Buyers can no longer be expected to read the first two words in the title.

[redline_auto_llc]

Buyer bought a car part. Buyer messaged that I sent the wrong part. I ask buyer what car he has. Buyer states 2015 Ford Taurus. Listing title: "Ford Fusion Drivers Left Steering Wheel Airbag 2015 - 2017". Nowhere in the listing is the word Taurus. They don't even look the same.

Buyer states that the listing said it would fit a Taurus, and that I edited it after the sale, which we all know is impossible. Buyer opens SNAD return. eBay tells me cost of doing business and that they won't refund return shipping, since it's my fault the buyer is an idiot.

And then the rep said I need to work on my listings to reduce my return rate. Not much I can do when the buyer can't be bothered to look at pictures, compatibility charts, or even the first two words in the title.

I truly cannot wait for the day that I can leave eBay in the rear view.

[dinpavent0]

Yup I just had another one like that too just 2 days ago and so did my husband. Unreal.

[gramophone-georg]

Any chance eBay inserted fitment guide info in your listing saying it WOULD fit the Taurus?

[vtrsire8i0]

It is possible your listing showed up as a sponsored link inside another result the buyer opened up, and say what you want but the practice can easily mislead because the buyer is inside a listing for a Ford Taurus part and yes ebay does in fact link sponsored material that is NOT a match down where it lists those.

So you may feel the buyer failed to read, but I can also see where the buyer feels deceived.

[mam98031]

Unfortunately this problem is as old as this site is.  I know it is annoying.  I've had to deal with it more times than I can count over the years.  And each time it is frustrating to say the least.  So I feel your pain.

I went and looked at your listing.  And as you have stated, there is NOTHING in the listing that says anything about a Taurus.  

I can't offer you any insight how to prevent this because I know I've never been able to.  Your listing is WELL written and your title.  Your buyer just was on a mission to get what they needed and failed to pay attention to what they were actually buying.

I sell a series of craft patterns for creating clothing and furniture items for dolls like a Barbie.  Both in Crochet and Plastic canvas crafts.  All my listings are very clear to state in the title that these are patterns and they are listed in the proper category for craft patterns.  The ISBs [item specific boxes] state they are patterns, in the first paragraph of my description it says it is a pattern no less than 5 times.  Just under the first paragraph are large red letters that say This Is A Pattern NOT the Finished Product and then the final paragraph in the description states it is a pattern yet again.  

Yet with all that said, I can't tell you how many buyer's I've had over the years that said they weren't aware it was a pattern.

I am sorry this happened to you.  I do know it is frustrating.

[luckythewinner]

Buyers can no longer be expected to read the first two words in the title.

"No longer"? I have been reading this board for well over a decade and I can assure you this is nothing new. 

On a site with millions of buyers whose only qualification is a computer and a pulse, you can be sure that the audience of buyers reflects the population.

And by definition, half the people in the world have below average intelligence 🙂

[gemsandgadgets]

It's the dumbing down of society.  Buyers are rewarded for their errors, so why should they care if they continue to make them?  

[batvette]

---

@luckythewinner wrote:

Buyers can no longer be expected to read the first two words in the title.

"No longer"? I have been reading this board for well over a decade and I can assure you this is nothing new. 

On a site with millions of buyers whose only qualification is a computer and a pulse, you can be sure that the audience of buyers reflects the population.

And by definition, half the people in the world have below average intelligence 🙂

---

Pretty sure that would be less than half because the testing metrics would leave a lot more people than one in the average category.

And you need more than a computer and a pulse to buy here.

Payment method and shipping address to start. In fact no computer... phone will do.

[redline_auto_llc]

Aha, but back in the good old days, if a buyer opened a SNAD return, a rep could change the return reason to buyer's remorse, which was a big help with return abuse and also protected the seller from unwarranted defects. Now it's on your dime no matter what, and buyers know that all they have to do is lie about the return reason and they walk away scott free. 

eBay needs to go back to holding buyers accountable just like they hold sellers accountable. Because let's face it, the buyer is NOT always right. I'm good at my job, I know what I'm doing. The buyer that buys a Cadillac engine from me and then complains about how it won't fit in his Nissan does not. 

eBay won't change anything, and the stock price and market share will continue to reflect that. One of these days eBay will get some much needed competition, and until then it's still the best game in town. But it sucks that that's the case.

[twinkling.smile]

Buyer states that the listing said it would fit a Taurus, and that I edited it after the sale, which we all know is impossible. Buyer opens SNAD return. eBay tells me cost of doing business and that they won't refund return shipping, since it's my fault the buyer is an idiot.

Did the buyer ask eBay to step in? Or did you make a call to CS after the SNAD return was made?

Main question: did you end with a defect for a "case closed without seller resolution"?

[mypostingid15]

---

@redline_auto_llc wrote:

Buyer bought a car part. Buyer messaged that I sent the wrong part. I ask buyer what car he has. Buyer states 2015 Ford Taurus. Listing title: "Ford Fusion Drivers Left Steering Wheel Airbag 2015 - 2017". Nowhere in the listing is the word Taurus. They don't even look the same.

Buyer states that the listing said it would fit a Taurus, and that I edited it after the sale, which we all know is impossible. Buyer opens SNAD return. eBay tells me cost of doing business and that they won't refund return shipping, since it's my fault the buyer is an idiot.

And then the rep said I need to work on my listings to reduce my return rate. Not much I can do when the buyer can't be bothered to look at pictures, compatibility charts, or even the first two words in the title.

I truly cannot wait for the day that I can leave eBay in the rear view.

---

Did the rep give you any genius ideas on how to reduce your return rate? If you say, "Deas not fit Taurus", then it's a spam keyword.

[dirk12955]

I had a "Buyer" want to return a stamp purchase because all the stamps had black ink marks on them'

In the listing, title, Under condition, IN the body of the description, in title specifics the listing had the words

"Used/Cancelled" 6 different times.

[webwanna]

Report the buyer for Abusing Buyer Protection Program.    That's about all you can do at this point.

[buyselljack2016]

Correct. They do not have to read any more than they want to, and are not required to look a photos provided.

I had a buyer open a return case as "wrong item" because the Honda part would not fit his Toyota.

No where in the listing was there any mention of fitting a Toyota (or anything else other than what it was for.

Called eBay. eBay said "too bad, so sad" wait 3 day.

eBay showed the buyer a Honda part when the Toyota part they were looking for searched up as "0".

by eBays suggestion we would be required to improve our service by listing the millions of vehicles that a part does not fit to cover errors by buyers.  They won't/don't read what is already given.  Potential buyers message to ask what color the gray handle is.

We are at eBay's mercy, and eBay has no mercy.

[stumblebumble]

Did you ship USPS?  Did you think about opening a fraud case with USPS or did you ship via another carrier?  Depending on what you get back, if you get back something other than what you shipped, we as sellers need to start opening these cases.  Maybe buyers will wise up.