Deadbeat Scamming Customer Files Return Request on Item they are now selling on Mercari

[vintagecraze50]

I posted earlier about a buyer making a false claim on a 10k ring we sold them a few days ago. This same buyer has an open return request for a the item and we discover they have this item now for sale on Mercari using our photos from ebay. I stumbled upon it today. Same customer, has her name on the Mercari account same ring. This person has a total of 10 purchases on ebay and 3 sells on Mercari, a newbie infrequent buyer (scammer) and seller on both websites. The customer was reported to ebay for their false claim and we sent a screenshot of the item for sale on the message system here to the buyer. We also warned the buyer that they better send us back what we sent. Unbelievable what these scammers will do on here.  We congratulated, LOL! THE BUYER FOR HER 300 PERCENT MARKUP ON THE ITEM. WE SOLD IT TO HER FOR LIKE 220.00. SHE HAS IT UP FOR SALE FOR 480.00 ON MERCARI.  The item is fairly rare so IMPOSSIBLE for this to be another ring this person has to sell OTHER than what we sent them. 

[mam98031]

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@vintagecraze50 wrote:

I may do a call to my concierge service today about this alerting them to this issue. Yes, I know this is a completed scam yet, but it may be heading in that direction and I plan to try to head this buyer off at the pass. A call to my concierge service today for them be to aware and go to facebook absolutely ebay for business if they can’t help.

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Again, what money or product have you lost on this transaction.  Until that happens, you have not been "scammed".

Now I agree the buyer is not handling things as they should and is dealing with you in bad faith.  They purchased something from you they thought they could sell for more on another site.  If it doesn't sell on the other site, they likely intend on returning it to you for a refund.  

If they had listed it here on Ebay and you could prove it, that would have been enough for Ebay to close any return request the buyer may file.  I've helped a couple sellers do this but it was a few years ago.  

[vintagecraze50]

You don’t entirely get this. The buyer has made a false claim of this ring not being 10k gold and that we sent them a fake item. We called our concierge service and they told us we did the right thing reporting this buyer and that the return request with the fake claim looks suspicious. I am not calling out this buyer as a thief or scammer yet but I am DARN SURE, not going to accept that we sold this customer something that was not what it was. As you know, I sell a lot on here and have a great rep. This one is not going to tarnish my record on here and if I can I am going to catch this person if they violate any rules on this website.

[mam98031]

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@vintagecraze50 wrote:

You don’t entirely get this. The buyer has made a false claim of this ring not being 10k gold and that we sent them a fake item. We called our concierge service and they told us we did the right thing reporting this buyer and that the return request with the fake claim looks suspicious. I am not calling out this buyer as a thief or scammer yet but I am DARN SURE, not going to accept that we sold this customer something that was not what it was. As you know, I sell a lot on here and have a great rep. This one is not going to tarnish my record on here and if I can I am going to catch this person if they violate any rules on this website.

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I understood just fine.  Filing for a Return using a reason that the seller deems false is an every day occurrence.  

"I am not calling out this buyer as a thief or scammer..."  You may want to re-read the title of this thread that you wrote.  You most certainly are calling them a scammer.  

There are many great sellers in the Community that have also been here a long time and have excellent selling records.

As I've stated before, I would advise you to get this reported to Ebay.  Give them the evidence you have that they are selling the item they purchased from you on another website.

If your Concierge says this is a "fake claim", then did they get the Request for Returned closed in your favor?  If they didn't, how is their opinion going to help you?  What steps did the Concierge take for you?

[rockyroadtradingpost]

Okay, so if the written basis for the SNAD was that it's not 10K gold, but they're representing it on Mercari as 10k gold, then you have a good case, IMO. What ebay does with it, I can't say.

[vintagecraze50]

I am not as much interested IN what they can do. I am MOST interested in preventing someone from filing false claims on here and knowing it is not something you should not be venturing to do to me personally or any other seller on this website. I try to be as proactive about these as possible. I know my options. I wait for the return request to time out, then go from there. Buyer times out, then perhaps tries  the chargeback. Chargeback proceeding start and we wait a month or two for it to resolve. Or, the I give you 50 percent back for a bogus return. THEN, wait for the chargeback for the rest scenerio. I know all the tactics. It part of the job on here. LOL!!

[mam98031]

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@vintagecraze50 wrote:

I am not as much interested IN what they can do. I am MOST interested in preventing someone from filing false claims on here and knowing it is not something you should not be venturing to do to me personally or any other seller on this website. I try to be as proactive about these as possible. I know my options. I wait for the return request to time out, then go from there. Buyer times out, then perhaps tries  the chargeback. Chargeback proceeding start and we wait a month or two for it to resolve. Or, the I give you 50 percent back for a bogus return. THEN, wait for the chargeback for the rest scenerio. I know all the tactics. It part of the job on here. LOL!!

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Well that is an impossible dream under the current rules.  In October of 2018 Ebay started Simplified Returns.  Which is cause of much of this.

You've been around the threads long enough to know that you are not going to be able to stop buyers from filing a Request for Return stating false reasons.

You would not be eligible to take 50% off the refund to the buyer unless it was somehow damaged when you got it back.  Well at least under the current rules.  You could fudge on the reason you can take a 50% refund, but then that would be violating the rules too?!?

Guidelines for how much to deduct from the refund

Here are some guidelines to help you determine how much to deduct from the buyer's refund.

Condition of return	Refund deduction guidance
Excellent condition: Unused, undamaged, or unaltered All items included in the original package Factory or vacuum seal must not be broken/opened (if applicable) Original tags included & attached (where applicable) Must include provided certificates of authenticity, grading, or appraisal	No deductions
Good condition: Missing original packaging Factory or vacuum seal is broken/opened, but the item is still in its original condition Original tags included but unattached	5%–10% deduction
Fair condition: Missing parts Some signs of wear or use Item has been installed Item has been registered or user has not logged out of the device's account, and it cannot easily be set back to factory settings Original tags missing	15%–30% deduction
Poor condition: Significant signs of wear, or significantly different than how it was shipped to the buyer Missing essential parts Item is damaged, scratched, defective, or requires service or repair  Missing provided certificates of authenticity, grading, or appraisal Opened items that cannot be resold (perishables, liquor, makeup)  Sold multiple items but the buyer didn’t return all of them	35%–50% deduction

Misuse of this protection

Sellers may only deduct an amount from the buyer's refund in order to recover lost value when an item is returned used, altered or damaged. Sellers may not use this protection to recoup market losses on items returned in the same condition or recoup return postage and/or restocking costs.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/handle-return-request-seller?id=4115#sect...

You didn't answer this from my previous post.

If your Concierge says this is a "fake claim", then did they get the Request for Returned closed in your favor?  If they didn't, how is their opinion going to help you?  What steps did the Concierge take for you?

[vintagecraze50]

WOW, you really still do not understand. I know about all that stuff you put up. I am saying that how I reacted to this person may help in that they may not try this again on someone else. I am nor saying I am all powerful God and will stop false SNADS on here.

[vintagecraze50]

So update as of a few hours ago. My lovely customer has removed their listing from Mercari not anywhere in sight on there and has shipped the return. Let’s hope what we did accomplished something and that this item gets back to us.

[vintagecraze50]

Also have not heard a peep from this customer on the message system since we told her what we thought and showed them the screenshots.

[vintagecraze50]

One more thing. I was not expected the concierge service to make any determination regarding closing a return case or deeming this a legitimate false SNAD. They CANT DO THAT. THIS BUYER GOT A FREE RETURN SHIPPING LABEL and auto accept return.  We do this on all our listings. 

[vintagecraze50]

Should have worded the post POSSIBLE SCAMMING CUSTOMER .

[rockyroadtradingpost]

That's great --  hope you get the item back safe and sound. 

[mam98031]

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@vintagecraze50 wrote:

WOW, you really still do not understand. I know about all that stuff you put up. I am saying that how I reacted to this person may help in that they may not try this again on someone else. I am nor saying I am all powerful God and will stop false SNADS on here.

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Again, I did not misunderstand.  

[reallynicestamps]

You sold a ring.

The buyer paid and you shipped.

The buyer posted his purchase on Mercari at a higher price.

• Guesswork-> the ring has not resold.
• Guesswork-> the buyer wants a refund on the ring.

What reason has the buyer made for the Claim?

Have you sent a return shipping label?

Has the ring been returned?

Resellers buy stuff here on eBay constantly. Some sellers even specialize in bulk /wholesale lots listed specifically for resellers.

Nothing wrong with that.

And sellers underprice items here constantly. We all make mistakes.

And resellers do overestimate the market constantly.

Sounds like your buyer/reseller.

There's nothing intrinsically scammy about the transaction.

Your buyer thought he could resell the ring at a higher price on a different marketplace.

He was wrong.

The tacky part is the Claim.

Again tacky, even unethical, but not illegal.

Get off the high horse.

Not every transaction goes perfectly.

Send the return shipping and refund on arrival.

Block the buyer, relist, resell.

If you now think you underestimated the value, raise the price.

If you now have more money invested in the ring, raise the price.

It's business not personal.

BUT

We also warned the buyer that they better send us back what we sent.

That a really good way to get back damaged goods.

Gold, even 10K alloy, is very soft and can be bent with a hammer.

You encouraged the buyer to make sure the damage now exists.

[iamalwaysright]

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@vintagecraze50 wrote:

Also have not heard a peep from this customer on the message system since we told her what we thought and showed them the screenshots.

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Oh I didn’t know you let the buyer know about the Mercari listing. Some sellers might disagree with me but I don’t mind it if people buy from me only to sell for a profit elsewhere.

But, like you, I do mind if the person made a bogus SNAD return to cover their return shipping cost butt if their item didn’t sell.

How does Mercari work? What’s their return policy? I ask because if the policy is 30 days or if the OPs buyer listed in eBay instead, the OP could have used another account to purchase the item back from the buyer at the marked up $480 price only to file a return and send it back to them on the 30th day to get their money back. So that way by the time you send it back the buyer will be stuck with the ring and their MBG return period would have expired with you on the original $220 purchase. 😏