I am done selling on eBay after they helped a buyer cheat me out of a $400 camera.
I sold a view camera for $400. The buyer claimed the lens was broken. It wasn't but I agreed to refund his money. eBay told me to refund the money and pay for return shipping. I did both of those. Then eBay emails the buyer and tells him the case is closed and he can keep the money and the camera. I made numerous calls to eBay only to be told I refunded the money and that automatically closes the case. They forgot to mention that part. All I wanted them to do was to ask the buyer to send the camera back since he had already printed the shipping label. They said they can't do that since the case was close. Everyone agreed it was wrong but nobody would do anything about it. Now I sell on Etsy.
By the way, I am a 25 year customer with a 100% feedback. eBay could care less.
mikeossur
·1 year agoRule of thumb:
1. Never refund without the item in your hands.
2. You may want to inspect the item for damage by the buyer before issuing a refund.
jonathanbrightlight
·1 year agoVery old thread.
inhawaii
·2 years agoEbay did not "help" the buyer cheat you.
You made a mistake and refunded the buyer before the item was returned to you.
You could make the exact same mistake on etsy.
Good luck.
rfmtm
·2 years agoNever refund until the item is returned. Best you can do now is ask the buyer if he will still return it, if you supply a prepaid return label. If he agrees, print a pay-on-use return label with a free PirateShip account.
dgs331
OP2 years agoeBay confirmed he printed the return label but when I asked him to return it, he said he didn't have to since eBay told him he could keep it.
doc-holmes
·2 years agoWere you speaking to someone with ebay who specifically told you to refund and then ask for a return, exactly in that order?
dgs331
OP2 years agoI recieved an email from eBay giving me three options. Refund the money and pay for return shipping, Offer a partial refund or refund the money and let them keep the item. I chose number one.
soh.maryl
·2 years agoWas that the exact wording: "Refund the money and pay for return label".
As an experienced eBayer, you had no idea that the appropriate sequence was to send the return label and await receipt of the returned item and THEN refund the buyer?
luckythewinner
·2 years agoeBay has a very specific return process where the seller pays for shipping by providing a mailing label.
The buyer uses the label to ship the item back, and once the tracking for the return label shows "delivered" the buyer is refunded and the case is closed.
That process is described in detail here:
https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/handle-return-request-seller?id=4115
It sounds like you did not follow that process, and refunded the buyer manually. Once you do that, neither you nor eBay can force the buyer to return the item or return the money.
eBay gives this option to sellers because some sellers do not want to add to their losses by paying to have a broken item returned to them.
fern*wood
·2 years agoSorry to hear that happened. I have to be very careful when I deal with a not as described return. There are several options to pick from---one of which is refund the buyer. Picking that will close the case and that's the end of it. There is another option that includes something like issue a return label and refund upon return. Never do anything that refunds first. I'm not clear how you knew he printed a return label, since I know of no option that issues one if the refund was already completed.
dgs331
OP2 years agoI recieved an email from eBay giving me three options. Refund the money and pay for return shipping, Offer a partial refund or refund the money and let them keep the item. I chose number one.
agentmeow10
·2 years agoReport to the FTC