Dealing with a buyer that won't let a return refusal go

[littleguineapiggy]

On my other account (my active one), I have a no returns policy.  It's never really an issue except for maybe 3 sales per year (out of 500~).  Well, a buyer opened a return now with the reason of, "don't like it" saying, "it looked like a store return" because it wasn't folded perfectly in the store packaging.  Naturally, I refused.  She then messaged me saying it had soil, and she really needs to return it.  I messaged her back explaining what a no returns policy means, and that she needed to say the first time there was an issue like that, and I'm not required to do anything else.  She sent me another increasingly aggressive message pushing the return, and I reported her for circumventing policy, and harassment.  This is something she could just easily wash if she felt it was a little dirty.  I find it interesting she did not open the correct case and say this at first, which makes me think she's making it up.  I've never had someone like this.  What else can I do?

[tunicaslot]

I feel the same way about feedback - a professional reply will do more for a seller than the hassle of trying to get it removed. Most buyers don't read feedback - but when they see a professional reply that a return with full refund was offered - they have more trust in the seller. I think most people realize you can't please all the people all of the time.

[chrysylys]

You should read this thread:  https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Ebay-and-Paypal-ruled-in-my-favor-than-buyer-did-a-chargeback/...

[midnight_mystic]

"So, to you selling things means to lose money on the shipping, and to have it come back just to avoid an unhappy and looney buyer's wrath?"

I'm really not sure why you started this thread, since you have your mind made up already. In that case block, ignore, and wait for the SNAD or the chargeback. The buyer will figure out how to do one of those eventually, with a cherry red donut on top.

What's "looney" is to expect your no-returns policy to make eBay some sort of utopia where you never have to deal with returns. They are a part of doing business . If you really don't want returns, sell your items locally for cash.

[lightlily_arts]

I also sell with no returns accepted as I sell both new and used.  But if a buyer wants a return all they have to do is open a SNAD case and you will have to accommodate them.  These buyers can also open a case with Paypal, but they would have to return it on their dime. Be prepared for that.  Sometimes it's worth accommodating the buyer, and you have to decide if that's what you want to do  as she can give you a big red donut.  I assume with every sale that there is always the possibility of someone wanting a return despite my no return policy.  Even though my listings state that all sales are final I prefer to have happy customers so I do take returns.  I have a no return policy because if you offer a return policy according to eBay it can be for any reason including they changed their mind.  That I'm not willing to do because  my family functions as individual sellers and we are not a real business.  We are downsizing so we can move in the next year or so.  We do take  consignments to help pay our store fees and maintain TRS.

[littleguineapiggy]

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@midnight_mysticwrote:

"So, to you selling things means to lose money on the shipping, and to have it come back just to avoid an unhappy and looney buyer's wrath?"

I'm really not sure why you started this thread, since you have your mind made up already. In that case block, ignore, and wait for the SNAD or the chargeback. The buyer will figure out how to do one of those eventually, with a cherry red donut on top.

What's "looney" is to expect your no-returns policy to make eBay some sort of utopia where you never have to deal with returns. They are a part of doing business . If you really don't want returns, sell your items locally for cash.

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I started this thread because I waqnted to know what else I could do.  It's not like I'm trying to be some monster that refuses to help people.  How some nobody can understand that?  WHy should I jsut have to eat it and take a loss?  This person ignored procedure, lied about, "soil", and kept messaging me over nothing.  What's looney is expecting me to just deal with it every time.  I know I can't sell anything locally.  That's why I pay ebay, to help protect me too.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

I STILL don't get it. What loss do you take if you accept the item back for original selling price only? Your time? The listing fee? Buyer pays shipping both ways. You get your Final Value Fees back.

Ebay is here to make money for Ebay. They are not here to protect sellers. They're not even here to protect buyers but they happen to do so because that improves the Ebay bottom line.

You can no longer tell buyers "too bad, so sad" and think you'll get away with it. Ebay wants happy buyers. Most sellers want happy buyers. That means buyers who will come back and spend money. Arguing with buyers out of some principle helps nobody.

Really, have you NEVER changed your mind and returned something to the store? Never?

[vintagemoth12]

Did you say that you got your record back and also got the buyers money too? I don't understand that if that is what you meant.  If you got your record back, wouldn't the buyer get his money back?

[city*satins]

I was with you all the way until you said this:

This is something she could just easily wash if she felt it was a little dirty.

You seem to be allowing that it might actually have been dirty.  

[atikovi]

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@the*dog*ate*my*tableclothwrote:

I STILL don't get it. What loss do you take if you accept the item back for original selling price only? Your time? The listing fee? Buyer pays shipping both ways. You get your Final Value Fees back.

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If it was free shipping how do you get your actual shipping cost back?

[chrysylys]

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@atikoviwrote:

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@the*dog*ate*my*tableclothwrote:

I STILL don't get it. What loss do you take if you accept the item back for original selling price only? Your time? The listing fee? Buyer pays shipping both ways. You get your Final Value Fees back.

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If it was free shipping how do you get your actual shipping cost back?

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There is no such thing as 'free shipping'  Buyer paid for it initially, evenn if it was rolled in to the item price.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

I understand what Atikovi is saying. If you refund the purchase price then you will be refunding the original shipping if there was "free shipping". I don't remember reading if this one was free shipping or not of all the threads I've read recently.

Seems to me this is another one of the drawbacks of "free" shipping. As a buyer who buys multiples I detest free shipping anyway.

[missjen831]

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@atikoviwrote:

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@the*dog*ate*my*tableclothwrote:

I STILL don't get it. What loss do you take if you accept the item back for original selling price only? Your time? The listing fee? Buyer pays shipping both ways. You get your Final Value Fees back.

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If it was free shipping how do you get your actual shipping cost back?

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By charging a restocking fee. 

[atikovi]

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@chrysylyswrote:

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@atikoviwrote:

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@the*dog*ate*my*tableclothwrote:

I STILL don't get it. What loss do you take if you accept the item back for original selling price only? Your time? The listing fee? Buyer pays shipping both ways. You get your Final Value Fees back.

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If it was free shipping how do you get your actual shipping cost back?

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There is no such thing as 'free shipping'  Buyer paid for it initially, evenn if it was rolled in to the item price. 

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No, seller paid for shipping that he won't get back.

[southernfriedbelle]

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@atikoviwrote:

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@chrysylyswrote:

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@atikoviwrote:

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@the*dog*ate*my*tableclothwrote:

I STILL don't get it. What loss do you take if you accept the item back for original selling price only? Your time? The listing fee? Buyer pays shipping both ways. You get your Final Value Fees back.

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If it was free shipping how do you get your actual shipping cost back?

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There is no such thing as 'free shipping'  Buyer paid for it initially, evenn if it was rolled in to the item price. 

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No, seller paid for shipping that he won't get back.

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@atikovi is right. Seller doesn't offer returns. So she would have to pay for the return shipping, plus refund the buyer the full amount of the purchase, which included the "free" shipping.

@littleguineapiggy, you wanted to know what else to do. Here's my suggestion: offer a return policy. You are doing yourself no favors by stating you don't accept returns. As you know,  all a buyer has to do is claim Item Not As Described and you will be compelled to accept the return. And we all know some dishonest buyers will lie to get out of paying return shipping.

Having a 14 day or longer Return Policy is a safeguard and offers you some modicum of protection. Yes, it allows remorse returns. But if you set the parameters of your policy to require that the buyer pays return shipping, and as @missjen831 alluded to, require a restocking fee, it gives an option to honest buyers that receive the item and discover it won't work for them. It's also a deterrent to buyers fishing for a partial refund. You simply offer a return for refund, keep repeating that, and often the hints for a partial refund stop.

A return policy also shows that you are a professional with confidence enough to stand behind your merchandise. As a buyer, knowing I can return something in the rare event it doesn't work reassures me that I'm dealing with an honest and reasonable seller. You want us to believe you offer good customer service.  Forgive me, but how you handled this situation and what you said in your messages to your buyer does not demonstrate good customer service. 

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

You cannot retroactively charge a restocking fee though. It has to be there in the listing for the buyer to agree to.