Payment dispute settled in seller’s favor!

[mctr]

I’ve never posted here before but consulted the conversations many times over the years. Been on eBay for over 20 years but just sell random things here and there, not a power seller or anything. 100% positive feedback. 

Anyway, I’m in such a state of happy shock I had to share my story. 

I sold a used, working iPhone 8 back in mid-February. Buyer had good 200+ feedback and paid normally and I shipped to the confirmed address in Miami. I gave positive feedback, he gave none to me. Two months later, mid April, I got a payment dispute from the buyer he had opened with his bank/credit card, requesting nearly half the purchase price back, claiming several functions of the phone didn’t work. As you may know, the only dispute you can counter with is an image which of course I couldn’t possibly provide (there’s no way I could have captured in a still image anything to prove the functions he said weren’t working were in fact working, months earlier, in anticipation of his claim). So all I did was type up an explanation, explain how there was no way I could provide evidence to dispute his claim, that he had received the item two months ago and just now claiming it doesn’t work, etc. and took a screenshot and uploaded it. 

And then I waited. And waited. Couple weeks later, buyer updated the amount requested to the full amount ($239 by the way, so a big hit if I had to refund and not get the phone back) with no additional info or communication. More time passed. I dug a little and found that the address I shipped to is basically just a remailer to Honduras. Great, if I end up having to refund I’m sure the phone is long gone. 

Finally, today, I got an email from eBay saying the payment dispute was settled in my favor!!! Nothing to do, no further explanation, all done! Seriously thought this was going to end my selling. I probably won’t sell used electronics anymore - I have several times before, and only minor hassles with bidders from Russia and stuff (I don’t want the hassle of shipping internationally so I limit to US buyers) but this episode is the last straw for selling smartphones for me. 

[popblox]

WOW. This is literally the first time I have ever seen a situation like this where the outcome was in favor of the seller - go YOU!! Congrats!

[lamber9347]

@mctr Wow, congratulations to you! Go quickly and purchase a lottery ticket before your luck runs out. This was a great post to read. Best of luck to you....

[inhawaii]

Congrats and thanks for the post!  Great idea about submitting a PHOTO of a letter.

Stay safe.

[katzrul15]

Wow!  Great recap - I think there is hope for us all!  🙂

Terrific that they ruled in your favor.  Does not seem to happen often on cell phones based on what others post on this board.  Glad for once, it worked out for a Seller.  About time!  Congrats!

[downunder-61]

Maybe the case of another buyer being 'slapped' for too many INR or INAD disputes especially given the use of the on forwarder.

So good to see OP - frame that reply, it is so unusual it may be worth money some day! LOL

[farmalljr]

Wow, were you ever fortunate! Let's all hope eBay doesn't reverse that decision!

Yes, you should probably rethink selling anything in a "scam is likely" category. These freight forwarders have really become a thorn to sellers. Seems that is the trend anymore, that these forwarders are used to scam commonly. I really wish eBay would use the old rule of killing any further protection once delivered in the US, to foreign buyers using freight forwarders. Wish credit card companies did the same. 

They don't though, so we sellers have to do whatever is necessary to protect ourselves.  

[ittybitnot]

@mctr 

Thank you for letting us know.  Very glad this turned out well for you. 

[bitseeker]

Thanks for sharing some good news and congrats on the outcome. Even if the info you have available is limited, it's still worthwhile expending the effort to make your case and not give up.

[native_plant_shop]

I had a return because a cactus had thorns "item not as described" 

Ebay sided with the buyer 

[lagarto_electronico]

The only way that outcome could happen is if that buyer went overboard on his scams and caught doing exactly the same thing to 50 people.  So, my guess is the reality here is probably close to that.

Normally, eBay will roll over on the seller. Especially now with the mangled payments system and no PayPal to act as a buffer.

[johnwhiplash]

The buyer waited too long. If they keep it beyond the return window, then you have a good chance of ebay siding with you.

[southern*sweet*tea]

If the payment dispute was settled in your favor, that means the buyer's credit card turned them down.  Ebay goes with the credit card decision every. single. time.   They can't override the credit card.  The only way Ebay will find for a seller in a dispute would  if the credit card declined the buyer's case, or if Ebay decided for the seller on appeal.