Buyer didn't read and keeps changing their story.

[beacamp2014]

So, it started that I listed a Samsung Galaxy S7 box some time ago (over a year) for $50 or best offer (honestly I figured someone would offer $15 at most and that would have been good for me). I'd done this after seeing other listings, and thought maybe people bought them as collector's items. I don't know. It was listed in the "cell phone accessories" section, the title included the word "READ", and the body stated "Just the box."

Also, in January, I updated all my listings to state that I only accept cancellations on a case-by-case basis and it depends on the reason. (In other words, if they didn't read it, tough cookies.) The listing in question also boasted a "no return policy" and a 10% donation to a charity.

All in all (and I confirmed this with eBay), pretty clear. I thought.

So, a buyer purchases the item. I call eBay just to be sure it was clear before I pay for shipping, because I'd had issue with a previous buyer and I had actually forgotten about the listing at that point (lots going on). EBay confirmed that I should be alright, so I paid for shipping and took the package to one of those blue USPS pickup boxes.

When I returned, I saw that the buyer had asked for pictures of the phone (what phone? There was no phone; only a box.) This message included a phone number (why?). A second message stated they wanted to confirm the cancellation. Well, I hadn't even seen that there was a request for cancellation, and eBay apparently auto-declined that when I purchased the postage.

I reply to the first message that the listing was for the box only, and cited quotes from the listing. I reply to the second message with, essentially, an apology but that it was too late and the item had been sent out.

The next morning, I receive another message, stating that they didn't want to box and to just not ship it and since the money was going for charity anyway (only 10% - not ALL of it!) and to send them a receipt. I was dumbfounded. I called eBay again, just to keep them in the loop. This was the most bizarre thing I'd ever heard of.

A few days go by, and the package is delivered. What do you know? I get a return request. They claim the item was "Ordered by mistake". I respond, repeating myself, and stating that any return would be marked "RTS" and refused. I follow-up by making a report with eBay.

Then this evening, I open my email to find claim has been opened with PayPal. I look to see that the reason selected was that the item never arrived. (How can you open a return on eBay for something you never received? Fishy.) I was watching a movie with my husband at the time, so I waited about 20 minutes for that to finish, and called them. Meanwhile, I attempted to upload the tracking number (which refused to work). After a bunch of hold time (I busied myself with other stuff) and maybe 10-15 minutes on the phone (part of which was spent with them investigating), they closed the case in my favor. Then I contact eBay to report the suspicious activity of the changing story. No big, right?

Except...I know they still have one potential last course of action -- at least if they used a card. *sigh* What do you do if the buyer changes their story every time they try to get their money back? Can that help my case if they go to their CC for a chargeback? To be honest, I'm hoping they won't think of it and they'll take the closed case as the end of it. But...as I've seen that's not always the case.

[jonathankirkland]

Sorry but you are being completely unreasonable here.

And by the way, ebay's Money Back Guarantee trumps your "no return" policy. It's also your fault for overlooking the cancellation request. Your "case by case basis" for accepting cancelltions is also irrelevant. The buyer didn't even have to be polite and respond to you or anything after you tried to force them to keep an item they didn't want, even if it was their fault for not reading the listing, this is just as much your fault for trying to force them to keep an item.

Do not ever try to force a buyer to keep an item, because next time they might return a brick to you for your REAL $500+ cell phone or other widget and make you pay to have said brick returned to you.

In my opinion, you kind of asked for this and really don't have a right to complain. Try to remember karma and that you should try to spread good karma, not bad karma.

[chrysylys]

Moral of the story ....  don't sell empty boxes.

If you simply must for whatever reason, price them at $5 or less.

[beacamp2014]

"It's also your fault for overlooking the cancellation request."

I didn't overlook it. I hadn't received a notification for it, including push notifications on my phone. In fact, I never received a notification -- which leads me to believe it must have come through just before I paid for shipping. It could have even through after, I'm guessing (can't be sure on that).

"Your "case by case basis" for accepting cancelltions is also irrelevant."

Not according to eBay, who also informed me I was under no obligation to accept returns. As stated in the OP, PayPal also sided with me. In fact, all said, between the time the claim there was open and the time it was closed, it was maybe 2 hours -- and a vast majority of that was spent waiting in some form.

In any case, none of that actually addresses my quesiton, nor does anything you mentioned excuse a buyer changing their story every time I turn around (an exaggeration, I'll admit). It also doesn't excuse a buyer trying to throw me under the bus by saying I listed it as something I didn't.

[beacamp2014]

It was the only one. I tried something different. As hard as this one was to sell in the first place, I don't plan on trying it again.

[mycarolinavintage]

I have had similar situations twice in my years on ebay and both times the case ended in my favor. I was not selling boxes but holiday items. Keeping my messages from transactions just came naturally and paid off both times. One buyer waited too late to get the item when she wanted it, had been tracking it and saw that it was on it's way and stated to me in a message by the time she would get it, she "couldn't use it, anyway." Then she proceeded to demand a refund. Filed a claim with ebay before she got it and after my phone call to them it was denied. She then filed a claim with paypal the next day using the reason not as described. She didn't have the item yet. Paypal's review resulted in another denial. I bought the wrong item recently and after re-reading the listing, realized my mistake. Through the item into my Donate to Goodwill box in the garage and moved on. 

Stand your ground. Sounds to me you have done good so far. The buyer "should have read the item description" and I am hoping - learned from it.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

energy flows where attention goes

[beacamp2014]

Thanks for that. I'm keeping all correspondence, just to be sure. I, like you, have purchased things that were not as I expected. In fact, one item arrived today. I looked at this tiny little brush, that I figured would be 3-4 times bigger, shrugged, and said to my husband, "I didn't read the description. That's on me." I'll either find a use for it or I won't.

[jonathankirkland]

---

@beacamp2014 wrote:

"It's also your fault for overlooking the cancellation request."

I didn't overlook it. I hadn't received a notification for it, including push notifications on my phone. In fact, I never received a notification -- which leads me to believe it must have come through just before I paid for shipping. It could have even through after, I'm guessing (can't be sure on that).

"Your "case by case basis" for accepting cancelltions is also irrelevant."

Not according to eBay, who also informed me I was under no obligation to accept returns. As stated in the OP, PayPal also sided with me. In fact, all said, between the time the claim there was open and the time it was closed, it was maybe 2 hours -- and a vast majority of that was spent waiting in some form.

In any case, none of that actually addresses my quesiton, nor does anything you mentioned excuse a buyer changing their story every time I turn around (an exaggeration, I'll admit). It also doesn't excuse a buyer trying to throw me under the bus by saying I listed it as something I didn't.

---

Right, you do not have to have a return policy.

However, the buyer can just simply state the box was "not as described", and you'll have to pay for them to return it (or let them keep it) and refund them. If they open a case with ebay and you fight it, ebay will close the case against you and they will keep the box and be refunded, and you'll end up having a defect on your account. Just a few of those and your seller privileges will be permanently suspended. Really not worth the aggravation over a few dollars and trying to "prove a point".

Trust me, there's no winning in trying to force a buyer to keep an item they don't want. It's a quick road to end your selling career here very quickly if you choose to take this hard line.

Does that make it fair or right? Absolutely not. But it doesn't matter. As sellers, we get the short end of the stick and just have to pray we aren't selling to a professional scammer who will fleece us out of our item and our money.

[beacamp2014]

"Right, you do not have to have a return policy."

What I know, from my call to eBay that day, is what I was told. What I was told was, 1. Yes, I don't have to have a return policy. AND 2. I don't have to accept the return request.

"If they open a case with ebay and you fight it, ebay will close the case against you and they will keep the box and be refunded, and you'll end up having a defect on your account."

It isn't eBay I'm concerned about, as stated in my OP. eBay has already sided with me, at least during my phone call (and actually, I HAVE won in the past, so what you say is not necessarily true) and PayPal also sided with me.

You're really advising the wrong person to drop it, let it go, or whatever your words would be. By which, I mean I'm very much of a "it's the principle" person. You know what? If I lose, I lose. But at least they had to fight me for it. And if that's a poor attitude to have, so be it. Personally, I don't think so. And based on multiple other posts I've read this evening and recent evenings on here about this type of issue, I don't think I'm the only one.

If you don't like my approach, it's simple: Don't buy from me. Beyond that, I'll leave you to re-read my OP.

[coolections]

No one changed their story. You sold them a box and they thought they purchased the item. This is why it needs to be mandatory the Ebay allows returns. Who would purchase a box for $50 ? IMO you should have given the person their money back as they returned you your empty box..

[readabouthorses]

---

@coolections wrote:

No one changed their story. You sold them a box and they thought they purchased the item. This is why it needs to be mandatory the Ebay allows returns. Who would purchase a box for $50 ? IMO you should have given the person their money back as they returned you your empty box..

---

Who would do that? Humm ... let me think. Some really really really dumb person who just saw a listing on their phone, didn't read what it was really about and then just hit click click click without even thinking about what they were doing? You know ... those people who stand in the aisles at the grocery stores blocking the way for everyone else with their phone in their face trying to figure out what they need for a recipe? Those people who shop in Walmart and have no clue where their children are in the store because their face is in their phone?

Has society lost the ability to read, investigate, comprehend before they act? And they have also lost the ability to realize they made a mistake (bought a box when they thought it was a phone) and admit they were wrong?

And I sort of know how the OP feels ... I sell horse magazines and I once had a lady ask when she would be getting her horse. I wonder how Ebay's return policy would have handled that?

[coolections]

@readabouthorses

Or may be just someone who made a mistake and they are actually smarter than you and I. You never know just how dumb or smart a person is, but making assumptions on a mistake by calling them names shows a lot more about a person than someone who misread a listing. Forcing them to keep it also shows a lot about a person and why ebay allows for returns. Ebay used to be that way the wild west of Ebay.

[readabouthorses]

@coolections

Ah, you are funny. I grew up on a farm so I know bad decisions had consequences. Better to make sure before you do something so you don't have to deal with it later.

[myangelandmyprincess]

Some people buy the boxes so they can increase the value of a phone they want to sell. But I don't see anyone paying $50 doesn't seem worth it.  I also don't accept returns but IMO you should have.   If the buyer paid with a credit card they might can still get there money back.   Selling boxes is just a bad idea.  Too many sellers do it trying to be purposefully deceitful.  

[d-k_treasures]

---

@coolections wrote:

No one changed their story. You sold them a box and they thought they purchased the item. This is why it needs to be mandatory the Ebay allows returns. Who would purchase a box for $50 ? IMO you should have given the person their money back as they returned you your empty box..

---

First off, I'll say that BOX ONLY should have been in the title.

However, in what universe should it be 'mandatory' that ebay allows returns if someone doesn't bother to actually read the listing to know what they are buying?

If you buy a car, drive it off the lot, go to fill it up wih gas and can't because you finally realize it's a diesel engine in the car that you bought and not a gas engine, do you think the dealership should be forced to take it back?

And "Who would purchase a box for $50"?

I've sold empty toy boxes for much, much more than that. And not one thought they were buying the toy with it.