Help with unresponsive buyer on return

[neverpayretail$]

I have been on ebay for 20 years and I occassionally sell.  I sold my personal macbook pro last year and I shipped it packed extremely well.  I upgraded shipping to fedex and printed the label at FedEx.  I noticed the buyer was a Mac repair shop, thats odd.  I sent buyer message the day it shipped, the next day confirming delivery 31st.  One more day it arrived.   After the buyer had the mac 4 days they sent me a message that the screen was slightly discolored and they wanted to return it.  I read policies and send a professional email asking 3 things to see how to handle it.  1) Did the item arrive matching the packing picture I sent the day it was shipped.  Was it damaged and was there a pic?  I need that info to file a claim.  To my knowledge I cant do a shipping claim without the buyers help.  2) I asked them to verify serial number to prove it matched 3) I asked for a picture of the discoloration.  They buyer never responded.  8 days later buyer opens case to return.  Again I reply within 2 minutes of the message but the buyer wont respond.  What do I do?  I bought extra insurance for shipping but buyer won’t help.  I can just approve return but theres also a decent risk buyer swapped my screen for a broken one.  I’d like to hope he’s honest but the whole thing seems fishy.  

My options:

1) Contact ebay the moment I can escalate and hope they agree I did everything as a seller.  They side with me no return since buyer won’t respond.

2) Approve the return and I have pictures that will prove if buyer switched out the hardware but it doesn’t seem like ebay is interested in return fraud.  Am I wrong?  Maybe its returned perfectly but its a risk.

Maybe nothing is shipped.

3). I blindly offer partial refund and hope it goes away?

Please help me!  I am extremely diligent about listing all the details and being a good seller.  What should I do to deal with the buyer like this?  I cant afford to lose money and item.  That’s a big hit.

[reallynicestamps]

EBay is very easy about returns.

Basically if the buyer doesn't want it, they can return it.

There are details but that's the basic story.

Tell the buyer to return the laptop for a refund.

If they don't that's the end of it.

If they demand a partial refund: Tell the buyer to return the laptop for a refund.

If they don't, that's the end of it.

If they demand return shipping, tell them to open a Dispute "to keep the record straight" and return the laptop for a refund.

If they don't that's the end of it.

If they do, you will probably be told to send a Return Shipping Label.

Do this promptly.

If you don't you will lose the Dispute and the buyer both keeps the laptop and gets a refund.

If he doesn't use the RSL, you win the Dispute  and that's the end of it.

If he returns the laptop, refund promptly.

If the laptop has no actual problem  spit three times, curse his name and his little dog too, and relist it.

If there is the problem he complained about, you must describe the problem when you relist it.  (And call it "used/not working/ for parts").

If you get a different laptop, come back here for further advice.  There is appeal, but burn that bridge when you come to it.

[neverpayretail$]

Basically what your saying is nothing will be gained trying to get any basic information from the buyer.  Ebay won’t care if buyer ever responds?

[pburn]

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@neverpayretail$ wrote:

1) Contact ebay the moment I can escalate and hope they agree I did everything as a seller.  They side with me no return since buyer won’t respond.

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If you escalate a claim to eBay, they'll find in the buyer's favor. They expect sellers to resolve their own problems with buyers. Neither responses nor photos from the buyer are required for the return process.

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@neverpayretail$ wrote:

2) Approve the return and I have pictures that will prove if buyer switched out the hardware but it doesn’t seem like ebay is interested in return fraud.  Am I wrong?  Maybe its returned perfectly but its a risk.

Maybe nothing is shipped.

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eBay will not accept photos from buyers or sellers. Photos taken by one party or the other are not reliable. Either party could be photographing anything.

If nothing is returned, in theory, the buyer will lose the case.

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@neverpayretail$ wrote:

3). I blindly offer partial refund and hope it goes away?

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Accept the return, require a return of the item, provide a return mailing label, and refund the buyer when you receive it.

[neverpayretail$]

Basically what your saying is nothing will be gained trying to get any basic information from the buyer.  Ebay won’t care if buyer ever responds?

I thought as a seller I had some rights.  I know I shipped exactly what I listed no discoloration.  

I guess your answer will be the same if it comes back damaged then I have to figure out how to handle it and come back here.

[neverpayretail$]

I hear you.  Same as first answer in that buyer doesnt have to respond with details of return.

[neverpayretail$]

Right now just a return request.  When you say open a dispute before you do the return shipping label is that the same thing as a case?

[reallynicestamps]

Yes you have rights.

The basic one is that you can refuse a refund if the buyer does not return the unwanted item.

EBay considers both parties to be honest, and in most cases they are. The dispute is a disagreement between adults and either or both can be wrong. For that matter, either or both can be right.

It's business not personal.

When you say open a dispute before you do the return shipping label is that the same thing as a case?

Yes Dispute/ case/ claim. Synonyms.

Not everyone agrees with me on this  (disagreements between adults).

Some sellers avoid any Disputes.

But properly handled, it is my opinion that Disputes do no harm to the seller's account and can be used to take charge of the disagreement.

Scammy members don't want to be on eBay's radar. So asking politely that the buyer open a Dispute will discourage a buyer who has "too many" Disputes on her record.

Some buyers can no longer use the Money Back Guarantee at all because they used it too often.

And sometimes, not often enough, the buyer will be told that the Dispute is Buyer Remorse and she has to pay for the Return Shipping. Which can end the dispute too.

Smoke, mirrors and head games.

[m60driver]

If you can get the buyer to accept a partial refund then go for it.  But honestly, you are probably going to get scammed.  You have almost no feedback as a seller over the past year, the type of newer seller that scammers are attracted to like flies to the dung pile.   And then you sold a high priced item in one of the highest scammed categories on Ebay.  Wait for the buyer to return the item, do not resist the return.  Maybe you can resell whatever is returned.  But the person can put a rock in a box and Ebay will still force a refund.