I need some help, i am a seller and just got a return request to refund on a rare item

[nuevoanoya]

I sold a rare item to a buyer and they want their money back and uploaded photos of an item that is totally not what I mailed out.  Ebay taking their side of course..... I have to refund and give them a label too, i almost lost all my money and it was not cheap.  They said if I get back a different item to contact them, they would "investigate" the buyer.  We all know that means they will do nothing.  WHAT CAN I DO IN THIS INSTANCE and HOW DO WE PROTECT OURSELVES against those who bait and switch us? Ebay sure aint doing it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[stainlessenginecovers]

Looks like most of your items sold are in the $30-$40 range so at least it's not $500 like some sellers are dealing with. 

Since you don't offer returns, you cannot do the 50% refund thing, and as you said, you can 'report' the buyer (and you really should because it only takes a few of those reports to remove that member from buying here or 'returning anything' here). 

Protection? Well, if TRS and 30 Day returns, the 'compromise' eBay was willing to do is you can deduct 50% (up to) if item returned in 'less than' condition. 

Other than that, there is no 'other' protection from a rock being returned. 

[ittybitnot]

I sold a rare item to a buyer and they want their money back and uploaded photos of an item that is totally not what I mailed out. 

@nuevoanoya 

Could it be possible that your buyer has you confused with another seller?  When you say "totally not what I mailed",  is it obvious like they show a picture of a fork when you sold shoes for a doll?  or even doll clothes (from another seller) that you never had?  Since we can't see what a buyer purchased, we can't tell anymore.  It might be useful to ask your buyer if they filed against you by mistake. 

The return process is all automated, and I suspect when eBay asks the buyer for photos in the 'not as described' return flow, nobody looks at them anyway.  Customer service will not look, for example, to see that they bought that "fork" from someone else, and are apparently not allowed to intervene in the bot process.  Yes, if you get a faulty return (something other than you sent) you can report the buyer.  It may help the next person, but eBay generally does not return your money. 

There is no seller protection for 'not as described' claims on eBay, nor for faulty returns when you get back a box of rubber bands instead of the bracelet you sent.   

It might be interesting to do a google lens or like image search on those photos in the case and see where they came from in case you want to appeal later. 

[coolections]

I have no clue if it would help or not but since your buyer messed up and gave you a picture of something you did not sell maybe show YOUR picture and the picture the BUYER gave you and post on Ebay's facebook page. From what I've read that is the place for help in these situations.