Impact of not accepting returns

[montanamonte]

I am fairly new to the selling aspect of eBay and have had some issues in recent past (including my last sale). Luckily I've been able to get the issues ironed out, but I am getting disenchanted with the idea of selling. This last sale I made is turning out to be a nightmare for me... this is not at all like what I expected.

The deal is, I sold a vintage Yamaha equalizer, and of course I tested it prior to listing and I tried to explain all that I had found during my testing and inspection of the unit. The unit worked flawlessly, and the only issue I could find with it, besides it being an older item, was that one of the sliders was missing a cover (it did not affect the function of the equalizer). So, in my listing, I explained everything, put a price, and made sure to check the "Does no accept returns" button. Well, the equalizer stayed on eBay for several months, but finally, I was contacted by a buyer who asked the usual questions, ie; cost of shipping, does it work? anything else wrong with the unit? etc, etc, so on and so on. Anyway, after all is said and done he buys the unit and I pack it up and ship it to him. he gets the equalizer a few days later and writes me asking for his money back because he said it doesn't work. I ask him if the package was damaged in shipping, as he could file a claim and get his money back that way (I did ship with insurance for just such an occurrence) he did not say that the package was damaged, he just insists on getting his money back... mind you, I still haven't received money for the shipping from the buyer. I explained to him that I do not accept returns and mentioned his lack of payment for shipping, he comes back with he's going to report me to Ebay and his bank to get his money back. The point of all this is that I seem to be having a pretty bad start to this selling thing, despite me being as open, honest and as clear as I can on all subjects. My concern is that I will no more get started at selling here when my business will fail because someone will leave negative feedback or get me into trouble with eBay somehow. I am wondering if I have any recourse for actions like this or am I already doomed?

[ebooksdiva]

Your no returns policy is trumped by eBay's Money Back Guarantee. So if the buyer opened a return for defective, not as described or damaged. You will have 2 choices, accept the return, pay for and issue the return label and refund upon return of the item. These type of returns are paid for by the seller.

Remorse returns are paid for by the buyer.

You may have tested the item prior to shipping , but since you didn't hand deliver yourself, you have no idea what packages go through during shipping.

Buyers can't file damage with the shipper because shipping insurance is for the seller to recoup a loss.

Your buyer can go around eBay and open a payment dispute through their credit card or Paypal, they have 180 days to do so.

So ask your buyer to open a return for their refund.

[bonanza125]

Yeah the buyer can just file a case and state "not as describe" and they can get there money back upon return even though you have no returns. To avoid feedback issues you might want to consider making your ads  30 day return policy and you as the seller pay for the shipping so you are covered as far as feedback. Ebay would remove it because under 30 day return you would be eligible for that. The thought of stating "No Return Accepted" and just thinking that buyer can't return the item is no longer. Buyers can take the easy way out and make the claim it wasn't as describe.

[tobaccocardyahoo]

I am going to be blunt because this morning I lack the energy to be diplomatic.

A lot of relatively new and inexperienced sellers telegraph buyers that they are new, inexperienced and potential victims for abuse.

Offering items with local pickup, and no returns is a clear invitation to take advantage of you.

You botched the sale when you agreed to ship a local pickup item, which you had not been paid to ship.

Items which are prone to returns are going to get returned, Not As Described  and the EMBG make that inevitable.

Testing is often inadequate. It is often inadequate for manufacturer refurb products, as well. You are unlikely to test every function and test for long enough to know there are no defects.

A seller selling an item or two on Ebay each month, who sells items which could be returned should not be wasting their time, they will lose their money.

There are entire categories of merchandise on Ebay which get few returns. The casual seller should restrict their offers to those categories.

[janet9988]

If you do not accept the return the buyer be fully refunded and get to keep the item.

Ebay makes sure of that.

[soh.maryl]

No one needs to "telegraph" buyers that they are new and inexperienced as a seller.

If I am about to make a purchase and I see that the seller just registered last month, for instance, and has two feedbacks, it's pretty clear to me how inexperienced that seller is.  

[tobaccocardyahoo]

There are some sellers who create new accounts who are experienced and may have thousands of Ebay sales.

FB is not a useful measure of anything most of the time.

People who rely on it are often among those who are singing the blues, even some scammers.

But a seller who telegraphs that they are an amateur can remain one until they finally lose more than they can afford.