About to get scammed by buyer, need help with policy!

[orchardresale]

I am a reletively new seller with little experience( 84 ratings and 100% good feedback) and I think I am about to be scammed. I need help from experts like retrose1 , as I do not know policy well enough to protect myself from people who prey on new sellers and abuse eBay policy in order to rob them. This transaction is worth more than I earn of eBay in a month.

The buyers feedback is 100%, but they have 2-3 transactions with a single seller over and over. This makes me suspicious that this might be a scam account, accumulating fake feedback through shell acounts and transactions.

I sold a preorder for an EXTREMELY LIMITED convention exclusive action figure set for $275 with free shipping in June. The item would be released in August. I updated the buyer on the items shipping status and offered to cancel the item if the buyer did not want to wait. As soon as I recieved the set from the convention on August, I shipped the item out, even packing in an extra accessory or two for the buyers patience. 

Here's where it gets sketchy. On August 28th, after my package had arrived the buyer stated that they got a package at their parents house but didn't know if it was from me or not. They stated they were not there to open it and they were going to have their prother open it to "make sure everything is ok and no damage or anything". He then asked for the tracking number, which I gladly provided. I then sent a message to the buyer to let me know when they'd gone over everything/checked the package and that I packaged everything with extreme care.

I got no response until October 17th, when the buyer messaged that they just opened the package and found the packaging with a knife mark as well as sticker residue on the side of the packaging. The buyer inquired if I had cut the shipper box open with a knife when opening it and left a sticker residue. The buyer provided pictures that did indicate a ling scratch on the side as well as the residue. The thing is, I didn't use a knife when opening the manufactuers shipper and the set actually slide out from the top of the box and not the side, where the damage was. Furthermore, it came packaged completely in bubble wrap, leaving no chance that the item would have any superficial damage, let alone one on the side. Since this was an inspensive item, I inspected the collector set throughly before I shipped it and I took pictures of the surface. No scratches or residue to be found. 

I am afraid of losing a case and having to either recieve the damaged item(it's value plummeting due to the damage) or being scammed by the return. I need help from experts, please help! I have yet to respond to the buyer. 

[vintagecraze50]

It does not matter if they are asking for a return they are fishing for something. If they want to return it they will tell you. If it bad enough to keep, then it is bad enough to keep.If it's that bad they should ask for a refund.

[vintagecraze50]

Remember, you will be offering no resistance for a refund here on Ebay if you reply return for refund. Then if they go to paypal you can use this as evidence of a possible scam as well because you already offered the  ability to refund on Ebay.

[fashunu4eeuh]

I’m assuming you didnt buy additional insurance, but if you shipped it Priority mail, there is an automatic $50 or $100 insurance available, depending on your eBay status. That’s not much when you are looking at a $275 loss, but it is something.

Responding to your buyer is a slippery slope. As other posters agree, I would not send him pictures or explanations defending your position. That will come into play if he opens a PayPal dispute. You’ll have the opportunity to defend yourself there and present your evidence. Any back and forth with your buyer now should be avoided, altho i don’t think ignoring his communication will help either. 

Has your buyer asked for a refund? 

EDIT: ok i see he has not.

[sam9876]

Ignore them.

[touchdownarkansas]

All buyers have 100% positive feedback.

[missjen831]

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@fashunu4eeuh wrote:

I’m assuming you didnt buy additional insurance, but if you shipped it Priority mail, there is an automatic $50 or $100 insurance available, depending on your eBay status. That’s not much when you are looking at a $275 loss, but it is something.

Responding to your buyer is a slippery slope. As other posters agree, I would not send him pictures or explanations defending your position. That will come into play if he opens a PayPal dispute. You’ll have the opportunity to defend yourself there and present your evidence. Any back and forth with your buyer now should be avoided, altho i don’t think ignoring his communication will help either. 

Has your buyer asked for a refund? 

EDIT: ok i see he has not.

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You only have 60 days from the date of mailing to file an insurance claim. So an insurance claim may not be possible since the OP shipped in August. 

[keswe_5087]

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@fashunu4eeuh wrote:

I’m assuming you didnt buy additional insurance, but if you shipped it Priority mail, there is an automatic $50 or $100 insurance available, depending on your eBay status. That’s not much when you are looking at a $275 loss, but it is something.

Responding to your buyer is a slippery slope. As other posters agree, I would not send him pictures or explanations defending your position. That will come into play if he opens a PayPal dispute. You’ll have the opportunity to defend yourself there and present your evidence. Any back and forth with your buyer now should be avoided, altho i don’t think ignoring his communication will help either. 

Has your buyer asked for a refund? 

EDIT: ok i see he has not.

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Chances are the insurance would not pay out because the package was reshipped from the original destination

[dtexley3]

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@vintagecraze50 wrote:

Remember, you will be offering no resistance for a refund here on Ebay if you reply return for refund. Then if they go to paypal you can use this as evidence of a possible scam as well because you already offered the  ability to refund on Ebay.

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The item is well outside the seller's return policy and eBay's MBG.  The seller needs to just state that the refund period has expired.  If the buyer then goes to Paypal the seller can present the evidence that the item as reshipped after the original delivery.  And the buyer has to pay return shipping.

[missjen831]

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@vintagecraze50 wrote:

Remember, you will be offering no resistance for a refund here on Ebay if you reply return for refund. Then if they go to paypal you can use this as evidence of a possible scam as well because you already offered the  ability to refund on Ebay.

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@vintagecraze50 No he can’t use this as evidence of a scam. The money back guarantee has expired. The buyer has no choice but to file with PayPal. He can’t file with eBay, it’s been too long. PayPal isn’t going to consider this evidence of a scam because the buyer literally had no way go through eBay for a refund. The OP ought to take the best advice given by several others on this thread and stay silent. Why people keep encouraging communication is a mystery. 

[beardedbovine]

The knife mark I could understand from all the shipping and reshipping, the family member may not have packed it as well as you did. That's not your fault but the buyer may not know at what stage that damage occurred. But sticker residue that wasn't there when you shipped could indicate that it's a different item entirely. Maybe the buyer got one cheaper after the release so he's fishing to see what he can get from you as an inexperienced seller.

I agree with the advice to stay silent. It took the buyer this long to contact you and if you don't respond they may not reach out again until after the PayPal and credit card windows expire.

[orchardresale]

I was told that the family member didn’t open the original packaging but simply “slapped another shipping label” over the prepacked box. This is why I am suspicious that the knife mark suddenly appeared.

[monster-deals]

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@orchardresale wrote:

I see. How should I address their claim of the scratch and the adhesive residue? 

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Don't.

Say blah blah blah, return for refund

[trgib-2]

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@orchardresale wrote:
I was told that the family member didn’t open the original packaging but simply “slapped another shipping label” over the prepacked box. This is why I am suspicious that the knife mark suddenly appeared.

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Dear buyer I'm very sorry but I can only accept returns for 30 days after the date of purchase.

have you contacted me earlier about this issue I would have been more than willing to work with.

Thank you for your purchase,

Seller.

Keep repeating that. The guy is trying to scam you.

[sam9876]

The seller should remain silent.

[collectablesofliberty]

I would not reply to the message, I would also contact eBay and let them know you are possibly being scammed by said buyer. They will note the buyers account.