How can I Protect Myself - Buyer No Feedback

[garywi]

Team, I am selling a 9 month old damaged laptop.  I have a clear description and photos of the damage.  Today it sold to a buyer with no feedback who opened his account in 2020.  I have not shipped it yet.  I have 10 years of feedback and no negative.

I am worried despite my accurate description he won't be happy when he gets the laptop.   Sort of canceling the sale, is there anything I can do to protect myself.

Thank you

[katzrul15]

Unfortunately no.

Use signature confirmation, insure for damage in transit or lost parcel.

Selling electronics, especially "used" with known defects is risky.  Selling locally is usually a better way to go. 

Did you google the address?  Hopefully, not a freight forwarder, etc.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[tdumonde2014]

When you list an item as "Used", it means that the item is used, but functions as intended. Computers with issues should be listed as " For Parts/Not Working". Your buyer maybe surprised when they receive the laptop and it doesn't function as intended.

[garywi]

So it works, but has a issue that I described.   So even it I listed it as-is, no returns, can the buyer get his money back from me..

[alcoforever]

I note that you don't accept returns.   If the buyer wants to return it and you try to fight it, you will lose both the item and the money.   My advice is to accept a return so you at least get your item back.

As for protecting yourself, there is little else you can do.  Buyer could return his older laptop or a box of rocks and you would be forced to refund.   Buyer could claim box received empty.   Buyer could do a chargeback on his credit card a month or two down the line.  If the buyer is truly intent on scamming you, that buyer will succeed.

Electronics items are one of the highest scam categories on ebay.   You would be better off selling it locally.   Even if you only get half as much money, that is better than getting nothing at all.

[garywi]

Wow.  How to sellers survive on ebay when they have no protections.  I will cancel this sale.  😞

[ittybitnot]

I am worried despite my accurate description he won't be happy when he gets the laptop.   Sort of canceling the sale, is there anything I can do to protect myself.

@garywi 

Presuming you have been paid via eBay checkout, eBay expects you to ship.  Simply cancelling the sale for an 'unapproved' reason is likely to get a serious defect on your account.  Do it a couple of more times, and you will no longer be allowed to sell. 

That being said, the time to worry about this sort of thing is BEFORE you list it.  The only seller protection on eBay is for "items not received".  Any item can be had for free (at the seller's expense) by the various fraudulent claims/procedures available to buyers here. 

[a_c_green · Accepted solution]

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@garywi wrote:

I am worried despite my accurate description he won't be happy when he gets the laptop.   Sort of canceling the sale, is there anything I can do to protect myself.

---

Sorry, but that listing was a train wreck waiting to happen. A laptop that needs a hard reboot every time it goes to sleep is not something that someone would want to pay $575 to own. I know, my opinion only, but given the millions of laptops for sale out there, I would suspect that anyone coughing up that much money is also someone who didn't read all the details. Listings in mobile mode on a smartphone are especially bad for leaving important things off of the main page.

At this point, I would say that you have time before shipping to fire off a crystal-clear message to the buyer, reiterating the problems with the laptop and asking him to either confirm that he wants it or cancel for full refund. Hopefully between now and when the post office opens tomorrow, you will have a reply to guide you. (Check the purchase details and you might find a phone number for him too.)

[sodelight]

I'd suggest you contact the buyer to confirm they're aware of the items condition before you ship. If they aren't aware of the damage, they may ask you to cancel.

[vintage-camerastuff]

If you bought from me I would cancel the order asap.   You leave everyone NEGATIVE feedback and you worry about getting ripped off.  That is Rich!

[garywi]

You are inaccurate.  

[femmefan1946]

It can't be emphasized enough that No Returns does not mean No Refunds.
It means you're glad to see the back of the product and never want to see it again.

If the buyer has a problem , and @a_c_green  points out one that could occur with a completely honest buyer, you can refuse the return, the buyer keeps the laptop, and he not only gets his refund but also can leave feedback.

You can, even with a No Returns policy, demand the return before refunding. You will likely be required to send return shipping.

No returns policies turn off nervous customers, who fear the seller may not be cooperative with difficulties.

It does not affect scammers who know how to game the system.

Disappointed buyers faced with a No Returns policy, often move directly to the Dispute (and have six months to do so) rather than contacting the seller for less drastic relief.

There are some situations in which a seller who offers both returns and Free Returns, can reduce the amount for refunds he makes. I don't get enough Disputes to have faced this so I'm not sure of the circumstances.

[silverstatetreasureboxes]

@garywi 

My My you've been busy on your feedback left for others. So now you are worried about the buyer who purchased the " sleepy" laptop?

     If you cancel this transaction your facing a big ding and zero feedback is not an excuse.

     Not everybody reads the description, you should have had this damaged" in your title.

    If buyer paid, send it.

[vintage-camerastuff]

You ask "How can I protect myself".  The question that should be asked is how can sellers protect themselves from you.  I've never seen so many negative feedback that you "Left for Others".

[pikabo-icu]

I am rather curious;

Can you explain why you accuse the sellers that have posted honestly, about a quantifiable fact, of having low intelligence?