Do I have to take a return for an item the buyer falsely states is not as advertised?

[mister-moo]

I started selling and buying fairly big ticket items after a long hiatus and now I'm regretting coming back. It seems like a different place. Lots more scammers and dishonesty. 

Anyway, I have a buyer who claims an item is "not as advertised" because Bluetooth doesn't work. I know that Bluetooth works on this item. I tested it right before I put the item in the box. 

I've politely sent two emails with tips on how to get Bluetooth to work, one with a drawing from the manual (which I also included with the item, but lots of people don't read manuals). The buyer hasn't responded. I'm guessing she knows Bluetooth works. She just has buyer's remorse and wants her money back.

The language from eBay's web site says I must take back the item and pay return shipping. Is there anyway to get eBay to accept a seller's dispute and not enforce this draconian policy? Also, if and when I get back this item and can show it works just fine what, if anything, can I do to get my shipping costs back and report the buyer for a false return request?

I note that I have bought or sold 10 big ticket items over the last two months. Five of those transactions have not gone smoothly. On the buying end, I've had vendors try to sell me a used items as new, a stolen item, and a computer from an older model year than advertised. These are vendors with >99% ratings. On the selling end, I've now had two buyers make false claims in order to get a return. I never had anything close to this happen when I was actively involved with eBay years ago. The eBay community has changed and not for the better.

[18704d]

"The language from eBay's web site says I must take back the item and pay return shipping. Is there anyway to get eBay to accept a seller's dispute and not enforce this draconian policy?"

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No.

Refuse the return, and you'll get a harmful defect from eBay.

Lynn

[bubbleman2010]

You can refuse the return buyer will escalate the claim and ebay will give them your item for free and refund them from you account or you can accept the return pay the return shipping and accept whatever you get back for a returned item...

[ersatz_sobriquet · Accepted solution]

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@18704d wrote:

"The language from eBay's web site says I must take back the item and pay return shipping. Is there anyway to get eBay to accept a seller's dispute and not enforce this draconian policy?"

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No.

Refuse the return, and you'll get a harmful defect from eBay.

Lynn

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And lose the money AND the item. 

Sorry OP, accept the return or refund without requiring return. If you think you can sell it again and not lose money on the deal, then accept the return. 

[plumbingspecials]

Yes, and then fight it when you get it back.

[pingpong517]

ok..maybe so...but did you test it when it came out of the box? so is there even a remote chance that it may not work?

but yes you'll have to refund after it is returned and shipping paid by you...so fight if you wish, but won't end any better for you....

have it returned with tracking of course, and if it comes back good as new and works...you have something to sell... if they really want to be mean..it won't work when it comes back...and they would be right...but did or didn't it......you want a sellable item back....

[buyselljack2016]

If you refuse the return, ebay will refund the buyer with your money, and allow them to keep the item.

No recourse if it works upon return. eBay does not care.

Accept the return, and hope that you actually get the item you sent, in the condition that you sent it.

[*eponymous*]

The language from eBay's web site says I must take back the item and pay return shipping. Is there anyway to get eBay to accept a seller's dispute and not enforce this draconian policy? Also, if and when I get back this item and can show it works just fine what, if anything, can I do to get my shipping costs back and report the buyer for a false return request?

No

Nothing

You don't know your buyer opened a "false return request".  All you know if it worked for you!

Selling is hardly a level playing field.  Do you as a customer park out in the hinterlands at the mall?  Do you have the same privileges as a clerk that you have as a buyer?  No, of course not.  You make money in the aggregate, not on the individual sale.  You WILL lose money on an occasional sale - that's what the margin is for... eBay is here to keep buyers happy, just like every other retail venue on the planet.

[*eponymous*]

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@plumbingspecials wrote:

Yes, and then fight it when you get it back.

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You should read the return more carefully.  It is called "return for refund" for a reason.  It is not called "return to seller for inspection before the seller decides if and how much to refund".  Refund is due when the seller gets the item back - it is not appealable no matter what the seller gets back - in whatever condition.

That's retail!

[retrose1]

The language from eBay's web site says I must take back the item and pay return shipping. Is there anyway to get eBay to accept a seller's dispute and not enforce this draconian policy?

No.

Accept the return and pay the return shipping.  Once you get an item back check to see if it is the same Bluetooth you sent out, I'll bet it won't be or if it has parts that can be stripped, they will be gone.

Even if you get back your item in the condition you sent it, file a police report for internet fraud with the buyers local police and with the post office for using the mail to fraud.  Because the buyer defrauded you out of return shipping with their lies.

If the item is yours and it is broke as they say, then you adjust how you ship.  OR go the smarter route and stop selling high end electronics (which are the highest scammed items on ebay) on ebay, until you have the same amount of recent selling feedback as the dollar value of the item you are listing.

[castlemagicmemories]

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@18704d wrote:

"The language from eBay's web site says I must take back the item and pay return shipping. Is there anyway to get eBay to accept a seller's dispute and not enforce this draconian policy?"

------------

No.

Refuse the return, and you'll get a harmful defect from eBay.

Lynn

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Not only that, those defects can impact your selling privileges, and if accumulated, can cause you to lose those privileges.

Two defects:  OOS and case closed without seller resolution.  Ebay does not want to step in, they want the seller to resolve it.

[honestabe411]

No. Accept the return..nothing you can do in this case. 

When you get the item back, check to make sure it works. If it does, simply report the buyer. Which in your case will do nothing, but will help prevent the buyer from doing thisnin the future if others report him as well. 

You csn however accept it, prove to the buyer it does work, and try and get him to close the case so you can refund just the item total. You'll have to be careful on your wording though with this. Not too angry, be curteous and understanding that maybe he just couldn't figure it out.

[couldabeenworse]

On the buying end, I've had vendors try to sell me a used items as new, a stolen item, and a computer from an older model year than advertised.

That would be the reason for eBay's "Draconian" policy of making sellers pay return shipping when the buyer claims it's not as described.  Unfortunately it is sometimes abused.

[plumbingspecials]

A seller CAN fight it. Buyers should be well aware that if they file a false claim, sellers DO have protections, too, and can fight the claim. Granted, you have to have proof to back you up (messages, photos, etc) and the more information you have, the better a seller's chance to win (even if it's just getting our return shipping back and a re-stocking fee back, it's better than taking the hit for the entire invoice amount - and the buyer gets a huge policy violation mark).. If we had no protection for ourselves, we would be hit with this on every sale.
Buyers should also be warned that they can be reported for misusing MBG, and any other violation they commit against a seller, which can result in permanent suspension of that account, and any account associated with it.

[mister-moo]

Thanks for the comments. Very helpful. And quick! After reading these comments, I realized that eBay is long ways away from its days of ordinary people like me selling and buying stuff they have lying around the house. It's now a big business and the customer is always right. That big business is filled with a strange mix of perfectly decent vendors and buyers and shady buyers and sellers. There is no way to filter out the shady element. So I best just stay away from eBay in the future for buying anything other than 20 dollar and less stuff. The risk versus the reward for bigger ticket items is just too great. And I'm done with selling. I don't have the patience and stomach for retail sales in this environment. You are stronger than I am! I'm hanging up my seller badge.

Be that as it may, I decided to follow through on my hunch that the item I sold worked perfectly well and the buyer just had remorse. I offered the buyer a 15% refund, the amount I'd have to pay in shipping to get it back, if she kept the item. She accepted this offer. I consider that a big win for me relative to the alternative. Thanks again.