Refusing a Return?
Summary: danimel-2187 is a new seller on eBay and encountered an issue where a buyer requested a return for a camera sold as defective due to a non-functional flash. Multiple participants advised that the seller must accept the return, as eBay requires this for items considered 'not as described.' They suggested highlighting defects prominently in listings and highlighted the importance of compliance with eBay’s return policies to avoid losing the item and payment. Additionally, they recommended considering local sales for items with partial defects and emphasized clear communication in future listings.
Hello! This is my first time selling on Ebay and I sold an old digital camera with a bunch of accessories. I listed in the item title (in all caps) to check the item description, and explicitly listed that the flash does not work. Someone ended up buying the camera and I reached out after to try and have some sort of discourse. This person did not respond until weeks later after submitting a return request because the "camera is defective" due to the flash. The camera is fully operational otherwise. Ebay won't let me refuse the return, and I don't know what to do from here, if a seasoned Seller could help me I would really appreciate it!
mam98031
·1 month agoI just posted the various different return policies we can have as sellers and the impact those policies have here on this site. You need to read them carefully as there is actually no such thing as a NO REFUND policy. You can have a no return policy and not accept the return, but that does NOT prevent you from refunding the buyer voluntarily or being forced to refund the buyer by Ebay.
You have three days [check the return for the exact date] in which to respond to the claim. In this case you do either need to accept it or simply refund the buyer and let them keep the item. Your choice. I know it doesn't seem fair, but there are things that you should have done to better protect yourself. Learning to sell here takes time and experience. Now if you do not respond to that Return Request within the timeframe given, the buyer can ask Ebay to step in and Ebay will assume you don't want the product back, fully refund the buyer from your money and you will NOT get your selling fees back as a penalty for forcing Ebay to rule on the request.
I would refrain from so many words in All Caps in your title. My rule of thumb is three keywords. It is important to remember that all caps are or can be very hard to read for some. So steer clear of that. Also don't waste space in the title. That is your prime place to put in keywords a buyer may search by. Use it wisely.
Your defect regarding the flash not working was barely mentioned. Any defects in the item you are selling should be clearly and prominently stated in your description. Draw attention to it. Make it bold or use a different color or both. But be abundantly clear about ANY issues with the item. I can see how your buyer missed that in your description.
Just learn from this, process the claim as you should and move on. Your next experiences will get better and better as you grow as a seller and learn the dos and don'ts.
mam98031
·1 month agoThe return policies options are as follows.
1. No Returns
2. 30 day returns w/ buyer pays shipping
3. 60 day returns w/ buyer pays shipping
4. 30 day returns w/ seller pays shipping, AKA Free Returns
5. 60 day returns w/ seller pays shipping. AKA Free Returns
6. 14 Day returns in certain categories
With option number 1, No Returns the seller can completely deny taking a return for a Buyer's Remorse Return Request, if the buyer properly filed the claim. Or if they want to they can accept the return and have the buyer pay the return shipping. If the seller so chooses they can withhold the original shipping if it was separately stated on the listing [not free shipping] when it is time to refund the buyer.
On options 2 & 3 the buyer is responsible for the return shipping on a Buyer's Remorse Return. Plus if the seller so chooses they can withhold the original shipping if it was separately stated on the listing [not free shipping] when it is time to refund the buyer. As of October 1st 2019, sellers that are TRS have some additional protections as well as they can issue partial refunds if they options 2 or 3 as their return policy.
On options 4 & 5 above, they are also known as Free Returns. If a seller that has either of those policies they will pay the return shipping even on a buyer's remorse return. A seller can withhold the original shipping value from the refund if the shipping was separately stated in the listing [not free shipping]. Also Seller’s offering options 4 or 5 have the ability to do partial refunds in certain cases if the item arrives back damaged, missing something or in a condition less than what it was sent to the buyer in, see the policy for more details, the link is below. In the cases where a deduction in the refund is taken due to damage or other authorized reasons for a partial refund, Ebay will protect the seller from negative or neutral feedback.
ALL OPTIONS [1, 2, 3, 4 and 5] are required to process SNAD claims without exception. Even if they are improperly filed and should have been a Buyer’s Remorse claim.
All return policies by sellers must meet or exceed what is stated in the Money Back Guarantee Policy!
14 day return policies are allowed in certain categories: Camera Drones, Camera lenses, Collectibles & Art, Digital Cameras, Jewelry and Medical & Mobility.
For those with Free Return and/or TRS members with 30 day return policies, there are some added protection benefits, one of which is the ability to do a discounted refund under certain conditions.
momtoabeautifuldaughter
·1 month ago@danimel-2187
All good advice and also I would not have put in listing that it is also listed on Depop..if eBay had caught that they would have taken down for your listing for offering to sell outside eBay.
femmefan1946
·1 month agoGood point. While eBay does not want us double listing, there is little they can do to prevent it.
It is very important when we put items on multiple sites, that we remove them from all sites immediately on sale.
kibble-net
·1 month ago · Edited95% of buyers don't read descriptions. Half of them barely read the titles. You have to shout it from the rooftops.
The first part of the item TITLE ought to be: [BROKEN FLASH]
For instance:
[BROKEN FLASH] Nikon CoolPix Model 42 Complete With Box
Last year I sold a Cards Against Humanity game for PARTS that was missing the "black cards". Even with this in the title, condition notes, and description, I ended up having to refund the buyer because they didn't READ. That's just how it goes sometimes. Thankfully, it's a rare occurrence, and ever since that happened I always use the guideline I mentioned above.
Edit - One more thing you can do is sell FOR PARTS/NOT WORKING. This gives the buyer a maximum of 3 days to open a return after receiving it. If there's any defects with the item, this may be a viable strategy for you in the future.
jonathanbrightlight
·1 month agoOnly thing I would do differently is I wouldn't use brackets or other symbols, especially right up against the text, since I've found it can mess with the search results. I don't know if the brackets specifically do that, but having some symbols up against text confuses the search engine, so searching for "broken" might not bring up something with "[broken" in the title.
And absolutely I agree with using For Parts or Not Working as the condition, for exactly the reason you mentioned (in addition to just feeling more honest).
pickapaper
·1 month agoWhen you sell something like this and there is a defect, that defect needs to be highlighted several times, i.e. in the title you should have said something like "Orange Canon IXY 210F Power Shot ELPH 100 HS Digital Camera FLASH DOES NOT WORK".
In your description, you say "All functions besides the flash are fully operational, last 4 images are pictures taken using this camera." That sentence kind of gets lost in the shuffle. It would be better to say at the beginning of the description "FLASH DOES NOT WORK. Everything else is fully operational." The same thing in the condition statement.
As others have said, accept the return and after you get it back and refund the buyer, relist the camera. It should sell again but the problem with the camera has to be spelled out clearly in several places. Even that doesn't guarantee you won't get a buyer who does not read anything.
femmefan1946
·1 month agoIt's hard with an early sale, but accept the Claim and send the return shipping.
Promptly.
It is possible that the buyer will not follow through, but keeps the camera. You win the Claim.
The buyer cannot leave feedback.
The buyer will probably return the camera. Refund promptly.
The buyer cannot leave feedback.
Relist and resell. Preferably locally since the buyer can then inspect before buying and you can get paid in cash.
Feedback is not used by eBay to assess member accounts.
But.
At this point in your selling career, you don't want to have ANY negs.
Most buyers will avoid sellers with ratings under 90%. An experienced buyer avoids sellers with ratings under 98%.
albertabrightalberta
·1 month ago@danimel-2187
Another comment: When listing a used item, you need to check the item specifics.
Notice that this is in the item specifics of YOUR used item. A non-working flash makes the came NOT fully operational and it does NOT function as intended.
"Used: An item that has been used previously. The item may have some signs of cosmetic wear, but is fully operational and functions as intended."
albertabrightalberta
·1 month ago@danimel-2187
A "defective" item return request = NAD (not as described) and you have 2 options:
Issue a full refund without the buyer having to return it
Accept the return, pay for the return shipping label and issue a full refund upon receipt of the return.
Your "no return" policy only applies for remorse returns.
susanb1872
·1 month agoPeople sell partially working items on ebay all the time without a problem. However, I do not because many buyers, as you have discovered, do not read the descriptions very well. So just a suggestion to you as a new seller would be to avoid these types of items until you are more established. You can always ty to sell these locally.
inhawaii
·1 month agoByers often miss things like that - flash doesn't work.
At this point, you need to accept the return.
If you don't, ebay will force you to refund and let the buyer keep the camera.
In the future....
"Flash does not work" needs to be in the title AND the description in big, bold, red letters.
Sorry this happened to you.
redmodelt
·1 month agoIf they open a not as described (NAD) return, you HAVE to accept it or you will loose the items and full payment including shipping.
krazzykats
·1 month agoYou need to accept the return, if you want the camera back. Otherwise, the buyer may end up with both their money back and camera.
A buyer can return it, if they think its defective. Doesn't matter that you listed it as such.
The more you fight the return, the bigger the chance you will end up with a broken camera...