Buyers claim part doesn't fit

[buffalomanjosh]

I am only selling used oem parts that are 100% verified by Ford to fit the vehicles I state in my listings. Recently had two buyers state the parts don't fit out of 350 sales.  When I reached out to them that the parts are OEM, and confirmed by Ford to fit their vehicle. They ignore that message.  The first one was a big dealership,  kept saying "Doesn't fit, please accept return". 
Now the 2nd buyer I got is claiming the part doesn't fit his engine when it's verified by Ford to fit. 

Has anyone else noticed a huge increase in bad buyers this year?  I am honestly thinking of shutting down and not selling on eBay.  Because I know the overseas eBay customer service agents aren't going to agree with me if I refuse the return. 

[broto_64]

I don't get into arguments with buyers.
I simply accept the return.

Because that is what is going to happen anyway.
I keep my thoughts to myself, it's not always easy.

It's not that I don't feel you, I do but the buyer is going to prevail so it is best to not make matters worse.

[buffalomanjosh]

I don't like when they lie, that is my problem.  If they said something like "hey, I bought this for the wrong vehicle, can I return it?   Or,  "I bought this part and don't need it anymore, can I return it"?    

[robbie31415]

Lying to return is common practice.

It sucks but you just gotta accept it and move on.

[chapeau-noir]

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@buffalomanjosh wrote:

I don't like when they lie, that is my problem.  If they said something like "hey, I bought this for the wrong vehicle, can I return it?   Or,  "I bought this part and don't need it anymore, can I return it"?    

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It's annoying, but forget whatever "reason" they use - if they lie or whatever, that's their problem. The point at issue is taking the return, and fighting this kind of thing is pretty useless. I would simply take the return, refund and then resell the part.

There really is no reason to close down what seems to be a good little business over this kind of thing as it's gonna happen from time to time, though it's a bummer to have it one after another - 2 returns out of 350 sales is not bad.

[buffalomanjosh]

You're right,  I am just overthinking on it.  

Only issue about selling car parts is the shipping can suck if you don't count it correctly.  And the storage of them.  My garage is almost completely full since I have acquired a ton of more parts to sell.  

[fbusoni]

You will lose the parts AND the money if you refuse a return.    If the parts come back altered or damaged in any way, you are entitled (at least the last time I checked) to charge a re-stocking fee.   

I've not noticed an increase of any kind in bad buyers this year.   

Your selling experience is a direct function of the categories in which you sell.  

Reading these boards for the last 20 years or so, I've come to the conclusion that the automotive, electronics, watches, coins, computers, video games, and phone categories are all populated heavily by thieves and low-lifes.   There may be more than I am unaware of.

[chevymontecarlo88]

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@buffalomanjosh wrote:

I don't like when they lie, that is my problem.  If they said something like "hey, I bought this for the wrong vehicle, can I return it?   Or,  "I bought this part and don't need it anymore, can I return it"?    

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I don't get into arguments with buyers.
I simply accept the return.

Because that is what is going to happen anyway.
I keep my thoughts to myself, it's not always easy.

It's not that I don't feel you, I do but the buyer is going to prevail so it is best to not make matters worse.

👆broto_64 Sums it up perfectly. It is not easy to bite your lip and you have every reason to be annoyed/upset but that does not change the outcome. (unfortunately)

[glorybells]

@fbusoni ,

 I agree it has a lot to do with returns relative to what category you’re selling in.  I was getting returns more than normal when selling children’s clothing.  Some I felt like were “renting” the clothing before returning it.

OTOH, I have had one return in 20 years of the rosaries I make, and that was one that was legitimately damaged in shipping.

[mustang707]

People are used to returning things at big box stores and that mindset carries over to online purchases. Except that we are not big online sellers and buyers don't care about that. All they know is that they bought the wrong part. You might want to change your shipping to calculated if you are having a difficult time with shipping charges. You are on the east coast and it can be expensive to ship to the west coast. And if you offer returns, in the case of buyers remorse, the buyer has to pay for return shipping. With free shipping, you have to pay for any returns.

[broto_64]

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@buffalomanjosh wrote:

I don't like when they lie, that is my problem.  If they said something like "hey, I bought this for the wrong vehicle, can I return it?   Or,  "I bought this part and don't need it anymore, can I return it"?    

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Believe me I totally understand, it kills me too, especially since I have free returns no matter the reason so why lie? Just tell me the truth, unfortunately over the years all the lying has forced me to adopt an entirely different strategy. 

A lot of buyers don't understand that.  They feel entitled to free returns, and to keep things simple they simply claim INAD on every return no matter what. In their defense however there also exist a fairly good segment of uncooperative sellers who also lie to the buyer and make it as hard as possible to return an item.

This unfortunate turn of events costs everyone money.

[fashunu4eeuh]

@fbusoni wrote:

  “If the parts come back altered or damaged in any way, you are entitled (at least the last time I checked) to charge a re-stocking fee…”

Hi, just to clarify, eBay no longer allows restocking fees per se. But if an item is returned in an altered condition, Top Rated Sellers and sellers with Free Returns can withhold up to 50% and give a partial refund.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/member-behavior-policies/condition-returned-items-policy?id=4763

[fashunu4eeuh]

Hi @buffalomanjosh 

Did you consider your buyers were being truthful? 

It is not unheard of to find a part doesn’t fit, despite the Ford assurance. In the last few years, i have heard on multiple occasions that fit was off on Ford OEM parts, that the quality is not what it should be.

It doesn’t hurt to give one’s buyer the benefit of the doubt rather than jump to an instant conclusion they must be lying. In the 15 years of selling here, i have never once been defrauded by a buyer. (Sellers yes, buyers no.) Not everyone with an issue is a scammer.

[fbusoni]

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@fashunu4eeuh wrote:

@fbusoni wrote:

  “If the parts come back altered or damaged in any way, you are entitled (at least the last time I checked) to charge a re-stocking fee…”

Hi, just to clarify, eBay no longer allows restocking fees per se. But if an item is returned in an altered condition, Top Rated Sellers and sellers with Free Returns can withhold up to 50% and give a partial refund.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/member-behavior-policies/condition-returned-items-policy?id=4763

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Thank you!  I was not sure.   I am TR plus but have been fortunate to have not ever had to use the 50% option.   

[redlinear]

Very few are lying, in order to return an item.....When it comes to them saying "Doesn't Fit".
eBay has adds all over the place that Guarantee Fit or you can return it for free.
  SO, instead of lie, it's probably the truth.
It's due to ignorance by buyers that don't fully understand how the Guarantee Fit thing works.
They don't know what vehicle they have...They don't know their options...They don't enter their vehicle in their "Garage".  And if they do?  eBay's "Garage" doesn't know the options either. 
     Last week, I thought I'd try "my garage" to order some Brake Rotors and Pads for my Tacoma.  Was in a hurry, several options available, thousands of drop shipper sellers that have no idea what they are selling.  
So, just to be safe, and quick, I entered my Tacoma in "my garage" and searched.
The issue was..."my Garage" never asked 2wd or 4wd. 
SO, there's no way for eBay to send me to a Guarantee Fit seller.   Yet they tried.

I get those "doesn't fit" returns all the time.  It's just buyers that have not done their homework.  Yet they think they have.
Been doing this parts thing for 45 years.  IF the item can be returned for any reason, usually the reason will be truthful.  THAT lets the seller know if they can sell the item again, or should probably throw it away.
And the sheer amount of parts that walk back in my front door (local) because they "don't fit" is mind boggling.
Usually it seems I have almost resort to waterboard interrogation to PRY their vehicle information out of them in order to get them the right part.  And that has nothing to do with eBay.  People just don't know.