HELP! how do i handle this bogus return request

[jeskel_2123]

A month after the buyer recieved a brand new polaris shift cable they requested a return under ebays buyer protection for items received not as described or damaged.

the buyer said "it was installed, it was used and it was damaged" in the return details. and provided photos of a cable shredded to **bleep**

I sent a brand new cable exactly as described with no damage or defects. I believe that he installed, used and damaged the cable and now wants a refund. after explaining to him that he misused the return request and I cannot and wont accept a return of that item in that condition as I sent him a brand new one he replied by agreeing that he received the cable new but wants it replaced or to be refunded because of the quality 

I don't accept returns, and do not provide any warranty as stated in the ad. 

WHAT A JOKE!

what options do I have? what the best way to approach and handle this situation? i reported the buyer for misusing returns but other than that I dont see any other options to report the return request, or how to ask ebay to intervene. This is a situation that id assume would fall in my favor. but the only option ebay is giving me is to work with the buyer and come to a resolution, accept the return, or not respond to the return and wait to see if the buyer asks ebay to step in. 

i dont understand why I dont have an option to dispute the request because it is so obviously wrongly filed under the buyer protection and doesn't qualify for a forced return 

 

[bigdeals.etc]

Debbie Downer information alert:

You don't want to ask ebay to step in here. Sorry to sound harsh, but ebay will definitely side with the buyer. If you proactively accept the return yourself and refund once you get the item back (without ebay stepping in), your penalties will be less severe from ebay.

I know this information hurts, but it's the truth on how ebay operates. Best you learn this now so you can adjust your methods for future sales. It doesn't matter if you think you are correct and how wrong the buyer might be. Declining a return request hardly ever ends well for the seller here. Bottom line is that the buyer doesn't like the item you sent him and wants to return it for his money back... ebay will back him up.

You have options on protecting yourself a LITTLE BIT for future similar instances but it comes at a cost. Read up on how to retain up to 50% of a refund on a buyer. Some sellers do this, some sellers refuse to because of the potential cost.

[inhawaii · Accepted solution]

You have 3 options:

1) Accept the return. Pay for the return shipping. Received the damaged cable. File a complaint with ebay.  They will probably side with the buyer.  No strike against you.   In a he said/she said situation, ebay almost always sides with the buyer. 

2) Don't accept the return. Ebay will side with the buyer. They will refund the buyuer with your money. You get a serious strike against you. 

3) Just refund the buyer. Buyer keeps the item.  Be done with it.  No strike against you. 

Don't forget to block the buyer.  Good luck and stay safe.

[bigdeals.etc]

@jeskel_2123 You mentioned in your communication to the buyer that they filed the return over a month after the item delivered. Is that literally true? Here's one of the things I mentioned that can be used to protect the seller. I have a 30 day return policy. When a buyer files a return request (for any reason including SNAD) after 30 days from item delivery... ebay gives me an option to Decline the return request. Declining this request will be held up by ebay and will not penalize me for not honoring a return because Buyer Protection only lasts 30 days. You can see that choice here in one of my returns.

I see your screenshot doesn't have that choice. That's why I ask has it truly been over a month since your item was delivered to him? For me, when a buyer files a return within the 30 day window, that choice is removed and looks exactly like your screenshot. I wonder if that choice isn't available to you at all because you don't accept returns.

[jeskel_2123]

No i think you misunderstood. the buyer literally used and abused the item I sent him and now wants to return it have it been shredded to pieces. using buyer protection under receiving an item not as described he started a forced return of which I cant even decline. the buyer has admitted that he received the item in perfect new condition as described in my ad and after using it and breaking it wants to return it for a refund. this violates ebays abusive buyers behavior for one and for two the buyer would need to return the item in the same conditioned they received it. which he admitted would be the case because he wrecked it . 

[jeskel_2123]

would it actually be a he said she said situation when the buyer has clearly admitted and agreed he received it in perfect condition and its documented and clearly shows that he did so and admits to it 

[glasser]

If you have proof that the buyer used and abused the item and now seeks a refund, such as messages sent through eBay's messaging system. You could roll the dice, You could tell the buyer go ahead file a dispute but I will contest it with your own words how you already used the item and broke it . You can point and link to the pertinent eBay policy about abuse and see if that scares them off.

Don't know what he paid for the item but ypu could offer a partial refund of percentage to make it go away.

[jeskel_2123]

see this is a forced return under the buyer's protection qualification of receiving a damaged and not as described item. that option would be their if they just requested a normal return. a buyer can still request a return from me at any time even though I don't accept return which ebay gives me the option to decline with no penalty because my return policy states clearly that I don't accept returns. the buyer did not request a normal return they requested that they didn't receive the item that they bought under buyers protection that ebay offers. 

now the buyer has admitted that he did infact receive the item that he bought 

does that make sense. 

[buyselljack2016]

I do not look at returning an item that fails to function as it should as abusing the MBG.

I do not think that eBay believes that returning an item that fails to function as it should is abusing the MBG.

I do not know if your item failed to function as it should because of quality.

[iart]

It's a pet peeve of mine when sellers claim 'no returns'

There is no such thing. If that is all it took, some sellers would send empty boxes and say "Too bad" when the buyer wants a return.

[bigdeals.etc]

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@jeskel_2123 wrote:

No i think you misunderstood. the buyer literally used and abused the item I sent him and now wants to return it have it been shredded to pieces. using buyer protection under receiving an item not as described he started a forced return of which I cant even decline. the buyer has admitted that he received the item in perfect new condition as described in my ad and after using it and breaking it wants to return it for a refund. this violates ebays abusive buyers behavior for one and for two the buyer would need to return the item in the same conditioned they received it. which he admitted would be the case because he wrecked it . 

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Sorry to beg to differ here... I’m speaking from eBay policy and experience. I understood your issue from the start. You (and the buyer) should be able to ask ebay to step in after may 17. I believe you mentioned that in your OP about having ebay step in. What I’m saying is that the option will be available to you after may 17. But I strongly suggest you not do that because ebay will side with the buyer.

As ridiculous the return may sound to you, ebay will not see it your way. They will see it as a buyer received your item in visibly good condition. But upon trying it, your item did not function correctly. Ebay will say that will qualify as not as described. Ebay knows fully well that the item returned will not be in the condition you sent it out. But what matters to them more is that according to the buyer, your item didn’t function in the first place which may have caused the buyer to damage the item. Again, understand these will be eBay’s words, I’m just the messenger who has been in your situation many times.

And yes, it is a case of he said she said. You MIGHT get an agent who might see the buyer messages as incriminating for the buyer. But just know that majority of the time they won’t care... they just want the buyer happy and have his money back.

[bigdeals.etc]

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@jeskel_2123 wrote:

see this is a forced return under the buyer's protection qualification of receiving a damaged and not as described item. that option would be their if they just requested a normal return. a buyer can still request a return from me at any time even though I don't accept return which ebay gives me the option to decline with no penalty because my return policy states clearly that I don't accept returns. the buyer did not request a normal return they requested that they didn't receive the item that they bought under buyers protection that ebay offers. 

now the buyer has admitted that he did infact receive the item that he bought 

does that make sense. 

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There’s no such thing as a “normal return”. What you are speaking of is a remorse return. And yes, I know your buyer filed a SNAD return which all sellers are forced to accept to avoid further penalty. But you misunderstood my message about the 30 days. What I was saying is that your option to decline still should have been available to you on a SNAD return if it was truly filed after 30 days of item delivery. That’s why I asked if it really was 30 days or not... because your screenshot doesn’t show the decline option but yet you accused the buyer of filing the return after 30 days. When (what date) did the tracking show as delivered?

[wastingtime101]

I responded to their post on the shipping board that said it's been 32 days from delivery and asked the same question, @bigdeals.etc . The sales history of the item shows the transaction that comes closest to the timeframe was sold on April 12. If that's the transaction being discussed, then the OP sold it 32 days ago but the buyer probably didn't receive it until at least a couple days after that. I think the buyer is within the 30 day MBG window.

[dbfolks166mt]

     You don't have a lot of options here because of the reason the buyer used as a reason for the return. The buyer pretty much has you between the proverbial rock and a hard place. I am pretty sure you do not want the damaged cable back, which the buyer probably knows, because of having to pay for the return shipping. This is irrespective of what your return policy is which, because of the MBG, only applies to remorse returns. 

     You can try to fight this with eBay but there is a 99% chance that you are going to loose the battle. Even if you win the buyer can always turn to PayPal or their credit card company and file a chargeback which they will probably also win. 

     If it was me I would refund the buyer and let them keep the damaged cable then add them to my BBL. While not uncommon this is yet another way to obtain free stuff on eBay. How do you know the pictures of the damaged cable are of the one you actually sent them? Maybe they already had a damaged cable ordered your replacement and then filed the return request. It's a win/win for the buyer they have their new cable, they are getting refunded for their purchase from you and even if you do want the damaged cable back you are going to pay the cost of the return shipping. It's also been long enough that you have probably already provided positive feedback, which is the only thing you can provide a buyer these days. 

     Just a bad situation all around but it happens to about every seller at some point in time. 

[bigdeals.etc]

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@wastingtime101 wrote:

I responded to their post on the shipping board that said it's been 32 days from delivery and asked the same question, @bigdeals.etc . The sales history of the item shows the transaction that comes closest to the timeframe was sold on April 12. If that's the transaction being discussed, then the OP sold it 32 days ago but the buyer probably didn't receive it until at least a couple days after that. I think the buyer is within the 30 day MBG window.

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Yea your reply makes total sense and I was suspecting this. A return requiring action by May 17 (shown on OP screenshot) has to be filed on May 12 at the very latest. I have a return where the buyer filed on that exact same timeframe (my previous screenshot). It's common to see people "round up" by a few days to drive a point.

Given that, I agree that the buyer filed the return within the 30 day window.