How is it possible to prevent buyers from clamming "NOT AS DECRIBED"

[machinerynj]

I sell used machinery. I post 12 pictures of the part give details and part numbers when available.  Yet a buyer can claim not as described and eBay 100 percent of the time sides with them. How then does a sell protect themselves? Because eBay does not care at all!

[duncanvr]

It's just not possible to stop IND. If a buyer is going to lie through their teeth to get a refund they will. They call it buyer remorse and we as sellers just have to deal with it. Traditionally buyer is always right even though we did nothing wrong there is no way a seller can protect themselves. You just need to be prepared to take some losses in this game. As you would if you owned a retail shop and someone stole your goods.

[jayjaspersgarage]

"You just need to be prepared to take some losses in this game. As you would if you owned a retail shop and someone stole your goods."

Yep.  At least you don't have 12% shrinkage disappearing off the loading dock.  Employees are one of the leading causes of retail theft.

Maybe local pick up would be a better business model depending on the size of the item?  I sell old tools yet in ten years only had one return because the buyer was nearly blind or didn't look at the close up photos.  It was an easy return and I sold the item a week later to another buyer.

[powell-memorabilia]

The easiest way to stop INAD claims is to offer free returns.  Buyers expect free returns - they find a way to get them.  I went to free returns early on - i still don’t have many (under 2%).  Often, I can still sell the item.  When I can’t, I’m covered by my self insurance, and I either keep for myself or give away the item.

[fern*wood]

There is no 100% solution for not as described claims unless you stop selling.  Much depends on the item or type of items being sold.   

I realize I sound like a broken record, but I believe many buyers that really want to return something will find a way to do so.  By not offering any return policy for remorseful buyers that just change their minds or bought the wrong item, then they will file a not as described return instead.  A return policy allows honest buyers to return by being honest---almost all my returns are for remorse and I get very few not as described returns.   I also don't offer free returns and my buyers pay the shipping.

When reading your terms of sale in your listings (brutal honesty here -- I would remove all that stuff), I see you will accept a return if the buyer contacts you and pays the shipping.   So just officially offer that as your return policy in your listings, because many buyers won't bother reading all that or trust that process.  Some categories even permit a 14 day window. 

[volpu_kxvmv6j4h]

I ran into similar things recently. I have always known the environment on eBay is bad, but it is actually even worse than imagined. A sad fact is that eBay does not care about your evidence, or facts. They side with buyers all the time. The best way to avoid such ridiculous loss is not to sell it on eBay. 

[luckythewinner]

How is it possible to prevent buyers from clamming "NOT AS DECRIBED"

It is not possible to prevent a buyer from opening a "not as described" dispute on eBay.

If it were not possible to open a dispute, unscrupulous sellers would be scamming buyers left and right and no one would buy here.

[1tuna]

the deck is stacked against sellers with heavy items............I expect about 24 returns in 2021.

I have 30 days free return and round trip postage for 24 items is only $200 so it works in my favor.

most of my returns are not that big a deal since I dont even message the buyer or vice versa.

my buyers communicate with ebay returns center........it cuts way down on the hurt feelings/anger at ebay.

keep on ebayin

[new_haven_toys]

Why are they continually called "buyers" when they are no such thing? Just asking. If they are a high bidder or purchaser of your product, not until the pay and complete the deal successfully can they be called "buyers".

[duncanvr]

Unfortunately FREE returns means your paying the shipping back and for heavy items that is not a good idea. Lucky I never get returns or IND cases as I am in a niche where collectors trust me and know they will get exactly what is listed. In my situation I can offer free returns because all are light weight items, but in 17 years no returns so I guess it also depends what your selling and who your buyers are. I have a lot of repeat buyers. The same guys keep coming back.

[iart]

I see that you provide a lot of photos but very little description (I only checked a few). Remember the 5W & H. Who what when where why and how. Answer as many as you can. I'd add some measurements at the least.

Also, keep in mind that many buyers only see very little by using their phones and don't know to scroll around. In our 'condition' area we add a note asking buyers to see information below.

[dbfolks166mt]

     It's not possible to prevent INAD cases given eBay's buyer MBG, they will side with the buyer 100% of the time. I have been fortunate and had very few INAD cases and returns. However for those that I did have they were added to my blocked bidder list even before I generated the return label or shortly thereafter. In one case I canceled an active auction after a buyer opened an INAD case and was the active high bidder on an open auction. 

     I expect to take some losses on eBay it's the nature of the market place but I try to reduce those losses as much as possible. 

[lightlily_arts]

You didn't seem to understand the post.  The post was about how to prevent buyers from filing false claims for not as described.  This had nothing to do with payment of a auction or listing.