Issues, Refunds, Buyers Abusing the system

[jeffb2021]

Is anybody else having issues with buyers wanting partial refunds, and opening cases for items they received making false or otherwise inaccurate claims?

I'm not claiming everything I  do is perfect or that every buyer is wrong, I'm wondering if other sellers are seeing an uptick in requests for partial refunds over the past couple of months.

It just seems odd that people are contacting me through messages and requesting partial refunds and not opening cases...the issues are strange in most cases and highlights a major flaw in eBay's system.

Basically any buyer can demand a partial refund and there isn't anything a seller can do but issue it.

Even if you don't agree or know the claim is wrong.

I had a buyer activate software then claim they didn't receive it, I had to refund that buyer.

Another buyer waited until they had the item for 29 days and opened a case asking for a partial refund stating a defect in 1 of 9 gold clubs and of course I had to refund that buyer.

I just don't think eBay realizes how their system is designed for buyers to abuse the returns and refunds policy. Sure sometimes buyers are correct in their complaints, but there is a whole segment of people who exploit and abuse the system and eBay allows it.

The only solution is stop selling on eBay which is pretty unfair.

The amount in fees a seller pays is already hard enough to overcome when people want refunds that begins to really harm a sellers ability to survive.

Why is it so easy to demand partial or full refunds? Where is the burden of proof or standards? A buyer can claim the item 'Smells funny' and that's enough to win their case. it's just insane to me.

[downunder-61]

You are under no obligation at all to give a partial refund to a buyer - no matter what.

Item not as Described - you accept the return, send the buyer a label, they return it and then you refund once it is back in your possession.

Once it is back and you see it is exactly as described you can then report the buyer for Abusing the MBG

Go here to report a buyer for misusing the Money Back Guarantee. https://spd.ebay.com/RBASellerHub

[bashort]

What I am seeing is several returns for bogus reasons, I offer free returns but many people will still tell a lie when the truth would work just as well

[duncanvr]

Worse is I had one requesting 9 INR refunds when tracking showed items were delivered. ebay still sided with buyer the most I could do was block and report the buyer. Tracking kind of seems pointless if they can still raise bogus claims. I don't know how some of these people sleep at night~! I think as sellers we have to factor in certain amount of losses due to refund or partial refunds.

[b86fiero]

Got a doozey going on right now.

Newer buyer purchased 2 sets of new House & Garden brand dinner plates. She asked no questions. Shipped same day to her.  She received them 2 days later.  She's had them for awhile.  Long enough to use them multiple times.

A couple of days ago she opens a return claiming NAD / doesn't match Photos.  I've been selling here for 21 years so of course they are exactly as described in my listing with the correct photos.  I offer Free Returns so there is no need to lie about the reason for a return.  Just say you didn't like it, or changed your mind.  

In the details of the the return she states:  These plates don't match my Nicole Miller bowl. 

Well, duh!  Why would anyone assume a House & Garden brand plate would match a Nicole Miller brand item? 

Long story short, eBay issued her a return label at my expense.  IF the plates come back with their original individual labels in the brand new condition they were shipped in I will lose just over $32 in shipping costs plus cost of foam packing materials, etc. after refunding her purchase price.

IF the plates come back used without original labels intact and or damaged,  I will refund her 50% of the purchase price as eBay allows.  I still lose money but not as much.

I have already reported her for filing a false NAD claim.  

Apparently some buyers don't understand the meaning of Free Returns and file false NAD claims.  Or they are just plain mean and do it to damage seller accounts.

[albertabrightalberta]

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@duncanvr wrote:

Worse is I had one requesting 9 INR refunds when tracking showed items were delivered. ebay still sided with buyer the most I could do was block and report the buyer. Tracking kind of seems pointless if they can still raise bogus claims. I don't know how some of these people sleep at night~! I think as sellers we have to factor in certain amount of losses due to refund or partial refunds.

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How did that happen? More details are needed because INR with delivery tracking is a slam-dunk for the seller.

[fashunu4eeuh]

Jeff, just read your follow-up comment to the negative feedback. I have to say it was not good. You did yourself no favors.

The most valuable piece of real estate on eBay is the seller’s follow-up comment. Future buyers are interested in how sellers handle themselves when an issue arrises. They are your key audience—not the original buyer, not other sellers.

When a disgruntled customer crosses our path, we cannot let it make us angry, or blaming or defensive or name-calling. All that needed to be said was to apologize for the damage, and state a full refund was given. Period. (By the way, just because the buyer got his money back does not necessarily erase their disappointment in receiving damaged goods.)

It is the seller’s responsibility to see the item reaches its buyer in as-described condition. eBay holds the seller accountable for anything that happens to the item in transit. Not the carrier, who is acting as your agent. It may seem unfair, but this is the eBay way.

[southern*sweet*tea]

Ebay does not get into a he said, she said when it comes to returns. Ebay doesn't know what the seller sent or what the buyer received.   Buyers can lie and sellers can lie.

All Ebay does is reverse the transaction - the buyer sends "something" back and they get refunded.

Anything else is hashed out after the refund.

[pjcdn2005]

I agree that it never makes sense to attack a buyer when replying to feedback.

In this case it looks like the buyer was upset when the seller cancelled the sale because one vase was damaged.  The same/similar item appears to have been relisted without any mention of damage.

[withcarloutwest]

Jeff, yes this just happened to me.  It is called feedback extortion and it is against ebay policies.  My buyer wanted a 50% refund or a return mail label or he/she would leave negative feedback.  He claimed something was wrong with it but it was not true.  I told him to return the item.  He said he could not figure out how to do that.  I chatted with ebay help and apprised them.  They said I am under no obligation to make a partial refund and to tell buyer to return item.  Lo and behold, buyer continued to claim he was unable to return item, I did not make a refund, and buyer left me a negative.  So I get to keep his money but I got a negative.  I reported the buyer.  I am waiting to see if ebay upholds their end of the deal and removes the negative.  How long do I have to wait for that?  I will call them if I don't see that negative disappear soon. 

[coolections]

How about when a seller cancels an item. Is that called seller abusing the system?

[caseypl]

I made a post just like this and reached out to others because I saw an odd uptick in returns lately. No change to how I ship or what I ship. The only thing that seems to have changed is the economy and it's possible that is why we see what we see. 

I'm not free from fault, so I did order some double wall boxes, but to be honest, I sell auto parts. It's very odd to hear something surrounded by packing peanuts and bubble wrapped arrived damaged. I transported that exact same type of tail light in a 42lb checked luggage back and every other car part plus that in my bag arrived fine. You could almost transport items just in bubble wrap and  no peanuts and they would arrive fine. 

I think it may be some of your more seasoned buyers you see more return issues with. It's very unfortunate, especially when other sellers tell you to just issue a full refund.... sorry, not after spending $50 to $100 to ship something. Not unless it's a valid return. 

I test everything I sell. I list all flaws, probably way better than most other sellers of parts seem to. 

[dannydigital76]

YES. All the time bruv. imma have a heart attack.

Dan

[wilsonharborsales]

If a buyer threatens negative feedback for any reason, it is best just to refund the buyer and avoid the negative.  eBay has stopped removing negative feedback, even for stuff that used to be covered by seller protections.

[kh-cathy]

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thank you for understanding.