eBay

closed75742 · ‎07-23-2018

Hi all,

I am new seller on eBay who are selling as part time .. and i want to share my story and you may give me some advice.

I found that Global shipping program is good idea to sell worldwide, as it doesn't cost my anything extra .. I just ship the item to eBay and eBay will ship it buyer .. How much buyer pays? i don't care .. and very easy !
BUT i found that it costs me hundreds $$$

I sold a pair of women shoes to a buyer in Germany for $115 and $4.99 shipping and sent it to eBay. and then they shipped it to buyer.
My item is new, and very high quality, and all my customers are happy with 100% positive feedback.
I mean, i have no doubt that my item is 100% fine !

This buyer wanted to return the item, and reported that the item is defective and provided "blurry" photo which doesn't show anything wrong..
I asked the buyer if the item is new, and if she can send more photos but she didn't respond, and eventually eBay approved the return which was on hold!! and asked me to send prepaid shipping label for the buyer to return the item or send her the money to cover shipping expense!! and gave me 4 days to arrange the return with buyer or they will issue refund even that she doesn't return the item.
- For me, i am 100% sure that buyer is committing fraud, to keep the item for Free and get her refund.
- All my focus it to force the buyer to return the item, before issuing refund, because i belive it's fair to not let such buyers take an advantage of us.
- I contacted the buyer 3 times, to ask for her shipping address (as i didn't know where to find it as i shipped it to eBay not to Germany) or how she wants to return it, and she was ignoring my message and responded after 3 days that she left Germany for Summer Holiday for 1 month !!! and keep claiming that item is defective and bla bla bla !!

- I contacted eBay, and got the address in Germany, created a prepaid label and paid $78 shipping !!!! and sent it to eBay.

Here's the situation, the buyer will keep using the shoes, and then send me used shoes. I paid $78 return shipping, plus first time shipping, and eBay Fees!!

My question; where's my protection as seller? and why i have to pay for worldwide shipping if i didn't ship worldwide !!?

hidy-hoo · ‎07-23-2018

@closed75742 How did you get the shipping label to the buyer? Did you email it so the buyer can download the label and actually use it? In the future, if this ever happens again, you can send the dollar amount for the shipping label through PayPal goods and services and noting in detail what it is for, .i.e. listing number, case number, etc. and this will be acceptable proof to eBay.

Call eBay and ask for a GSP specialist and let them know that the label has been sent to the buyer. It is now the buyer's responsibility to send the shoes back to you in the eBay stated timeframe.

How much better life would be, if a liar's pants really did catch fire!

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hidy-hoo · ‎07-23-2018

Hi, @closed75742

"My question; where's my protection as seller? and why i have to pay for worldwide shipping if i didn't ship worldwide !!?"

Unfortunately, the only "seller protection" an eBay seller can count on is if a buyer claims INR and tracking shows that the item was in fact, delivered! In your case, a SNAD (significantly not as described) case will override everything else in eBay's eyes and the seller will have to pay for a return.

May I ask how you managed to create and pay for a pre-paid label since international labels can't be printed through eBay?

Is the buyer now saying that they won't be able to return the shoes because they are away from their home address and on holiday?

How much better life would be, if a liar's pants really did catch fire!

closed75742 · ‎07-23-2018

From eBay email:
Please be advised that we have placed the return on hold for 4 calendar days to allow you to arrange the return shipping with your buyer. You have until the end of the 4th day to provide this information. If you are unable to provide a resolution to the buyer by July 25, 2018, we will close the return in the buyer’s favor and issue them with a refund, even if they have not returned the item.

To get a label i spent 4 hours seraching as i don't know how to ship from Germany to USA ! and eBay mentioned that i have to arrange it with the buyer or create a label on my own and send it.
I am pretty sure that buyer is aware of such details and she thinks that if i paid her $80 to return the item, she will take the $80 and keep the item too !! and eBay close the case!!!

I created the label through UPS and friend helped me to do it, as i don't have merchant account to pay import dunties and all such staff ...

The buyer was wasting time and ignoring my messages until deadline came and they approved return, then she's doing it again until eBay take an action and refund her ..
I really don't know what eBay is going to do ...

hidy-hoo · ‎07-23-2018

@closed75742 How did you get the shipping label to the buyer? Did you email it so the buyer can download the label and actually use it? In the future, if this ever happens again, you can send the dollar amount for the shipping label through PayPal goods and services and noting in detail what it is for, .i.e. listing number, case number, etc. and this will be acceptable proof to eBay.

Call eBay and ask for a GSP specialist and let them know that the label has been sent to the buyer. It is now the buyer's responsibility to send the shoes back to you in the eBay stated timeframe.

How much better life would be, if a liar's pants really did catch fire!

closed75742 · ‎07-23-2018

I sent it to eBay, through a document uploader form, and called them to confirm that they got it. eBay sent the label to buyer.
Although, i am not going to use Gloab Shipping Program anymore, but your solution sounds accepted and nice.

hidy-hoo · ‎07-23-2018

ummm, what sounds accepted and nice to you and I may not sound that way to eBay. Please make sure that you answer all correspondence from eBay within their time limits and make sure that you receive email notification that they have received the shipping label and have sent it to the buyer ~ and the only way to do that is to actually call ebay and request the GSP specialist...please keep us informed and good luck!

How much better life would be, if a liar's pants really did catch fire!

closed75742 · ‎07-28-2018

As I mentioned before that I sent the buyer label, and buyer claimed that she's is on holiday ...

Today, I received very weired email from eBay that has a lot of wrong information!! First thanking me for refunding the buyer (which didn't happen) and then asking me to send a screenshot that shows that label has buyer name and address!!! (Label is already has such info !!!)

I called eBay and was wondering what's wrong with you guys ?!

And guess what?!

They didn't ask the buyer to send the item back, and now they notified her to do and put my case on hold again!!!

I swear, I am not selling here anymore ...

You guys need to try Amazon and you will thank me !!

bdbq_reborn · ‎12-31-2018

I have had eBay labels to print out for New Zealand, Germany France and Spain. It was before I started using global shipoping in June, and these deliveries happened this year.

I would cry but drinking is a lot more subtle.

grayirongolf · ‎12-31-2018

This story is becoming all to familiar with alot of International transaction's. They buy & dispute in hopes to get the item free because of the outrageous return shipping charge.

theguitarpartsguy · ‎01-05-2019

Everyone I know who has sold on Amazon has regretted it down the road. I have a friend who used to have a store that sold supplements, both diet and vitamin, as well as the kind of supplements you take when you work out and do bodybuilding. He did THOUSANDS of dollars a week.... had one week where his wholesaler shorted his shipment and got his online business w/Amazon completely ruined. I know another guy who sold video games both new and used on Amazon, and he too lost a TON of money. Amazon is a great market if you are a buyer, but not so much if you are a seller, from what I've seen.