I've been an eBay seller for quite a while but this is my first time asking for advice via the eBay community.
A buyer bought 2 brand new phones from me ($200+ total). Each phone comes with a stylus pen but the buyer sent me a message almost 10 days after the delivery date that one of the stylus pens is apparently missing.
I took and have photos of the items as I was packing them so I have proof that both phones indeed had their stylus pens when the phones were shipped.
On my end I'm also able to see if a phone is active on an account by checking it's serial number (which of course I took record of before shipping the phones). A day or two after the delivery I checked the serial numbers and saw that the buyer had activated both phones onto an account; so they were obviously using the phones for at least a week.
I'm sure that the buyer just lost the stylus pen and is trying to see if they can get one for free from me, otherwise if it was missing they would've messaged me when the phone was first opened and activated.
You can buy a replacement stylus pen for the phone off eBay for $15-$20. That's more than the little extra amount I made after selling the phones so refunding them enough to buy one, or sending them a replacement, is not an option for me.
The phones are also no longer brand new since, as I mentioned earlier, the phones have been active for at least a week so I can't do a refund for something that is no longer in the same condition as the buyer received them in.
I've heard of buyers on eBay forced to process refunds over small disputes so I am worried that if I respond to them saying that I cannot send a replacement they will open a dispute and I will be forced to issue a refund without getting back my phones. (my listing also clearly mentioned that refunds cannot be made)
Does anyone whose had any similar experience have any advice? I wanted to see what my options were for any worse case scenarios after I respond to them saying that I cannot send them a replacement stylus pen.
If they open a dispute will eBay even account for the photos I have clearly showing that both stylus pens were packed with the phones?
