Buyer Returning Altered Item NOT through Ebay Return System- How to Handle Partial Refund?

[mstcwrld7]

  Buyer already admitted in message she altered the item and still apparently did not like it,

so has shipped it back.  I guess it is enroute.

    I don't want to simply cancel the sale because then she would get all her money back. 

I will want to give her only a partial refund. 

   Then -- one problem is that I will not get my FVF back from ebay.   She will of course open a case against me.

. she told me she will do that if she doesn't get all her money back.

     I give free 30 day refunds (I pay the return postage)  so I am entitled to give partial refunds for altered or damaged items returned.  But this will all happen outside the ebay return system because she did not file for a return, just shipped the item back.. 

    Any advice on how to handle this?  My inclination is to send the partial refund through PP with an explanation as to why I am not f refunding all of the payment.  I will however include the return shipping in the amount I refund.

[muskingum_relics]

if the buyer altered the item in any way and she or he stated that in a message you should not be liable to pay back anything !! I always state in my listing refunds only given once item is returned in SAME condition as sent ! In my opinion it is now the buyers item ! Good luck

[mstcwrld7]

  Yes muskingum. . 

But ebay does not care much about us sellers' opinions.

        Buyer will open a case on this one, she has said so.   I am wondering how best to handle this so ebay will let me keep the funds I am withholding from her refund.   And what I can do when buyer leaves me a red doughnut.

     (Which would be the first red doughnut I receive, ever.   But I am tired of letting bad buyers push me around.)

Max ebay says can be withheld from refund is 50%. 

[muskingum_relics]

you are right !! Ebay has thrown the sellers under the bus for sure !! They really should put it in the lines now that when you sell it should state SELLERS BEWARE !! I think it is a shame there are no real seller protection like they claim !! Good luck to you !!

[comics-scifi-collectibles]

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@mstcwrld7 wrote:

  Buyer already admitted in message she altered the item and still apparently did not like it,

so has shipped it back.  I guess it is enroute.

    I don't want to simply cancel the sale because then she would get all her money back. 

I will want to give her only a partial refund. 

   Then -- one problem is that I will not get my FVF back from ebay.   She will of course open a case against me.

. she told me she will do that if she doesn't get all her money back.

     I give free 30 day refunds (I pay the return postage)  so I am entitled to give partial refunds for altered or damaged items returned.  But this will all happen outside the ebay return system because she did not file for a return, just shipped the item back.. 

    Any advice on how to handle this?  My inclination is to send the partial refund through PP with an explanation as to why I am not f refunding all of the payment.  I will however include the return shipping in the amount I refund.

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@mstcwrld7   This is a tough one... If you do not have a lot of not as described cases then I'd tell the buyer to file the refund request, maybe try to steer them towards a remorse reason so that it doesn't count against your service metrics.

Then from the request, you can issue a partial refund.   

I am not sure what would happen with a refund request if you issued a partial refund on PayPal and then the buyer files the refund request.  

[rustydalmatian]

Respond to the red donut.  Give your buyer nothing.  When ebay reviews the case, make sure they have a copy of the message admitting alteration.  This is one of the few things on the seller's side, and you will win.

[sextons-sweet-deals]

I wouldn't give any type of refund if they altered item. 

Nothing you can do with it now, but put in a garage sale or donate if returned. 

If they open a case, you have communication that they altered item. 

stand your ground!

[ga-8370]

You WANT the buyer to start a return request on eBay. That way you can invoke the eBay policy of NO REFUND if the item is not in its original condition when it returns. Then by policy the buyer can pay for shipping the item back to them.

[madamezulu]

*

[mstcwrld7]

        Well the item came back, altered. 

The buyer did not go through the ebay return program.  Item just arrived back in the mail.

       I sent  buyer a partial refund --plus return postage -- through PayPal with an explanation.  Haven't heard from her yet.   I expect she will file a case, plus give me a red doughnut. 

    As I give free 30 days returns for any reason -- including this one -- I know I am eligible to withhold part of a refund for an altered item. 

     If she leaves me a red doughnut -- how do I get hold of ebay and ask for it to be removed?

I know that if I accept a free return as I did here,  I am supposed to be able to get any red doughnut removed.

This happened once before -- before the pandemic -- and I called ebay CS and they removed the red doughnut.

     But now I can't call ebay CS -- right?  

       I know one option I have is to report this buyer if she does either of these things I expect.

But I don't know if anything practical is done with those reports.  If she files a case I will respond , and with a photo of the altered item.

[farmalljr]

You CAN'T do things outside the eBay system and win. Period. eBay is clear about that. You should have told the buyer that they MUST file a return through eBay or there will be NO refund. This whole case was handled wrong. 

If the purchase was made through paypal and not managed payments, the buyer can file for a refund and get the whole things back, as well as what you've already given them. 

If you are going to sell, know the rules and follow them. If the rules had been followed, you could have kept the shipping cost and 50% of the selling price. I would have, because the item is garbage at this point. 

In ANY case I have  with a buyer wanting a refund/partial refund, I always require the buyer to file a return and send the item back through ebay. I do not give any refunds on international items without them being returned at the buyers expense.  Same as sales within the US. 

Some may disagree with that policy, but it's within the rules, and I am not Wal-Mart. I can't afford to eat returns and shipping when a buyer makes a purchase and "decides" they don't like it.  I wish eBay would protect sellers when in your example, someone alters/ruins your item and be able to refuse ANYTHING for a refund. 

[southern*sweet*tea]

You offer free returns.

Had the buyer opened a return, you could have first reported the buyer and then accepted the return. When you got the item back, you could have refunded half the cost and also withheld return shipping. If the buyer got pizzed and went to Ebay, Ebay would have given them the remaining funds, while keeping your metrics intact and blocking feedback.

How do I know this? I recently had my first false SNAD. I reported the buyer, accepted the return, issued the refund without the return (it was a cheap item with higher shipping) refunded the item cost only and withheld the original shipping. My metrics are still at 100%.

As it stands, by refunding through Paypal, you have no Ebay protection from this person. All they have to do is go to Paypal and get the rest of their money back, and you won't get your Ebay fees back.

[dhbookds]

Since the buyer hasn't gone thru Ebay...........there is nothing you can do from there until/if she files a case.........

If she leaves a neg or files a case.....you can call ebay........go to help/contact at the bottom of the page.......best time is early morn (their time).........

I wouldn't have issued a partial refund until she opened a case either on paypal or ebay........

She's the one that violated ebay rules by not filing the case.......but how they will now handle it, I don't know.