A very different item returned. Will the buyer receive refund anyways?

[my-office]

A buyer received my item. He kept and used it for almost 1 month (26 days or so).

Then he unexpectedly filed a return request saying that the item is defective or not as described.

He attached an unclear photo showing something that does not look like my item. 

I issued a return label. 

He sent me a very different item... you can say that he sent me trash.

I took a photo of the returned "trash" and I have an original photo of my item.

I am planning to submit my reply to this return stating that the item I received is  definitely NOT  the one I have sent to him, that the buyer lied, and he abused the buyer protection system. 

If the buyer sees my reply - he may retaliate with negative feedback.

My questions for you:

1. Will eBay customer service show the buyer my reply, comments, and photos? 

2. If eBay customer service agrees that the returned item/trash is not even close to the item I shipped - will eBay refund the buyer anyways? If yes, - will ebay pay him from ebay funds?

3. If the buyer gives me negative feedback - will eBay remove it?

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. 

[hachumi]

Ebay will give you one "freebie" or they will side with you once if you have been on here long enough,  they will side with you, give you your money back and remove a neg. ( but they also refund the customer).
Otherwise.
Ebay will side with the customer
Ebay won't agree or disagree they just will close the case and refund the sellers money from your funds.
Ebay won't remove the negative
You're best bet is just to suck it up.
Ebay for me is no longer profitable for me,  I'm just selling through the inventory I have left, and am moving on.

[4pawsup*]

Do not get personal when replying to the seller. Do not call them names and accuse them of a lie..

Just stick to the item is not the one you shipped. Let ebay determine if the buyer lied. Good luck

[sextons-sweet-deals]

Interesting!

My understanding is once tracking shows delivered back to seller, the buyer was automatically refunded. 

I know this have been an issue because of the same issue you're dealing with. You received trash, junk, maybe even an empty box as a seller. Another issue is the buyer manipulates the address on label to an address near the seller. Probably just mails an envelope. Buyer keeps item and get their money back while seller loses everything.

Sounds like eBay is now allowing the seller to review the item received and giving them a voice to respond to the open case. 

That is good news!

[baantiques]

Unfortunately, buyers are allowed to return any item, even an empty box if they want to, and Ebay will give them a full refund.  It's a wide open door for fraud and frankly I'm surprised Ebay hasn't been on the losing end of a class action because of it, but regardless, it is what it is and you just have to chalk it up as a cost of doing business.  

I've discovered it's best just to avoid selling high fraud items.

[ittybitnot]

Sounds like eBay is now allowing the seller to review the item received and giving them a voice to respond to the open case. 

@sextons-sweet-deals 

I think that is only for sellers who qualify to withhold up to 50% for a faulty return. 

[sextons-sweet-deals]

Not sure I understand. Can you elaborate? 

[gosimus]

@my-office 

< I issued a return label ... He sent me a very different item... you can say that he sent me trash. >    

It always astonishes me that a buyer would pull something like this on somebody who knows his name and address.  I suppose there's no way to know, but it would be interesting to learn if any of these lying sacks receive a personal visit. 

[mtgraves7984]

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@ittybitnot wrote:

Sounds like eBay is now allowing the seller to review the item received and giving them a voice to respond to the open case. 

@sextons-sweet-deals 

I think that is only for sellers who qualify to withhold up to 50% for a faulty return. 

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I don't see TRS and I don't see Free Returns, so this seller wouldn't have access to that protection. Hmmm... 🤔

[sextons-sweet-deals]

Are you saying if a seller who has Top-Rated Seller status and offers free returns has a voice before a buyer is automatically refunded based on delivery tracking, but not the power to deny refund when item returned is not the same item? The decision still falls on eBay to decide.

[sextons-sweet-deals]

I had read a similar comment in the last few months on another post. That is a dangerous comment to make with our society today.

1. I'm sure most scammers know to buy from someone far away so that does not happen.  

2. the buyer also knows the seller's address, so such an action / confrontation is just not worth it people.

3. seller can just claim a loss when doing their taxes.

4.  just block the buyer.

5. seller can rethink their shipping process.

6. review the buyer's profile and all feedback history before accepting offer or shipping.

7. Google Map the address.

8. ship with signature required if in doubt. I know many say you don't need to ship with signature unless over $750. I have shipped with signature required for far less value when in question and have had packages returned. 

9. take photos of packing process and the outside of package with the shipping label. Not that is a game changer, but it can help. Keep on file for at least 6 months.

10. if you go to the USPS office with a pre-paid label, wait in line and get a receipt (don't just drop at counter because you need your caffeine fix). The receipt will show the package weight. Another piece of proof if the buyer tries to claim you shipped an envelope rather than a 1 lb. item. 

11. If you can't afford to take a loss, make you listing pick-up only / pay then. You will weed out all the scammers quickly. 

I sure other sellers can add onto this list from past experience. 

[gosimus]

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@sextons-sweet-deals wrote:

That is a dangerous comment to make with our society today.  

---

I'm so sure nobody else ever thought of it.   In fact, the idea isn't even original with me. 

[lonebuck-books]

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@sextons-sweet-deals wrote:

Interesting!

My understanding is once tracking shows delivered back to seller, the buyer was automatically refunded. 

---

Could be worse.  They could do it like Amazon does with their "refund at first scan".  Buyer opens a return, gets a label, puts it on an empty box, drops it off and as soon as the postal service/UPS does an acceptance scan, poof an automatic full refund goes to the buyer.  Amazon has their Saf-T-Claim scam service but they never side with sellers.  So next time you think eBay is bad, just remember they can get a whole lot worse which I am sure is coming soon.  After all, they want to be like Amazon........

[ittybitnot]

Not sure I understand. Can you elaborate? 

@sextons-sweet-deals  

I probably did not make myself clear.  That business of "review or inspect the item before providing the refund" was basically a 'fluff' or 'smoke and mirrors' type statement with regard to a faulty return. It has been around for a long time. 

A 'faulty' return is one where the item is sent back is not the same, returned used/abused, or missing parts.  Though the buyer is supposed to "return the item in the condition received", there has been no monetary penalty if they don't.  They still get a full refund for any SNAD complaint.  There is no seller protection for a faulty return.   To quote an eBay statement made years ago on the subject: 


"We do not currently cover faulty returns and consider them a cost of doing business. When you sell on eBay, we consider you a business. One of our goals is to allow our sellers, whether they're large or small, to function as a business. As well as the potential for profit, all business models will have some sort of loss built in; it's important when selling on eBay that you consider this as a possibility."

Subsequently, eBay did make allowances for "some sellers" that qualified for the program to deduct up to 50% for a faulty return.  Everybody else is still basically stuck with refunding in full and paying to get those faulty return items back.  With the automated process, that will happen right when there is a recorded "delivery" notice,  or eBay may give the seller a day or two time frame.  Partial refunds are not allowed. 

If you, as a seller that does not qualify, and want to contest the fact that your buyer sent back a box of rubber bands instead of the $1000 camera you sent, "inspecting what you got back"  will not help you.  Essentially, you are 'asking for eBay' to help, and you still have to refund in full and likely will have a defect for case without seller resolution coming your way if you are not thrilled with the rubber bands return and want to contest it......It still takes about ten minutes to get the "tracking shows your item was returned to you" notice. 

So in reality, eBay may tell you to inspect the product that is returned, but it does not change the results of the very predictable program flow (unless you qualify to only refund $500 for the rubber bands).  The buyer will always be 'right' until they accumulate too many complaints or start costing eBay money. 

[mtgraves7984]

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@sextons-sweet-deals wrote:

Are you saying if a seller who has Top-Rated Seller status and offers free returns has a voice before a buyer is automatically refunded based on delivery tracking, but not the power to deny refund when item returned is not the same item? The decision still falls on eBay to decide.

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@sextons-sweet-deals 

I didn't refer to "a seller who has Top-Rated Seller status and  offers Free Returns" at all. I was only adding (to the part of your earlier valid post) that said, "I think that is only for sellers who qualify to withhold up to 50% for a faulty return."

Sellers who are TRS and offer (at least) 30-Day (buyer pays) Returns and sellers who offer Free Returns have this perk. The only reason I mentioned it is that the OP has neither, so that perk wouldn't be available.

Way back when I was TRS and offered 30-Day Returns, I had the option to reduce the (inevitable) full refund if a different/destroyed/de-valued item was returned to me... before eBay issued a full refund. A time window was there.

After reading @ittybitnot's latest post, I'm not sure that there is a time window for a reduced refund at all anymore. 😐