Buyers can lie about an item not being described in order to receive free return shipping

[basedconnect]

I sold an item that works but has a flaw, and I noted the flaw in the listing in both words and photos, making clear the item was sold with the flaw.

The buyer opened a return case, claiming the item was not as described due to having the very flaw I mentioned in the listing. I messaged the buyer to say I mentioned the flaw they described in my listing. They told me I was correct and the item was described correctly, and the return was simple buyer's remorse. My return policy is 30 day returns with buyer's paying for return shipping, unless of course the item is not as described.

I called eBay and told them the situation, with the message from the buyer admitting the item was properly described and they simply changed their mind. The eBay rep said it doesn't matter, and literally the act of a buyer just opening an item not described case automatically charges the seller's account with the return shipping no matter what, and I have no ability to ask for a credit. So basically, any buyer can just say an item isn't as described and the seller has no protection, even if the seller can produce photos or videos of the item to factually dispute the claim, or even if they get the buyer to admit to it being as described.

As a seller, this is the first time in over a decade I'm actually planning to leave the eBay marketplace. It's beyond ridiculous that the sellers have zero protection with returns. I understand siding with buyers in "he said, she said" disputes, but when you have undeniable proof of describing an item properly and still get charged it feels like you are being robbed by eBay, I feel like eBay has literally stolen my money. I could offer free returns with added benefits but don't because I can't afford to offer free returns and lose both the original and return shipping (I always refund the original shipping and purchase price, just not the return shipping fee).  This is an absolute joke of a policy, I've always felt like eBay had adequate to good customer service and seller protections but these feels like a parody of terrible customer service. eBay has a brand and company should be ashamed, they are sinking ship if they plan to make this a permanent policy.

[wesk_36]

"So basically, any buyer can just say an item isn't as described and the seller has no protection, even if the seller can produce photos or videos of the item to factually dispute the claim..."

Yes, that is the nature of ebay's money back guarantee.

It can and does get abused.

Ebay does not accept photos or videos as proof of anything.

[mtgraves7984]

Buyers can lie about an item not being described in order to receive free return shipping

@basedconnect 

Yep.

[2013grotz]

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@basedconnect wrote:

eBay has a brand and company should be ashamed, they are sinking ship if they plan to make this a permanent policy.

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It is already and has been policy for almost  a decade.  The Buyer Money Back Guarantee.  The buyer is always right even when they're completely and totally wrong.  You are now just finding this out.

[donsdetour]

well ebay has no idea what was sent or for that mater what was returned: He said they said thing.

On an items not as described case the seller will lose most of the time.

[basedconnect]

Again, that's just incorrect. In eBay's own message system the buyer themself admitted the item was properly described and listing it as "not as described" was an error.  So again, no, this isn't a "he said, they said" thing. This is the buyer and seller both saying the exact same thing and eBay just refusing to acknowledge it.

[basedconnect]

Except in the past, with at least 10+ transactions, I have ALWAYS received a credit for the return shipping fee from eBay when I've had definitive proof of the item being as described. So no, the buyer isn't always right, eBay has sided with me numerous times in the past. I don't even try to argue with a case unless there's indisputable proof, which in the overwhelming amount of transactions there is not - but this is one with indisputable proof. I received a credit for a similar return this past December.

But sure, I guess you have it all figured out and my selling experiences were the outlier for 10+ years through thousands of sales...

[basedconnect]

The lying part isn't surprising - the part where the buyer admitted it was a lie/mistake and eBay is still refusing to act is the surprise. I can understand them being buyer friendly in disputes, but once the buyer admits to it there is no longer a dispute - the buyer and seller are in agreement, yet eBay won't act. Of course buyers can misrepresent a return, but in the rare situations where a buyer admits it was a mistake or lie I can't imagine why eBay wouldn't act on that...

[48hrs-clothing]

eBay know that this part of their MBG is garbage and the amount of money they were paying out on these bogus returns meant they had two choices.

Withdraw this option for buyers and they decided not to do this as this makes money for eBay.

Or

Withdraw the make it right to seller concession which costs them money.

No a very difficult choice for eBay and yes sellers are thrown under the bus.

[quincydepot]

You just realized eBay does not have any sense of fairness, moral compass or intelligent people working for them?  They're not here to help sellers, just make profits.  You lose money by shipping it twice but eBay MAKES MONEY by you shipping it twice if you use eBay for your labels.  If you use a 3rd party entity to ship that isn't as greedy and tainted as eBay, you can mitigate your losses.  eBay is like a stock broker, if you win, lose or draw, they ALWAYS make a profit.  

So who do you think they'll rule in favor of?  Whoever puts more money in their account.

[chapeau-noir]

There are so many sellers on eBay that I doubt the site really cares if we come or go - it's buyers they're struggling to attract and retain.  Etsy said the same thing - they don't care about 'seller churn.'

[downunder-61]

The MBG is a hot mess for seller's, I am seriously hoping once all transitions into MP are fulfilled, maybe just maybe, they will revisit the rules and reg's to allow us a more efficient way of stating our cases before being so quick to return our money to the buyer.

As an example, the poster ^^^ who has messages from a buyer stating the 'reality' should be a fundamental part of deciding a case along with the original listing that proves it was not NAD!

Trouble is, buyers will then go to Paypal and CC file backs anyway - there is no real way for a seller to feel safe any more, not even 6 months after a transaction.

I look at is as >  Shoplifting is the B&M problem - MBG used by scam buyers is ours.

[2013grotz]

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@basedconnect wrote:

But sure, I guess you have it all figured out and my selling experiences were the outlier for 10+ years through thousands of sales...

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Yep pretty much.  INAD = buyer always gets the refund.  You just got lucky all that time.

[case4]

" it's buyers they're struggling to attract and retain" - That may be true but without sellers the quality and quantity of decent items declines - Then what will be done to attract buyers?

[case4]

I had a listing for a quilt - Had max number of photos taken outside - Listing NEVER mentioned a color of any sort.  Buyer returned quilt on a "not as described" basis. Reason? The blue color was the wrong shade!!! 😞 

Been selling on ebay for decades - This incident has really made me reconsider my ebay selling future. 

Sad stuff.