My story:
I just sold a "For parts or not working" item with the following description:
"NO REMOTE...ALL THAT IS INCLUDED IS THE UNIT, POWER CORD AND A/V CABLE.
POWERS ON, USED TO WORK, intended for MAC operating systems but can be used with Windows (However, you need drivers and some tech smarts to do all of that). As stated, this used to work and probably still does but that is not guaranteed. Since I can't show you this in full operation, it is being sold "for parts/repair/as-is." Cosmetically, this is decent...no major wear of any kind but it is used so it is not mint. See pictures for more details, please. Thanks and happy shopping!"
I also had the following return policy: "Seller does not accept returns"
Well, my buyer (who may or may not be illiterate OR knows that Sellers have ZERO rights here...or so it feels) opened a "not as described" case with a descriptor that mentioned NOTHING about the item description. Instead, the buyer whined about allegedly trying to return the item but not having been given access to a return label. Gee...WHY would THAT be? Because of the "no returns" policy!
So, because all of this was and remains weird; I called Ebay customer service and ran a Q & A with them regarding seller protection. They were VERY nice and seemed to be fair-minded, even taking note of the buyer's failure to actually read my description or notice my "no return" policy.
Well, a couple of hours pass and I get a message saying I opened a case...which I did not. All I did was send the buyer a note detailing "no returns" means precisely that. Next thing you know; EBAY SIDES WITH THE BUYER, telling me to wait till this buyer sends me back the item in question and; once I get it back; BAM...they get their money back!
This is INSANE! WHY even bother to give sellers an option for "no returns" or to sell things as "for parts or not working" items when we have ZERO seller protection? Essentially, this all comes down to contracts. Buyers read and enter into an agreeement with sellers when they choose to buy items here and, once that choice has been made; they are supposed to be locked into said contract. I am a fair-minded seller, always have been, always will be (check my feedback) and IF the item in question here arrived damaged (TRULY NOT AS DESCRIBED); I would have offered a refund.
BUT, as sellers....key word...SELLERS...NOT A RENTAL AGENCY....most of us cannot afford to play these games with "renters" of our items. This is an ABSOLUTE OUTRAGE and exemplifies all that is wrong with this slanted website. I DO NOT pay for listings and my store to be ripped off like this! Changes MUST be made to protect the seller base or there will be an exodus that feeds the pig that is Amazon even further. If EBAY wants to play the game of coddling rotten buyers, then THEY should pay out of pocket to do so! Why should we, the near-paranoid-level sellers be required to pick up the slack for badly managed business with false options granted to the seller base?
Ok, enough typed and this has happened to me several times. However, this time I thought they tightened their game a bit when my buyer was not immediately granted access to printing a return label...which is how it SHOULD BE on a no-returns item! But NOOOOO!!!! This company is one-sided and I wouldn't mind that IF they didn't give us these fake options of "no returns."
Ebay, you've GOT to level the playing field between buyer and seller protection. Buyers need to grow up and learn to read and accept good and bad when it comes down to buying items online just as much as we sellers do. I AM OPEN, HONEST, LOYAL AND PROFESSIONAL...Let's see Ebay try that..They fail via granting false options.
Write me back and tell me where I messed up or tell me your tale of woe...
