cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Buyer claiming non-functioning item when it is user (buyer) error

I am curious if eBay has a history of ever siding with a seller.  In my case, the buyer purchased a wireless charger which I knew from personal use that it worked correctly.  I shipped it promptly.  Within a couple hours of delivery, the buyer requested a refund and claimed misrepresentation of the item.  After a handful of messages between us where I attempted to troubleshoot the issue; the buyer stated that they use a Samsung Galaxy A10 which, according to Samsung, does not have wireless charging capability.  The buyer refuses to acknowledge this as his / her error and the reason whey he/she cannot get the wireless charger to work.  My posted policy is "no returns" but I have occasionally made an exception.  This buyer is very rude so I have denied the claim.  I also noted that eBay does not enable negative feedback of a buyer.  I escalated this issue to eBay and anticipate that eBay will side with the seller even though it is clearly buyer error and abuse of the buyer guarantee.  What is your experience in cases such as this?

Message 1 of 16
latest reply
15 REPLIES 15

Buyer claiming non-functioning item when it is user (buyer) error


@fish231343 wrote:

I escalated this issue to eBay and anticipate that eBay will side with the seller


 

Whats going to happen, Ebay will refund the buyer from your account and let them keep the item.

As a seller, you never want to get Ebay involved, until after the buyer has been refunded.

 

 

Have A Great Day.
Message 2 of 16
latest reply

Buyer claiming non-functioning item when it is user (buyer) error

     EBay seldom sides with the seller. You are probably going to loose both the money and the item since you denied the refund/return. You need to understand that "seller does not accept returns" does not mean no refunds. It only protects you in the case where a buyer files a remorse return. For anything else it is useless. 

     Since you escalated the case/issue as opposed to the buyer doing so you should get a ruling shortly but I suspect you will not like the outcome. 

Message 3 of 16
latest reply

Buyer claiming non-functioning item when it is user (buyer) error


@fish231343 wrote:

 This buyer is very rude so I have denied the claim. 


Never let it become personal.  The best way to deal with a rude buyer is to refund, block, and move on.  Refusing to refund such a buyer is only inviting more abuse and aggravation.

Message 4 of 16
latest reply

Buyer claiming non-functioning item when it is user (buyer) error

With Ebay, the buyer is always right, even when they're wrong.  With tech equipment, this is especially true, even if the buyer is completely ignorant on the operation of it (I've had this time and time again).  Ebay will side with the buyer in this case (and almost always).  "No Returns" does not mean "no refunds", as the (very abusive) ebay buyer MBG supersedes any of your policies.  The buyer will receive the money as well as the item.

 

For future reference should you choose to stay on ebay after this episode: Give the refund contingent that you receive the item back in one piece.  This will cost a little more, but it will weed out the buyers that have figured out they can abuse the MBG to get free product.  When you have verified the product indeed is the same and works (or hasn't been stripped down as buyers might), you refund and then resell the product.   At that point, you would have a good avenue to complain to ebay against the buyer for abusing the MBG ("buyer falsely claimed non-functioning item that functions").  Needless to say, promptly block the buyer as well.

Message 5 of 16
latest reply

Buyer claiming non-functioning item when it is user (buyer) error

Your "No Returns" policy is going to come back and bite you, as it often does. You'll lose the money, the item and get a defect on your account for having eBay step in. All that over a $7.00 item?

Message 6 of 16
latest reply

Buyer claiming non-functioning item when it is user (buyer) error

buyer error and return abuse are just a part of selling

 

just because the buyer is a clod is no reason to not honor a return

I tell anybody that asks about a return and my answer is always the same,  "just say yes" to all returns


Germantown proud Germantown strong
up the whiskey hickon
moving right along
19144
Message 7 of 16
latest reply

Buyer claiming non-functioning item when it is user (buyer) error

You gave some good advice.  eBay split the difference to refund the seller and also released the funds to me, so neither the buyer nor the seller lost out.  I speculate that e-Bay recognized the buyer was wrong but did not want to upset the buyer.  I kept the funds but I now have the blot on my seller feedback.

Message 8 of 16
latest reply

Buyer claiming non-functioning item when it is user (buyer) error

Thanks for the feedback.  It was a remorse return but the buyer complained enough that eBay appears to have wanted to pacify him/her.  I'm not thrilled with the outcome.  I did keep the funds but eBay left the negative buyer feedback.

Message 9 of 16
latest reply

Buyer claiming non-functioning item when it is user (buyer) error

Good advice.  Thanks!

Message 10 of 16
latest reply

Buyer claiming non-functioning item when it is user (buyer) error


@fish231343 wrote:

I am curious if eBay has a history of ever siding with a seller. 


Ebay had a long history of being flexible in its approach to returns, often siding with sellers, unfortunately none of that history has been in the last few years. 

Message 11 of 16
latest reply

Buyer claiming non-functioning item when it is user (buyer) error


@fish231343 wrote:

You gave some good advice.  eBay split the difference to refund the seller and also released the funds to me, so neither the buyer nor the seller lost out.  I speculate that e-Bay recognized the buyer was wrong but did not want to upset the buyer.  I kept the funds but I now have the blot on my seller feedback.


 

Glad it worked out like that, they don't do that very often.

Have A Great Day.
Message 12 of 16
latest reply

Buyer claiming non-functioning item when it is user (buyer) error

This was an interesting case.  eBay did refund the buyer but I can only speculate that eBay believes I was correct because they did release the funds to me and did not add a defect to my account.  When the initial return request came in, I did consider a refund and telling the buyer to keep the item because it was an inexpensive item.  They were just so rude that I decided against it.  Thanks for the feedback.

Message 13 of 16
latest reply

Buyer claiming non-functioning item when it is user (buyer) error


@fish231343 wrote:

Thanks for the feedback.  It was a remorse return but the buyer complained enough that eBay appears to have wanted to pacify him/her.  I'm not thrilled with the outcome.  I did keep the funds but eBay left the negative buyer feedback.


If ebay found you not at fault you can get that feedback removed "easily"

Message 14 of 16
latest reply

Buyer claiming non-functioning item when it is user (buyer) error

All this over a $7 item.  Next time just accept the return.

Message 15 of 16
latest reply