eBay

cdyl_us_sdbectc8r · ‎03-10-2023

The buyer with 0 feedback claims to have received an empty box. I know, I should have cancelled the order when I saw they had no feedback. I just didn't check at all, I thought eBay had buyer protection. I don't sell things as a business or to make money. I sell things to just get by right now.

I shipped it with UPS Ground and I have the Proof of Delivery with the weight listed.

I hope some more experienced sellers can offer some advice and experience on how to proceed. This is probably the last higher value item I will ever sell on eBay. If this buyer manages to scam me out of $400, I will not have a fun time in the coming weeks. This is basically my last $400

I contacted eBay as soon as this happened. They said they will back me up and they believe me and to wait until the 16th when I can ask eBay to step in.

Thank you in advance.

albertabrightalberta · ‎03-11-2023

@cdyl_us_sdbectc8r wrote:
He opened a return with the reason of "missing parts or pieces" and the message was "empty box"

Also a new development...I'm still tracking the headphones on the Find My maps and they're at his house right now.

Plenty of screenshots have been saved

Send a private message to Ebay for business on facebook. Explain the situation and show the "find my" screenshots showing that he has the items.

https://www.facebook.com/eBayForBusiness

albertabrightalberta | Volunteer Community Mentor
"I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you."

View Best Answer in original post

mtgraves7984 · ‎03-10-2023

I thought eBay had buyer protection.

@cdyl_us_sdbectc8r

Oh, boy... they do. Your buyer is protected by the Money Back Guarantee. >> eBay Money Back Guarantee policy

ETA: You only have a couple of days to deal with a Return claim if the buyer has opened one. It's your call whether to approve it and send a return shipping label, or to refund without a return. eBay will side with your buyer on the 16th... not you.

ms.rodriguez* · ‎03-10-2023

They lied to you to get you off the phone. The buyer always wins these cases unfortunately. I believe you too. Don't get me wrong.

cdyl_us_sdbectc8r · ‎03-10-2023

What should I do? What should I do in the future? Am I just f'd?

aproudparent2010 · ‎03-10-2023

Advice given on here is never sell something you can't afford to lose...

eBay will force you to refund this buyer

mtgraves7984 · ‎03-10-2023

@cdyl_us_sdbectc8r wrote:
What should I do? What should I do in the future? Am I just f'd?

@cdyl_us_sdbectc8r... good questions, all.

1) If you don't want your Seller Metrics to suffer, the best way to handle it is to approve the Return. You can either request that the item be returned (at your expense) before issuing a full refund, or you can simply approve a full refund without a return. (Know that your buyer has said they received an empty box... so that's what you can expect back.) Bottom line: you'll be issuing a full refund either way... no matter what postage weight shows or what call-in C/S says.

2) In the (foreseeable) future, there is no other way to handle Returns, as the MBG reigns and eBay is buyer-centric.

3) Yeppers. But for what it's worth, all we sellers can empathize. Godspeed.

cdyl_us_sdbectc8r · ‎03-10-2023

Thanks for the tips I guess. I'm not super concerned about my metrics, I doubt I'll be selling much anymore if eBay actually gives this extremely obvious scammer his refund...

lamber9347 · ‎03-10-2023

Two things for you to note for future reference....

#1- Electronics and mobile phones are the number one category for scammers to target. Looking at your listings that is mainly what you choose to focus on. You will have a target on your back as long as you continue to list electronics and mobile phones. Always remember you are selling online to perfect strangers in another part of the country on a platform which offers a money back guarantee to any buyer. Makes no difference if you are a small seller or a business.

#2- Zero feedback has nothing to do with anything. Anyone can be a scammer regardless of the number of feedbacks they have. Do not get preoccupied with that part, you have/had no way of knowing who your buyer is in advance.

stephenmorgan · ‎03-10-2023

@cdyl_us_sdbectc8r wrote:
Thanks for the tips I guess. I'm not super concerned about my metrics, I doubt I'll be selling much anymore if eBay actually gives this extremely obvious scammer his refund...

Two this I have noticed reading these forums for several years is

If you ask eBay to step in, they will almost always rule for the buyer.
If you refund on your own, then eBay is finished and you cannot appeal a decision that you made.

If eBay steps in and makes the decision in favor of the buyer they may tell the buyer they do not have to return your item, you will get a defect and you will be charged transaction fees. However, if eBay made the decision, then their decision is appealable.

eBay has been known to overturn their decisions. If you can demonstrate that eBay, made the incorrect decision then they may reverse their decision. Sometimes a well-documented presentation of the facts will convince eBay to reverse their decision.

If you turned in the package to USPS and received a receipt with the weight this is helpful. If the item you received back is of a substantial weight difference this is helpful. If you made a Police and USPS report of the missing item this is helpful.

kensgiftshop · ‎03-10-2023

@cdyl_us_sdbectc8r wrote:
What should I do? What should I do in the future? Am I just f'd?

Yes

Don't sell expensive electronics online.

You have two options.

Refund the buyer without return.

Accept the return, pay return shipping and give a full refund when something is returned.

You don't want to wait for Ebay to step in, they already know what will happen.

Have A Great Day.

cdyl_us_sdbectc8r · ‎03-10-2023

So what you're saying is I should just refund the buyer then appeal it? That seems weird to me. Isn't that like me doing it involuntarily?

What would you do, if you were in my situation?

I have a growing pile of evidence. The headphones are AirPods Max, which I can track since I forgot to remove them from the "Find My" app; and "huge surprise", They're currently in the buyer's town, within a mile of where the shipping address is.... I can't disable them but I know where they are as we speak and I've taken many screenshots. I think this is quite a help because it serves to demonstrate that the package absolutely left my possession

I am increasingly determined to not let this go. But I agree. This is definitely the last expensive item I sell on eBay, at least without insurance..Additionally, I would very happily pay return shipping if it meant I'd get my headphones back and the buyer/scammer could have his money back. I know I will just pay 8$ to ship an empty box back to me though, I'm not sure what else to tell the buyer in that case.

Again thanks everyone for your time

rosemary6525 · ‎03-10-2023

Ebay WILL GIVE HIM his money back and you are out $400 IF you are a TOP RATED SELLER and OFFER FREE RETURNS you are entitled to a 50% refund. Yep this is how EBAY works. There is no claim with shipper. It is basically CRIMINAL I do not sell electronics on here as its just a mine field of idiots crooks scammers

rosemary6525 · ‎03-10-2023

Meant to tell you to go to FB MARKETPLACE I sell ALL laptops, computers as meet up and CASH. There are NO fees. If you are in a metro area its 100 times better I have sold 8-9 laptops since December

albertabrightalberta · ‎03-10-2023

@cdyl_us_sdbectc8r

I notice several of your items are shipping from China.

Did this item ship from the US or from China?

albertabrightalberta | Volunteer Community Mentor
"I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you."

stephenmorgan · ‎03-10-2023

@cdyl_us_sdbectc8r wrote:
So what you're saying is I should just refund the buyer then appeal it? That seems weird to me. Isn't that like me doing it involuntarily?

What would you do, if you were in my situation?

Not exactly what I mean. If you agree to refund then the case is closed on eBay. You can not appeal your own decision. If eBay makes the decision for you to refund you can appeal their decision.