Buyer returned different parts than what I sold them.

[benzexpert]

Buyer returned different parts than what I sold them.
Yup,  I sent USA quality part and buyer returned some cheap Chinese junk.

Just venting here basically since Ebay will do nothing. 
Grrrrr. 

[marvinbrowns]

There is a way to deal with this.  If you message the buyer and state what you have found out, say look, if this was not you, then someone else must of swapped it out.  Tell them that in order to get insurance on this, you need to file a police report in their city.  Say I will have them contact you, as I have your address.  This is fraud, and they should be charged.  Say I know mistakes happen, and if this was just an error, and someone else at your place put the wrong ones in there, let me know and we can fix it, but if this was a crime by someone else, or intentional, I will be contacting the police on Monday.  It usually works when you give them the out of someone else at house doing it. 

[tobaccocardyahoo]

If I was to judge whether selling autoparts was a safe and reliable category based on posts on these forums, I would suggest one avoid the category like the plague.

There are sellers who make an honest dollar and buyers who get what they order, darned if I know how to tell who can be trusted. BUT this is a business where the rare of product returns is high even in B&M and the protections for online sellers are always inadequate.

Deciding to sell autoparts online requires special skills which I lack and many sellers lack. Deciding to buy parts online seems highly risky and I'd only consider it for scarce parts.

Let me qualify myself. I drive a leased vehicle which has a bumper to bumper warranty for the length of the lease.

[mam98031]

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@marvinbrowns wrote:

There is a way to deal with this.  If you message the buyer and state what you have found out, say look, if this was not you, then someone else must of swapped it out.  Tell them that in order to get insurance on this, you need to file a police report in their city.  Say I will have them contact you, as I have your address.  This is fraud, and they should be charged.  Say I know mistakes happen, and if this was just an error, and someone else at your place put the wrong ones in there, let me know and we can fix it, but if this was a crime by someone else, or intentional, I will be contacting the police on Monday.  It usually works when you give them the out of someone else at house doing it. 

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FYI, if USPS was used to ship this item back to the seller, then they are using USPS in order to perpetrate a Fraud, that makes it a Federal Crime.

[benzexpert]

>>>How much $ are we takin' about here?<<<

$150-$200 not sure on one of the parts, need to contact my vendor in EU.
But the main part would normally have an insignia stamped into the metal, and it's not
there. But there is some other indistinguishable symbol. 
Some parts are correct, but he used some parts and replaced with them crap. 

[benzexpert]

>>

There is a little more that you can do:
1.  Report the buyer to ic3.gov

2. Report the buyer to your police department

3. Report the buyer to his police department

4. Report the buyer to the postal service for mail fraud.<<<
Yes, but how can I prove 100% that I did not send him the fraudulent parts in the 1st place? I mean, thats what he'll say, that I sent him these bogus parts and he had no idea, and I'M the one who's sending fake parts.

[benzexpert]

>>> At the very least they may kick you back some of the return shipping money.<<<
Yes, I don't allow returns...officially, though in most circumstances for honest buyers, I do. Cetainly if there's anything on my end like an incorrect fitment chart for sure. But this is exactly the reason I don't allow returns. But of course dishonest buyers just lie, and because I don't want buyers just indiscriminately returning parts, (like people on Amazon LOL)  then I have NO seller protection except as you say 1/2 the postage. I'm wondering, if I DO accept 30 day returns, would it increase my sales, and would perhaps the increased sales and lower seller fees make up for the jerks who return stuff I can't resell? Hmmmm.....

[benzexpert]

>>Afterthought: You're right... eBay will do nothing. You can do something, though. Heck, it's your business. <<

Hmmm...send him back his crap parts and tell him to stick 'em where the sun don't shine? LOL. Just kidding. I'm just lucky so far in 10 years of doing this, I haven't yet 
recieved an empty box. Knock on wood!!!! And I get few returns. 

[benzexpert]

>>I just had this happen to me as well.  You have to just refund the buyer.  I have tried fighting this before and it just ends up in a ton of wasted time.<<<
Should I even bother to call and speak to a rep to tell them what happened?
I didn't bother contacting the buyer...yet. They probably think they got  away with it.
But they'll just deny and leave bad feedback if I do. But when you return something, are you still able to leave feedback? But I hate the idea they'll think they got  away with it and do it again. 

[benzexpert]

>>>If I was to judge whether selling autoparts was a safe and reliable category based on posts on these forums, I would suggest one avoid the category like the plague.<<

I think I've been pretty lucky 10 years now. But I have a quality customer base for the most part. As my username suggests I specialize in parts for Mercedes Benz. 
I deal with a lot of mechanics, and DIY'ers. 99% are very good. I have few returns and nary a one negative feedback. 
I only sell quality stuff,  no Chinese crap and I have a good reputation. And I know a lot about the vehicles and products I sell. 
Now if was selling parts for Honda Civics to the ricer crowd, would I fare so well?
Hard to say. I know jack about Honda's. I'm planning to put together a website and expand to other European brands. But ah hell, it's summer and I'll wait till the rain comes. : ) Then I'll be working 12 hour days. 

[benzexpert]

So, I just got off the phone with Ebay, a nice gentleman in the Phillipines 
is helping me. He has extended the time for me to process the refund by 2 days, and has asked me to upload photos and to NOT refund the buyer. 
This is an 100% opposite of what I was told by a different rep. 
some months back in a similar circumstance where buyer returned 
used parts. At that time I was told to refund 'or else' in so many words, that 
if I didn't voluntarily refund, they would, and I would be somehow penalized by Ebay for not doing so voluntarily. So, OK fine I'll upload photos. 
But can I trust this guy? The one I spoke to before was in the department that deals with this stuff, and he was a real A-hole. Definately not on my side, even though 
I'm top rated, 100% pos feedback, 25 years on Ebay and don't have these issues very often. So new guy says wait. Send us photos by Friday. We'll make the decision. 
So....what do you guys think?

[mam98031]

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@benzexpert wrote:

>>> At the very least they may kick you back some of the return shipping money.<<<
Yes, I don't allow returns...officially, though in most circumstances for honest buyers, I do. Cetainly if there's anything on my end like an incorrect fitment chart for sure. But this is exactly the reason I don't allow returns. But of course dishonest buyers just lie, and because I don't want buyers just indiscriminately returning parts, (like people on Amazon LOL)  then I have NO seller protection except as you say 1/2 the postage. I'm wondering, if I DO accept 30 day returns, would it increase my sales, and would perhaps the increased sales and lower seller fees make up for the jerks who return stuff I can't resell? Hmmmm.....

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You may not allow returns, but you can't stop a refund on an INAD.  If you won't process it, Ebay will step in and require the refund without the buyer having to return the item.

The return policies options are as follows.

1. No Returns
2. 30 day returns w/ buyer pays shipping
3. 60 day returns w/ buyer pays shipping
4. 30 day returns w/ seller pays shipping, AKA Free Returns
5. 60 day returns w/ seller pays shipping. AKA Free Returns
6. 14 Day returns in certain categories

With option number 1, No Returns the seller can completely deny taking a return for a Buyer's Remorse Return Request.  Or if they want to, they can accept the return and have the buyer pay the return shipping.  If the seller so chooses, they can withhold the original shipping if it was separately stated on the listing [not free shipping] when it is time to refund the buyer.

On options 2 & 3 the buyer is responsible for the return shipping on a Buyer's Remorse Return.  Plus, if the seller so chooses, they can withhold the original shipping if it was separately stated on the listing [not free shipping] when it is time to refund the buyer. As of October 1st 2019, sellers that are TRS have some additional protections as well as they can issue partial refunds if they use options 4 or 5 as their return policy.

On options 4 & 5 above, they are also known as Free Returns.  If a seller that has either of those policies, they will pay the return shipping even on a buyer's remorse return.  A seller can withhold the original shipping value from the refund if the shipping was separately stated in the listing [not free shipping].  Also, Seller’s offering options 4 or 5 have the ability to do partial refunds in certain cases if the item arrives back damaged, missing something or in a condition less than what it was sent to the buyer in, see the policy for more details, the link is below.  In the cases where a deduction in the refund is taken due to damage or other authorized reasons for a partial refund, Ebay will protect the seller from negative or neutral feedback.

ALL OPTIONS [1, 2, 3, 4 and 5] are required to process SNAD claims without exception.  Even if they are improperly filed and should have been a Buyer’s Remorse claim.

All return policies by sellers must meet or exceed what is stated in the Money Back Guarantee Policy!

14 day return policies are allowed in certain categories: Jewelry & Watches, Collectibles & Art, Cameras & Photo and Medical, Mobility & Disability Equipment.

For those with Free Return and/or TRS members with 30 day return policies, there are some added protection benefits, one of which is the ability to do a discounted refund under certain conditions.

[wilsonharborsales]

eBay went ahead and took care of that negative feedback!  Thank you eBay!!!

[benzexpert]

OK, well all negative thinking aside, I called Ebay, spoke to nice gentleman who advised me NOT to refund the buyer as I assumed they would,  sent me a link to upload photos, and another link to file a report!
I did all this, it took quite a bit of time, several hours(!) cropping and adding text in the pics (mspaint is still good for some things!), and documenting the issue 
so that hopefully anyone would understand it. I thought to myself, I must be pretty stupid to go through all of this crepe well knowing it was an exercize in futility and that in the end Ebay would tell me to suck it up, and refund the buyer or else suffer the consquences. But guess what, they found in my favor! And in so many words stated they sympathized with my situation, that  THEY would pay him, and no further action was required from me! Surprise, surprise, surpise! So is Ebay turning over a new leaf 
to actually give a crap about sellers as well as buyers? I wonder...hmmmmm
So it was worth the time, the refund would have been over $300, and so now I'm $300 richer. And the Chinese transfer case chain? I'm offering it up for free on mbworld if someone wants it with the sale of a set of bearings LOL.