Buyer requesting a return

[unizoo]

I sold a motor part to a person in another country. The value of the item was CAD$110, and shipping was CAD$30. The buyer is now requesting a return because the part is non-functional. The part was working before I sent it. The buyer included a photo as part of the request, but the part serial number of the part in the photo was different than the one I sent. As per the eBay Money Back Guarantee, the buyer is entitled to either having me send them a shipping return label at my expense (probably another $30), a full refund and they get to keep the item, or offer a partial refund. I have sent the buyer a message requesting more information on what went wrong with the part, but they have not answered yet. What are my options here? Can I appeal to eBay because the photo they sent did not show that the part was not working? Can I appeal because the buyer is non-responsive? Or should I just chalk this up as a lesson learned and send them a full refund and let them keep the part. It seems very unfair that I would need to pay return shipping as well as  eBay their cut just to determine whether a buyer is lying to me or not. It seems too easy for a buyer to just state that an item is not as described in order to get a full refund including shipping.

[femmefan1946]

You are in Canada.

Where is the buyer?

If you send the label it will have to work in the buyer's country.
You can print USPS (and some other American ) shipping labels on Shippo.

For more specific advice that addresses your problem, try the eBay Canada boards.

But you are working against the clock.

[unizoo]

The buyer is in the US. Is there any way to make it mandatory that the buyer at least replies to a dialog about this item? For example, how can I know that they connected it correctly? The photo they attached as "proof" was of the same item with a different serial number.

[lepke1979]

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@unizoo wrote:

The buyer is in the US. Is there any way to make it mandatory that the buyer at least replies to a dialog about this item? For example, how can I know that they connected it correctly? The photo they attached as "proof" was of the same item with a different serial number.

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How heavy?

Your options are limited. I guess you can ask them to pack the part well for shipping and mention the serial number shuld match "xyz123." That may be enough to get them to realize their little bad item swap scam might not work.

Beyond that. If you're Top Rated, I think you can refund up to 50% and get reimbursed partly for the label if they try to scam you after you get the item.

[femmefan1946]

And remember we non-US sellers can be Global Top Rated which has different standards than the US sellers meet.

Neither the buyer nor the seller has to communicate.

Just send the return shipping label, you know the measurements and weight, and here is the USPS rate card.

https://postcalc.usps.com/?country=10440

Then go to Shippo. You will need your Solutions for Small Business Number.

If you don't already have one go here.

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/business/small-business.page?

[kensgiftshop · Accepted solution]

@unizoo 

Right now, you only have two choices.

Accept the return, pay return shipping and refund the buyer when something is returned.

Refund the buyer and let them keep it.

If you accept the return and they send a different item back, then you can report the buyer and try to appeal the case, but make sure the buyer is refunded first.

[unizoo]

Looks like I am going to chalk this up as a learning experience. I am going to simply refund the buyer and let them keep the item. eBay is not what it used to be. I am not Walmart or Amazon, and I don't want to be. This experience has left me with a bitter taste in my mouth, and I will have doubts about selling or buying on eBay ever again. The money back guarantee is far too easy to abuse by buyers. If eBay wants such a policy, then they should take on the risk of applying said policy. i.e. eBay should pay return shipping!

[fashunu4eeuh]

If this is a Money Back Guarantee case for a not working part, your options are limited. Once the MBG is invoked as a Not As Described claim, eBay will side with the buyer, virtually an automatic win. It does not matter at this stage that the part serial numbers don’t match.

However, once the buyer has been refunded, appeal the decision to eBay showing the proof of the switcheroo. You may be able to have the decision reversed. If that is the case, eBay will refund your monies. See the link below on how to appeal. Good luck.

(Keep in mind that just because the part worked prior to shipping, doesn't mean it arrived in working condition. Things can happen in transit.)

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/appeal-ebays-decision-return-missing-item...

[vintage-camerastuff]

First, never offer free returns to international buyers.  Second, did you tell the buyer that the non-working part has a different serial number and is not the one you sent him?

[unizoo]

That is what disturbs me the most. I did not offer returns of any kind. But eBay now overrides that with the Money Back Guarantee. As long as the seller says the item is not as described, they can get a free return at the seller's expense.

[unizoo]

There is another thing. This motor was for HVAC. There is an exception for the eBay money back guarantee, and the exception includes industrial equipment. Is HVAC equipment included under industrial equipment. What would I need to do to qualify it as industrial?