eBay

melkit_5911 · ‎04-02-2024

-I sold a novelty golf lamp and there were 18 pictures from all angles. I did use AI description, but only after I edited it and made sure it was accurate. Any and all item specifics that were applicable were filled out and the condition description was accurate as used.

-The buyer created their account on the same day they bought the lamp from me, the only feedback they have is from me.

-I shipped the lamp to the buyer in 2 boxes (1-lamp 1-shade) to ensure it was protected properly while going from SC to CA, I paid more on the shipping than what was paid by the buyer because my dimensions did not factor in the extra box the lamp required.

-Out of courtesy I contacted the buyer so they would be aware that there were 2 boxes coming and that even though I shipped both at the same time I did not know if they would arrive at the same time.

-They arrived a day apart, but both were delivered on time.

-The buyer never responded to my message about the 2 boxes, but on eBay no messages from a buyer is normally a good sign.

-10 days after the 2nd box was delivered, the buyer initiated a return stating the item was not as described or pictured with eBay, which was immediately approved.

-The buyer never once reached out to me about any issues with the lamp prior to initiating a return.

-I have reached out to the buyer twice now in a completely polite and professional manner asking about the lamps condition and letting them know that I was wanting to make things right and make the process as easy as possible for them.

-I asked if they would be shipping the lamp back to me in 2 boxes (or the same 2 boxes) that I shipped it to them in.

-As this is my first INAD return I am not sure how the shipping label process (me buying, them shipping) works as far as dimensions of boxes goes etc.

-It was Easter weekend, I sent the first message to the buyer after I received 2 messages from eBay on Saturday, the 1st stating my funds were on hold and the 2nd stating the return was approved.

-I did not message on Easter Sunday, but I did send a second message on the following Monday (yesterday), basically stating the same things as I did in my first message, still polite and ensuring them I want to make things right and just want to know why they are shipping it back and how they are shipping it back.

-Still no response.

-I would like to know what was wrong with the lamp, if it arrived broken or damaged or not working. Or if somehow the item was not as pictured (which is just very, very far-fetched with the pictures that I listed it with and how rare looking it is) and I would assume that I need to know what they are shipping it back to me in (dimensions wise) before I purchase and send them the label (or however eBay does it).

My main questions/concerns are:

1- Shouldn't they have reached out to me before initiating a return letting me know that they received an item that was not as described or pictured?

2-Shouldn't they have sent me pictures of the item showing me that it was not as described or that it was damaged?

3-Did they send eBay pictures of it?

4-Do they have to do so?

5-Could INAD be that it was damaged during shipping? (it says not as described or pictured so I am assuming it didn't arrive damaged, but with no contact from the buyer and the 10 days between receiving the lamp and filing for a return request I am wondering about its current condition.)

6-If a buyer received an item and it wasn't as it was described or pictured, wouldn't they notice before 10 days had gone by? Or if it was received damaged or not functioning, why wait 10 days and why not contact me first?

7-If they don't respond about how they are shipping it back what do I do about purchasing the shipping labels? Will I have to know the dimensions? Will I be able to have it sent as 2 labels for 2 boxes like I shipped it to them?

8-Don't they have to ship it back in the same condition I shipped it to them in? Or in the same boxes with the same amount of protection etc? Without pictures of it from them how will I know if it was damaged during transit to them, while they had it, or during transit back to me if it arrives back to me damaged.

9-Was any proof of how the item was received vs how they expected it to be when they received it based on my listing submitted to eBay? Because nothing has been submitted to me and I am completely in the dark as to why it is being returned.

10- How was it automatically approved as an INAD after 10 days of them having it in their possession

if there was no proof that it was not as described submitted?

I have no problems making things right, if I didn't photograph it correctly, the item specifics were incorrect, or if it was in some other condition besides used with minor flaws. If it was actually an INAD or pictured I will gladly (kinda) pay for them to ship it back and will issue a refund. But I don't see how this could be the case. It is especially fishy to me that they waited so long to ask for a refund, did not contact me before requesting one, that they created their account the day they bought the lamp and that they have not responded to any of my messages.

I know I have to pay for shipping and I know that I have to do so in a timely manner, and I also know that eBay almost always sides with the buyer if I were to dispute. But I want to make sure I am doing things properly, in every aspect. I do not want to purchase the label, which basically says that I agree that the item was not as described and here I am paying for you to send it back to me and I will send you all of your money back, without some sort of explanation and proof as to how the item was not as described or pictured. I also know that if I ask for eBays help they could just tell them to keep the lamp and give them their money back, forcing me to repay them and defecting on my account. I have done my research. But I am still looking for any and all advice on how to proceed.

I know its a lot of questions and I thank anyone in advance that reads it all and has some advice, I am fairly new to selling but have done things as by the book as I know how to do and wanna keep it that way. Thanks -Mel

kitschy*loot · ‎04-02-2024

Buyers are not required to contact a seller first if they are going to open a not as described case... but I have rarely opted to open one without letting the seller know. The couple times I did was because I felt the seller had to already know they sent an item in very poor condition when it was stated otherwise.

Buyers do not have to send you any photos at all...

When a not as described case is started eBay normally requests a photo in my experience...

If an item arrives damaged in shipping that should qualify as not being as described too...

You never know when someone opens their packages. I sometimes get packages and take days to open them because I get so many... maybe they didn't open it until after 9 days or so. It's also possible they could have opened it right away and not noticed anything until later, or they simply didn't open a case right away.

They didn't contact you first and they didn't have to...

When a return case is opened for not as described and qualifies for the MBG in my experience a return label was automatically generated... but the seller may need to have it set up like that; that's what happened when I returned an item.

I have never returned anything that wasn't in the same box, but I would assume if the buyer bought the items in one listing that they'll receive only one return label, and I'm not sure how that would work if they tried to return the pieces in different boxes like you shipped them.

They way you decided to ship the items in different items could very well mean that your buyer now has the ability to return just one of the pieces in one box and still get the refund... but if they were dishonest they always had the ability to do that and still get a refund.

I would never split one listing up in two boxes... but maybe that's just me and maybe it works out fine when sellers do that.

The buyer is supposed to ship items back in the same condition they received the item in... but that may not necessarily be how you shipped it if it arrived damaged.

The buyer can use any box they want to return an item as long as they use the same method the label is for...

You won't know any of the answers you seek about item condition or how it was damaged unless the buyer tells you... and even then it could be a lie.

When a not as described case is opened it usually always gets approved, and the buyer can open one within 30 days on eBay.

You have no choice but to comply with the refund in a not as described case. You have no choice but to pay return shipping. The only way you can deduct anything from the refund for the condition is if you're a top rated seller who offers free 30 day returns... from what I have read in the policies.

If the case is started and you do not issue a refund within the timeframe given after getting the item back; eBay will do it for you and there will be consequences like losing final value fees and a ding on your account from what I have seen.

If the case is started and you don't provide the label... if it hasn't been automatically generated; eBay may approve the refund without the return once a certain amount of time passes. In other words they keep the item, get their money back, and you lose final value fees and get the defect on your account.

I don't sell on here but I have sold on another app, and since I know buyers can return an item or get refunded anywhere from 30-180 days on eBay, or PayPal, or possibly by a chargeback; I try to keep that in mind before I spend the money I made. If I really need to spend it I make sure I have some kind of backup in case something goes wrong.

It is your responsibility to get items shipped even if funds are on hold... you need to have a source linked that has funds on it.

If they haven't already while I was typing this, someone else may come along with more answers. There are so many helpful people here who know what they are talking about and take the time to share with the community.

melkit_5911 · ‎04-02-2024

Thank you so much for taking the time to not only read my very long story but to answer all of my questions (and to do so politely and eloquently as well is greatly appreciated).

First let me correct my postscript by saying that I was able to print the labels and the two new packages have already been shipped out per my handling time policy of same day if ordered before noon. It must have been a glitch in the system or something on my end which wouldn't surprise me as upset as I was about the situation at that time.

You unfortunately confirmed everything that I thought would be the case with your straightforward and what seem to be very accurate answers to my questions and concerns. Except I hadn't thought about eBay only sending one label for the buyer to ship the lamp back to me with. In order for me to ship it to the buyer in one box with the shade on the lamp attached it was going to cost a ridiculous amount of money so I googled and researched how to ship a lamp safely and cost efficiently and found the two box idea to be a good solution, even though it was still more than the buyer paid it was less than what I was coming up with after I bubble wrapped and double boxed the lamp as a whole. All of which is basically just a rookie mistake on my part when entering shipping details for the package in the listing. And I take full blame for that.

With that being said I feel that if I go through with purchasing the label it will be just one label and the return shipping would end up costing me WAY more than I actually have invested in the lamp all together. If I refund the buyer now and count my losses even without getting the lamp back to resell it, I have not lost much more than my time and the final value fees. I have great sourcing opportunities and utilize them 🙂

I hate giving the (what I assume to be a) scammer what they wanted but I can't justify paying out the tail for shipping an item back to me and not knowing what condition the lamp will be in when I get t, if I get it at all.

So my final question is, If I refund the buyer the money for the transaction, without requiring they return it, what if any repercussions will I face other than financial ones? By doing so am I not admitting that it was an INAD, even when I know it was exactly as described, and if it did arrive damaged it was properly packaged and insured, and could have been collected upon from USPS. Will eBay look highly upon it or will I have to pay for it again in the long run?

Not ideal and not what I want, but with a system that is set up to only protect the buyers no matter the situation (MOST OF THE TIME) my hands are tied. But I always believe that what goes around comes around, so my hands may be tied but they will remain clean, and as for the buyer... hopefully I am wrong and they just don't know how to eBay, and there is something wrong with the way I described the lamp, hopefully it works and hopefully they needed the money more than my family and I did. -Mel

simba6 · ‎04-02-2024

If a buyer says not as described, your footing the cost of the return.

It's supposed to be returned in the same condition as received, but never sell an item you can't afford to lose.

Your wagering the cost of shipping both ways with the profit you stand to make. For expensive to ship items is can be a bad bet to place.

12345jamesstamps · ‎04-02-2024

I tried to read most of everything.

Do the refund shipping label...do you actually think buyer will return it or anything...re-box it...has tape...will run to post office or whatever to mail it...I have to see a buyer(not a seller) do it.

Chances are shipping label won't be used and won't cost you for the label. I just don't seeing a buyer returning something like that...personally, not even me would want to use my time to return something as such.

It's a cool lamp and I wouldn't return it without a shade. Shades are cheap to buy.

If you haven't sold an item in 30 days your funds could be on hold...don't care how old account is or any feedback you got or have. Yes, you have to use your own money to ship items out if there are no "available funds"...remember "you need money to make money".

If you sell a post card, key chain, stamp, etc....these are sales...never not sell nothing in a 30 days.

It gets better. We sellers have good days and bad days just like retail.

Actually, being set up to sell on eBay is not easy and that is a prize in itself!

Not everyone can do what you have accomplished!

melkit_5911 · ‎04-03-2024

Update: I issued the refund without them having to ship the lamp back as the cost to do so was going to be more than I had invested in the lamp in the first place. Ended up taking about a $5-10 loss overall. So at the end of the day, I can live with that, just hope I didn't open myself up to a scammer who will repeatedly buy from me and do the same thing over and over. The money part of the refund was never the issue I just wanted to know if I had done something wrong or if the item had been damaged, but I guess I will never know now. BTW still no response from the buyer. I did not message them again though because my ability to be polite and professional has diminished entirely with them.