eBay

1chaigirl · ‎02-05-2021

First post here.

Buyer said product doesn't match size in listing and sent a picture showing product being measured HOWEVER

1) Measuring tape starting at wrong place - not starting at the beginning of the tape but at 1" (unbelievable as that is) .

2) Measuring tape placed on the outside of the lid when lids are measured on the inside. The lid was sold by manufacturer as 10" which is what was in the listing.

I closed the claim giving explanation as well above picture showing correct way to measure - proving its the correct size (since I have another of the same to sell and sold 1 prior to this as well).

I won't attach their picture but have attached mine. FYI I sold this new item for $8 shipping and $8 cost. It cost me $11 to ship as its a heavy glass lid. After ebay and paypal fees, made like $1 profit to build rep - have 100% rating.

Then buyer (who has 98% rating) sent another long message wanting return lable their money back - this time pic they corrected their way of measuring but their message still claims it is bigger, this time the claim is its a quarter inch too big. Initial message claimed it was half an inch too big.

I am currently on time off since last week as my mom is in the hospital but have been prompt in responding (within hours) to buyer with picture and message.

It's a matter of principle. What would you do as next steps?

3eyedfishcatcher · ‎02-05-2021

You probably will need to just refund the buyer and cut your losses. eBay will probably side with the buyer give a refund and you will get a defect and bad feedback. So just giving the refund will be almost the same result just with out the defect and if you are polite and work with the buyer you may not get bad feed back. You can always provide a return label to get the item back but as you were selling this cheep to get a easy sell to boost your seller rating and feedback it sounds like it is best to move on. Most likely the buyer thought they new what size their pan was and the lid they bought which probably is a real size 10 their pan is a little to small or large for a size 10 lid.

1grandmashope_1 · ‎02-05-2021

First, and most importantly, I hope that your mom gets better soon. You don't need to stress about this.

I would be kind and let your buyer know that you are sorry that it did not work for them and will send them a return label. Once you receive your item back you will refund them.

I would just eat the loss and move on. Block bidder list when all is done.

Take care of yourself.

Grandma

fashunu4eeuh · ‎02-05-2021

What to do is dependent on whether the buyer opened a Not As Described claim. If they did, your choices are extremely limited.

If this is a NAD claim, and you have already declined the return in the case in favor of eBay stepping in to decide, then you just gave yourself an account defect, you will be forced to pay the Final Value fees as a penalty, and ebay will take your funds to refund the buyer without them returning the item.

If you have not declined the NAD return, then agree to a “refund after return” to minimize your loss. There won’t be a defect, your FV fees will be credited back to you, and the buyer must return the item first, at your expense. (On second thought, in this case, it may be more cost effective to forgo that expense and just outright refund without return. Up to you.)

It is rarely in a seller’s interest to decline a return when a Not As Described case is opened, whether the buyer was truthful or not in his choice of reasons for the return. If you stand on principle, it can come back to hurt you on eBay.

I recommend you study eBay’s Money Back Guarantee policy so you will not be caught off guard again, and consider offering a more buyer-friendly return policy, with buyer paying return shipping. Determined, unhappy buyers will find a way around a no return policy. Ebay protects the buyer’s interests first and foremost. Sellers must navigate on their own.

inhawaii · ‎02-05-2021

It's not about principle. It's about doing what's best for you and moving forward.

You'll lose a claim if the buyer files a "not as described" complaint.

Some sellers would disagree with me, but at this point i would refund the buyer and tell the to keep the lid. Shipping the lid back will cost you more than the lid itself. I always do what will make me the most money or cost me the least money.

Be nice to the buyer. You may still be able to salvage a positive feedback from this.

What ever you decide to do, good luck and stay safe.

Papa Was A Rolling Stone - The Temptations

lamber9347 · ‎02-05-2021

@1chaigirl - This isn't about principle at all. You are mistaken and taking this as personally. You are selling an item online to a perfect stranger. You want to sell your item and are always taking a chance when you sell online. That's simply the way it is.

You are also choosing to sell on a platform that offers a MBG. It makes no difference how much they paid for this lid. It makes no difference what your rating is for this issue. It makes no difference what the buyers rating is for this issue. They feel it wasn't as described so this platform allows them to return it.

I know this isn't what you expect to hear, but it's the truth. Buyer can, and most likely will, leave you a negative since you refused the return so your 100% rating will be gone for another year. Buyer can still create a return using whatever payment system they used, so you are not in the clear yet. It's never a good idea to talk back to buyers. There is no way to win by doing that. Telling them they measured incorrectly, and sending a photo to boot, will only lead to more issues down the line. Best of luck to you....

espresso_warehouse · ‎02-06-2021

Report the buyer. They have probably done this before, so at the very least even if you give them a free lid, make sure to report them.

Next, call customer support. If they are giving contradictory information to you in the message center - have the representative read the messages.

If you get a reasonable one, they will see the bogus photos and false claims the same way as you did and side with you. If you don't get a reasonable one, hang up and request a second, third or fourth callback.

I, like you believe in principles. Many of the other posters here are working hard to convince you to give this buyer a free lid. You can choose to give them a free lid if you want. But this nonsense about 'that is the risk you take selling online'...no. We don't have to accept fraud at the first possible opportunity. That is a very unprincipled standpoint.

As you can see the other posters here are in favor of you giving people free lids with free shipping. They are probably buyers and not sellers.

If they were sellers, they would know ebay actually backs sellers up when buyers are clearly being abusive.

fern*wood · ‎02-06-2021

@espresso_warehouse wrote:
Report the buyer. They have probably done this before, so at the very least even if you give them a free lid, make sure to report them.

Next, call customer support. If they are giving contradictory information to you in the message center - have the representative read the messages.

If you get a reasonable one, they will see the bogus photos and false claims the same way as you did and side with you. If you don't get a reasonable one, hang up and request a second, third or fourth callback.

I, like you believe in principles. Many of the other posters here are working hard to convince you to give this buyer a free lid. You can choose to give them a free lid if you want. But this nonsense about 'that is the risk you take selling online'...no. We don't have to accept fraud at the first possible opportunity. That is a very unprincipled standpoint.

As you can see the other posters here are in favor of you giving people free lids with free shipping. They are probably buyers and not sellers.

If they were sellers, they would know ebay actually backs sellers up when buyers are clearly being abusive.

How much experience do you personally have with dealing with not as described returns? If that is truly what the buyer did in this situation, then most of your advice and opinions are just plain wrong. The previous advice given is spot on.

tay103144 · ‎02-06-2021

One of my first sales on eBay was a Tiffany bracelet which I had purchased years ago at Tiffany's in Los Angeles. Two months after the sale the buyer claimed to have taken the bracelet to a Tiffany store and they informed her it was not Tiffany. Not true because Tiffany has a corporate policy not to evaluate or appraise an item that a customer brings in but eBay decided to allow the return and she was supposed to return the bracelet to me. I provided a receipt for the item from Tiffany and eBay then closed the case in my favor. The customer complained again so ebay reopened the case and refunded her money and she kept the bracelet. I spent so much time and negative energy and anger on this one sale that I've not ever done it again. If you want to return an item then go for it and I'll refund your money. It's not worth the anger and frustration. I accept any return - buyer pays postage. It is annoying when they use some excuse to return so they don't have to pay postage but eBay has been good about not sticking me with the cost. And it very rarely happens.

I agree with the others who said just accept the return and move on. I have found that by having a policy to accept 30 day returns that it is much easier because in this case you would most likely not have paid for shipping back to you

ittybitnot · ‎02-06-2021

reason given is not true

It does not matter what "reason" is put in the comments. The only thing that counts is what "not as described" reason the buyer picked from the menu. That does not have to be true either.

At that point your description doesn't matter, your photos don't matter, and what the buyer says in messages to you will not be considered. Buyer veracity is not necessary to get a return on your dime. To top it off, it doesn't matter what is in the parcel that is returned to you. The results are going to be basically the same.

There was a time a few years ago where customer service would assist in these matters, but those days are gone. Yes, you can report a buyer, but that does not get your money back. If you qualify as a TRS or free returns for any reason seller, you have the option of refunding up to 50% for a faulty return.

The whole returns thing is an automated process with deadlines for action. Do not let them pass, or you will have additional unsavory consequences.
@1chaigirl

silverstatetreasureboxes · ‎02-06-2021

@espresso_warehouse

@espresso_warehouse wrote:
Report the buyer. They have probably done this before, so at the very least even if you give them a free lid, make sure to report them.

Next, call customer support. If they are giving contradictory information to you in the message center - have the representative read the messages.

If you get a reasonable one, they will see the bogus photos and false claims the same way as you did and side with you. If you don't get a reasonable one, hang up and request a second, third or fourth callback.

I, like you believe in principles. Many of the other posters here are working hard to convince you to give this buyer a free lid. You can choose to give them a free lid if you want. But this nonsense about 'that is the risk you take selling online'...no. We don't have to accept fraud at the first possible opportunity. That is a very unprincipled standpoint.

As you can see the other posters here are in favor of you giving people free lids with free shipping. They are probably buyers and not sellers.

If they were sellers, they would know ebay actually backs sellers up when buyers are clearly being abusive.

They are all sellers and " bigtime" experieced ones at that. We are talking about a pot lid here not a 1939 Limoges vase. The buyer doesn't want it because they probably found one in a thrift shop for $1.00.

OP just return their money and let the buyer keep the lid, it's not worth sending it back. It is clearly a 10" glass lid and it is clear your buyer doesn't want it. Your mother in the hospital is much more important than this failed transaction. Best to your family.

espresso_warehouse · ‎02-07-2021

@fern*wood wrote:
How much experience do you personally have with dealing with not as described returns? If that is truly what the buyer did in this situation, then most of your advice and opinions are just plain wrong. The previous advice given is spot on.

The lid was as described. The buyer lied. Therefore, the buyer needs to be reported.

There are two types of 'not as described' claims that I get. One is when something happened in shipping. I OF COURSE take care of any honest buyer if the shipper breaks it or whatever. That's between the shipper and I.

The other is when a buyer lies. That's when it's time to report the buyer and contact customer service. Most of the liars are serial offenders.

Buyers remorse is not covered under 'not as described'. Again, I find all the big time advice here flawed. Buyers like the idea of abusing sellers.

espresso_warehouse · ‎02-07-2021

@silverstatetreasureboxes wrote:
@espresso_warehouse

@espresso_warehouse wrote:

They are all sellers and " bigtime" experieced ones at that. We are talking about a pot lid here not a 1939 Limoges vase. The buyer doesn't want it because they probably found one in a thrift shop for $1.00.
OP just return their money and let the buyer keep the lid, it's not worth sending it back. It is clearly a 10" glass lid and it is clear your buyer doesn't want it. Your mother in the hospital is much more important than this failed transaction. Best to your family.

Clearly big time if they enjoy getting stolen from.

espresso_warehouse · ‎02-07-2021

@ittybitnot wrote:
reason given is not true

It does not matter what "reason" is put in the comments. The only thing that counts is what "not as described" reason the buyer picked from the menu. That does not have to be true either.

At that point your description doesn't matter, your photos don't matter, and what the buyer says in messages to you will not be considered. Buyer veracity is not necessary to get a return on your dime. To top it off, it doesn't matter what is in the parcel that is returned to you. The results are going to be basically the same.

There was a time a few years ago where customer service would assist in these matters, but those days are gone. Yes, you can report a buyer, but that does not get your money back. If you qualify as a TRS or free returns for any reason seller, you have the option of refunding up to 50% for a faulty return.

The whole returns thing is an automated process with deadlines for action. Do not let them pass, or you will have additional unsavory consequences.
@1chaigirl

I've certainly run into some frustrating situations recently with customer service, but as recently as 3 months ago I had a buyer make a demonstrably bogus claim which customer service ultimately backed me up on, and even thanked me for pointing it out to them so they could take action.

The trick is not to let those deadlines pass NOR 'ask ebay to step in'. Instead report the buyer. Then click the 'have us call you' button. Ask customer service to read the messages. Then request they investigate the buyer. When they investigate the buyer you all know very well that 99.9999% of the time they will find that the buyer has already done this same thing 17 times before. You can tell from the first message who is a normal buyer with an issue and who is a scam artist. If you sell, you know what I am talking about.

But if you all don't report and never call on them and just automatically acquiesce to abusive buyers demands the abusive buyer is empowered to continue doing it.

I'm telling you guys right now. This entire group here spending their energy justifying why we have to tolerate obvious scammers is a bad look. It doesn't matter what platform you are on. Stand up to scammers. Lying and thieving is not something we should justify and accept. I find those who spend their energy justifying unethical behavior dubious in their motivations.

Having principles means you don't pick and choose what is convenient for you. Those principles apply whether you stand to gain or not.

fern*wood · ‎02-07-2021

@espresso_warehouse wrote:
I'm telling you guys right now. This entire group here spending their energy justifying why we have to tolerate obvious scammers is a bad look. It doesn't matter what platform you are on. Stand up to scammers. Lying and thieving is not something we should justify and accept. I find those who spend their energy justifying unethical behavior dubious in their motivations.

Having principles means you don't pick and choose what is convenient for you. Those principles apply whether you stand to gain or not.

None of us are justifying unethical behavior and that whole statement is quite insulting and dishonest. Trying to pass that type of insult upon others giving solid advice based on actual experience is ridiculous and has no place here.