Buyer return reqest, I think I need help?

[iminbus_18]

I sold a brand new, factory sealed Logitech Harmony remote control with hub on Feb 19th. It was received, now the buyer sent a return request. You need to hear the whole story and why I have a problem with this return. I sent the purchase out on Feb. 20th around 2pm. USPS took they're time scanning this package into their system. At 8:42pm same day, item couldn't be tracked and appeared to never have been dropped off. I immediately messaged the buyer telling him that, I in fact did go to USPS, they do have the package and sometimes packages don't get scanned. I told buyer not to worry, it is on it's way. The next day it arrived at the buyers location, that was Feb. 21. Feb. 23rd, I get a message indicating that this customer has submitted a return request.

This is a Logitech Harmony remote with hub, but, this is not what I sent.

[fashunu4eeuh]

---

@powell-memorabilia wrote:

I don’t think the buyer is a scammer. In your own pictures, the item doesn’t look factory sealed. You can even see where the sticker has been cut so that the box can be opened. Was this a return that you are reselling? An overstock item?

---

Oh dear, good catch @powell-memorabilia .

[fashunu4eeuh]

---

@playwithitagaintoys wrote:

Other very real possibility is you where duped into thinking your item is new.

That's not a factory sealed item you sold. Factory sealed from Logitech would be shrink wrapped.  Yours just has, readily available to anyone, round pieces of tape.

---

I think you are right, @playwithitagaintoys 

[sextons-sweet-deals]

did you ever entertain looking at your buyer's profile, location, and all feedback?

Fight the case. Call out the buyer for sending photos of a damaged / used item. Nothing even close to what sold. Upload your listing photos in the case. You can also report the buyer for fraud and add to your block list. 

I looked and your item you sold is new and nothing close to what the buyer sent in their photo. 

If you bend the knee and send a return label, you're going their damaged item or nothing at all. 

good luck. 

[broto_64]

---

@deltilogical wrote:

Is it worth trying to head off the scammer -  telling them the image they sent you is not the item sent?

Ebay is not protecting the sellers from these criminals.  Why is Ebay so weak but facebook marketplace seems to function without these issues, without any controls? 

are the youtube videos showing how to conduct this fraud the problem - once again Google is promoting crime against Americans!   Just say its hazardous material?

---

Because as you just stated, Facebook operates without any controls. Actually they do have a system in place but for the most part buyers and sellers are allowed (if not encouraged) to set their own agreements in the transactions, it's also usually mostly pick up orders.

That said I am following this thread with interest, one thing we as sellers need to be more mindful of is we have this knack of automatically thinking every buyer opening a return is a scammer. We don't know what happened here, in fact it is even possible someone at the USPS switched the contents, granted that is rare but not unheard of. More interesting however is the OP may have been duped themselves into believing the item was new, and it is unfortunate but I have learned to open and test everything I purchase for resale (much as I dislike doing it because then it's not in a sealed box anymore)...

On that note however, perhaps the item in this thread should've been sold as condition "Open Box?"

[toomuchstuffagain35]

You're behind the times. The last keyboard/mouse combos etc I got from a B&M big box store weren't shrink wrapped like they used to be. Just the round clear stickers.

[zobal99]

Ebay does not care. When you are selling on eBay you will have to put up with things like this. 

[powell-memorabilia]

Seller obviously sold a used item - she isn’t putting up with anything, other than her own mistakes.  Sorry, but the listing picture shows a broken seal - definitely not a new item.  Mistakes happen.

[tools*]

I would walk away from eBay before I would give a criminal a refund.

[bennotbill]

I know some don't agree with me as they think that opening a box makes a new item used but.........

I would have taken a clear picture of the boxes contents to show exactly what the buyer will be receiving. Showing just pictures of a box leaves a disreputable buyer free to say anything about the contents.

[inhawaii]

Ebay's definition of new:

A brand-new, unused, unopened, undamaged item in its original packaging (where packaging is applicable). Packaging should be the same as what is found in a retail store.

When you buy one of these in the store, is the seal broken?

[vintage-camerastuff]

Seller said the item was sealed new in box.   You say the seller is a liar and the buyer is not scamming the seller.    I disagree.  If the seller was scamming the buyer he would not now be making a big deal of this whole situation, and for that reason I believe the seller not the buyer.

[powell-memorabilia]

---

@vintage-camerastuff wrote:

Seller said the item was sealed new in box.   You say the seller is a liar and the buyer is not scamming the seller.    I disagree.  If the seller was scamming the buyer he would not now be making a big deal of this whole situation, and for that reason I believe the seller not the buyer.

---

I wrote no such thing.  I merely pointed out that one can see the broken seal in the listing photos.  Maybe the seller missed it.  Point is that we are better off looking close to home for the culprit in a deal gone bad.  

[fashunu4eeuh]

---

@vintage-camerastuff wrote:

Seller said the item was sealed new in box.   You say the seller is a liar and the buyer is not scamming the seller.    I disagree.  If the seller was scamming the buyer he would not now be making a big deal of this whole situation, and for that reason I believe the seller not the buyer.

---

@vintage-camerastuff  I don’t believe anyone one called this seller dishonest. It is very likely the seller did not check the contents, assuming it to be factory sealed. The possibility remains that the item was used as the buyer reported. A regrettable circumstance but still a strong possibility. No one is really to blame here.

[bennotbill]

---

@inhawaii wrote:

Ebay's definition of new:

A brand-new, unused, unopened, undamaged item in its original packaging (where packaging is applicable). Packaging should be the same as what is found in a retail store.

When you buy one of these in the store, is the seal broken?

---

Yes I'm well aware of eBay's definitions but eBay can say the sky is green that doesn't make it so.

Buying an item in a store is different than buying from a small seller online. While I might quibble this in a store, as long as the items are clearly new and unused it doesn't bother me if the box is open when buying online. Especially if it is pictured that way.

[gator08041971]

---

@tools* wrote:

I would walk away from eBay before I would give a criminal a refund.

---

In that case, you would most likely end up doing both.  Because if they try to get a refund, their probability is a hell of a lot higher than you winning the dispute.