eBay "opened a case on my behalf" after a buyer requested a return, and immediately sided with buyer

[the_legit_business]

So yesterday, I received a request for a return on an item which the buyer claimed to be defective, even though I specified that the item was as-is, modified, and will not work like a normal system. Despite that, the buyer requested a return.  This morning, I contacted eBay customer service to ask about this, and after being on hold for about 25 minutes, was connected. After a long conversation, I was basically told my best option would be to try to talk to the buyer in the return case and see if I could fix their problem before proceeding with a return/partial refund. I did just that, and messaged the buyer, and asked if they could provide additional information and laid out the options. A few minutes later, I check my email, and found that eBay had escalated the case "on your behalf", despite the customer service rep claiming I would have until Tuesday to deal with the problem before it could be escalated. It then immediately closed the case that I did not ask to be opened in the first place, in the buyer's favor, like always of course. After that, frustrated, I contacted a customer service representative, and was told that nothing could be done and the case couldn't be reversed, but I could deal with the buyer outside of the returns window, through eBay messaging. I asked to be connected with a suprivisor, which was subsequently done. After speaking with the suprivisor, they claimed they had no idea why the case was escalated, and the only thing they could do is contact the buyer in my name, with a message saying that I am willing to deal with the return request in other ways, such as a partial refund, etc. He then said that he would "contact the buyer with this message and write information in the case notes", and then basically hung up on me. Now the buyer has a return label, which I was forced to pay for, after I was willing to resolve an issue and figure out a solution.

I have never used these forums before, but this is just so absurd and ludicrous that I would like some input. Has anything like this ever happened before?

[creoleorchid]

Yes, all the time but not to me thankfully.

Any time a buyer opens a return request using any reason other than buyer's remorse (didn't like it, didn't fit, changed mind...), you will have to accept the return and pay for the label. If you call to contest it, 99.99% of the time the CS rep will "escalate" it no matter what they tell you. That .01% reflects the one poster here who says they have successfully contested these cases but I think even that ship has sailed with the new seller update.

The bad news is you may also have earned a defect for an unresolved case.

[the_legit_business]

They are so intransparent with everything they do; it's like they are trying to find new ways to trick sellers. With this new sellers update releasing in July, I don't know if I will continue to sell on here at all. It will just allow these buyers to lie and cheat, and will instantly print a return label for them, on your dime of course. So absurd. 

[gkyn29]

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@the_legit_business wrote:

So yesterday, I received a request for a return on an item which the buyer claimed to be defective, even though I specified that the item was as-is, modified, and will not work like a normal system. Despite that, the buyer requested a return.  This morning, I contacted eBay customer service to ask about this, and after being on hold for about 25 minutes, was connected. After a long conversation, I was basically told my best option would be to try to talk to the buyer in the return case and see if I could fix their problem before proceeding with a return/partial refund. I did just that, and messaged the buyer, and asked if they could provide additional information and laid out the options. A few minutes later, I check my email, and found that eBay had escalated the case "on your behalf", despite the customer service rep claiming I would have until Tuesday to deal with the problem before it could be escalated. It then immediately closed the case that I did not ask to be opened in the first place, in the buyer's favor, like always of course. After that, frustrated, I contacted a customer service representative, and was told that nothing could be done and the case couldn't be reversed, but I could deal with the buyer outside of the returns window, through eBay messaging. I asked to be connected with a suprivisor, which was subsequently done. After speaking with the suprivisor, they claimed they had no idea why the case was escalated, and the only thing they could do is contact the buyer in my name, with a message saying that I am willing to deal with the return request in other ways, such as a partial refund, etc. He then said that he would "contact the buyer with this message and write information in the case notes", and then basically hung up on me. Now the buyer has a return label, which I was forced to pay for, after I was willing to resolve an issue and figure out a solution.

I have never used these forums before, but this is just so absurd and ludicrous that I would like some input. Has anything like this ever happened before?

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Welcome to the forums.

To put this in perspective, there are about 1,523,212 threads on how sellers got screwed over and about 5 how buyers did.

Yours rates about a 3 on the 1 to 10 scale of screwed over.

eBay has, and always will be, geared towards buyers and the favoritism in disputes supports this.

[kaelykat]

Sorry this happened to you. It seems that CS now considers any contact as "escalating" the case. There have been more than few threads on this. 

When you get a return now for anything but buyer's remorse pick return for refund. Hope you get your original item back and refund them then add them to your block list.

[fluffywhip78]

I'm guesing this is about the modded xbox that you sold.  You probably should have had the condition set to as-is for parts instead of "used" and saying as-is in the description. If the system was modified, listing what was changed might have been helpful.  It looks like from the pictures you put a bigger harddrive and evolution x is installed. 

These are just my guess what may of hurt you.

[caddy200448]

I have had two this past month where I was forced to send and pay for a return label . I sell fabric that is cut from the bolt which once cut can't be connected back to the bolt . If I do get it back and is clean and not smelly, it has to go in the scrap bin to wait and hopefully another buyer will buy that amount. It's a no no to send yardage that isn't cut in one piece.. Who would want to buy 3 yards which is cut into 3 one yard cuts? 

I am now slowing closing out my store..I'm ending a certain amount of items weekly till they are all gone.  I sell on Amazon and Etsy where sales have been exceeding Ebay for over a year now, so time premiting I will be exiting this site after being on here 14 years.. Sad that it had to come to this.. What was once a great site to sell on, has now become a financial loss for so many.