Buyer sent item back outside the return process, ~90 days after the sale. Refund or ignore?

[rimtrim]

Let me preface this by saying, I'm not one of those bitter sellers who looks for petty things to whine about. At least, I don't think I am 😋

So, this item sold on 8/22, a "cheap" item by my standards at $17.99 plus shipping. As soon as the sale came in, I knew there was a problem, because the buyer selected a vehicle that doesn't match the listing. I messaged the buyer and asked him to confirm that the part was what he wanted. He responded by sending me more information about his vehicle, which didn't resolve my concern. I messaged again and asked if he wanted to cancel. No response. I waited overnight and asked yet again if I should ship or cancel, and again no response.

My understanding of eBay policy is that I must ship in this situation. Sellers can only cancel without potential penalty if the buyer specifically asks to cancel. So, I shipped it. For ~60 days, I heard nothing.

Then, the guy opens a return request, stating that I sent him the wrong part and ignored his request to cancel. I take returns for 30 days not 60 days, and I declined the return. At that point he sends me a nasty note saying he DEMANDS a full refund. I responded politely but firmly that he'd be getting nothing from me, and I thought that was the end of the matter.

Several weeks later, the item shows up on my doorstep, with a handwritten note saying that he expects me to send him the part he needs or issue a refund. It's now almost 90 days after the sale. At this point, I don't think he can get eBay itself to force a refund. If I do nothing and he files a chargeback on this, is that likely to pass through to me? I had another chargeback this year where the bank decided in the buyer's favor, but eBay covered the cost. (That was a case where I had no contact from the buyer about any problem; no idea why the chargeback was filed.)

My softer side wants to go ahead and give the guy his lousy $17.99 since I do have the item back. On the other hand, he's spent 3 months ignoring my messages, violating eBay policy and refusing to take responsibility for his own error which I went out of my way to try and correct. Also, I'm concerned that issuing a partial refund (less shipping) could still result in a chargeback. And there's no way I'm refunding a penny of shipping on this, if I have anything to say about it.

I'm sure there will be a range of opinions on what "should" be done in this case. FWIW, my first goal is to avoid paying out any more than the $17.99 initial item price, and my second goal is to not reward this guy for doing literally everything wrong throughout the entire transaction.

[titipeo]

You have the item, I will just refund and get it over with. This is outside eBay to do anything with, however, buyer can file chargeback, and he has proof that he returned item. Best to get it over with, relist, and move on. Otherwise, buyer will be pestering you. 

[lakefor94]

I would not over think this.

If it were me, and item is in the same condition as when I sent it and can resell for the same price, I would refund less the original shipping or perhaps the whole transaction if free shipping was involved.

[onefootflipper]

I would be inclined to do nothing. You didn't approve a return, you were not looking for a return to come to you and for all the customer knows that address wasn't even a valid one to send a return to in the first place. You don't have a 3 month part rental service, nor are you obliged to open mystery packages sent to your address.

Don't fight the chargeback if they do it, as that will cost you another $20, but they are unlikely to do it. I have had two chargebacks ever and both were the customer's first moves.

[sextons-sweet-deals]

if you're 100% sure the part is the exact part that you sent 3 months ago, refund and block buyer

[gotta-have-it-collectables]

Wait 3 months and see what happens.

 Then its equal for both parties!

Happiness!

[spark-chaser1]

I'm inclined to agree with you that the buyer has been more than unreasonable, and deserves nothing. They made a mistake and have wasted a ton of your time and energy.

But as others have said, if you don't squash it, this fly will continue to buzz around your head. Your best option is probably to refund the ITEM COST ONLY and let them eat the rest. 

I think you did everything right... And the buyer everything wrong... But for a low- prices item, is it worth the hassle?

[sapphire_studio]

I would hold off to refund him until you hear from him again through eBay. 

 Then I would send him a strongly worded message outlying every single thing that he did wrong. Let him know that you are under absolutely no obligation to refund him,  But this is such a low cost item it is not worth the headache and energy drain on you both, and you will go ahead and refund him the item cost minus the shipping this one time.

Basically try to make him learn something from this whole experience. 🙂

[dirk12955]

A $17.99 part buyer that causes $117.99 in headaches.  

[gurlcat]

I notice that none of the people recommending a refund are offering any reassurances that the buyer WON'T or CAN'T still do a CC chargeback even after the seller has refunded them, which is what the OP is explicitly asking about.  

[albertabrightalberta]

I'd refund the net amount that was credited to you, deducted original shipping and fees. 

[stainlessenginecovers]

If you refund- isn't the charge back entity have nothing to charge back to? 

Anyway; I would just refund. $18 just not worth the possible issues (especially if you can just relist/resell the item).  It's good customer service for both you and eBay in general as people that get the shaft from an entity tend to blame the entity and not the individual- and possibly just quite buying from here just because of that. I'm guessing the Item didn't fit and buyer didn't want to get back and forth about it so they finally saw it sitting in the garage and shipped it back. 

[vintagecraze50]

Correct. The buyer sent this item back with NO RECORD here that the item was returned.

[ittybitnot]

@rimtrim 

Can you still refund from the transaction?  Is it in your history after 90 days? Just curious.

[vintagecraze50]

OOPs—they cannot file a chargeback here after the seller shows he refunded the purchase per the record here. If the buyer goes to the credit card it will show in the records here the item was refunded. I would note that in a message that the seller received the item back and then processed the refund.