Buyer Never Returned Item!

[suescorner]

The buyer was given a refund and they never shipped the item back, and eBay is of no help on this issue, it is all automated non-sense that does not allow me to report the buyer for not returning the item. Where do I get assistance on this one?

[rosszonebricks]

It depends on the order of events or what really happened to prompt the return.  However, in general, if you've given a refund BEFORE having the return in your hand, that's the end of it.   In Returns, you wait until you have the item back before you do a refund.

[goodbrakes]

You need to fill in a little more information before you start blaming eBay.

Was a return started by the Buyer and did you respond to the messages eBay sent you?
Why would you send a refund before getting the item back?
I don't think you understand how the process works here on eBay as a Seller.

[ckimodog · Accepted solution]

Did you send them a shipping label so they can return the item? A little more info would be helpful.  

[inhawaii]

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@suescorner wrote:

The buyer was given a refund and they never shipped the item back, and eBay is of no help on this issue, it is all automated non-sense that does not allow me to report the buyer for not returning the item. Where do I get assistance on this one?

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Then you did something wrong.

The buyer send the item back THEN get's a refund.

[downunder-61]

@suescorner 

Have a read through this to help you better understand how to respond to a buyer opening a case for return or non deivered item.....

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy...

[ten_o_nine]

 it is all automated non-sense that does not allow me to report the buyer for not returning the item.

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eBay is all automated, Thank God I don't have to deal with their CSR because you'll get blue in the face before they understand what you're taking about if they ever do, you have to explain the policy for them then they put you on so many holds to finally lie and say something to get you off the phone, but they never do, my personal experience, anyone mind?

[suescorner]

I have contacted eBay several times prior to accidentally accepting a partial refund, discovering after that I could not specify the conditions of this partial refund. Then I had my grandson look into the buyers claim, turns out they sent photos of the actual product they received, the bar code and packaging was an exact match to my item description. I immediately contacted eBay and fully explained I had photographic evidence proving that the buyer has defrauded me. 

The buyer claimed that the item sent was not the same as description and falsely typed the negative feedback that started out with this "SCAMMER!". eBay still sided with the fraudulent buyer at this point and kept the negative feedback on long enough to hurt my sales, I had several people back out of purchases around the same time, also 2 of the canceled orders stated it was a trust factor.

So, eBay finally sided with me today, and I have had the negative feedback removed, also they are reprimanding the buyer, and as for the money, they say I will receive that also. 

This is my 3rd time dealing with abusive returns, each one was in my favor. It is upsetting to not be able to instantly get assistance on a matter as a seller. Sellers seem not to be as protected as buyers, also not have direct access to report them as well. Because in all the abusive returns the buyer was sided with no matter what I shown to be the truth. 

Personally, if there was another resell site other than here and Mercari that made it possible to sell items quickly, I would absolutely leave as many are. A necessary evil indeed. 

[suescorner]

Prior returns I had done did not require me to do so, as I marked that buyers pay for return shipping. Also the buyer lied about the reason of returning the item. Stated it was not as described and sent photos, of which included the bar code and clear image of packaging, I ran the bar code on the companies site and they make different packaging schemes for each individual product, and I had the correct item as described. I should have then been able to actually cancel the return with this information, instead I have had to contact eBay several times to eventually get someone who actually seen I was in the right. 

[brightlightbookseller]

Theoretically, you can report a buyer here:

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/resolving-buyer-issues/reporting-issue-buyer?id=4084

However, that is not one of the stated reasons for reporting a buyer, and you issued the refund before receiving the item back, which was a mistake.  Always wait until receiving the item back before issuing the refund as others have stated, and if you do not get the item back, no refund is necessary (eBay may occasionally issue a courtesy refund to them depending on the circumstances, but those will come out of eBay's funds, not yours).

[alpineautomotive]

I am in the same boat. I found out later that if I agreed to send them a shipping label and they did not use it to return the item then I win the case. However I chose that I could not send a label at the time and they never sent the item back to me so therefore I lost the case and I have zero recourse. Pretty ridiculous. Completely unfair.

[alpineautomotive]

So here's the problem with this, when somebody chooses to return the item because item is not as described, eBay automatically accepts that return! From that point on you're kind of on your own other than choosing the option of sending a label out and helping that they don't use it. But if you do anything else then you completely lose your money! And the item!

[alpineautomotive]

I never accepted the return however when a buyer chooses the reason of item not being described, eBay will automatically start siding in the buyer's favor.  In my case, eBay just went ahead and sent them a refund! And I never got the item back! I have screenshots being up my side but there's nowhere to post it! Claim was filled by me and I lost it, dispute didn't change anything either.