Buyer started return due to defective item, but contradicted himself in his messages

[bcrudisill7]

I don't accept casual returns, so buyer is claiming that the item is defective. However, it's clear from our messages back and forth that they didn't install it properly.

Can I dispute this return as buyer's remorse?

[cstpos]

@bcrudisill7  I forgot to mention that you can block that buyer so they can't purchase from you again. They can still communicate with you regarding this transaction.

[bcrudisill7]

Oh, good to know, thanks!

[dryophelia]

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@bcrudisill7 wrote:

Yeah, makes sense. However, does eBay give sellers the same leniency when it comes time to evaluate the returned product and dock a percentage of the refund, or will they require proof then?

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As mentioned in above  you can’t deduct anything from their refund. 

I wonder if you allowed remorse returns with the buyer paying return shipping, if this buyer would have gone that way. 
By having a No Returns policy, buyers have to make something up to get their money back. 

There are no AI bots answering questions here. We are human volunteers offering our time to help people with their eBay dilemmas. 
Very few of the questions here are different than yesterday’s questions. 

We don’t sugarcoat. It can seem to those that ask that we are bots or cheerleaders or paid by eBay to toe (tow) the line. 

The information Rockstars, Visionaries and Superstars give can be trusted. 

[chapeau-noir]

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@bcrudisill7 wrote:

And I finally get someone who is willing to express some disdain towards it. I was beginning to think I was chatting with a bunch of AI eBay chatbots

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No, just a bunch of realists.

[brightlightbookseller]

In the situations where you're allowed to deduct from the return, they do the same, they don't really evaluate it.  I have heard of rare situations where a customer complained and was given a courtesy refund of the remaining balance by eBay, but it didn't seem to come from the seller.  Still annoying, but at least you're not out the full amount.

[robbie31415]

EBay competes with Amazon and Walmart etc. Never once had one of those companies request I prove something is defective.

Amazon and Walmart are being made up more of smaller sellers too so them being a big company doesn't matter.

If you know the MBG, then please show me where a buyer is responsible to prove their claim?

I wouldn't buy from this marketplace if I had to prove everytime sellers here made a mistake, shipped poorly, etc.

[albertabrightalberta]

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@bcrudisill7 wrote:

lol yes soh.maryl I understand how eBay MBG works, but I have never personally dealt with one until now and didn't realize how someone can claim your item is damaged/defective and literally refuse any photographic or supportive evidence to support the claim.

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You keep mentioning "evidence" to support the claim. They don't have to do that!

You say you understand how MBG works, but you don't seem to understand that buyers can lie. As I said at the beginning of this thread, whether they're lying or not, if the claim is NAD, you need to refund.

[albertabrightalberta]

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@cstpos wrote:

@bcrudisill7  I always just accept the return. If you try to argue with the buyer, they can and might intentionally damage your item just to win. Once you get it back, deduct the shipping costs and, depending on your account standing, you can deduct a %. I'm happy just to get the shipping costs and get item back and am able to relist it. You'll also get your FVF back -.30. If you try to deny the return, as many have said - you'll be out the item and the payment - ebay also charges a $20.00 dispute resolution fee if that have to step in and force the refund instead of you just sending it. The buyer can dispute the refunded amount. I have had buyers dispute the deductions and was successful in getting ebay to review our messages that proved the buyer received exactly what was listed. It's only happened a few times, but it is aggravating.

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2 corrections to the red comments: 
1. For a NAD return, no deductions can be taken from the refund

2. The $20 fee would be for a chargeback. When ebay has to step in on a regular NAD claim, there's no $20 fee. But there is a ding to the seller's account and no credit of the FVF.

[bcrudisill7]

After chatting with an agent, I'm getting a mixed message. Everyone here is saying buyer doesn't have to prove anything, but eBay agent said that they do in fact ask the buyer for evidence to support their claim (I put the direct quote in bold):

11:28:38 UTC bcrudisill7

May I ask, is it unusual for the buyer to claim a defective item but refuse to provide evidence of any defect?

11:29:06 UTC bcrudisill7

Or is that just kind of how it goes sometimes

11:29:19 UTC bcrudisill7

This is my first dealings with this situation

11:30:04 UTC Jerico

When it comes to that, it is really depends on them whether they will start a request on their end and if you are going to purchase an item here in eBay you have 30 days to start a request. We are asking them to provide proof for their claims and we are not tolerating those kind of practices here in eBay.

11:30:38 UTC Jerico

Rest assured, we will definitely protect you on this since we are not doubting you that you sent a defective or damaged item.

[bonjourami]

As usual, you have been given incorrect advice from a scripted, outsourced, drone who will tell you what you want to hear to get on to the next call.

[soh.maryl]

Maybe you haven't come across this information before, but it's the general consensus here that CS reps on eBay will tell you just about anything to get you off the phone so they can move on and do the same with the next caller.  Feel free to wait and see what happens next if anything.  

They are not going to require that the buyer prove it's not as described.  If that does happen, please return and let us know because yours will be a landmark case in eBay history.  

[bonjourami]

Thats for sure!!

[lakefor94]

If the buyer opens a Item Is Not As Described type return case, you have choices.

1. You can refund the buyer now and let the buyer keep the item. eBay refunds the final value fees on the sale to you, the seller.

2. If you want the item back before refunding, accept the return and make sure a prepaid return label is available in the return case. The buyer returns the item and then you refund in full. eBay refunds the final value fees on the sale to you, the seller.

Seller protection:
Top Rated Sellers and sellers who offer free returns can offer partial refunds, up to 50%, if the item is returned in a condition different than when you shipped it.

3. Do nothing, contest the case or allow eBay to handle the case, eBay will close the return, refund the buyer and allow the buyer to keep the item. You also receive a serious defect on your seller account for having eBay step in and refund, thus doing your job as a seller. And, eBay keeps the final value fees for the transaction.

Here is an eBay link with just about all you need to know.
https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/handle-return-request-seller?id=4115

[bcrudisill7]

You and @bonjourami both replying with similar insight nearly simultaneously has got me cracked up.

What a world, man. I don't know what to expect now. I'm now so wrapped up in the excitement of discovering how in the hell this will all conclude that I've lost all interest in the buyer's shenanigans.

Either way I'm going to keep this Representatives chat on file in case I need to play their words against them. 

[albertabrightalberta]

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@bcrudisill7 wrote:

After chatting with an agent, I'm getting a mixed message. Everyone here is saying buyer doesn't have to prove anything, but eBay agent said that they do in fact ask the buyer for evidence to support their claim (I put the direct quote in bold):

11:28:38 UTC bcrudisill7

May I ask, is it unusual for the buyer to claim a defective item but refuse to provide evidence of any defect?

11:29:06 UTC bcrudisill7

Or is that just kind of how it goes sometimes

11:29:19 UTC bcrudisill7

This is my first dealings with this situation

11:30:04 UTC Jerico

When it comes to that, it is really depends on them whether they will start a request on their end and if you are going to purchase an item here in eBay you have 30 days to start a request. We are asking them to provide proof for their claims and we are not tolerating those kind of practices here in eBay.

11:30:38 UTC Jerico

Rest assured, we will definitely protect you on this since we are not doubting you that you sent a defective or damaged item.

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I can guarantee that what "Jerico" told you will not fly! Ebay will NOT protect you. 

Seriously, how can Jerico claim that "we are not doubting you that you sent a defective or damaged item" when they can't see it, don't know what the buyer actually received and only have your listing to look at? There are plenty of "bait and switch" sellers. (Not saying you're one of them but ebay doesn't know you or what the buyer received.)