refund

[montanatreasures4u]

A buyer purchased an item from me that was a heavy-duty sewing machine. It arrived on March 25, 2022, and the seller put in a refund request on April 12, 2022. I told the buyer that I do not accept refunds this late and that if it arrived damaged it should have been brought to my attention. I looked on the buyers selling page and notice that they are a shoe reseller. They sent one picture of the item and I asked for me and got no reply after going back and forth being polite while they were being snarky. I haven't heard back from the seller since the 12th about more pictures. Do I escalate it to eBay or wait it out? I think if you have an item for 18 days you shouldn't be able to open a case saying it arrived damaged, when clearly in the picture you have the item plugged in and have been using it on shoes. I packaged it really well and made sure the item didn't move around in the box and explained that it was not an issue on my end. Then they are trying to say it wasn't as described and I politely responded and mentioned that if an item has a flaw I mention it in the description or don't even try to sell it. They proceeded to get mad. Then after we messaged he/she left mutual feedback stating how I don't do refunds (that is my policy) and proceeded to state issues about shipping. Will Ebay even see that?

[mtgraves7984]

Do I escalate it to eBay or wait it out?

@montanatreasures4u 

^^^ NONE of these two options! You need to approve the Return request and refund the buyer only upon return of the item to you . Afterthought... you need to approve it quickly before the buyer  escalates it to eBay. 

[frodobagginskennedy]

 state to the buyer,  I am so sorry you are not happy. Return for refund,  Rinse and Repeat.  DO NOT ask E bay to step in.  DOing so will result in you being forced to refund and the buyer keeps the sewing machine,

You need to read E bay's Money Back Guarantee immediately.

[katzrul15]

Buyer has 30 days to address an issue - they are well within that window to do so.

If e-Bay steps in, you will be out the sewing machine AND the money with a shiny metric DING also.

Do not have e-Bay step in to resolve. 

[caldreamer]

EBAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE (supersedes your "no returns" policy) allows customer to return items (30 days after delivery) by claiming "damaged, defective, counterfeit, not as described".   Customers are NOT required to prove their claims.   If customers opens EBAY case you will lose. 

Also customer can "reverse credit card charges" (keep item and your money).

[fern*wood]

A no returns policy only applies to remorse returns.  It has nothing to do with an ebay money back guarantee return filed as not as described.

[soh.maryl · Accepted solution]

So you've been on eBay about 3 1/2 years and this is the first issue you've had? Congratulations!

HOWEVER, you apparently neglected to read the Money Back Guarantee for buyers, seen in every listing.

This has a serious impact on sellers in that all the buyer has to do is say the item is not as described and the seller will be required to send a prepaid return label and to refund in full upon receipt of the returned item.

Your "do not accept returns this late"   The buyer had 30 days and is well within that time limit.  And the buyer is not required to submit pictures.  

Given your response to this situation, you're pretty lucky that feedback was only a neutral.  My personal opinion.  

[montanatreasures4u]

I have read MGB and the only thing I understand was to respond to the buyer. I did what you said in the beginning and repeated myself. Then once everything was said and done I did not get a reply when I asked for more pictures to verify that is the item I sent. I won't escalate it but I have repeated myself saying I do not issue refunds. I just find it weird that they waited this long to say something if there was an issue. Anyway thanks for the help. I don't refund people unless there was an issue on my part and that happened one time I let the buyer keep the item since it was my mistake. 

[montanatreasures4u]

I understand that. It is stupid as a seller no matter what we do even though we are in the right eBay just gives the buyer what they want. What is the point in return policies if eBay supersedes our no return policies because buyers can abuse the policy. 

[inhawaii]

If it ends here, with you receiving a neutral feedback, you lucked out.

If the buyer filed/files a complaint with ebay, you will lose.

You will not only lose your money but ebay will let the buyer keep the sewing machine.

Now about this "no refunds" policy of yours.

You can't just make up a policy. Just because you type something in your listing does not make it a policy.

Ebay offers their buyers a 90 day money back guarantee.

If the buyer claims the item is damaged for whatever reason, ebay will refund them.

The fact that you claimed to have packed it well does not matter.

The fact that it was plugged in in the picture does not matter.

Ebay will refund them. 

So in cases like this you are better off accepting the return.

At least you will get your item back. 

[fern*wood]

The feedback they gave you makes me think your bluff worked and they aren't familiar with how the MBG actually works.   If they do, they can still escalate on their end to get a refund if you haven't responded with a refund or a return shipping label.  Asking them for more photos won't be considered a response to the filing if they pursue this.

[montanatreasures4u]

I understand the policy, I mainly wanted to know if sellers ever win because it is sad that no matter what we do the buyer can abuse it. I just find it suspicious that this seller has 4k sales, fixes, and resells shoes, buys the heavy-duty sewing machine that works on shoes, and then wants to open a case this long after having the items saying it arrived late. That just tells me either the buyer used it for what they needed it for or that they are trying to send me back their old machine.  The buyer has not responded to my last message on the 12th asking for more pictures of the items so I can determine if I will issue a refund. It is suspicious to me and sounds like buyers remores.

[montanatreasures4u]

*that is arrived damaged*

[dryophelia]

---

@montanatreasures4u wrote:

… I don't refund people unless there was an issue on my part and that happened one time I let the buyer keep the item since it was my mistake. 

---

eBay will refund with, or without, your approval or consent. If you do not handle this yourself and eBay gets involved, the buyer will get to keep the item AND the refund eBay pulls out of your checking account. You will also receive a defect. 
This is not worth fighting. Tell the buyer you will refund when you get the item back, then send a shipping label. 

[montanatreasures4u]

I asked them for more pictures in my last message and offered alternatives before we decide to escalate and so on in messages before our final message. They sent a weird picture that did not appear to be my machine that is why I asked.