How to DISPUTE when Buyer falsely claims DEFECTIVE/NOT WORKING as reason for return

[designassociates!]

I sold a stunning incredible hand painted antique porcelain tea set, as-is, no returns. Provided 12 clear close-up photos of the exact lovely condition. I shipped the item triple-boxed for safety, so the shipping cost me almost triple my estimate. Buyer received and, after a period of time, then requested a return for the reason of "DEFECTIVE/NOT WORKING",  stating she was unable to SELL the set. She blamed this failure on faint tea stains in the bottoms of the cups, and said she ASSSUMED the set was different.  I had provided a CLOSE UP PHOTO OF THE CUP INTERIOR IN THE LISTING. I declined the return, unwilling to lose even more money on her shipping, and because the set was EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN THE PHOTOS AND LISTING. I wrote 2 pleasant emails to the buyer explaining that she received the exact item she purchased, and that I could not be expected to have foreknowledge of HER ASSUMPTIONS. At no time prior to purchase did she ask any questions or request additional photos.

Well, of course, Ebay stepped in and granted her a return-AT MY EXPENSE.  I callled Ebay for help and the kind customer service gentleman said he would make note of my position, and expressed that Buyers frequently lie about the reason for the return so they would not have to pay the return shipping.

I am looking for a strategy to help me as a reputable long-time Ebay seller to defend myself against the lies of unscrupulous buyers.

Can anyone help me with this situation?  I am a retired senior citizen on a fixed income and the cost of this loss is literally going to be as much as my grocery bill.

Thank you.

[albertabrightalberta]

You can't dispute it. 

The best you can do is try to work with the buyer to convince them that it's as described. 

If you deny the return request, buyer will escalate and ebay will resolve the case for you, giving you an account ding and will issue a refund for the buyer (from YOUR funds). 

You have several options: 

1. Issue a refund (without requiring a return)

2. Accept a return by paying for a return shipping label

3. Offering a partial refund (which buyer may or may not accept)

Many buyers know that filing NAD is a way to get to return an item without having to pay return shipping. So they lie.

[monica-sells]

not a lot you can do here....accept the return, do not refund until you receive your items back...then relist them...hopefully, when they sell again, you will at least break even, even after shipping costs....

(if you do not stop this with ebay, it will almost for sure turn into a chargeback, and you will lose both your item and a $20.00 fee)

oh....

"...so the shipping cost me almost triple my estimate..."

this is on you, no one else, you need to charge adequate amounts for shipping fragile items like you have and not get caught up in trying to list with cheaper shipping hoping to get the sale.........

[dakotasnowshine]

The only thing you can do in these situations, if you want a chance at keeping your funds or getting your item back, is to always accept this type of return and provide a label to your buyer. Do not try to dispute it with the buyer through messaging. You then sit and wait and hope they either do not return the item or return the actual item back safely. If they do not ship the item back in time you will win the dispute. This can be a long wait. If you receive your item back then you refund the buyer from the funds ebay holds. 

This is a harsh reality of ebay's current policies and systems. Very sorry you have to experience it.

[fern*wood]

There isn’t much you can do if they file a not as described return, even if it seems inappropriate.  Allowing eBay to step in, rather than handling the return yourself, can harm your selling ability.  

[dryophelia]

@designassociates! 

There is no secret strategy. No one but you and the buyer knew about the case filed against you. 
In the big picture of life, this eBay case is nothing.  

Do you want the tea set back?

If you want it back, accept the return and refund when you get it back. 

If you do not act quickly, eBay will refund the buyer without it being returned. 

Retail will always favor the buyer. 
The customer is always right, but they are not always correct. 
It’s unfortunate that this return will cost you your grocery money. I’m sorry to hear that. 

[lamber9347]

I am always astonished when a long-time seller such as yourself thinks they can simply write as is no returns, and then is surprised when they lose a return case. This platform offers a money back guarantee to all buyers. The policies on here trump anything a seller writes in their listings. There is no help with your return and no way for you to get out of this. Makes no difference how many photos you had and how well you described the tea set. Accept the return, get the tea set back and resell it. Stay on the buyer's good side so that they will pack it up correctly to avoid more damage in the return. Best of luck to you.... 

[buybuy42]

Whatever happens here this would be a smart move:

            Block this User ID 

[sapphire_studio]

I'm so sorry this happened to you. My heart breaks for you but everyone is right in their advice. 

Having No Returns does not make a lot of sense anymore with how Ebay forces them anyway. 

The best option for most that have this policy is to switch to Buyer Pays Returns. That way they may not feel the need to lie about the reason for the Return. I see plenty of people who are willing to pay the return shipping and are honest about having changed their mind. 

Having "No Returns" forces them to lie or risk the Seller being about to Deny the Return by being honest.

She is a scummy person for doing this to you. She may just be fishing for a Partial Refund. Maybe consider offering her one so you don't have to pay to ship it back and risk it getting damaged in shipping (Ebay will still take the full refund out of your account even if she just sends an empty box).

The advice you hear on here all the time is never sell anything you aren't willing to Lose on Ebay.

[caldreamer]

Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to protect against "lying customers".    EBAY Money Back Guarantee (supersedes your "no returns" policy and allow customer to return item by claiming "not as described, defective, counterfeit".   Customer are NOT required to prove their claims.  EBAY believes the "customer is always right."

Sorry this happened to you but it all part of "selling online."

[user55782]

This response to the seller makes me sick to my stomach.  This is a seller that is getting taken advantage of, by an abusive buyer, and lamber9347 is siding with the false claim making abuser.   This platform offers a money back guarantee, yes.  Also, there's an abusive buyer policy that states that when  buyer makes a false claim, they are no longer eligible for the money back guarantee.  This is often hard to prove, but it's worth mentioning.  It's actually more helpful than the passive aggressive slew of words that she provided in her response.  I hope that Lamber 9347 has a chance to learn more about eBay, and maybe she should do that, before siding with abusive buyers, instead of her fellow sellers.   It's shameful, and leads me to believe that Lamber, just might be selling items on eBay during the day, and as soon as the darkness of night sets in, she becomes an abusive buyer, making false claims, and bullying sellers around the world.   This is a discussion where designassociates reached out for answers.  He didn't need to be reprimanded publicly like that, by Lamber.  Lamber needs at least to pretend to want to help, if she's going to comment here.  

[technoshoptotalwireless]

Siding with everybody else, NO RETURNS will just come back to hurt you at the end.

Take advantage of eBay giving you the option to deduct up to 50% percent of any return SO LONG You accept return and are a top rated seller. 

Most of my returns are bogus so I apply this discount and MOST Buyer return the item in good condition, some buyers will claim NOT AS DESCRIBED just not to pay return shipping. 

You get to keep the item and profit TWICE. You will get a couple of scam returns but it just part of the game. 

[albertabrightalberta]

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@user55782 wrote:

This response to the seller makes me sick to my stomach.  This is a seller that is getting taken advantage of, by an abusive buyer, and lamber9347 is siding with the false claim making abuser.   This platform offers a money back guarantee, yes.  Also, there's an abusive buyer policy that states that when  buyer makes a false claim, they are no longer eligible for the money back guarantee.  This is often hard to prove, but it's worth mentioning.  It's actually more helpful than the passive aggressive slew of words that she provided in her response.  I hope that Lamber 9347 has a chance to learn more about eBay, and maybe she should do that, before siding with abusive buyers, instead of her fellow sellers.   It's shameful, and leads me to believe that Lamber, just might be selling items on eBay during the day, and as soon as the darkness of night sets in, she becomes an abusive buyer, making false claims, and bullying sellers around the world.   This is a discussion where designassociates reached out for answers.  He didn't need to be reprimanded publicly like that, by Lamber.  Lamber needs at least to pretend to want to help, if she's going to comment here.  

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The fact is that @lamber9347 gave honest, accurate and knowledgeable information likely knows way more about ebay than you can imagine. 

The fact is that if the OP doesn't want to accept the return and pay return shipping, the buyer will get a full refund PLUS a free item. 

[user55782]

I know these things.  I don't just imagine them, I've experienced them.   I have had my "behind" handed to me by bullying, abusive buyers, more times than anyone would believe.  For about a year, I had scam buyers making up a steady 12%-15% of my sales.  They are so successful at fishing for partial refund money, or trying to trade in their complaints for money, that a large group of them just plan on complaining about every item they purchase.  This behavior shouldn't be accepted.  It shouldn't be written off as "just part of selling on eBay".   Why?  because it's fraud.  Excusing it, or allowing it, or worst of all, complying with it, only makes it worse, and more wide spread.  I call it out immediately when I see it.  I get a lot of negative feedback because of it, but I will never just fold over and pay money to some lowlife scammer that lies to me.   You shouldn't either!

[fashunu4eeuh]

@designassociates! To dispute a Not As Described return (when the Money Back Guarantee has been invoked) has serious punitive consequences. It can create damage to your account.

That will come in the form of these actions:

1) a defect will be leveled on your account, that can downgrade your standing on eBay and potentially trigger higher Final Value fees (where a +6% penalty is added on top of regular fees).

2) eBay will remove your held payment to refund the buyer in full,

3) You will still be assessed the transaction’s Final Value fee (that would have otherwise been reimbursed to you had you accepted the return).

4) eBay will not require the buyer to return your goods to you. Essentially you can lose the money and the item sold.

But once the case is closed, you will want to apply for an appeal. Below is the link on how to do that. My best advice is to follow the instructions carefully. Do not let eBay open an appeal thru Customer service, because you will want time to gather and present all your evidence.

Good luck in this endeavor and i hope you are able to get this resolved to your benefit.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/appeal-ebays-decision-return-missing-item...