Crazy eBayâ€™s Refund â€“ Full Refund Issued to a Buyer Who Used a Freight Forwarder eBay has outrageo | Returns

koreaantiqueland · 2025-09-07T11:10:18.383000Z

eBay has outrageously refunded a buyer in full even though they used a freight forwarder. To summarize the case briefly: I received an order from Saudi Arabia and shipped a vinyl record there. Three weeks after confirmed delivery, the buyer filed a claim saying the vinyl had been forwarded to Brazil and had warped. Because I experienced a similar case years ago, I now wrap all records in very thick insulation to prevent warping. I can guarantee that with my current packaging method, if warping occurred it must have been due to a serious failure during the shipping process, or the original package was tampered with and repacked. In my listing description, I clearly stated that if the vinyl arrived warped, the buyer must claim compensation through the shipping company. I showed this to the buyer and also explained that warping is usually caused by heat during shipping. The buyer, however, dismissed my explanation as an â€œexcuseâ€ and rudely responded with comments like â€œno one here is stupid.â€ Eventually, the buyer opened a return request but submitted only one photo of the vinyl coverâ€”not the allegedly damaged vinyl itself. There was no way to see where or how it was damaged. This was nothing like a normal return request. eBay acknowledged that the buyer violated policy by using a freight forwarder, but still insisted that I purchase and provide a return label. Since the item sold for $55 with free shipping, after deducting fees and the original shipping cost, I realized that providing a return label would put me at a loss. Later, eBay customer support told me I only needed to provide a label from the buyerâ€™s address in Brazil to my address in Korea. But I had never been given the buyerâ€™s Brazilian address. When I asked about this, I received no clear reply, and soon after eBay stepped in and issued a full refund anyway. The reason given was â€œthe seller did not respond.â€ In reality, I was waiting for the case to open properly so I could present my side. Instead, the case was closed automatically within a day without giving me any opportunity to respond. If I had known this order was being placed through a forwarding service, I would have declined the sale. eBay, however, does not allow sellers to refuse such transactions, does not penalize buyers who violate policy, and still allows them to receive full refunds. This creates a dangerous precedent. Middlemen can purchase items on eBay, resell them at a margin in another country, and if a problem occurs afterward, the original seller is forced to take full responsibilityâ€”even without proper evidence. While eBay admitted the buyer violated policy, they never mentioned any penalty. Instead, they only gave me a generic link to â€œreport the buyer.â€ Based on this experience, I am convinced this feature has no real effect. Is this truly how a company in California, in the United Statesâ€”a country that claims to stand for democracyâ€”should be operating? Or is California an exception where such unfair practices are tolerated? I sincerely hope other sellers will not have to experience the same situation.

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Crazy eBayâ€™s Refund â€“ Full Refund Issued to a Buyer Who Used a Freight Forwarder eBay has outrageo | Returns | eBay Community