Return Shipping Label

[va_9445]

We are looking for guidance regarding an issue with a recent transaction. Due to an internal mistake, we accepted the creation of a return shipping label, even though it was clearly agreed with the buyer from the start that this item was non-returnable and not eligible for a refund. This condition was communicated and acknowledged prior to the sale.

Despite this, the buyer is now proceeding as if a return and refund apply, which contradicts the original agreement. We are attempting to resolve the situation in good faith by offering an alternative solution, but the buyer is no longer responding or cooperating.

Given this situation, we need to formally open a case and request eBay’s intervention to review the facts and help resolve the matter fairly. Any advice or similar experiences would be appreciated.

[krazzykats]

All items on eBay are refundable as part of eBay's Money Back Guarantee, which takes precedence over any individual return policy.

ᓚᘏᗢ

[annadryl]

Ebay is not going to investigate any private agreements, that's not how returns work. You need to go by the book with this, not many categories are "all sales are final".

[lakefor94]

@va_9445 

If the buyer opens a Item Is Not As Described type return case, you have choices.

1. You can refund the buyer now and let the buyer keep the item. eBay refunds the final value fees on the sale to you, the seller.

2. If you want the item back before refunding, accept the return and make sure a prepaid return label is available in the return case. The buyer returns the item and then you refund in full. eBay refunds the final value fees on the sale to you, the seller.

Seller protection:
Top Rated Sellers who accept 30 day returns and Above Average rated sellers who offer free 30 day returns can do partial refunds, up to 50%, if the item is returned in a condition different than when you shipped it.

3. Do nothing, contest the case or allow eBay to handle the case, eBay will close the return, refund the buyer and allow the buyer to keep the item. You also receive a serious defect on your seller account for having eBay step in and refund, thus doing your job as a seller. And, eBay keeps the final value fees for the transaction.

Here is an eBay link with just about all you need to know.
https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/handle-return-request-seller?id=4115

[va_9445]

I have documented evidence proving that the equipment was shipped fully functional and in good condition prior to dispatch. Photos and videos were taken before shipment and confirm that the unit was operating correctly at that time.

The buyer received the item and did not report any issues upon delivery. In fact, on the day the item arrived, I proactively contacted the buyer to confirm whether everything was in good order, and no problems were reported. The buyer only requested a refund more than one week after delivery, which raises serious concerns about when and how the alleged damage occurred.

The claim that the unit arrived damaged directly contradicts the evidence I have provided. Given the delay in reporting and the lack of any issue during the initial inspection window, responsibility for the condition of the equipment can no longer be attributed to the seller.

Despite this, and strictly as a gesture of good faith, I offered a partial refund to cover the estimated cost of the reported issue. This offer was declined by the buyer.

Based on the facts, the timeline, and the documented evidence, I believe eBay should support my position in this case, as the claim does not align with the condition in which the item was shipped nor with the buyer’s actions after receiving it.

[kensgiftshop]

@va_9445 

None of that matters.

The MBG says the buyer has 30 days to return the item.

Photos and a video before you shipped, doesn't mean the item was received in the same condition.

If you want it returned before refunding, you don't want to get Ebay involved.

If Ebay has to get involved, they'll refund buyer from your account, let buyer keep the item and they'll keep their fee's.

[va_9445]

I respectfully disagree. Your statement oversimplifies eBay’s policies and leaves out several critical factors that absolutely do matter in cases like this.

While buyers may have up to 30 days to open a return, that timeframe is not unconditional and does not override the need for consistency between evidence, timing, and buyer behavior. A delayed claim does not automatically validate a “not as described” allegation.

Regarding evidence, photos and videos taken immediately before shipment are not evaluated in isolation. They are considered alongside the full timeline of the transaction. In this case, the buyer did not report any issue upon delivery. In fact, I proactively contacted the buyer on the day the item was delivered to confirm everything was okay, and they did not respond. The issue was only raised seven days later, after the buyer had full possession and control of the equipment.

That delay and period of unrestricted handling are highly relevant. Damage or discrepancies reported after extended possession cannot reasonably be attributed to the seller without supporting evidence from the buyer.

The suggestion that involving eBay automatically results in the buyer being refunded and keeping the item is misleading. That outcome typically occurs only when sellers fail to respond, fail to provide evidence, or miss deadlines. None of those apply here. I responded promptly, submitted documentation, and even offered a partial refund strictly as a goodwill gesture, which the buyer declined.

Involving eBay is precisely how the full context and evidence are reviewed, not something to be avoided. Based on the facts, timeline, and documented proof, this is exactly the type of case where seller evidence and buyer conduct should be weighed carefully. 

Why are you automatically defending the buyer when the behavior here clearly suggests they are trying to take advantage of the situation? Buyers are protected, yes, but sellers are not expected to absorb responsibility for damage or issues that arise after delivery and extended possession by the buyer. If seller protection did not consider timelines, evidence, and buyer behavior, then it would effectively not exist at all, right?

[lakefor94]

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@va_9445 wrote:

I have documented evidence proving that the equipment was shipped fully functional and in good condition prior to dispatch. Photos and videos were taken before shipment and confirm that the unit was operating correctly at that time.

The buyer received the item and did not report any issues upon delivery. In fact, on the day the item arrived, I proactively contacted the buyer to confirm whether everything was in good order, and no problems were reported. The buyer only requested a refund more than one week after delivery, which raises serious concerns about when and how the alleged damage occurred.

The claim that the unit arrived damaged directly contradicts the evidence I have provided. Given the delay in reporting and the lack of any issue during the initial inspection window, responsibility for the condition of the equipment can no longer be attributed to the seller.

Despite this, and strictly as a gesture of good faith, I offered a partial refund to cover the estimated cost of the reported issue. This offer was declined by the buyer.

Based on the facts, the timeline, and the documented evidence, I believe eBay should support my position in this case, as the claim does not align with the condition in which the item was shipped nor with the buyer’s actions after receiving it.

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@va_9445 Your evidence will not mean squat to eBay. 

Even if you could win the ebay case somehow, the buyer can go to their credit card issuer and file there and it is a slam dunk for the buyer. And, eBay will keep the final value fees while refunding from your account.

I would suggest getting the item back and resell it. If you process the refund yourself after receiving the item back, eBay refunds the final value fees you were charged.

[stainlessenginecovers]

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@va_9445 wrote:

I respectfully disagree. Your statement oversimplifies eBay’s policies and leaves out several critical factors that absolutely do matter in cases like this.

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@va_9445 you can disagree all you want; this refund is going through one way or another. There is NO evidence of ANYTHING. Buyers have 30 days. Period.

PERIOD! 

@kensgiftshop 

[va_9445]

Under that logic, a buyer could purchase an item, keep it for weeks, handle or even damage it, and then on day 29 simply request a refund and automatically “win” the case. If that were truly how the system works, then seller protection would be meaningless.

Surely buyer protection does not extend to covering damage or issues that occur after delivery and extended possession, nor does it eliminate the relevance of evidence, timelines, and buyer conduct. Otherwise, any buyer could exploit the policy, and sellers would have no realistic protection.

That’s why context matters, and why seller protection must exist for cases where the facts clearly contradict a late “not as described” claim. You guys are really not helping at all.

[1786davycrockett]

@va_9445 

No one here is attempting to side with the buyer -- we are just trying to explain to you how eBay's Money Back Guarantee works, and how it RARELY is in the seller's favor.  See the following -- https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy...

You have only been selling on eBay since August 2025, while most of us have been sellers for much longer, and have also experienced situations similar to yours.

If you decide to continue your appeal with eBay, a decision may be decided within minutes -- and not by human beings, but by AI -- and 99.99999% of the time, the eBay AI bots side with the buyer.

The wisest decision for you to make (believe me) is to accept the return, but do NOT refund until you have received your item back.  Only then do you refund your buyer.

In that manner, you receive your item back, and you can resell it once again to someone else.

However -- if you appeal the return case to the eBay AI bots, you will nearly 100% of the time lose -- meaning your buyer will be refunded, and your buyer will also be permitted to keep the item.

You, however, will receive a defect against your account -- which you definitely cannot afford, since you only have a feedback of 2. 

With such a low feedback score, you may find that your account has been suspended indefinitely.

Selling high priced items on eBay is often chancy -- especially for newcomers.

Good luck.

[stainlessenginecovers]

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@va_9445 wrote:

Under that logic, a buyer could purchase an item, keep it for weeks, handle or even damage it, and then on day 29 simply request a refund and automatically “win” the case. If that were truly how the system works, then seller protection would be meaningless.

Surely buyer protection does not extend to covering damage or issues that occur after delivery and extended possession, nor does it eliminate the relevance of evidence, timelines, and buyer conduct. Otherwise, any buyer could exploit the policy, and sellers would have no realistic protection.

That’s why context matters, and why seller protection must exist for cases where the facts clearly contradict a late “not as described” claim. You guys are really not helping at all.

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The help you are getting is 'how it is'. You want to 'argue' your point. Doesn't matter.

It's NOT logic.

It's Black & White 'policy. 

30 Day MBG. Yes, they can open in 29 days. 

If qualified, you can deduct up to 50% of the refund.

THAT is seller protection. 

[lakefor94]

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@va_9445 wrote:

Under that logic, a buyer could purchase an item, keep it for weeks, handle or even damage it, and then on day 29 simply request a refund and automatically “win” the case. If that were truly how the system works, then seller protection would be meaningless.

Surely buyer protection does not extend to covering damage or issues that occur after delivery and extended possession, nor does it eliminate the relevance of evidence, timelines, and buyer conduct. Otherwise, any buyer could exploit the policy, and sellers would have no realistic protection.

That’s why context matters, and why seller protection must exist for cases where the facts clearly contradict a late “not as described” claim. You guys are really not helping at all.

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We told you how eBay returns work. Same as any other selling venue that uses a payment processor. Buyers are protected, sellers are not. 

It is obvious, this transaction may not end well for you.  I just hope you get the item back from the buyer. Quite expensive. Good luck.

[lakefor94]

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@stainlessenginecovers wrote:

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@va_9445 wrote:

Under that logic, a buyer could purchase an item, keep it for weeks, handle or even damage it, and then on day 29 simply request a refund and automatically “win” the case. If that were truly how the system works, then seller protection would be meaningless.

Surely buyer protection does not extend to covering damage or issues that occur after delivery and extended possession, nor does it eliminate the relevance of evidence, timelines, and buyer conduct. Otherwise, any buyer could exploit the policy, and sellers would have no realistic protection.

That’s why context matters, and why seller protection must exist for cases where the facts clearly contradict a late “not as described” claim. You guys are really not helping at all.

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The help you are getting is 'how it is'. You want to 'argue' your point. Doesn't matter.

It's NOT logic.

It's Black & White 'policy. 

30 Day MBG. Yes, they can open in 29 days. 

If qualified, you can deduct up to 50% of the refund.

THAT is seller protection. 

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If it is the monitor sold on December 9th, the seller does not qualify for the 50% deduction as the item was sold as, returns not accepted. 

Hopefully @va_9445 has learned that there is no such thing as "no refunds", regardless of the return policy in the listing.

[kensgiftshop]

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@va_9445 wrote:

Involving eBay is precisely how the full context and evidence are reviewed, not something to be avoided. Based on the facts, timeline, and documented proof, this is exactly the type of case where seller evidence and buyer conduct should be weighed carefully. 

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In a perfect world, but not Ebays world.

They won't review anything.

All they know is buyer filed an INAD.