Buyer return and shakedown fraud up to around 25% for me this year.

[discountdeals_4u]

I just had back to back fraudulent buyer returns. One an empty box with 2 green balloons, the other an old, rusty part instead of the new one I sent him.  Also, 2 weeks ago I had a buyer claim part of a $152 (very cheap price) new blue tooth kit wasn't working. I found a seller with 2 sets of the part for half the price on eBay and sent a link to the buyer after refunding $25 to buy them. What do you know, he never purchased a new one from the seller and they are twice as much everywhere else. From now on it's show me the receipt, then I'll refund. I knew he was just trying to get a discount on an already cheap item.

As a matter of fact, I've had 4 fraudulent buyers in the last 21 days and sales have been slow. As usual, eBay only removes buyers that commit fraud if they did it on a new eBay account. If a buyer has even 20 feed backs, eBay does nothing and usually refunds the buyer on their dime. When does it become not economically viable to keep doing so?

[bonanza125]

In regards to your second issue if the buyer has an issue with the item you sent them they must return the item and you issue them a full refund upon return. Just offering them $25 refund and saying "hey buy this part from this other seller" is not how it works. You must have them escalate a return. So I wouldn't consider that a fraudulent buyer. The empty box situation yes. That is fraud. I would have reported that buyer. The issue is Ebay can't really determine what you are telling them is the truth so the advice which is always given is don't list the item if you are not afraid to lose it. Cause the only option would be is to take them to court. 

[stainlessenginecovers]

Nature of what you sell. 

148 items last 90 days for what? $10,000?? What was the 'total' amount of 'fraud' vs. the Profit? 

Was it still worth it? Something you should contemplate because if you profit $2500 on those sales but give up $250 in fraud it is equivalent to

$250 divided by $10,000 gross sales is 2.5% shrink. A 'good' store is 1.5%.

So, you have to ask yourself:

Was profit of $10k in sales with $250 loss (guessing $2000 profit minus $250 equals $1750 profit) worth not selling here at all?

[simba6]

Classic return fraud.  All too common. You have to add a bit to all your prices to self insure such losses.  Like they do for five finger discount at your local stores.

[kraftique]

I have not sold on here for over 2 years.  Retired now.  I never had any fraud but I sold low end craft items.

From reading these boards It seems fraud is getting worse.

My suggestion is run your business professionally. If there was a problem with your product then have the customer return it-send them a return label. refund them.

When you have  return get your phone and start to record its arrival, weight it and then unbox it and check the product to make sure it is yours.   If you were sent balloons you have the video  and you provide it to Customer Service.

[fbusoni]

@discountdeals_4u 

Very sorry that you have experienced this.  

It has not happened to me but I expect that one day it will; we sellers are, after all, dealing with a vast collection of misfits, wackadoos, and miserable human specimens (the "general public").

To prepare, I have for many years baked some "insurance" into my pricing.

One dollar per sale, multiplied by about 900 to 1,000 sales per year, gives me a financial cushion in case of fraud or other buyer malevolence.

[vintagecraze50]

---

@discountdeals_4u wrote:

I just had back to back fraudulent buyer returns. One an empty box with 2 green balloons, the other an old, rusty part instead of the new one I sent him.  Also, 2 weeks ago I had a buyer claim part of a $152 (very cheap price) new blue tooth kit wasn't working. I found a seller with 2 sets of the part for half the price on eBay and sent a link to the buyer after refunding $25 to buy them. What do you know, he never purchased a new one from the seller and they are twice as much everywhere else. From now on it's show me the receipt, then I'll refund. I knew he was just trying to get a discount on an already cheap item.

As a matter of fact, I've had 4 fraudulent buyers in the last 21 days and sales have been slow. As usual, eBay only removes buyers that commit fraud if they did it on a new eBay account. If a buyer has even 20 feed backs, eBay does nothing and usually refunds the buyer on their dime. When does it become not economically viable to keep doing so?

---

Offer free returns on all listings and deduct up to 50 percent off the refund when you get theft on here.

[vintagecraze50]

---

@fbusoni wrote:

@discountdeals_4u 

Very sorry that you have experienced this.  

It has not happened to me but I expect that one day it will; we sellers are, after all, dealing with a vast collection of misfits, wackadoos, and miserable human specimens (the "general public").

To prepare, I have for many years baked some "insurance" into my pricing.

One dollar per sale, multiplied by about 900 to 1,000 sales per year, gives me a financial cushion in case of fraud or other buyer malevolence.

---

Correct, you BAKE THE PRICE on all listings to cover loss when it happens. Dont know about you but I offer fre returns and get the priveledge of deducting 50 percent off the refund. That will teach them. It’s a great deterrent it slows them down.

[sincity7021]

Would you consider a buyer who cut the power cord on an Amazon Echo 15 buyer fraud? with pictures that show the cord was not damaged as he claimed. But yet I get forced to refund. Which I flat-out refuse to do. He cut the cord. That's his bad! Why should I pay for his mistake? If the buyer damages your product, they are entitled to nothing! But yet I have to pay to have it returned and told to refund; not happening. If he smashes it, does eBay want you to refund that as well? And pay for return. That's ridiculous.

[sincity7021]

I have one even better; the buyer cut the power cord on the Amazon Echo 15. I sold him. In perfect working condition. But eBay wants me to refund him. Which I flat-out refuse to do. That's buyer fraud. Why should I refund when he intentionally damaged the item for the purpose of a refund? But yet they tie up my money over a bogus claim, and on top of that, I have to pay shipping on the return he broke. That's the most ridiculous policy I have ever heard. Slap me more, 'cause eBay says it's ok! He breaks it, I get the short end of the stick.

[sincity7021]

To me, when you intentionally damage someone's product, they are entitled to nothing. They made that decision to damage; I made the decision not to refund. eBay is forcing you to refund; if they want to give him money back, go ahead. Just do not use mine; I never agreed or signed saying you could.

[ebooksdiva]

You will soon find out that if you refuse to refund the buyer can ask eBay to step in they will take the funds from your method of payment account on file for paying fees etc then they will give you a defect for not handling your returns. 
Then you write off the damaged item as a loss when you file your taxes. 

[powell-collectibles]

If you have issues with 25% of your sales, there is a problem. If you sell just a few items a year – sure, maybe this is all bad luck. If you have regular sales, or even just one or two a month, 25% points to some serious seller issues.

[sincity7021]

But he committed buyer fraud for a return; why should I have to clean up his mess? Power cords for these are not cheap.

[sincity7021]

$420 is not your average refund. If he cut the cord intentionally, that's on him. Who does that anyway? But Ebay is aware of me not refunding him. And if they do it without my permission, I'll see eBay in court!