Seller advised me to select wrong reason for return to avoid paying shipping cost

[spiffyme43]

Hello all! I am seeing a ton of info here about buyers and return fraud, but has anyone had sellers tell you to select an incorrect reason for a return to avoid paying shipping costs?

I purchased a skirt last week that was described as 93% rayon + 7% spandex. Received it and the tag very clearly states "57% polyester, 38% rayon, 5% spandex". Asked seller for a return based on incorrect fabric and the seller was very friendly and told me step by step how to request a refund, though told me to select "Does not fit". I did so, giving them the benefit of the doubt because they were friendly, only to see that shipping costs would be on me. Read somewhere I could close the return and restart it with a new reason, WHICH IS NOT TRUE. So now I have to file a claim? 

Anyway just sharing in case anyone has gone through something similar, and to advise folks to select the CORRECT reason for the return despite what friendly seller advises!!

[qeqo_0]

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@spiffyme43 wrote:

Asked seller for a return based on incorrect fabric and the seller was very friendly and told me step by step how to request a refund, though told me to select "Does not fit".

I did so, giving them the benefit of the doubt because they were friendly, only to see that shipping costs would be on me. 

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Your only option to turn the cost of return shipping back on the friendly seller is @spiffyme43 to contact your card issuer to file a chargeback for Goods defective or not as described, which the seller must pay for return shipping if they want the merchandise back. 

PayPal is not an option, as buyers must pay for return shipping in a PayPal return case.

[dqdistribution]

I don't know, I treat eBay like I do when I buy something on amazon.

If I'm not happy with my purchase, I go to my order history and click on 'return item'. I then put in the correct reason for the return and I wait for the system to tell me what is the next step.

If next step doesn't occur I click on 'Ask eBay to step in and help' and then the next step appears within 5 days.

If you did it like I do you most likely wouldn't have an issue.

Sorry but you probably have to do like what the other poster said and to create a chargeback with your bank/credit card.

[soh.maryl]

If you are going to be an eBay shopper, you're going to have to learn a little more.

Frankly, your seller told you to select "doesn't fit" because, that way, he did not have to refund shipping.

"Benefit of the doubt" has no play here.  You had an item not as described case.  Unfortunately, you were chose a reason that involved your paying shipping to return.

Hopefully, this is a lesson well-learned.  

[1tuna]

your  mistake was listening to the seller. its plain and simple

had you known how to file a not as described you would have just left the seller out of the loop

the problem is way too many buyers think they have to ask the seller for permission to make a return

next time this happens you can ignore the seller and go right to the claim

sorry this happened but your seller led you astray

@spiffyme43 

[pjcdn2005]

Some sellers complain when a buyer opens a claim without contacting them first.

In this case, you probably felt that it would be polite to contact the seller before opening a claim.  Unfortunately,the seller misdirected you but I don't think that is the norm and it is definitely not your fault.

You could try contacting customer service to see if they would change the reason for the return but they may not be able to do that.  If not, please contact your payment provider and see if you can do a chargeback.

[spiffyme43]

I was actually able to get money back from eBay by explaining the situation to an agent on the phone, not that eBay made it easy to do that 🤣 also didn't realize posting in here was an invitation for people to just agree that I made a mistake, something that I've already acknowledged/realized! Just sharing experience because, again, so much focus is on buyer fraud. 

[dqdistribution]

Sorry, I wanted to be as direct as possible.

I am happy you got taken care of and I hate the abusive sellers who do things to avoid returns.

One is having a return address out of the country and honest buyer remorse selectors if they want to return have to pay most likely more money to return than they will be refunded.

 Now this is a policy violation and by asking ebay to step in you can get refunded. However the system will not recognize and continue to tell you to return to the incorrect address.

I rambled a bit but basically I'm not against you, I'm just against you making the mistake in the future.

I bet your gut had some internal conflict that you weren't selecting the correct thing. Follow it and select accurate reasons 🙂

[lamber9347]

@spiffyme43 Your post was perfectly fine, helpful to other buyers, and I'm glad you were successful in getting back your money. Please don't take any comments personally. Sales are down and that has caused a lot of sellers to come on this board and jump to defend any seller, regardless of how wrong that seller was. It is anger over their own lost sales that they do not know how or where to unload it, so they unleash it at innocent posts that have nothing at all to do with them. The moment you mentioned another seller saying something, they pounce and deflect by pointing out your own mistakes. One of them will come after me now, just watch. Best of luck to you....

[downunder-61]

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@spiffyme43 wrote:

I was actually able to get money back from eBay by explaining the situation to an agent on the phone, not that eBay made it easy to do that 🤣 also didn't realize posting in here was an invitation for people to just agree that I made a mistake, something that I've already acknowledged/realized! Just sharing experience because, again, so much focus is on buyer fraud. 

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You know the saddest part about this is that you came across a bad seller, and we good sellers love when a buyer contacts us, so we can fix the issue before it  really becomes an issue.

All this seller has done, is made you wary of the whole system, and if they do that as a regular thing, is it any wonder buyers who have been burnt run directly to the chargeback, which hurts good seller badly.

The good thing is bad buyers and sellers are not in the majority on eBay.