Why is this buyer doing this?

[caseypl]

A buyer seems to have a habit of returns. It's a bit alarming and wondering if I should report or if Ebay has their own detection methods. 

My interaction with the buyer has been this: Sold a large item at the start of April, a dash part as-is in great shape. It arrived, a month and a half goes by and I see a return request stating it didn't fit their dash because their dash is broken. I denied and figured that was the end of it. Buyer apparently spends own money to ship it back and appeared to have sent it one day prior to opening the return case. I paid $80 to ship to them, he appears to have spent around $150 shipping a $375 item back. I get the item back in great shape with a small text printed letter asking to please credit back the returned item. 

I didn't ask for it back, didn't reply, and was cautious on what the buyer's next move may be. Part of me wanted to refund, but then I saw the feedback he left for others and got concerned. It's all positive, except one neutral, but a pattern suggests he is returning alot of items. all the feedback he leaves has a comment along the lines of sorry this item was returned, incorrect part, not a color match. 24 in the last 6 months and 4 since he left me positive feedback. I have not seen any chargebacks occur, but I did notice a couple envelopes at my UPS store box where he again had a note with typed tape across it asking for credit back for the returned item and he included his shipping receipt where he seemed to spend nearly $150. 

What do you think this guy is up to? Just a buyer who has a huge problem buying the wrong items? It just seems very odd and I can probably ignore it as he may have alot of returns to keep up with, but all the time I spent thinking about this is obviously probably consuming other sellers' time as well. 

What do you do? Just ignore it and move on? 

[stephenmorgan]

If your item arrived back in good shape, why not refund them?  I am not sure I would refund the $150 shipping.  If anything they should have coordinated with you the return shipping.

[kensgiftshop]

@caseypl 

Since you got it back, I would refund the buyer.

It was a remorse return so the buyer pays return shipping so I wouldn't worry about that part.

[lakefor94]

Refund less the $80 you paid for shipping. 10-pack

[caseypl]

I didn't ask for the item back and kind of wanted to get away from selling larger items again. Why didn't the buyer just list it for sale themselves? They had a perfectly good box for it. 

I am kind of surprised to see comments discussing just refund this buyer who seems to have a habit of doing returns. I wanted to see comments speculating on types of scams, etc. 

[coolections]

Mayber no one told you, but you have no choice on returns. There is no such thing as listing an item as no returns. Once the buyer realizes you are not going to give him his money back, he will file an INAD dispute then Ebay will take the money out of your account. If you refund now less shipping it would benefit you otherwise, you may be refunding the shipping cost also.

[soh.maryl]

How do you know the buyer "seems to have a habit of doing returns"?

[caseypl]

Well, I ummm.... looked at the feedback they left others. I thought I mentioned that already. 24 of 24 feedbacks left for others all say something along the lines of item was returned, incorrect color match. 

[caseypl]

No, that's not true. Buyer has 30 days. I had an easy choice when the case was opened and denied the return. Ebay allowed me to select deny return. 

[kensgiftshop]

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@caseypl wrote:

I didn't ask for the item back and kind of wanted to get away from selling larger items again. Why didn't the buyer just list it for sale themselves? They had a perfectly good box for it. 

I am kind of surprised to see comments discussing just refund this buyer who seems to have a habit of doing returns. I wanted to see comments speculating on types of scams, etc. 

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You got lucky.

The buyer could have filed an INAD and you would have had to pay return shipping, plus give the buyer a full refund.

[itsjustasprain]

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@caseypl wrote:

I didn't ask for it back, didn't reply, and was cautious on what the buyer's next move may be. Part of me wanted to refund, but then I saw the feedback he left for others and got concerned. 

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If you are concerned about his feedback now - wait until he starts to realize that you seem to want to keep both the item and the money he paid you for it.

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@caseypl wrote:

I have not seen any chargebacks occur, but I did notice a couple envelopes at my UPS store box where he again had a note with typed tape across it asking for credit back for the returned item and he included his shipping receipt where he seemed to spend nearly $150. 

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You 'noticed a couple envelopes' with 'typed tape across' them? What is he doing - sending telegrams? Just refund for the cost of the item less the shipping and hopefully he will not file a chargeback on you. I dont think he can file a chargeback on his return shipping expense since that was not paid to you.

[chapeau-noir]

@caseypl  You got what I call a 'silent return' - and this kind of thing happens from time to time, it has to me, and is part of working with the public.  Just refund item price - you're not on the hook for any shipping either way. You have the item back in good condition. This could have been so much messier.

As for the serial returner - just block them and be done with it.  Maybe someday eBay will have a policy like TJ Maxx and blacklist people who return too much stuff, like one of my relations who used to buy shopping carts worth of stuff, take it home to try on, then return 9/10 of it. After a while, she was told her business was no longer wanted.

[stephenmorgan]

I understand.  I would just give a refund though.

As far as a scam, I do not see what it is?

If they ordered something that had a lot of parts and pieces and then returned it with some parts and pieces missing then that would be a scam.

You said when the case was opened with eBay you denied the return.  They returned it to you anyway.  All I can say is let you conscience be your guide.

[dhbookds]

No one can answer Why...............if you are concerned that there could be a scam of some sort.....contact one of the previous sellers and state what happened to you and ask what happened to them.

He could do a charge back if he used a cc or papyal (and if the cc co/paypal hasn't cut off representing him for too many returns) and with that you could be liable to refund the item price plus original shipping.  There's a 180 day window for most, I believe. 

[katzrul15]

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@caseypl wrote:

A buyer seems to have a habit of returns. It's a bit alarming and wondering if I should report or if Ebay has their own detection methods. 

My interaction with the buyer has been this: Sold a large item at the start of April, a dash part as-is in great shape. It arrived, a month and a half goes by and I see a return request stating it didn't fit their dash because their dash is broken. I denied and figured that was the end of it.

$375 item back. I get the item back in great shape with a small text printed letter asking to please credit back the returned item. 

I didn't ask for it back, didn't reply, and was cautious on what the buyer's next move may be. Part of me wanted to refund, but then I saw the feedback he left for others and got concerned. It's all positive, except one neutral, but a pattern suggests he is returning alot of items. all the feedback he leaves has a comment along the lines of sorry this item was returned, incorrect part, not a color match. 24 in the last 6 months and 4 since he left me positive feedback. I have not seen any chargebacks occur, but I did notice a couple envelopes at my UPS store box where he again had a note with typed tape across it asking for credit back for the returned item and he included his shipping receipt where he seemed to spend nearly $150. 

What do you think this guy is up to? Just a buyer who has a huge problem buying the wrong items? It just seems very odd and I can probably ignore it as he may have alot of returns to keep up with, but all the time I spent thinking about this is obviously probably consuming other sellers' time as well. 

What do you do? Just ignore it and move on? 

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As a Seller, it would be WRONG to keep BOTH the money and the item.

What is your Buyer up to?  Returning a remorse return.

Is this a SCAM?   No.  It is a remorse return.

Will e-Bay care or his CC company if he files a Chargeback that it was past 30 days for the Return?  NO

Should you keep the item AND the money?    NO

Should you worry about FB on this order?   NO

Does it matter that it is a large item and you do not wish to sell LARGE items at this time?  NO

CAN you Keep both the ITEM and the MONEY and roll the dice to see if you get a Chargeback?  Yes.  You can. 

SHOULD you?  Absolutely not.  These are the type(s) of Seller situations that reflect poorly on every Seller that does/debates this type of thing.