buyer return request

[golfincolors]

I have a situation where I need help and advice and I will try to be brief. I sold a golf driver to a buyer and he now wants to return it claiming it has been altered which is not true. He also claims the grip is not original as I stated which I never did so here is my problem.

1. I never altered the club but of course I cannot prove that.

2. He asked if the driver came with a Honma grip and I replied yes which it did. I never used the word original even though it is the Honma grip that came with the driver.

3. The buyer has resorted to threats and name calling...deceitful, nasty, a bully, etc.

4. He left negative feedback within 30 minutes of filing a claim....very negative feedback

Here is my problem/question. I messaged him telling him I will not accept the return since his claims are false. I am sure he will ask Ebay to step in and in my experience within 1 hour Ebay will side withe buyer without hearing my side. How do I get my response to Ebay before they decide as I am only given 2 options..accept the return or offer a complete or partial refund. I feel I should be able to respond to Ebay before a decision is made. E=even though I have been a member of Ebay for over 15 years and have over 1500 transactions I do not think Ebay takes this into consideration. Sorry for the long read and any help anyone can provide is greatly appreciated

[monica-sells]

Accept the return, resell the driver and move on.....to fight this seems silly, and nothing good can come of it...

 I messaged him telling him I will not accept the return since his claims are false.

[golfincolors]

This is part of his latest message to me. Sorry but with someone like this I refuse to turn the other cheek. some people cannot get away with whatever they want to do and say. If after you  read this  and you still think I should just move on then there is not much I can say. Here is what he messaged me:

You are a fraud and a sham and hope you get one of the STDs that are running rampant in your neighborhood. 

[kensgiftshop]

Ebay isn't really interested in hearing your side, all they care about is there is an unhappy buyer.

If you want it returned before you refund, accept the return and provide a shipping label.

[golfincolors]

I prefer to let it run its course and see if Ebay really sides with this buyer after they read all his messages to me. At my age, 75, I still stand on principal and will let the chips fall where they may.

[soh.maryl]

Seems to me that a seller who's been here 15 years would be well aware of the Money Back Guarantee.

eBay doesn't care how long you've been here, they care about the buyer's unhappiness.

You're about to fall on your sword and you'll come out the loser.  Buyer opens an NAD case, you send a prepaid return label and refund when you get the club back; otherwise, eBay will refund the buyer and NOT require that he return it.  Is this really the outcome you want?  

[buyselljack2016]

@golfincolors 

"stand on principal"  is not a variable in how eBay operates.

If you do not accept the return and refund in full upon return eBay will handle the entire situation.

100% chance that they will refund the buyer with your money.

Very good chance that they will not even require the buyer to return the item.

Everything about that club would be required to be original. It is listed as "new other".

The AI description used allows for nothing other than a new club, completely original.

The AI description shatters your "principals".

[house*of*paws]

Hi @golfincolors 

I would think that an item sold as ‘New Other’ would have ALL the original parts … whether or not mentioned specifically in the listing.  [I don’t believe you mentioned what made it ‘Other’.]

If you attempt to fight the return in any way … this is what eBay will almost definitely do:

1. Refund the buyer in full with your money and let them keep the driver.
2. Withhold your selling fees.
3. Add a defect to your account.

You can swear to eBay that you didn’t change the grip … but did you purchase it yourself from the manufacturer to know that it hadn’t been changed by someone else?

I’m not trying to dispute what you said … but rather to show you the difficulty of proving it to eBay.  We all have read posts from dozens (if not hundreds) of honest sellers who have tried to avoid having to refund a buyer they were convinced was in the wrong.

I’m very sorry, but you have nothing to gain by talking with an eBay rep before the buyer can ask eBay to step in.  You will only make the refund immediate, rather than in a few days.  ☹️

[simba6]

All you can do is say oh  niblic and issue a paid return label.  Refund in full when you receive it back.  Or you can just issue a full refund and let them keep it for free. Saves return cost.

[kensgiftshop]

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@golfincolors wrote:

I prefer to let it run its course and see if Ebay really sides with this buyer after they read all his messages to me. At my age, 75, I still stand on principal and will let the chips fall where they may.

---

They don't care what is said in messages.

If buyer ask Ebay to step in, they'll get a refund from your account and probably get to keep the item.

[youn2240]

you sold it as new but you're skirting around that you were aware it wasn't the original grip. if it wasn't the original grip it wasn't new.  sounds like a reasonable feedback because of the grip discrepancy when sold as new.  If I spent 200 dollars with you for a new golf club and I received an altered golf club and asked for a return and your refused I would give you a negative real quick too. it wasn't new you obscuring that the grip wasn't the original grip that came with the club is the issue here. 

[bennotbill]

If you don't accept the return all you are doing is giving a bad buyer the bonus of having the last laugh at your expense.

[youn2240]

it's not a bad buyer. club listed as new. seller says in the original post he never said it was the original handle. it was sold as a new club though. the seller misrepresented a sale over 200 dollars. this is what happens and should happen. 

[asset_liquidators]

In order to stand on principal, that would require eBay to have principals, which they don't. 

Best thing you can do is accept the return and be out the costs of shipping.

If not, you are going to be out the shipping cost, (and probably) the item, selling fees, and account defect.

[youn2240]

I also find it very interesting that a seller specializing in golf clubs and selling golf club in question here didn't take a picture of the grip. then when asked about the grip answered in the most generic way possible which didn't say it was the original grip just the same brand. leads me to believe the seller definitely knew there was an issue with the grip and decided to conceal this issue and still sell as new. pretty open and shut case when the evidence is taken into consideration.