Forced to Accept Item Return (As a Seller)

[adamhata]

Hello,

So I recently sold an Apple Watch on here and after 2 days the buyer broke it (it broke by itself according to the buyer..) and accused me of selling them it malfunctioned. They requested to return and get a refund so I didn't accept. Only yesterday morning I woke up with a message from Ebay telling me that the buyer is going to return the item and I'll have to pay them a refund!! They didn't even give an option to reject or at least appeal the case!

I'm not much of a user on eBay but I couldn't even find a way to connect properly with eBay about this! The "Help" page only directs me to articles and the "AI Assistant" just gives predefined answers and never actually addresses my issue!

Any suggestion on how to counter the buyer's return or contact with eBay?

Much thanks

[comics-scifi-collectibles]

@adamhata  If the buyer files a refund request saying that the item is not as described then you need to accept the return and issue the return shipping label.  

The eBay Money Back Guarantee overrules your returns policy.   Your return policy only applies if the buyer files a buyer's remorse return:  Doesn't fit, changed mind, etc.  

If you do not accept the return willingly then the buyer can ask eBay to step in and forces a refund. You do not get your seller's fees back, you get a defect and the buyer may be allowed to keep the item.

If the buyer abuses the eBay MBG in some way then you can report them but it doesn't get your money back:

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/resolving-buyer-issues/report-issue-buyer?id=4084&st=

Sellers have protection for return abuse if they offer FREE RETURN shipping on their listings OR if they are a Top Rated seller and offer 30 days or greater returns.  The seller can then reduce the refund amount by up to 50% if the buyer sends a different item or somehow reduces the value of the item.

Seller protection: 
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/seller-protections?id=4345&st=1

[adamhata]

Thank you for the response Legend,

the only difference here is that the buyer broke the item not me! It doesn’t make sense to so easily accept a return (for an item that the customer broke!!). There must be a way to contest this or for ebay to at least hear the story from my side!

Any suggestions?

Thanks..

[comics-scifi-collectibles]

@adamhata  Sorry, but there is no way to contest this now.

You needed to accept the return, report the buyer, get the item back,  then you could have asked eBay to step in as a seller.  Chances are though that eBay would have ruled against you anyway as there is no way to prove to eBay what happened to the watch.  It's just your word against the buyer and eBay will side with the buyer 99% of the time unless they have been reported for return abuse before.   

The best seller protection is FREE returns.  Then you at least could have withheld 50% of the refund amount.    Since buyers can lie and get free returns anyway it's best to offer free returns so that way you have the seller protection. 

Be sure to report the buyer so it's on their record.  If the buyer abuses the eBay MBG in some way then you can report them but it doesn't get your money back:

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/resolving-buyer-issues/report-issue-buyer?id=4084&st=