Four different agents told me the same thing and a fifth agent told me something different.

[best-and-best-care]

A buyer bought a laptop from me and sometime later one of the mouse pad buttons broke so he started a request and i accepted it. When i got the laptop the charger was missing so i can't even test the laptop to see if it works. I got in touch with ebay and spoke to four different agent including supposedly special agents on how to handle this. They all said to not do anything and let the refund time frame expired and afterwards reach out to them to open up a case against a the buyer. I did that and ebay, by the way, automatically refunded the buyer, and they gave me a between 24-72 hrs to get back to me with a decision on the missing part return. More than 72 hrs went by and i decided to call them today and that fifth agent i spoke to said to keep trying to reach the buyer and i said no because i've already spent considerable time staying on top of this case then she told me to report the buyer and gave me a link to use as a report tool? Anyway, is this the correct step? I feel like i've been giving the run-around by everyone i spoke to.

[comics-scifi-collectibles]

@best-and-best-care   Here's how the eBay MBG works.  

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.    ( you already have completed this step)

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.    ( you accepted the return as required)

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=12&pos=3&quer...

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.   

,

This is the only way to get seller protection as eBay has no way to prove the buyer returned all of the items.  They are more likely to rule in your favor on an Appeal IF the buyer has been reported before for return abuse.

Seller protection: 
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/seller-protections?id=4345&st=12&pos=4&query=Sel...

[best-and-best-care]

What about in my case where the charger is missing and the proof is that they haven't answered my request for them to return the charger and so i can test the laptop?

[best-and-best-care]

Also, what's to stop any buyer from faking any "not a described" reason? Will the seller always lose?

[kensgiftshop]

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@best-and-best-care wrote:

What about in my case where the charger is missing and the proof is that they haven't answered my request for them to return the charger and so i can test the laptop?

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Other then reporting the buyer, there's not much you can do.

You can't prove you sent the charger and you can't prove the buyer didn't send it back.

You're lucky you got the laptop back and not a brick and still have to refund.

[best-and-best-care]

So how can i avoid this in the future? Offer free shipping and 30 days return?

[comics-scifi-collectibles]

@best-and-best-care. Report the buyer for return abuse.   As I said before though unless the buyer has been reported previously for return abuse they will side with the buyer.  You have no way to prove to eBay that the charger wasn't returned.  

[best-and-best-care]

Yes, i understand that but besides hoping that they have been previously reported i can avoid this by offering 30 day return and free shipping?

[comics-scifi-collectibles]

@best-and-best-care. Not much. That's why anytime a buyer abuses the return process they need to be reported.  

You are not top rated so you'd need to offer free returns to qualify for the seller protection I mentioned previously. 

[best-and-best-care]

Ok. So what if i decide to give that buyer a negative feedback and they rebuke with a negative for me too? Will ebay remove the negative feedback given to me out of rebuke? 

[best-and-best-care]

i apologize with all the questions but you guys offer better solutions and advice than the ebay representatives. A agent told me just now that my return setting were set to automatic refunds when i have them at "do not accept returns". I asked to help me change them to not automatic but i'm sure he was just saying that to get me off his back. Does what he says make sense?