Preparing for a Paypal Chargeback
Summary: rivertown-pickers describes an ongoing issue with a buyer who purchased vintage children's books but claimed a page was missing from one book and requested a partial refund. Despite being a seasoned eBay buyer, the buyer has difficulty initiating a return through eBay and suggests handling it outside the platform, threatening to file a PayPal dispute. 68barbie, shire123, and grand-and-glorious-purpose explain that a chargeback removes eBay from the process, making it difficult to resolve. They suggest considering a partial refund or preparing detailed documentation for any potential dispute. lakefor94 and 12345jamesstamps advise considering the buyer's past behavior and the potential cost of a chargeback, while arijitmandal recommends documenting all interactions and evidence to utilize eBay’s payment-dispute policies effectively.
Long story, but here it goes:
Buyer bought a lot of vintage children's books for $125 (accepted an offer) and after receiving them sent us a message saying that one of the books is missing a page (they were pretty snotty about it too). We apologize and tell them to send them back. Here's where it gets fun, buyer wants a partial refund for the damaged book and obviously wants to keep the others. Since they were kinda rude in their messages, we decided to only offer them a full refund if they return all the books. She then tells us she can't figure out how to do a return (because an INAD requires pictures). Keep in mind they have been an ebay user since January of 2000 and have almost 3000 feedbacks, all as a buyer, and they can't figure out how to do a return? We suggest (with screenshots) to contact ebay customer support and see if they can start the return for her. She comes back and says she can't get ahold of CS. We have been going back on forth on this few a few days and we are tired of it. She is now trying to do the return outside of ebay and asking us for our shipping address and also if we are paying for the return shipping since it was "our" problem. We just keep referring her to ebay returns and at this point I'm ready to just stop responding to this nonsense. I've never had a buyer who couldn't open a return.
On a couple occasions they have mentioned filing a Paypal dispute. I haven't had a dispute filed for something like this before, and I just want to see if anyone has experience on how this will go. We have screenshots from our messages where we told her she will get all her money back once the books are returned and also all her messages where she "can't" file a return through ebay. If she files a chargeback, will ebay just start a return for her once we respond to the dispute or is it more complicated than that?
rivertown-pickers
OP1 week agoJust an update, they did file a chargeback due to INAD. In their comments they put that they would like to return the item. We responded to the chargeback so I'll guess we'll see what happens. The buyer keeps on asking me about paying for return shipping...I still can't believe they have a 3000 feedback score as a buyer and can't figure out how to return an item on ebay.
arijitmandal
·1 week agoKeep the screenshots, but organise the eBay record before waiting for a payment dispute.
Save the listing evidence: the description, every condition photo, order details, delivery scan, and the buyer's messages about the missing page and the requested remedy.
Keep the resolution in eBay where possible. If a payment-dispute notification arrives, respond through the eBay flow rather than relying on a separate conversation.
Watch the deadline. eBay's payment-dispute policy says a seller has 5 calendar days to accept or challenge the dispute and provide supporting evidence.
State the remedy clearly: what was offered, what the buyer accepted or declined, and whether the item is being returned.
The final decision belongs to the buyer's payment institution, but eBay says eligible transactions can receive seller protection when the seller responds on time and supplies the requested evidence: https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/payment-dispute-seller-protections?id=5293
I would keep the tone neutral in the case notes. A clear timeline is more useful than trying to predict how the buyer's bank will decide.
12345jamesstamps
·2 weeks agoBuyer can do a dispute as 'doesn't recognize purchase' and you lose no matter whatever you say or do unless the purchase was like 6 months ago.
We don't know what type of dispute the buyer does but you usually will still lose.
You will be dealing with buyer's bank and not eBay...
I would have done a partial refund and not give the buyer a hard time.
Considering buyer has done so many purchases...at this point the buyer sounds rather upset,
We sometimes as sellers lose a profit here or there...it's part of doing a business.
You should have worked it out with the buyer and not let eBay intervene.
Wondering if the 'return shipping' would have been around the same as a 'partial refund'....which you the seller would pay.
Asking a buyer to take photos and repack the items and go to ship it...it can be a hassle for a buyer but not a seller.
And I can't imagine what the feedback(s) might be from this buyer.
68barbie
·2 weeks agoNo, once she starts a chargeback ebay is completely out of the picture. Paypal may or may not require her to return the items, give her a full refund and slap you with a $20 chargeback fee.
She might be banned from eBay's buyer protection coverage hence the reason she can't open a eBay case and threatening a chargeback. Sometimes their feedback left for others might clue you in if there's mentions of refunds granted, etc.
As much as I can't stand to give in to partial refund requests it might be your best option instead of losing the whole amount.
-C
rivertown-pickers
OP2 weeks agoDon't you get to accept or dispute the chargeback within ebay though?
shire123
·2 weeks agoNo. Once a chargeback if filed ebay is out of the picture. The issue then is between you and the entity involved with the chargeback.
grand-and-glorious-purpose
·2 weeks agoThat's not correct. ebay argues upon your behalf but on a NAD rarely do you win unless the buyer is clown shoes.
If you lose ebay charges you $20 to have them fight and lose on your behalf.
In your response to the chargeback you can include "refund upon return" but that doesn't always play out.
lakefor94
·2 weeks agoThe lost eBay buyer protection crossed my mind as well.
If I was going to file a dispute with PayPal or my CC issuer, I would just file it without discussing it with the seller.
Sounds to me like you are getting the work-over from an experienced, problem child buyer. What does their feedback left for others look like?
rivertown-pickers
OP2 weeks agoIt is mostly fine, although every single feedback is like 2 or 3 words ("nice book", "good car"). There are a lot of cancelled transactions though, which is pretty alarming. They did receive one "negative" feedback from a seller where it sounds like they filed a chargeback right after buying an item.
grand-and-glorious-purpose
·2 weeks agoIf they have already done one or more ebay chargebacks before it might be your lucky day.
Neither ebay nor CC companies take problematic users lightly.