eBay

gooddealtom · ‎11-16-2017

SUMMARY: The way I used to sell, I put USPS insurance on the item ($100 sale or more), which I provided, and if the item was damaged during shipping (never happened), buyer would have to go thru the USPS process to get a refund, (and if they made up a story they were lying to the Gov't- not good). Now, if I have my info correct, buyer makes a claim to eBay or PayPal for a return/refund, and without any proof by buyer to eBay or PayPal, money gets removed from my account and returned to buyer (if I don't voluntarily issue a refund). If I accept returns, I have to pay for shipping if buyer claims the item was damaged upon delivery. If I don't accept returns, eBay or PayPal issues a refund, and the item doesn't get returned. Almost anything counts for "not as described", so it doesn't make any difference how many photos I've previously taken or how well I have described the item in my description. Do I have all this about right?

IN DETAIL: Hello everyone- I've been a part time seller of antiques and collectables since 2004, and have been away from it here on eBay for a couple of years. My track record includes 400+ sales and never a negative feedback. (I would say 1 to 2 % of sales included retracted bids, nonpayers and trouble-makers). EBay policies had always covered me in the past so I avoided any permanent negative feedback.

I had usually done this during the winter only, and had learned a while back that when you take a break selling on eBay, you have to update yourself yearly on changes before you start again, which used to and still do (apparently) happen frequently.

Here's the concern- the eBay money back guarantee for "damaged during shipping items" or "item not as described" really worries me. That is, a buyer seems to be able to get a refund for anything, no matter what, including shipping, just by clicking on the right reason box. It makes no difference what my policies are. EBay, according to the many discussions I have read, will always side with the buyer no matter what the details of the situation. Items I sell are older, used, sometimes not at all "like new" condition, sometimes heavy and awkward and relatively expensive to ship ($50+). My descriptions are well articulated with all well done corresponding numbered photos with arrows. In the normal course of events it would be difficult for anyone to claim that a description of mine was inadequate. But this IS eBay- money trumps logic and reason. I do not take a couple of photos and tell buyers that the photos are the description. That's **bleep**.

A recent discussion post a few days old (11-15-2017) explained that an eBay rep on a phone inquiry explained that if your item is insured through USPS, a buyer must go through that USPS process of a claim first, before being reimbursed by eBay for "item not as described" due to damage during shipping. Has anyone heard anything like this? Are there any written policies to this effect that someone can point me towards before I describe that policy in my listings?

Is there anything I am missing in my review of this "seller-eats-it" policy? That is, the way I read it, if a seller does not accept returns and pay the return shipping, a disgruntled or otherwise inadequate buyer can simply damage the item (in my case, perhaps a $600 antique bottle), and claim damage in shipping, to which eBay or PayPal automatically sides with the buyer and takes $ out of my seller's account. Is there something I am missing here?

Thanks in advance for any reply.

southern*sweet*tea · ‎11-16-2017

Here's how it works:

YOU as the seller are the insurance for the buyer because of the money back guarantee. You are responsible for refunding the buyer in full, then making any insurance claim for yourself. The rep you spoke to was full of....hot air. The buyer never has to wait for any insurance claims to be paid.

The easier you are to offend the easier you are to control.

We seem to be getting closer and closer to a situation where nobody is responsible for what they did but we are all responsible for what somebody else did. - Thomas Sowell

gooddealtom · ‎11-16-2017

PO says buyer must answer questions and show evidence of damage (in person or otherwise). I suspect the buyer who is having a change of heart and wants a full refund for damage isn't going to go the the PO for me or take pictures and email them to me. I don't know what Shipcover does.

d-k_treasures · ‎11-16-2017

@gooddealtom wrote:
PO says buyer must answer questions and show evidence of damage (in person or otherwise). I suspect the buyer who is having a change of heart and wants a full refund for damage isn't going to go the the PO for me or take pictures and email them to me. I don't know what Shipcover does.

Whether tis is still the same, I don't know, but when ebay annouced shipcover, the fact the the buyer filed a claim for damage via a SNAD verified the claim, but the buyer will still get something to fill out. If they don't, I think shipcover was supposed to still pay out.

Somehow I'm sure some of those pieces went away .... but it's worth checking out. After all, you don't have the package, so you can't answer the damage questions.

If insured thru USPS, for that amount, the buyer needs to make it available for the USPS to pick up and inspect. They need to save all packaging.

_____________________________
"Nothing is obvious to the oblivious"

buyselljack2016 · ‎11-16-2017

eBay will not require a buyer to co-operate in any way for a damage insurance claim when the buyer does not want to.

eBay will require you to resolve the situation, or they will do it at your expense

duggmills · ‎11-16-2017

To put this all in the simplest terms, think: Praise the guilty and punish the innocent.

For a Post Office insurance claim, my understanfing is the seller has to initaite the claim and wait up to 90 days for a resolution by the Post Office.

The tragically over priced Post Office insurance only insures the package contents and not the cost of shipping. The PO's union knows better than to take responsibility for the only thing we pay them to do, deliver the goods.

"Fly the Big Ones"

partial*eclipse · ‎11-16-2017

@gooddealtom wrote:
.... an eBay rep on a phone inquiry explained that if your item is insured through USPS, a buyer must go through that USPS process of a claim first, before being reimbursed by eBay for "item not as described" due to damage during shipping. Has anyone heard anything like this? ....

Never, EVER go by what the customer service reps say. They got that one backwards. The buyer never has to do anything related to an insurance claim.

http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/money-back-guarantee.html

pvcliff · ‎11-16-2017

Many of us look at heavy items and shake our heads sadly. No way we want to be on the hook for paying to retrieve heavy/awkward items when a buyer has a problem, real or imagined.

______________________________________________

They didn’t say it was your fault. They said they blame you.

sam9876 · ‎11-16-2017

"The way I used to sell, I put USPS insurance on the item ($100 sale or more), which I provided, and if the item was damaged during shipping (never happened), buyer would have to go thru the USPS process to get a refund"

Nope.

Buyer simply files a SNAD complaint with eBay and the seller will be giving a 100% refund after the buyer returns something to the seller with tracking.

luckythewinner · ‎11-16-2017

@gooddealtom wrote:
If I accept returns, I have to pay for shipping if buyer claims the item was damaged upon delivery. If I don't accept returns, eBay or PayPal issues a refund, and the item doesn't get returned.

You are intermingling a half-dozen topics and using imprecise terms.

If you do not offer eBay returns, the buyer cannot make an eBay return.

If you offer eBay returns and a buyer makes an eBay return, you have to refund. You will be given the choice of accepting the return and paying return shipping, or declining the return and just issuing the refund and letting the buyer keep the item. Returns are not conditional - if you offer eBay returns, you must accept an eBay return if a buyer asks ... for any reason whatsoever.

If a buyer files a SNAD claim, you have the option to refund the buyer and let the buyer keep the item; pay the return shipping and refund the buyer upon receipt; or asking eBay to step in. If you ask eBay to step in, you will not only be forced to refund and let the buyer keep the item but you will also get a damaging defect. SNAD claims having nothing to do with returns - they are a separate thing entirely.

I'm not sure what you mean about "paypal issues a refund". Are you talking about an unauthorized use claim? If so, all you have to do is show PayPal the proper proof of mailing and you are supposed to be covered. If you are talking about a dispute filed through PayPal, that is a PayPal issue and not an eBay Buyer Protection issue.

holycowsincanada2011 · ‎11-16-2017

@luckythewinner wrote:

If you do not offer eBay returns, the buyer cannot make an eBay return.

I would like some clarification about this. If my listing says "no returns", I was under the impression that the buyer still HAD to return the item to get a refund (unless I specifically state that item need not be returned). Also, if it's a remorse return, I may choose not to refund the buyer at all. Of course, if it's a SNAD claim, then I pay for return shipping and refund 100%.

if the above is not true, that I should be spending the next few hours changing all my listings 😞

sam9876 · ‎11-16-2017

Captain America Omnibus Set by Ed Brubaker RARE Collection

Why are you shipping that via Media Mail?

holycowsincanada2011 · ‎11-16-2017

@sam9876 wrote:
Captain America Omnibus Set by Ed Brubaker RARE Collection

Why are you shipping that via Media Mail?

With all the packing I do to ensure it remains protected in transit, it ends up being a bulky package. Doesn't fit in even the large flat rate priority mail box.

What else do you suggest I ship it by?