Advice on a return

[greatlakesretailplus]

I have a buyer that decided to open a return case as "Doesn't match description or photos" (listing, Photos and description is perfect)

Then in the comments puts "It’s not what I was look for"..

The listing clearly states no returns on that item so I personally think the Buyer was trying to abuse the return policy to get a free shipping label....

I agreed to return it but the buyer would have to pay for shipping since it was no fault of my own...He agreed to ship it back wither he is really going to send it back who knows, he could just wait the time and possibly get a refund and the item..

Now with a return open in which i have until the April 15th to refund or pay for shipping back to me..

So I talked to a "Agent" on live chat and they basically told me to eat the shipping cost to have it sent back (In no way is that right)..

IF I do not do this I will get a defect strike AND be out the shipping and possibly the item (80 dollar item) all because some buyer decided to open a Description return on buyer remorse  ....I feel like a hostage being told do this or be punished!...

Anyways to the question ..Will Ebay just steal the money from me and refund the buyer or what?

Pretty sure what most of you will say that is "take the hit and pay to return it"

I agree but at some point someone has to say this is not right and stand on principal.

[laperlalady]

Yes, eBay will refund the buyer and they will get to keep the item. 

Definitely not fair. 

Send a label and pray you get the item back in the condition you sent it so you can relist. 

[fab_finds4u]

For once the rep got it right.

If you want it back quickly issue a return label.

Once a case is opened the buyer can agree to you to pay return shipping and at the same time when the time to escalate the case occurs they'll get a refund and won't have to return it because you didn't resolve it.  Resolving means you refund or provide a return label. It's an automatic process. Don't buck the system. Trying to do that can cause you to lose the item when you're not looking. 

Then after you get your item back and refunded THEN you can report the buyer for abusing the returns policy. Sometimes eBay will give you a courtesy credit on the label cost. 

[greatlakesretailplus]

Worse part about this is this buyer may very will just do this again to other sellers...that and the being out another 22.00 for a shipping label..

But as of right now it seems i have zero choice...

I am a hair away from pulling all my items and company from Ebay to another selling platform sadly..

[48hrs-clothing · Accepted solution]

Noted that a return is open.

eBay's agent gave you good advice as that is their policy and I would accept the advice and issue a pre paid return label.

What eBay agent said about the defect is also true that your seller performance would not be effected if you accept the return and on receipt of item you issued a refund.

The agent you spoke to did not know that your seller metrics would be effected which is different to seller performance.

I am a seller and today I learned that under no circumstances would eBay consider let alone accept buyers statements on eBay as evidence that buyer abused the system to avoid paying return postage and that defects on sellers metrics should be or even could be removed/ corrected.

So the comments of your buyer that "It’s not what I was look for" will not be considered by eBay as abuse of policy and to protect you quite the contrary they will not correct your seller metrics.

If you decide not to respond to return case and not to issue a pre paid return label then at the end of date given on the case your buyer could or would ask eBay to step in and they will definitely issue a full refund from your Held payment and your buyer will not be required to send the item back to you.

You will not get your Final value fees and you will have a defect in your seller performance and in your seller metrics.

Standing on principal is going to cost you $80 + any postage charges that your buyer paid.

Sadly selling online platforms does not reward principals quite the contrary it rewards those who have no principals.

You have to protect your own interest as it is guaranteed that no one else is going to protect you.

Unfortunately you have just joined a very very long list of sellers who have suffered the exact same fate as you.

[calntom]

What you are experiencing is a typical process of online selling. Does not seem fair but it is since that is what you signed up for whenever you sell an item on eBay or just about any other major selling platform that processes the transaction for you. 

I expect the same Money Back Guarantee wherever I shop. 

[mtgraves7984]

Since the buyer has cited a NAD reason 'Doesn't match description or photos'... this is what eBay sees, no matter the remorse comment in the text. It is best that you approve the Return, send the label and refund the buyer in full only when the item comes back to you .

Let's face it... the only thing left to save is your Seller Metrics. And for what it's worth, I find that if an item sells once, it will sell again. Good luck.

[greatlakesretailplus]

Sound advice ...saddening but sound lol

[postingid7659]

Your mistake here is having no return policy.  Because of that the buyer's only option is to file a not as described claim.  In that instance you're forced to issue a label every single time.  

Always have some kind of return policy, the shortest and least open eBay will allow you to have, so that when you get remorse returns you may be able to get them to return it on their dime.  

[greatlakesretailplus]

I don't do returns on electronics because they are heavily tested before they are sold and always have exact listing and descriptions....just like this item did....live and learn I guess 

As for this item it was my personal receiver so I know the ends and outs of it..

I have never had this problem ...not once since 2015 and within the last two months I have been burned twice from buyer remorse "not as described" claims totaling over 200 dollars in shipping and time (heavier packages are always UPS and i live 46 miles from the closest drop off station)

How Ebay treats their sellers these days is just sickening.

[farmalljr]

Perhaps it's time to rethink what you sell. I do NOT mess with hardly any heavy stuff. Most everything I ship is by USPS, and there is a reason for that. A return on something heavy can destroy any profit that could be made on an item. 

Your returns will NOT be affected by having a 30 day, buyer pays return shipping on your listings. As a matter of fact, it will do nothing but increase your chance of sales. I do NOT do "free" returns, as that does tend to increase returns in my experience. 

[postingid7659]

Everything you note as reasons to not have a return policy is irrelevant.  

if you have no return policy then the buyer's ONLY option is "not as described" and you will eat the return shipping EVERY time, or possibly be left with no item and no money if you refuse the return. 

If you have a return policy then you may in some instances be able to require the buyer to return on their dime. 

The actual items, or condition, do not matter one iota.  It doesn't matter if it's brand new and you went to China or where ever the factory is and supervised every step of the process and tested it 38 times.  If the buyer says it's not as described, it's not as described and one way or another they get their money back. 

[patriot5102]

That’s exactly what’s happening to me right now! Same everything. I also reported the buyer to Ebay so they can investigate if this buyer is a repeat offender and hopefully get suspended. I blocked this person, too. 

[greatlakesretailplus]

Ok...i got the item back and it it broken and not resellable 

No damage to the box 

Front face plate of the receiver is missing a chunk and something is rattling around inside...

So it seem i will do a partial refund since it was not returned in the condition it was sent...

Question is if i do a partial through paypal will it show on the Ebay return that i DID give a partial refund?

I will also put in the notes the item is damaged upon return and i did put pics on the Ebay return showing the damage..

[papa486516]

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@greatlakesretailplus wrote:

So it seem i will do a partial refund since it was not returned in the condition it was sent...

Question is if i do a partial through paypal will it show on the Ebay return that i DID give a partial refund?

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This is super easy @greatlakesretailplus The buyer will just file a chargeback for Goods returned Credit not issued to get the rest of their refund.

Why Would a Customer File a Chargeback With Reason Code “Credit Not Processed?”
“Credit Not Processed” chargebacks are filed by customers who have canceled their purchase or returned their purchase but did not receive a credit/refund from the merchant.

The seller will forfeit the selling fees, pay a $20 chargeback settlement fine, and earn a case closed without seller resolution defect.