albertabrightalberta | Volunteer Community Mentor
@probablyjuan wrote:I havent been selling on eBay for too long, but I just received a return request for an expensive handbag I sold recently. The return request is so crazy that it immediately warrants nothing wrong on my end.
Buyers reason for request was “I dont like it.”Additional comments: “Its just too pink.”
1. I have no returns accepted listed for my items
2. The reason doesnt fall under buyers protection
3. I can decline the return request
If I decline the return, what happens? Is the case over and I can keep my money? Or do I lose my money + the item? I’m self employed so losing about $100 is a major expense to me so I just wanna shut this bogus case down and move on. Any tips or guidance on what to do here? Thanks! (P.S. I can care less about negative feedback I could receive)
If it's the $135 bag, I'd recommending accepting the return, buyer pays return shipping and since you charged separately for the original shipping, you don't have to refund that.
When you get the item back in the same condition, issue the $135 refund. You'll get credit for your FVF (except for 30 cents), buyer will be happy and you can resell it.
Understand that if the buyer lied and claimed it wasn't as described, you would have to accept the return, pay return shipping and issue a FULL refund upon receipt. When a buyer gives the honest reason for returning, you have nothing to lose by accepting it.
All you lose is the time to wait to resell it again.
@probablyjuan wrote:I also provided a stock photo of the handbag from the original retailers website AND the color name as well as to avoid my own photos throwing off the color. As an experienced seller on luxury good on other platforms, this is standard to do
All pictures should be your own and you should do your best to verify that it's as true to color as possible. It never hurts to add a blurb that "colors can appear different on different monitors.
Using the manufacturer's stock image is NOT "standard to do." If you look at any manufacturer website, you'll see that every rights owner protects their intellectual property. (I just checked Longchamp and they too own their property, not to be used for commercial purposes -- see ARTICLE 11 – INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.
@probablyjuan wrote:Thanks for the feedback everyone. I did deny the return and closed the case as it was actually a buyers remorse return case. As said before, with my no returns accepted rule + the buyer ADMITTING it was a return filed based on preference rather than not as described, eBay customer service said I can deny the return, close the case, and keep my money. They also said if they were to file a chargeback request through their bank, eBay would step in to represent me in my favor based on the outcome in this case (buyers remorse, not covered); this is part of their sellers protection. I wanted to quickly shut a frivolous case like this down quickly because this is literally my business. I totally will accept a return if there was a fault on my end, but this case ended up highlighting a buyers lack of due diligence unfortunately.
What you've taught that honest buyer is that next time, she should lie about the reason for wanting to return. Even if the item is exactly as described, she shouldn't be honest and admit it. Instead lie and force you to accept the return.
Do the math.
Bag price: $135
Shipping: $19.60
Total: $154.60
Remorse return refund amount: $135 (buyer pays shipping both ways)
NAD return refund amount $154.60 plus $19.60 return shipping = $174.20 (YOU pay shipping both ways)
@probablyjuan wrote:Why are you seemingly chastising me for a transaction I legally and contractually completed in accordance with eBay policies? There was a reason why I have ‘no returns accepted’ to protect me from cases like this. If eBay grants such an option to me, I will use my declining options as such in this case. This was a scene of lack of buyers diligence, not a case of false description. Please reread what I had originally posted.
I'm not chastising you but instead, pointing out how your stubbornness can come back to bite you. If you don't mind the risk, that's okay.
Of course you have the right to deny a remorse return when you have a no return policy. And you're correct that ebay allows that.
My point is that many buyers who want to return an item will see a "no return" item and assume that the seller will deny their request. So instead of feeling forced to keep an item they don't want, they lie and open a "not as described" return request.
So even though your item is 100% as described, you have a NAD return and if you don't want to lose both the item and the money, you MUST accept the return. And in doing so, it costs you more than just allowing the remorse return in the first place.
