05-12-2023 07:07 AM
I sold an item. The buyer wanted a refund. I did not misrepresent the item. eBay did not take the time to review and show me why I should refund the item. eBay decided to refund the item and take funds from my account without my approval. If I had made any misrepresentations I would have gladly given a refund. It is eBay policy to refund...it is stated that I do not take returns. eBay does not protect the interest of sellers. No wonder "eBay is Dead and Failing Miserably According to Business Week". I can look for other selling and buying resources.
I am very disappointed in eBay. I hope eBay soon realizes that with sellers, they have no buyers. Maybe it is too late.
05-12-2023 11:56 AM
I forgot to mention, (2) eBay representatives LIED to me on (2) different phone calls!
05-12-2023 12:01 PM - edited 05-12-2023 12:04 PM
https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/handle-return-request-seller?id=4115
There are consumer protection laws that ensure a buyer can return an item for a refund if they believe it's unsatisfactory.
05-12-2023 12:05 PM
This platform offers a money back guarantee to all buyers. Unless this was a remorse type of return you would have to refund entirely. Once a buyer claims an item was not as described eBay will side with the buyer and force a return. Everything is purposely set up to be automated by eBay. Because you didn't accept it they will give you a demerit on your selling account.
This platform doesn't get involved in disputes between users. If you choose to sell on this platform you really need to read and understand the TOS. Best of luck to you....
05-12-2023 12:05 PM
Ebay reps are notorious for telling you whatever you want to hear just to get you off the phone.
I'm guessing the buyer filed an NAD (item not as described). Unfortunately, ebay sides with the buyer in 99% of these situations.
05-12-2023 12:11 PM
@usapatriot1776 yea, it's always a good idea to read up on the policies of the business entity you intend to do business with.
No Returns does not mean No Refunds.
There are a number of reasons a buyer can ask to return an item and for those reasons, sellers HAVE to accept the return and refund upon receipt of item in its original condition or let buyer keep item and refund them anyway.
Sorry you did not know this.
Unfortunately, a No Returns policy entices some buyers to lie about the reason for the return request to override that seller's return policy.
05-12-2023 12:21 PM
Ebay does not need your approval to refund a buyer with your funds. All sellers agree to that when they list an item. Read up on how to handle returns as a seller and understand the eBay MBG that buyers have backing them up.
Ebay does not need any more sellers as they are overstocked as it is. Good luck wherever you land and know the policies before you sell.
05-12-2023 12:22 PM - edited 05-12-2023 12:25 PM
@usapatriot1776 wrote:No wonder "eBay is Dead and Failing Miserably According to Business Week". I can look for other selling and buying resources.
This is the same phantom article from reddit and other non-sourced blogs...
This is the same Business Week that proclaimed
"The Collectibles Market Is Cooling. What Remains a Good Bet?"
05-12-2023 12:27 PM
" I hope eBay soon realizes that with sellers, they have no buyers. Maybe it is too late."
Ebay doesnt see it that way, with over thirty million sellers here. Their stance is, without buyers, there would be no sellers.
05-12-2023 12:27 PM
Most disappointing is that two eBay employees lied to me. Like I said...I will sell elsewhere. I am an honest person and do not like being lied to. eBay lost a customer over $3.99 item.
05-12-2023 12:39 PM
@usapatriot1776 we do get posts of customer service reps 'misleading' callers or giving incorrect info. not sure if it's a language barrier, a country barrier, lack of training, etc
if u do decide to stay, it is best to contact eBay thru their social media sites with a private message for extreme problems.
Here are the links>
AND-OR
Great customer service on both
05-12-2023 01:00 PM
The buyer wanted a refund. I did not misrepresent the item. eBay did not take the time to review ....
@usapatriot1776
Assuming the other poster is correct and your buyer filed a "item not as described" claim, it does not matter if your item was described correctly or not. The process is automated and the predictable results are a function of what the buyer chooses from the dropdown menu when initiating the claim. It does not have to be a truthful selection, but for all intents and purposes on eBay what the buyer chooses automatically becomes FACT. Any information you wish to supply in rebuttal is ignored.
Nobody will check your pictures and text to compare it to a buyer claim anymore. It is what they choose from the selection ONLY that matters. You don't willing play the game, then eBay does it for you and also awards you the usual unsavory consequences for not going along with the program. You agree to be the victim of buyer fraud when you use this venue in that you agree that eBay be the decider in all matters of this nature. It is done by a bot now, customer service can agree and placate you, but they cannot change the automated process anymore.
05-12-2023 01:52 PM
You gave Ebay the approval when you listed the item.
You also agreed that you read and understood their terms and policies.
Your No Returns doesn't mean you won't be refunding, it just means you don't want the item back.
If a buyer files an INAD, even if it isn't true, you only got a couple options.
When you don't take care of the buyer, Ebay will step in and take care of them for you.
05-12-2023 02:12 PM
@usapatriot1776 eBay can't adjudicate because they don't have the item in hand, and they can't review each listing, photos, etc., in a dispute because with 1.7 billion listings on here and millions of sales, they'd never be able to keep up with it.
So, basically eBay makes a default decision - sellers or buyers? As said above, sellers are plentiful, but buyer numbers have been dropping steadily, there is more and more competition online, and without buyers no one needs sellers - eBay has to somehow keep buyers here. It's not always fair, no, but we make the best of it.
What I would not do is throw away a selling opportunity over a $3.99 item. Read up on basic policies insofar as returns go so you're on board with how these work so you have a good grasp on things.
Also, none of this is personal - front line CS may be really bad here (which is really unfortunate) but no one is deliberately lying, they're just not very good. It's better to just ask here.
05-12-2023 02:27 PM
This is the most common complaint I have seen from sellers. Right up there with Taxes on shipping and no sales. If only sellers would learn that there is no such thing as 'No returns'. When a seller claims INAD, the seller must offer to accept it back and refund in full upon receipt. If you do nothing, Ebay will do it for you and let the buyer keep the item. It's that simple. A 2nd problem "no returns" causes is the buyer believes he has to go thru his CC company to get his money back when item is flawed. Often, they won't inform the "No returns'-seller.