Item received doesn’t match item description…Get a refund instead of returning item
When an item doesn’t match an item description, why does a buyer have to return the item in order to get a refund? The seller is the one who messed things up. If the seller can’t get things right, then they should deal with the consequences by giving the buyer a refund. The buyer shouldn’t have to return the item.
I have received several items that don’t match the item description. Item isn’t as described; Items that don’t match the picture; Some items have been damaged; Sometimes parts of the order had been missing. The seller even knows when they aren’t matching the item description, but they are hoping the buyer won’t notice.
When the buyer contacts the seller complaining that the item doesn’t match the item description, the seller always wants the buyer to send the item back in order to get a refund. Why should this be? The seller screwed things up!!! Why can’t a buyer get a refund shortly after the case has been proven that the seller did not match item description/item damaged/order not fulfilled completely. No return necessary.
Buyers are getting ripped-off more and more from sellers since I have been on eBay!!! It needs to stop!!!
kalyoth
·4 months agoPlease close thread. It's 5 months old. Thanks!
soh.maryl
·4 months agoThink about this for a moment: You bought an item from me. You receive it, but it's not as described in some way. You open an NAD case. I send you a prepaid return label which you then use to return the item. I receive the item. You get a refund.
However, let's say you were not required to return it and got a refund any way. Yes, I know you're an honest buyer, but if that was allowed on eBay, wouldn't there be a lot of false NAD cases opened?
And what if you were the seller in this case? You sent me my item. I claimed it was NAD. You were required to refund me, but I wasn't required to return it to get a refund. How long do you figure you would be in business, essentially giving away your stock like that?
bigtexasyardsale
·4 months agoBye-bye OP!
stephenmorgan
·4 months agoI believe they went Bye-bye a few months ago. Their account is no longer registered.
pickapaper
·4 months ago@crochetlover098
How do we know the things you are saying were not described correctly actually weren't? We didn't see the items, we didn't read the descriptions, we don't know what kind of seller you were buying from or whether they were drop-shipping or in another country or anything else. All we have to go by is what you are saying. How do we know the items weren't described and pictured just fine and you are nit-picking to get a free item? I'm not saying you are but we are only getting one side of your story.
grann-4629
·4 months ago... we are only getting one side of your story.
That's all we ever get from a poster with a problem ... what's your problem? 😎
unemployed_husky
·4 months ago"why does a buyer have to return the item in order to get a refund"
Because you can't scam people and get away with it just to get a item for free. Buyers are scamming the sellers more than the sellers are scamming the buyers.
reer-1462
·4 months agoSorry that you've only gotten snarky, unhelpful responses from noob sellers with no concept of accountability. When they get a little more seller experience under their belt, then they might run into a situation like this themselves. Most recently, I forgot to include a component of an item set I sold. The buyer reached out saying that it wasn't received, but that they didn't really want to go through the whole return process. I acknowledged that I, as the seller, made an error and sent a partial refund that the we agreed on. It was preferable for both of us instead of us wasting time doing the return and the buyer having to repurchase the set all over again.
I suggest that you and any others reading in the same situation do that: simply reach out to the seller with photos of the damage/missing components/etc. and explain that while you want to keep the item, it didn't match the description and the price no longer matches what was promised. A good seller who wasn't trying to scam you to begin with will at least try to work something out with you and won't shut you down forthright like everyone else in this thread has been.
If all else fails or if the seller doesn't respond...just leave them negative feedback as it appropriately reflects the transaction and their communication abilities. The noob sellers would probably seethe at this too, but hey, what goes around comes around. 😉
janet9988
·4 months agoNewbie with no real concept of what buying items ON LINE means.
reer-1462
·4 months agoCaught a 127 feedback guppy! 🎣
grann-4629
·4 months agoI am not a noob seller ... I am a noob buyer, but I certainly agree with those sellers who insist of having the item, defective or not, returned to them before any credit is issued for the reasons stated by the non-noob sellers posting here.
Sorry fellow buyers who refuse to do this ... something about owning a cookie and eating it too is popping into my noob brain.
mommaknows
·8 months ago@crochetlover098
I'm sorry that your experience has been difficult.
It seems that you would be better served by purchasing items locally and not via any online store. With that said, I find it hard to believe that you really think that you are entitled to free merchandise. Mistakes are made and expectations can influence your response.
With kindness,
I hope you find a positive way to move forward.
mtgraves7984
·8 months agoI have received several items that don’t match the item description.
@crochetlover098
And in your feedbacks left (positive or negative), you acknowledge that you received refunds. Looks like you're settling...
mamacassidy
·8 months agoOP said: "Why can’t a buyer get a refund shortly after the case has been proven that the seller did not match item description/item damaged/order not fulfilled completely."
Here is the problem with your entire stance. There is no way to PROVE the seller did not match the item description. There is no one from ebay to inspect the package as the seller is packing it up, and then there is no one to come to the buyer's residence and inspect the package when it arrives.
Every transaction is a "we-said/ they-said" type of situation, so policies are put in place to protect both buyers and sellers.
bonjourami
·8 months ago"Buyers are getting ripped-off more and more from sellers since I have been on eBay!!! It needs to stop!!!"
Theres a word for buyers who want a refund and to keep the item too. Its called a 'scammer', not saying you are one, of course.
kibble-net
·8 months agoMistakes happen. That doesn't mean you get to keep something you didn't pay for.
Most ebay sellers are not mega-corporations. Any loss comes out of our own pockets, and often means taking money away from something our families may need. Braces for little Timmy, a vet visit for Fido, or an overdue auto repair.
Have some compassion---you may need the favor returned one day.
P.S. I would also highly recommend inspecting the feedback profile of any seller you haven't bought from before. This goes a long way in weeding out unreliable sellers.
msha3839
·8 months agoThis rule works with Amazon as well..you get shipping label from Amazon/seller and have to ship merchandise back..the only advantage with Amazon that the moment item scanned at the location of return,ups store or other locations, refund is issued..at least in my case..there s some products that are not returnable , refunded without need to send it back…
biggymoe
·8 months agoObviously, you are not an online seller.
ed8108
·8 months agoOpen a MBG request & return
When you return the item, you can also advise the seller, thanks for the disappointment inconvenience & wasting of your time
Buying online can sometimes have some risk, since you don't have the item in front of you
Adapt
mudshark61369
·8 months ago"When an item doesn’t match an item description, why does a buyer have to return the item in order to get a refund? The seller is the one who messed things up. If the seller can’t get things right, then they should deal with the consequences by giving the buyer a refund. The buyer shouldn’t have to return the item... When the buyer contacts the seller complaining that the item doesn’t match the item description, the seller always wants the buyer to send the item back in order to get a refund. Why should this be?".
It should be, because no one deserves something for nothing! If you had read the terms of the Money Back Guarantee, you would know that it does cost a seller something, if there is a problem with an item they receive. They have to pay for the return shipping! In many cases you might not even have to leave your home to get the item into the shipper's hands, you can schedule pickup by them as long as you have a secure place to leave an item for the carrier to pickup.
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy?id=4210
Thanks, for posting though,
christworks
·8 months agoHow does a buyer announce they are a "problem" without saying they are a problem? Hint: Read at @crochetlover098 's post.
I find it difficult to believe there are such entitled people in the world. In fairness to them, however, it is the culture we live in, and buyers have been conditioned by large corporations to expect this.
To answer the questions @kensgiftshop asked, Amazon (along with sellers on there) frequently told buyers they could keep the item without returning it. They have cut back on this practice recently, but even now about 30% of the time I do not have to return the item, and I'm issued a full refund.
Brick-and-mortar stores also have conditioned buyers for this. Many times if you do a pickup on Walmart's app, if you need to return something, you do it in the app and keep the item. A couple of years ago, as we came out of Covid, this was common practice for in-person returns there as well. Stores have too much stock and no place to put it, because of all the stuff that was delayed when things shut down during Covid; then they got the new stock they ordered plus the backlog. Walmart (at least my stores) have not been doing this recently, but they very much do it when you buy through the app.
It is only natural for buyers who already have a naturally entitled attitude to expect the same service no matter where they shop.
To the OP: You will likely have many sellers blocking you because nobody will want to deal with you. Way to go! Also, if I were you, I'd tread carefully on this subject when you deal with sellers. It is against eBay policy to demand to keep items or ask for partial refunds. If you get enough sellers reporting you, you won't have to deal with eBay again because they will ban you - permanatly.
grann-4629
·4 months agoAmazon (along with sellers on there) frequently told buyers they could keep the item without returning it.
They do this because it is probably cheaper than taking back an item, inspecting and testing it, repackaging it, and putting it back for sale. And, they would probably have to sell it as 'used' or a 'mystery box' if the item was returned still in it's shipping container.
albertabrightalberta
·8 months ago@crochetlover098
Don't you think it comes off as rather entitled to expect to get to keep the item plus get a refund?
If you return the item, you'll be made whole and if you want a refund, you need to return it.
ETA: If you're expecting or asking for partial refunds from sellers, you may find yourself without an ebay account!
There are problem buyers who find supposed flaws in items, don't want to return items for full refunds but are perfect happy to accept compensation for keeping the item. Ebay calls such buyers "abusive buyers" and eventually such buyers find themselves unable to make purchases.
bonanza125
·8 months ago"Why should this be?"
Every situations is different. There shouldn't be consequences as in the seller should lose the item just because a buyer says it doesn't match the description. If that were the case then many more buyers will just say "item not described please give me refund and free item." There will be massive fraud which is against the law. So when purchasing items you are responsible as the buyer to return the item if you want a refund. If this doesn't meet what your expectations are then I would recommend purchasing items locally so that you see the item in person and pay upon purchasing in person. Forget online buying then.
ryry-jj
·8 months agoBecause this is how eBay works, file for INAD, receive label to ship back, once t racking confirms returns, buyer received credit.
I have always said when buying and selling on-line, sellers need to know all about shipping....& buyers need to know all about how to make returns. If you fail to do this properly, buying/selling on-line becomes a struggle
kensgiftshop
·8 months ago@crochetlover098
How are buyers getting ripped off?
File an INAD, seller would pay return shipping and you would get a full refund.
Do you know any other site where you can get a refund without returning the item?
Can you go to a store and say you want a refund, but you want to keep the item?