buyer saying item is defective but my listing pictures don't show that it is.

[spookylittlelizardgirl]

i recently sold a watch strap on here and the buyer is saying that it's defective and i should have known and put it in my description. he says it's missing a metal piece, but my pictures clearly show it wasn't there and that it is missing stitching. its a vintage watch strap and i listed it as pre-owned. he's submitted it a refund and said in a message that i should have listed it as defective, i don't think the strap is actually defective and was unaware it was supposed to come with a additional metal piece. i know ebay is really bad at not siding with sellers, but i don't think i did anything wrong, plus i sent him additional pictures of measurements and he never asked if the metal piece was there, just for the measurements. and as far as the stitching where he's saying it's missing, his pictures look the same as my listings pictures. 

 

[buyselljack2016]

seems that a "used" item should be 100% functional.

Seem that it is not, so does not meet the criteria for eBay "used" (preowned).

Not sure what the buyer's results were, but for me the photos do not enlarge when viewing.

[rugerskick · Accepted solution]

Tell him to request a return.

Block his buyer id so no more future issues.

When you get it back, examine it to see if a piece might have been there.  It might be missing something, that you were not aware of.  If it isn't, contest the return reason.  If it does seem it might be, chalk it up as an honest mistake.

[mam98031]

This is not something that would likely turn out well if you tried to fight it.  

Keep in mind if they are only emailing you at this point, many times that just means they are fishing for a partial refund.  My response to these things are pretty standard.  I send them an email something like this.

I am very sorry to hear that.  Please feel free to return the item for refund.

And leave it at that.  I know for some a simple response is hard to do, but it really is in your best interest.  If they really want to return it for refund, they will open a Request.  If they don't, they will email you again saying whatever it is they feel they must share.  If they do that, they are not serious about returning the item, they are fishing for something else.  And I say respond the same way as I said above.  Just rinse and repeat as necessary.  It says it all.

In my experience at least half if not more just go away, never to be heard from again.  So it is in your best interest to try.  You may just avoid a bigger problem.

Above all else DO NOT get in a back and forth with the buyer.  That will hurt you more than help you.  I hope you will consider what I've shared here.

[spookylittlelizardgirl]

they have already opened a request and sent me pictures of a different watch strap saying it was supposed to have this piece/stitching my pictures show missing stitching and no metal piece. it's still functional. 

[spookylittlelizardgirl]

his pictures look just like my pictures on my listing. 

[spookylittlelizardgirl]

if i accept the request, am i out the return money? i dont think that's fair when the pictures show what he's says is supposedly wrong. 

[m60driver]

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@spookylittlelizardgirl wrote:

but i don't think i did anything wrong

 

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It doesn't matter what you think, only what the buyer thinks matters to Ebay.  You can either ask the buyer to return for a refund or, if you don't want to pay return shipping,  just forget about the strap and refund the customer.  Those are your only two options.

[mam98031]

Too many sellers believe that the Return system is about who is right and who is wrong.  That has nothing to do with it at all.  Some take it as a personal slight and it is not that either.

Every single transaction on Ebay is a Business transaction.  There is not any personal transactions at all.

[slippinjimmy]

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@spookylittlelizardgirl wrote:

if i accept the request, am i out the return money? i dont think that's fair when the pictures show what he's says is supposedly wrong. 

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Your buyer probably thinks that it's not fair that you relied upon pictures only with no comment about the missing loop in the description.

I doubt I have ever seen a watch strap that did not include such a loop for the end of the strap, Buyers shouldn't have to inspect an item with a microscope to look for something that isn't there.

[downunder-61]

@spookylittlelizardgirl  What jimmy wrote was not unnecessary, it is how a buyer will look at things.

[fashunu4eeuh]

You may think you have a point. You may believe you do not have to refund the buyer because they bought a used vintage item. You would be mistaken.  

The reality is you cannot win this case as it sounds like the buyer has already opened an Item Not As Described case. Unhappy buyers can seek satisfaction through eBay’s Money Back Guarantee or their credit card institution. There is no such thing as No Refunds on eBay, even if you select No Returns. eBay policy supersedes yours.

I hope you will consider this: It is in your best interests long term to tell the buyer you are sorry they are not happy with their purchase, and please return for refund. Then you will have to pay for return shipping if you want the strap back.

As they have claimed the item is  defective, you are already way behind the eight ball. If this were my sale, i would probably not pay to return an item sold for $16.99.

You have already put this item up for auction multiple times. And it finally sold with one bid, and the buyer has advised you it is missing its “free loop” which is the official name of the piece that the buyer is referring to. Cut your losses, refund and move on.

[sin-n-dex]

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@spookylittlelizardgirl wrote:

i recently sold a watch strap on here and the buyer is saying that it's defective and i should have known and put it in my description. he says it's missing a metal piece, but my pictures clearly show it wasn't there and that it is missing stitching. its a vintage watch strap and i listed it as pre-owned. he's submitted it a refund and said in a message that i should have listed it as defective, i don't think the strap is actually defective and was unaware it was supposed to come with a additional metal piece. i know ebay is really bad at not siding with sellers, but i don't think i did anything wrong, plus i sent him additional pictures of measurements and he never asked if the metal piece was there, just for the measurements. and as far as the stitching where he's saying it's missing, his pictures look the same as my listings pictures. 

 

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I sell jewellery. I went to look at your original listing to see what your listing photo shows. I'm sorry to say, your buyer is correct, the strap is missing the metal piece otherwise you would not be able to hold the end piece in place while wearing the watch.

I wouldn't block this buyer, I think he just didn't notice this in your picture, which is unfortunate, but without that metal piece you cannot wear the watch.

C.

[spookylittlelizardgirl]

so it was visible to you in the photo? just curious because that was his issue (the photos) of the refund, he's not claiming defective. ill refund him, but i probably will block to avoid issues in the future and go over my return policies/listings to make sure they're as accurate as possible, which up until now i haven't had a problem with buyers. thank you for your reply it was actually helpful. 

[buyselljack2016]

The fact that buyer pics match your pics is not the issue.

As per my 1st post, the fact that the watch strap is not fully functional ................... is the issue 😊