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Buyer Demanded Partial Refund, Refused to Return for full refund, then Left Negative Feedback and eBay won't remove. . .
Summary: jandcdownsize expressed frustration over a buyer who claimed an item smelled like smoke and demanded a partial refund but refused to return the item for a full refund. They detailed repeated efforts to comply with eBay's policies, only to receive negative feedback that was not removed despite apparent policy violations. lady_madonna suggested contacting eBay's customer service for further assistance. As the situation progressed, the buyer eventually requested a return but continued to make demands for a partial refund. Others, including comics-scifi-collectibles and lady_madonna, offered advice on handling the situation and dealing with possible buyer abuse under eBay's policies.
I am infuriated right now. I have SEVERAL times had buyers pull the "smells like smoke" scam once receiving an item and demanding a partial refund. All others dropped the issue after telling them to open a case and return for a full refund. THIS IS A NON-SMOKING HOME AND WE ARE NOT RESELLERS - everything comes from our own childhood collection. This Buyer refused to open a return request and return the item at MY COST, continued to ask for a partial refund/discount and when I would not give them one and continued to ask them to open a case and return for a full refund, the Buyer left negative feedback which CLEARLY violated eBay policy (stating freely that they altered the item multiple times (negating our Buyer protection) AND that they wanted compensated for their time) and EBAY REFUSED TO REMOVE THE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK! !
Below are the messages and the feedback. I am really ticked off because eBay does NOTHING to help Sellers in this situation. I did open a case and reported the Buyer, but after refusing to remove the feedback, I don't have a lot of hope that even when reviewing the messages and the feedback that eBay will help. Our feedback is always stellar from our Buyers until this person.
WHAT CAN I DO TO APPEAL THE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK REMOVAL DENIAL? ANY ADVICE APPRECIATED!
BUYER - I've been cleaning it and cleaning it and trying to disinfect it and still can't get rid of the smell. I think it would only be fair for you to give me some kind of a refund for this issue and for my trouble.
ME: Good evening. I am so sorry and we have no idea how this could have happened - we are not smokers and this was my own personal toy from growing up. This is very upsetting and we understand your disappointment, as we are disappointed, too. Please initiate an official return request through eBay, pack it with the same care that we sent it to you in the original packaging if possible and we will issue a refund in full as soon as we receive it back. Again, I am so sorry and really have no idea how this happened. As listed in all of our listings, we are not resellers and I am very upset about this.
BUYER - I've already discarded all of the packaging because I intended to keep it and just clean it. But the smell remains. I still have a few other methods I'm going to try and see if that will help remove the smell. I plan on keeping it if those methods work but feel like a discount would be appropriate for all of my trouble.
ME: - As we only want our customers 100% satisfied, please open a return request through Ebay. As soon as this is done, I will accept the request and send the shipping label. Please pack as securely as possible and drop off at the post office. As soon as it is received back, we will issue the full refund. Thank you.
BUYER - If you want me to be 100% satisfied you'd give me a discount because this set is the one I want. It's just requiring a lot of work to get rid of the smell.
ME - We are sorry to hear that you are unhappy. We do not offer partial refunds under any circumstances. As you are unsatisfied, please open a formal return request through eBay. We will gladly issue a full refund as soon as the item is returned and received back in its original shipped condition. Thank you.
NEGATIVE FEEDBACK -I bought this for my children because it was exactly what I'd been looking for. But when it arrived all of the contents smelled strongly of cigarette smoke. I tried multiple things to remove the smell. I asked the seller for a partial refund because of my disappointment in the cigarette smell and for all of my efforts, but they declined and told me to just return it. I told them I didn't want to return it, I just wanted to be compensated for my troubles. But they still declined multiple times.
lady_madonna
Mentor1 month agoSo sorry this happened to you. Your reply to the feedback was very good.
You can try pleading with Customer Service.
Here's how to contact a general customer service agent:
Click this link>
1. https://www.ebay.com/help/contact?type=ContactUs&topicId=4000
2. Select a category that best matches your problem.
3. Answer the chat bots question by stating what you need help with. Be brief, don't go into details.
4.Type AGENT ( you may have repeat steps 3 and 4)
5. Request a call back or live chat. (Note that the contact options vary depending on the topic and staffing availability)
Monday to Sunday 5:00 am to 09:30 pm PST
OR Contact customer service on social media using a PRIVATE message>
https://www.instagram.com/ebay/
6-6 Pacific Time M-F
jandcdownsize
OPAug 11, 2026 at 12:16 AM · EditedAbsolutely ZERO help and proof that eBay doesn't protect Sellers AT ALL. They allow Buyers to attempt to extort Sellers, FREELY ADMIT (see below) that the Buyer is wrong, but won't remove the feedback. This was what the live agent told me:
eBay Assistant: I can assure you that those requests are manually reviewed by my colleagues, who are experts in these policies.
eBay Assistant: I would like to inform you that the feedback isn’t eligible to be removed as the buyer has shared their experience with this transaction.
You: Even when the Buyer freely admits that they altered the item and wanted compensation, only leaving the negative feedback AFTER refusing a partial refund? And saying in the messages "- If you want me to be 100% satisfied you'd give me a discount"?
eBay Assistant: Right or wrong, in the end your customer was asked to rate you. While we may disagree with what they've said, we can't tell your customer how to feel about the transaction, even if we think they may be wrong.
lady_madonna
MentorAug 11, 2026 at 2:30 AMDid you speak to an AGENT as instructed above?
jandcdownsize
OPAug 11, 2026 at 10:58 PMI assume that I was talking to a real person - had to wait 10 mins. for "someone" to come onto the chat and thought I was talking to someone real. Going back and reading the chat, it could have been a chatbot/ai . . .
NOW THE BUYER HAS REQUESTED THE RETURN AFTER ALL! She admitted in 3 separate messages to "cleaning" and altering the item, now I have to sit an wait to see if she is going to send it back (or play the scammer game and then doesn't return it) by Aug. 31 and then if she actually does, hope that it isn't damaged where I cannot relist again (because there is NOTHING wrong with it!).
jandcdownsize
OPAug 11, 2026 at 11:01 PMTo make it even better, this is what the Buyer wrote in the return request, which again, admitted to altering the item, negating out the Buyer Protection:
I had to do extra mile cleaning them to keep the toys child-safe for playing, to remove the smell. 20% partial refund is all I ask to make us even, becuase I find it unfair to pay full price over something that I have to clean multiple times in different methods. I don't want to return the toys, I just want to be compensated for my trouble for an item that should hve arrived child-ready for playing to begin with.
comics-scifi-collectibles
MentorAug 11, 2026 at 11:05 PM@jandcdownsize In the future just say "return for refund" don't offer partial refunds on buyers that are obviously fishing. Sorry you are dealing with this. You do need accept the return.
I understand that this is frustrating.
If the buyer files a refund request SAYING that the item is not as described then you need to accept the return and issue the return shipping label.
The eBay Money Back Guarantee overrules your no returns policy. No returns does not mean no refunds.
If you do not accept the return willingly then the buyer can ask eBay to step in and force a refund. You do not get your seller's fees back, you get a defect and the buyer may be allowed to keep the item.
If the buyer abuses the eBay MBG in some way then you can report them but it doesn't get your money back:
https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/resolving-buyer-issues/report-issue-buyer?id=4084&st=
Sellers have protection for return abuse if they offer FREE RETURN shipping on their listings OR if they are a Top Rated seller and offer 30 days or greater returns. The seller can then reduce the refund amount by up to 50% if the buyer sends a different item or somehow reduces the value of the item.
Seller protection:
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/seller-protections?id=4345&st=12&pos=4&query=Seller%20protections&intent=seller%20protection&context=DEFAULT_SELLER
After you receive the item back you can try and appeal the case.
jandcdownsize
OPAug 11, 2026 at 11:37 PMHowdy!
We were offering a return the whole time. We already accepted the return request - where I am mad is that she has said she "cleaned" the item 5 times now and I fear if she ACTUALLY does return, that it will eb damaged.
There was nothing wrong with it, and it did not smell.
lady_madonna
MentorAug 12, 2026 at 12:00 AMSince Ebay does not have access to the item to determine the condition, they stand by their Money Back Guarantee for buyers.
Take the advice here and if the buyer files a Return Request, you approve it.
You can do as @comics-scifi-collectibles stated and report them as an "abusive buyer". It won't get your refunded money back, but it may give you some personal satisfaction so you can move on from this unfortunate situation.