Buyer returned wrong item and ebay refunded the buyer

[hahchevy]

I sold an item to a buyer and they wanted to return it, I sent them a return label.

Fedex delivered the item back and took a pic of the item on my porch. It was just and envelope with this document inside. I opened up a case and included all the evidence, 2 weeks later they closed the case in favor of the buyer and refunded them the money. I never received the actual item back. I just send in a 2nd appeal to see what they can do, now I have to wait 7-14 days for a response.

Has this happened to anyone else?

Attached is what they send me back in an envelope

[stainlessenginecovers]

Yes, happens 1000 times a day. Thieves steal your item by 'returning' a rock instead of that Laptop or?? Tracking shows item was 'delivered' back to the seller. 

PIctures and Video are NOT allowable proof as they can easily be altered (after all, want a picture of a rock when the buyer really shipped back that laptop? I can give you all the 'rock' pictures you want').

Even MORE importantly, is 'escalating to ebay' (opening a case) is for BUYERS and NOT for Sellers as well as you MUST refund when tracking shows 'something' was returned because if you let ebay do it for you, that is a MAJOR ding (couple of those and you're done selling here). 

The 'appeal' won't get you much anywhere either because again, if a Seller is crooked, they can just 'say' "I didn't get my thingy back!!".

[robbie31415]

The only protection really for this situation in policy is the up to 50% deduction if eligible.

It's really a shame that some buyers are abusive like this.

eBay sometimes as a courtesy helps you out, but it's not directly in policy.

[jerseyboymusic]

Is it the buyer who left the negative? Have you reached out to the buyer?

[inhawaii]

Of course ebay refunded the buyer.

They don't know what the buyer sent back.

[krazzykats]

Or what was actually shipped.  He said/she said.  eBay sides with the buyer.

[dbfolks166mt]

     Not that it really matters but what exactly did you ship and what was the reason for the return request? Others have already covered some of the problems with returns and the fact that eBay is going to side with the buyer 99.9% of the time on a return, especially if it is a NAD return. 

[inhawaii]

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@krazzykats wrote:

Or what was actually shipped.  He said/she said.  eBay sides with the buyer.

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In a he said/she said situation ... I always believe the female.    😉

[luckythewinner]

Has this happened to anyone else?

This has been happening to sellers since 2008, when eBay implemented the Money Back Guarantee for buyers. And it will continue to happen for the foreseeable future. 

[hahchevy]

Yes, I contacted the buyer and they ignored me

[hahchevy]

I shipped a playstation controller, they wanted to return it because "they didn't like it" so I sent them a shipping label through ebay.

Once the item returned and immediately opened up a case and included all pics and also called ebay. The ebay rep even told me I was seller protected and would be refunded within 24-48 hours, but that never happened