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Customer swapped out item and trying to send me back a used item.
Summary: kritur_292 is dealing with a customer who requested a refund for an item lost by USPS for a month and later claimed the returned item was rusted and unusable. Despite the clear terms against returns, eBay is allowing the return based on the customer's claims. The original item, a $1300 part for a John Deere tractor, was brand new, unlike the one sent back. kritur_292 seeks advice on how to handle the situation, referencing a similar past experience.
I have sold a item to a customer that USPS Priority mail lost for a month and the customer said he wanted a refund because he done bought another one somewhere else. So eBay denied his return. So the customer immediately sends in another request stating the item is rusty and cant be used and he took it all apart. The item is a $1300.00 part for a John Deere tractor. He sent pictures and it clearly is not the brand new item I shipped and eBay has let him so far going to let him send it back. I clearly had on my advertised item that this item can't be returned because I had someone 4 years ago do the exact same thing. What is your opinions on what I should do/ Thank you for your time and help.
eastlaneave
Mentor1 week ago@kritur_292
If the buyer is asking to return the item because it's damaged, faulty, or didn't match your listing description, then you need to accept the return, even if your returns policy says you don't accept returns, and even if the photos show another item.
My advice:
✓ Contact the buyer in a friendly way to ask them if they opened the return for the wrong seller, and that the item doesn't look like the item you sent him.
✓ Has the buyer admitted to taking the item apart? (set aside that it's not your item). If so, contact eBay Customer Service; you have a chance at having the return closed in your favor.... not because it's a different item, but because the buyer admitted to disassembling the item and can't return it in the condition it was sent. Focus solely on the buyer's admission of altering the product
If you aren't successful with customer service,
1) Accept the return and issue the label (don't refund at this point)
2) When the item is returned, inspect it
3) Block the Buyer https://www.ebay.com/bmgt/BuyerBlock
4) Report the buyer for misusing the Money Back Guarantee here, if appropriate: https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/resolving-buyer-issues/reporting-issue-buyer?id=4084
5) Issue a refund,
6) Appeal the case to eBay
https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/appeal-outcome-case-seller?id=4369
More information
https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/handling-return-requests?id=4115#section5