Thank you eBay for standing by me as a seller.
Hello all, Ive been selling here for years, 1028 100% reviews.
I had my first unhappy customer who bought from me over a month ago and wanted his money back.
I had stated in the precise lengthy listing description that it was sold as is, no refunds or returns.
I asked eBay to look over my concerns about what I should do.
They called me! And explained in detail that I was in the right. My selling description was right, the communication between messages was done correctly and I had proved my worth based on reviews of previous customers of mine.
So Thank you eBay.
24 comments
thelongball
·2 years agoBlocking a person stops them from contacting you thru any of your other listings as they won't see the spot that says contact seller. But unfortunately, they still will be able to contact you thru the original listing. If they sent you a message thru that listing all they need to do is reply from that email and it will come thru to you. I learned this the hard way having gone thru the same experience. As for getting information from a call center rep., its usually a answer to get you off the phone quick.
I sell sports cards and I had a question on a return. The reps answer was so far out there, I knew they were making it up. I asked the rep three times if they knew what a baseball card is. On the third time they admitted they didn't know what they were, only that we can sell them on eBay. That was their knowledge level. I demanded and got transferred back stateside and talked with someone who listened to what I was saying. The call center looks at a screen that tells them when the customer says this, you say this in return. Its all scripted. I worked for a cable company, and I saw the same type screens used there. They don't even listen to you. Its all based on keywords.
It is nice to hear something positive for a change though and Thank You for that. I just don't want to see you think that this is the norm or true as it could cost you money the next time or worse yet get your metrics dinged by false information.
Enjoy selling on eBay and Hope you continue with the success you are already having.
mam98031
·2 years ago@dougsvintagestore
The return policies options are as follows.
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.
mam98031
·2 years ago@dougsvintagestore
That was nice of them to tell you all that and I do hope it made you feel better about the situation. But they is what they were doing. Just trying to make you feel good about it.
The truth would be that they are outside of the MBG [Money Back Guarantee], so a seller does not have to honor that return request.
Something else you need to know. ALL sellers are REQUIRED to have a return policy that meets or exceeds the MBG. So even though you have a No Return Policy, if a buyer files a Request for Return, you need to process it and you shouldn't deny it as that will just cause the buyer to ask Ebay to step in and then you will have a defect on your account as Ebay will most certainly have you refund the buyer.
The only type of claim you can deny is a properly filed Buyer's Remorse claim. That you can say you will not accept the return and you aren't going to refund.
Keep in mind having a No Return Policy only means you don't want the item back, not that you can't be force to refund.
dougsvintagestore
OP2 years agoWow, I am taken aback with the replies so far. I have seen stories from buyers and sellers too about not getting a fair deal.
She told me the person was being blocked from communications with me and that I was protected as a seller with the Seller Protection Policy.
coolections
·2 years agoYou were protected by Ebay's seller protection policy. The policy is a buyer cannot have a refund after 30 days has passed. She lied about the part of blocking communication with you. You have to do that yourself. Go to the blocked buyer list and add the person. Check the box that says do not allow communication.
mam98031
·2 years agoYou can't block a buyer from communicating with you if you have a recent transaction with them. Likely up to 60-90 days after their purchase.
lonebuck-books
·2 years agoUnfortunately blocking a buyer with the box about no communication only works for buyers who don't have an ongoing transaction with you. The buyer will still be able to communicate with you about that purchase even with the block turned on. I know there is a timeline where it will take effect after a sale but I don't remember what it is. In my not so good memory I think it is 90 days but I certainly can be wrong about the time. Bottom line is if you have an existing transaction with a buyer, they will be able to communicate with you regardless of them being blocked or not. Been there, done that, didn't even get a lousy t-shirt!
joliztoyco
·2 years agoDon't be "taken aback".
We're just letting you know eBay policy.
If your buyer would have filed in the 30 day window, you would have not only refunded every cent of their money, you would have paid for the return shipping.
eBay didn't do you any favors.
They just followed their own policy.
Good luck in your sales.
dougsvintagestore
OP2 years agoI guess Ive just led a charmed life here then. Ive never had a buyer unhappy with the item until now. I sell vintage and you can see with items like that the possibility exists that damage could happen during shipping or even just handling the item when received.
lamber9347
·2 years ago@dougsvintagestore That's exactly it, this is your first time dealing with a return so it's all new to you. All of the comments have been spot on. This platform offers a money back guarantee, that surpasses a seller's own no returns policy. The platforms rules apply to everyone, new sellers as well as long time sellers. Returns are not as common as some make them out to be, and more based on what items are sold. You have been lucky so far and hopefully won't encounter another for a long time. Best of luck to you....
oldwestcoins
·2 years agoeBay doesn't block communication. They never have that I have heard in my 23 years of selling here.
dougsvintagestore
OP2 years agoWell as per the advice of others here, I blocked the person myself.
I sure am learning a lot here today.
duffy4444
·2 years ago@dougsvintagestore:
I'm glad you have success so far in this situation, and you've received a lot of great advice that is dead on.
However, I'm sorry to be Robert Raincloud here, but you're not out of the woods yet. The buyer could go right to their credit card company and file a chargeback claim even many months down the road. It happens a lot, so be prepared for the possibility. A cc claim is nearly always found in the favor of the buyer, no matter what circumstances exist, and eBay is currently powerless to fight it... they would most likely refund the buyer's payment out of your proceeds, and then just might charge you an extra $20 for the hassle.
Many of us sellers have had to contend with a similar situation, so welcome to the club. Just don't be discouraged... keep chugging along here...
Cheers,
Duffy
dbfolks166mt
·2 years ago@dougsvintagestore:
I'm glad you have success so far in this situation, and you've received a lot of great advice that is dead on.
However, I'm sorry to be Robert Raincloud here, but you're not out of the woods yet. The buyer could go right to their credit card company and file a chargeback claim even many months down the road. It happens a lot, so be prepared for the possibility. A cc claim is nearly always found in the favor of the buyer, no matter what circumstances exist, and eBay is currently powerless to fight it... they would most likely refund the buyer's payment out of your proceeds, and then just might charge you an extra $20 for the hassle.
Many of us sellers have had to contend with a similar situation, so welcome to the club. Just don't be discouraged... keep chugging along here...
Cheers,
Duffy
Totally agree that this could possibly happen. However, if the buyer files a chargeback for the same reason, I am assuming the eBay claim was an NAD, then the OP should be aware if they open a NAD chargeback that eBay does provide some protection for the seller but the seller must respond to the chargeback within a set of constraints. OP may want to review the following in case this happens. There are other postings on this forum about the difficulties in dealing with eBay on the protection it offers.
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/payment-dispute-seller-protections?id=5293
ten_o_nine
·2 years agoCome back a lot, you'll hear all the scenarios of unhappy buyers, and some happy buyers😊
mam98031
·2 years agoThey will if the buyer is continually abusive in what they say in multiple emails. If not blocking them, sanctioning them. Its a long story, but I had a buyer that just wouldn't leave me alone for MONTHS.
Ebay does take abusive emails seriously.
dougsvintagestore
OP2 years ago29 messages since I put the item up for sale on July 11.
mam98031
·2 years agoHave you reported them? Have you blocked them?
You should do both. But if you don't report them, Ebay can't help you as they don't know you have an issue with them.
mam98031
·2 years agoUnless that buyer was being abusive in the emails to you, that Customer Service person would have no right to block that buyer from communicating with you.
Now this can still come back on you. If your buyer paid you with a Credit Card or a Debit Card, they have up to 180 days [depends on the rule of the card] to file a disputed through their Card.
So be nice to the buyer, the best you can. Don't upset them unless there is just no other way. Good Luck.
inhawaii
·2 years agoI hate to turn this positive post into a negative.
If this complaint was less than 30 days and if the buyer filed a NAD (not as described) case,
ebay would not be standing by you.
And if your buyer decides to file a "chargeback" with their credit card company,
ebay will not be standing by you.
Let's hope that doesn't happen.
But I'm glad things worked out for you.
soh.maryl
·2 years agoHaving proved your worth through past history means nothing when/if a buyer opens an item not as described case, nor does your "no returns" stance.
The answers given here by the others are right on. Your buyer lost because he waited too long to open a case with eBay. Guess he is not aware that he could open a case with Paypal or do a chargeback on his card.
tinsoldierunderground
·2 years agoI'm sorry to say, but it sounds like another case of an ebay CS rep telling you what you want to hear.
I'm guessing that the buyer didn't open a case within the allotted time... As others have pointed out on these boards, no returns doesn't mean no refunds. If the buyer opens a case because they find fault with the item, real or imagined, ebay typically sides with the buyer.
robbie31415
·2 years agoThey called you and gave you bad information.
There is no as is on eBay, regardless of what you say in your description.
The only reason they sided with you is because it's past 30 days, and MBG claims can no longer be opened.
ten_o_nine
·2 years agoHow did they stand by you? Was there a case and they closed it in your favor?