Buyer demanding a Full refund

[carkach0]

I recently shipped a set of dishware in it's original box, with extra packing material, and wrapped in an additional box. Out of 20 pieces, 2 of them arrived broken.

I offered the buyer a partial refund of 10% of purchase price AND 10% of shipping costs. They are DEMANDING a FULL refund for the entire $150 purchase price. 

Firstly, they are being exceedingly nasty about it, saying that a) it was broken when I shipped it, and b) it is useless to them. C) they expected a set produced 20 years ago to have a showroom floor box.

I am at the point where I have been very professional about it, however, I think their request for a FULL REFUND is preposterous. I have always resolved things with my customers, but this is out of hand. What would you as a seller do? 

[mtgraves7984]

If your buyer is demanding a full refund, I'd demand a full Return. The dishware that has survived still has resale value... if you don't get it back, you don't have it to sell. If the buyer opens a Return (now they're just asking for a refund), approve it and supply a shipping label. Don't refund until the dishware is back to you . Good luck.

[no_zero369]

Hey I know you are frustrated and this buyer sounds like a doozy!  I am sure you have been able to work things out with buyers in the past so this time it has to be very frustrating to find an ig-it!

But setting the emotions aside, seems like little to be gained with more back & forth with them.  Sounds like you might just wind them up more as some people can never be satisfied.  So I think you know the simple solution:

Dear Buyer, Sorry you aren't happy with the dishes and the damage that happened.  We regret the inconvenience, please return them for a full refund. 

Rinse and repeat until the send them back.

Sure they might file a SNAD case and you'll have to pay for shipping, but hey "returns happen" and you can work them into your business plan and financial plan.

But I suspect the buyer is trying to scam you and get you to give a refund so they can keep the dishes.  I wouldn't give in to this kind of extortion and just tell them to send the stuff back.   Once you change your tune and are FIRM about it, the buyer might all of a sudden realize their scam isn't going to work and relent.  But you'll have to try.   

Ultimately it is up to you to make a business decision on what is the best path:  Make them return and then refund when dishes get back or try to come to some resolution on  partial refund.  Risks to either direction you go, so you'll have to make the decision and after all that is why you are "paid the BIG bucks!"  😁

[netwizz760]

Listen, Apologize, Satisfy, Thank.  Buyers like to be in control, so I usually offer them a couple of options.

"Dear buyer, I am sorry to read that some of the dishes in your order arrived damaged.   I can offer several solutions for you to choose:

1.  You are fully-covered by eBay's 100% Money Back Guarantee.  If you would like a full refund, please open a "damaged" case to return the entire order for a full refund.  If you choose this option, I will get it approved right-away,  pay for the return shipping, and provide the return shipping label for you.

2.  If you would rather keep the items that are not broken and return nothing, I would be happy to work with you and provide a partial refund.  You indicated 2 of 20 (10%) arrived damaged.  As a courtesy, I would like to offer you a bit more for your trouble or a 15% refund of the entire amount (including shipping),  where I issue you a refund of $21.50, and eBay will also automatically refund you back the pro-rated sales-tax on that portion for an estimated total refund of at or about $23 if you choose this option.

Please let me know which option works best for you.

Thank you

Best regards,

Seller"

#1.  Is standard "return for a full refund" verbiage, but you are being nice letting the buyer know it will not cost them anything... that you are taking care of them.

#2.   Make certain you UNDER estimate this $23 figure... because if the buyer things he or she is getting $23 and ends up with $22.95, watch out!  You need to go look at how much sales tax the buyer paid and if it is on shipping.

#2.  If you feel the buyer is trying to scam you, ask for a picture, but do it tactfully as to not insinuate you are asking because you feel you are getting scammed... even though this is the real reason...  You are going to pay right away but need the picture at some point it will be required by the insurance 😉  (yeah, it may be self-insurance, but ... )

X#:  Block any buyer who demands a full refund resisting returning the order.  A good buyer would be diplomatic and start with a message probably showing the picture of the two damaged items then asking you how you want to resolve it, or they might suggest a 10% refund OR suggest they can open a "damaged" case and return the entire order for a full refund.

In fact, a good buyer will:  Report a problem, be understanding that issues DO happen, understand some things are outside the seller's control, offer solutions or to work with the seller to get input how to resolve, be diplomatic and responsive, but ultimately end it respectfully with something like "thank you."  It is OKAY for a complaint letter to have an action-item or propose a solution; it is a business letter or business transaction after all.  What is NOT okay is being obnoxious, rude, demanding, threatening feedback, etc.  Lastly, a good buyer WILL give a seller an opportunity to provide great customer service and resolve an issue.   I for example do NOT automatically leave negative or neutral feedback just because something goes wrong; it happens.  It is how customer service is handled AFTER the problem that determines the feedback I leave.  I have occasionally had items refunded or replaced  or returned for a full refund.  To me all of these are acceptable resolutions.  It is only those sellers who are unresponsive, intentionally delay, force escalations, provide bogus excuses (like was visiting a relative in a hospital meanwhile said item is STILL listed (at a higher price)... that I consider taking action.)...

Hopefully you get this sorted.

[lightlily_arts]

I had the same problem many years ago.   They claimed damage but provided no pictures.  I requested that  ALL of it be returned for  refund.  Send a return shipping label insured.  So you don't get a whole box of damaged dishes.  I never heard from them again.  I also had another buyer tell me there was a rough edge chip?   Again, no pictures.  I knew they were fishing for a partial and I advised them to open a claim for a return.  They declined as they had already gifted it.

[lamber9347]

@carkach0 Dear buyer, I'm sorry you are unhappy and some items were broken during shipping. Please return for a full refund. I will send you a return label. Thank you for your purchase. 

Every customer is different, just like every person is different. If you haven't realized that until now you have been very blessed, welcome to reality. Best of luck to you....

[espresso_warehouse]

Request they return it and report them for being an abusive buyer. They probably try to bully everyone like that, and maybe worse.

Stay civil in messages. Dollars to doughnuts this buyer will not remain civil, and to what degree a CS agent might might be interested to know.

[powell-memorabilia]

@carkach0 

Hard to say if the buyer is being difficult.  This might be a case where the buyer needs a certain number of settings, so having 10% of the items broken makes the set worthless to him.  In such a case, he doesn't want a 10% refund - he wants a full refund. 

Is the buyer indicating that he won't return the item, and still wants a 100% refund, or just that he wants to return, and you are countering with a 10% discount?  If we're talking about the latter, yes, I'd be very annoyed at a seller telling me that the item I find to be worthless will still cost me money.  

Some of us aren't looking for anything for free - we just want the item that we ordered to arrive as described, without shipping damage.  I was refunded on a lithograph a couple of weeks ago - I really preferred to have the seller pay for a return.  She didn't - she let me keep the item.  Now, I have to deal with properly disposing of a broken frame and lots of shards of glass.  And, I have a roughed-up lithograph to either throw away or put in the corner of a closet. She did offer a discount - had to tell her that I wouldn't even accept a 90% discount.  Not everyone that rejects a seller offer to "make it right" wants something for free.  

As other users have mentioned, I think it best to provide options to buyers - a quick mea culpa, then offering EITHER return for refund or x% discount to keep the damaged set.  You could have asked the buyer what he thinks is a fair discount (if he wants to retain possession).  

[aproudparent2010]

Have them return it all and give them their full refund when you get it back

[nuvistors]

If you shipped a chess set and it was short 2 pieces would you be calling the buyer nasty because they  expected a full set ?

[airsheep]

Nasty doesn't necessarily mean the request for refund, it can cover a whole lot more.

[lightlily_arts]

I thought about it without knowing which pieces were broken.  But the offer for 10% was actually equal to the percentage that was damaged.   However, the buyer may have felt that the offer was too low especially if it were the larger pieces that were damaged.  Nonetheless, I would still tell them to return for a refund as you might still be able to resell the rest of the set.   Just extend your apologies and ignore the nasty comments as they are disappointed by the breakage. Some people don't handle disappointments well.

[lja440]

---

@lightlily_arts wrote:

I had the same problem many years ago.   They claimed damage but provided no pictures.  I requested that  ALL of it be returned for  refund.  Send a return shipping label insured.  So you don't get a whole box of damaged dishes.  I never heard from them again.  I also had another buyer tell me there was a rough edge chip?   Again, no pictures.  I knew they were fishing for a partial and I advised them to open a claim for a return.  They declined as they had already gifted it.

---

I had that once. Vintage set that I had noted that one small plate had extensive staining and crazing and it was represented by a picture in the listing (I thought it looked like it had been used under a plant). 

I answered that it was in the listing (they had purchased using the app). I sent them a link to the same plate listed on Replacements.com if they absolutly needed to replace that perticular plate. I never heard back from them.

[brwil85]

The buyer didn't want 18 dishes. They wanted a set of 20. You will have to accept the return. 

[netwizz760]

What drives me nuts is eBay’s **bleep** where if I pay for a return label eBay does NOT provide me the tracking number.   It is some blasted secret unless I recognize it on Informed Delivery.

It irritates me the distrust.   The reason I say that IS if I got a buyer whom I believe (I.e. they sent a picture) and we’re cool about the problem being 100% my fault, if I had the tracking number the moment it showed acceptance, I would refund the buyer!

I would NOT wait until I received the item as a courtesy to the buyer.   Even if the buyer ships back bricks, it is going to be a he said, she said, I lose anyway deal.   That said 99% of the time people DO in fact actually return the items appropriately though 95% of the time they come back NOT in the same condition they go out missing boxes, manuals, poorly packaged etc.

I think the better solution is to upload a label to know what the tracking number is.