other post. Yes they are limited. No you should NEVER send them out unless you have an agreement with the buyer that they are willing to revise the FB.
The OP does not offer Free Returns nor are they TRS, so the added protections there do not apply.
I get it, the OP is being scammed. I don't agree with how Ebay would handle this, but the fact is they will give that buyer their money back with our without the seller's permission.
@shevey55 wrote:I would say "I'm sorry, but you must have me mixed up with another seller. That's not the box I used to ship"
That is worth a try. And I'd take it one step further and describe how I packaged it. Heck you might even add you have pics if they want them. While that may not be accurate, they don't know that and it might just make their heart skip a beat and take a moment to figure out if they want to continue with this scam.
I like this idea!!!!
@2015mhfashions wrote:If you got it why were you telling them to apologize profusely, thank them, apologize again etc ?
They are being scammed out their item, whether they could even win a case is immaterial, i certainly do not think sucking up to these thieves is advice anyone wants to hear.
You are correct. I shouldn't have suggested that. That is more when it really was your packaging not what the OP describes at all. I was wrong, sorry!
