eBay easily opens doors to scam international sellers !
Summary: fmxmaster expressed frustration with eBay's resolution process after a buyer received a full refund for a custom automotive product without returning it, despite installation errors made by the buyer. tobaccocardyahoo suggested that selling custom products carries high risk and highlighted regional differences in buyer protection laws. kensgiftshop advised accepting returns to avoid such issues, while fmxmaster noted the prohibitive costs of handling returns, which are not considered by eBay. The discussion emphasizes the challenges and perceived unfairness faced by international sellers in online marketplaces.
Scenario:
Automotive product manufactured and shipped from Turkey to Mexico.
Product made to customers specification, color and shape choosed by buyer - Not stocked items.
How to use is clearly shown on the photos in the listing.
Buyer claimed, the item does not fit and sent photos of a wrong installation.
Buyer received a photo installation guide but he is not willing to proceed.
Return impossible because of already payed customs fees, taxes, shipping and a return will explode costs.
Buyer got a full refund without returning the item. I have contacted eBay several times and appealed the outcome. No chance for the seller! I showed eBay proofs that the buyer made a wrong installation and is not willing to cooperate. eBay supporters clearly did not made the deciscion right, if so anyone of the human assitants would see buyers photo of a wrong installation.
How can it be so easy for a buyer to get a full refund on international transactions and keep the product too?
I really wanna try it on my next international buy, just file a complain 'Item does not fit / Item is broken' and receive a full refund.
tobaccocardyahoo
·3 weeks agoIn the United States, Auto parts are a high return rate item.
Where there are more returns, there is more return abuse.
Your ability to protect yourself is limited. More so if you are a vendor on an internet marketplace.
There is nothing about what you are experiencing which should be surprising. You should have planned for this when you decided to offer your products on Ebay.
kensgiftshop
·3 weeks ago"How can it be so easy for a buyer to get a full refund on international transactions and keep the product too?"
Accept the return and pay return shipping and that wouldn't happen.
fmxmaster
OP3 weeks agoYou did not read the end of my post regarding the fees I payed and need to pay for the return
kensgiftshop
·3 weeks agoI did read it.
If buyer files an INAD, even if it isn't a legit one, you have to pay return shipping if you want it returned.
As far as the fees, Ebay doesn't care about those.
tobaccocardyahoo
·3 weeks agoUsually, the seller has contributed to the reasons this transaction failed.
Some products are not suitable for online sales, domestic or international. Custom products are definitely high risk. Whether the seller who produced it or the buyers spec was the problem cannot be dealt with economically.
Products which must be installed are also problematic. Ebay buyers for such items are often very cost conscious and not always skilled. Whether the problem was the product or the installation is not a problem Ebay can manage.
Here in the US, buyers are protected by our laws and are more likely to prevail in any mail order transaction.
Many US and International Sellers do not understand the risks they are taking, and find their business model is far more expensive than they thought, and their profits are far lower than they hoped.
fmxmaster
OP3 weeks agoI sell a lot of these products to high value customers with expensive showcars. To let them make their decisions I send them mockups and example photos and all of them are informed and experience to make the installation right, which is extually very easy. Just remove old plastic trim and put on the new one. If a client orders such customized product, he usually know what to do and should not complain a non fitting part. Its like someone orders a blue car but after delivery says, he want to cancel the transaction because he likes red more. It is scam, nothing else