Fraudulent return request

[pijankengur]

Hi all

I've had maybe 15 eBay sales of Lego over the past few months, and unfortunately just encountered my first problem as a seller

The set was sold for $700 +$50 shipping, and the buyer has raised a return request with the following message:

"In description its say new but its not when you shake the box you can clearly hear at box have lose bricks probably sealers was carful glue or something. And box is not in best condition. I believe this was a reason why seller write no returns".

A photo of the set in question was also shared, but it had dents that definitely were not in the set I had sent.

The typos included exactly as he wrote. I've got a 100% feedback with 80 eBay score (or whatever that means)

Just seeking advice on the best way forward here?

When I click respond to return request, it only offers me the options to let him keep it and refund, or refund/partial refund upon return

Seeking advice on best way forward here? It'll be a case of who do you believe, but from my perspective I am certain he is scamming me with the glue comment and the picture that is of a set he obtained elsewhere most likely. 

Thought I'd add, I fully expect eBay to tell me to contact the buyer. But given I am so sure he's scamming me based on the above, I don't see any value in it. Do intend to reach out to eBay support tomorrow during business hours (the return request only just came in just after 7pm)

Buyer has a 100% positive feedback with 500+ score, so i just got pretty unlucky that he's decided to be scammy on my listing..

[fbusoni]

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@gloryglorygifts wrote:

I bet that is exactly what he thought! 

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@gloryglorygifts 

Given the small fortune paid, I go even further and say that the buyer expected the dang thing to fly and shoot missiles to boot.  I mean, it sure as heck looks like it does on the cover!   😄

[vintagecraze50]

First, accept the return immediately, and send the buyer a free return shipping label so they do not decide to argue with you again and cause more problems for you. You cannot win at these refusals to allow returns on here, absolutely not a chance in hades. You will risk loosing the expensive lego set and your money if you continue to fight this buyer. Return for refund period.

[vintagecraze50]

The worst possible scenerio for these I am not allowing a return is the credit card chargeback. If customer used a credit card to purchase this item they can run directly to their card, COMPLETELY, bypassing the ebay return process and ebay can do absolutely nothing about this once that credit card chargeback happens. Credit card companies DO NOT REQUIRE that customers return merchandise for their refund. So accept this return NOW.

[vintagecraze50]

One more important thing here. If you call ebay to discuss this it’s possible they will tell you of course that you can refuse the return, it is allowed for the seller to do this, but PLEASE do not believe that they will support this decision if you go that route. The buyer may start a chargeback OR ebay will favor the buyers request for the return.

[gloryglorygifts]

Now, wouldn't that be cool? 😀 Comes with working blasters and a fuel stream. 

[buyselljack2016]

Seems that often when a buyer/seller scrolls to the point of "Ask the community" they end up here without even knowing where the dot eBay they are🤣

ETA:

Time was, there was a nice "add tags" option where as soon as someone noted the location that could be displayed right there in the opening post to alert other readers when attempting to assist.

"Add tags" was abused by some bad actors and is currently unavailable to help in such situations where confusion can arise.

[mooncat_watches]

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@lonebuck-books wrote:

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@fbusoni wrote:

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@pijankengur wrote:

I have an issue with accepting the return heavily based on the message he sent. "Glue" and "loose" pieces in his poor English suggest to me that he will be sending back something scammy, a second hand box with random junk in it etc.

Despite this, from all my googling looks like eBay always side with buyers..

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@pijankengur 

I meant to ask: did you sell a set with loose pieces?  Or was it a completed item of some sort made of bricks?  

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My guess is the buyer shook the box and it sounded like the pieces were loose in the box instead of in plastic bags like new Lego sets are shipped.  There is a different sound when you shake a factory sealed new box VS a box that has been opened and re-glued after the set has been used.

Edited to add: Lego sets also have tamper seals on the edges, not just glue.  They can be removed and reused but it takes some skill to do.  If the seals were present and intact when shipped, it was most likely unopened and the seller is correct.

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This is all true. As a lego addict I can attest that bagged pieces and loose pieces sound very different.

I suspect that the buyer  is simply a picky collector with no nefarious intention in mind.

[bennotbill]

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@buyselljack2016 wrote:

Seems that often when a buyer/seller scrolls to the point of "Ask the community" they end up here without even knowing where the dot eBay they are🤣

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Many of the help links on other ebay sites are .com links. So when a member looking for additional help on that page looks down the bottom, where it says "Ask the community", of course they end up here.

Lucky for them this is probably a more helpful forum than their "own".