eBay

twinklepaws8 · ‎11-11-2019

I sold a damaged item which was stated to be damaged in the listing with photos. Someone sent me an offer and I accepted it. They took a few days to pay. I sent the item out after the weekend, last Monday (meanwhile, they sent nagging messages over the weekend asking me to ship). After I shipped it and uploaded the tracking number they message me saying they want a refund, with a follow up reply that seemed like they where content with keeping it.

A day after they got the item in the mail they message me claiming the item is damaged in a much worse state than was listed. They even provided photos. I cannot see how the damage could have happened from shipping and it seemed like from buyer mishandling, but as ebay would probably side with the buyer regardless I accepted the refund.

After accepting the refund the buyer re-listed the item on ebay with a "buy it now/best offer"! It seems they have no intention of actually sending it back!? What can I do in this situation?

fashunu4eeuh · ‎11-11-2019

Hi, in this situation, you don't need to do anything. If the buyer does not return the item, the refund does not happen. I checked your completed listings but did not see the damaged item you reference. Which item was it?

fern*wood · ‎11-11-2019

I would do nothing. You did your part, but it may not have been what the buyer hoped for. Some gamble that sellers will refund instead of requiring the item returned. Now it is up to them.

eleanor*rigby · ‎11-11-2019

@twinklepaws8 wrote:
. . .as ebay would probably side with the buyer regardless I accepted the refund.

After accepting the refund the buyer re-listed the item on ebay with a "buy it now/best offer"! It seems they have no intention of actually sending it back!? What can I do in this situation?

@twinklepaws8

Did the buyer actually file an official return request in eBay's Resolution Center?

When you say you've "accepted the refund," do you mean you've already refunded the buyer?

If so, you're pretty much out of luck.

If not, eBay will close the buyer's request/case in your favor when it's clear s/he isn't going to return the item within the specific time frame, and you will not be required to refund any money. You'll have to follow the return details and ask eBay to step in when appropriate.

eleanor*rigby · ‎11-11-2019

Sorry for the cross-posting with the previous two posters!

pjcdn2005 · ‎11-11-2019

Do you mean that you accepted the return or that you actually refunded the buyer?

If you already refunded them, that basically means that you didn't want the item returned.

fern*wood · ‎11-11-2019

I think I misread your post. What do you mean by accepting the refund? Typically a return is accepted (my brain when there) and then issue a refund upon receipt. If you didn't use this order, then it won't work in your favor.

@twinklepaws8

lex-talon · ‎11-11-2019

After accepting the refund the buyer re-listed the item on ebay with a "buy it now/best offer"! It seems they have no intention of actually sending it back!? What can I do in this situation?

It sounds like you refunded the buyer, so now technically it's theirs to do whatever they want with the item.

Once you refund a buyer, they are not required to return it. Sorry, there's nothing else you can do.

twinklepaws8 · ‎11-12-2019

I did NOT refund the buyer. I accepted the return. I got to the refund part where it expected me to pay for a shipping label and stopped there. The money is on "hold" in Paypal, not refunded. The status is that I "started" the return, that is it. I just wanted to know where I should go from here.

eleanor*rigby · ‎11-12-2019

@twinklepaws8

If your buyer filed for a return based on damage to the item s/he received, you, as the seller, MUST pay for return shipping. The buyer is guaranteed to receive a shipping label or the funds to purchase one him/herself.

Check the status of the return and see if it refers to something along the lines of "waiting for seller to provide shipping label" or something like that. If not, maybe you could post a little snippet of what the current status of the return is? Make sure you delete any reference to the buyer id or item number or anything else that could identify the buyer.

So, in advance of seeing the return status, I'd say where you go from here is to provide the buyer with a shipping label.

refree_48 · ‎11-12-2019

@twinklepaws8 wrote:

I did NOT refund the buyer. I accepted the return. I got to the refund part where it expected me to pay for a shipping label and stopped there. The money is on "hold" in Paypal, not refunded. The status is that I "started" the return, that is it. I just wanted to know where I should go from here.

Issue the return label. If the buyer doesn't return it, you don't get charged