Issues with "item not as described" ebay global shipping...need suggestions, have screenshots

[1971camaroguy]

Hey Everyone,

I sold some BRAND NEW sealed xbox games from this listing to a buyer in paraguay . I packed it very well and shipped it to the global shipping address in Erlinger Kentucky. Once it left there it took forever it seems like to get to the buyer. But it was delivered on Feb 8th.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/194757063566 

I get a notification this morning from eBay that the buyer says the item is not as described and wants to return them. Thier reasoning is the cases are warped.

He sends attaches two pictures that are hard to make out, but it looks like the cases are buckled, maybe could have been done in shipping.

But here's the kicker....they have been opened. And he's had them for over a week???  Lots of time to play and try out the games and possiby pirate them. Not saying that's the case, I just am curious if there was an issue why did he bust the shrink wrap and wait this long.

OK, so the issue is with the cases and not the discs...discs and artwork is fine.

Asking people that has dealt with this before what are my options? Listing said no refunds, to ask questions before purchase, I paid for insurance to get the package to Kentucky, but whatever happens after that is out of my hands. How would I even claim shipping damage at this point, I see no options available.

Right now I don't have an option to refuse the claim, so I don't want to slip up and click something that I don't fully understand.

I thought about offering a partial refund to pay for a couple of the cases, but I am not a eBay seller that sells to make money, I sell to break even and these were a pretty good deal to begin with for what you got and being factory sealed and unopened. 

Personally I wished the buyer would have messaged me as soon as they got the package, not opened it, and messaged me first before doing a not as described claim. I feel like they are being petty or something else at play here, like trying to finagle the system.

Any ideas to get myself out of this pickle? Anything I am missing that protects me as a seller using global shipping? Any way to file a damage claim after it has left kentucky?

Thanks in advance

[1971camaroguy]

It looks like the buyers feedback as a buyer wasn't as positive as I thought...it seems to have ticked more than one seller in the past for not wanting to pay for the merchandise

[48hrs-clothing]

My understanding of your original post is that a return case is opened which you refer to as notification from eBay and reason is " Item is not as described" and buyer's  comments on the case state" Cases are warped".

In your original post you did not state " Latest respond by date" as shown on the return case. I would recommend that you do not allow this date to elapse and please refer to my 1st response for the reasoning.

If you do not want to loose 100% of the amount that your buyer paid and your Xbox games that you sold then without delay please consider accepting  the return case and through the case itself message the buyer to find out return postage cost and to for him/ her to advise this amount to you and that you will send them the amount through PayPal.

This should stop your buyer's ability to escalate the case and for eBay to close the case for full value without requiring your buyer to return the item.

Noted that buyer has not accepted your offer of partial refund and his comments are noted.

If no return case is opened and what you received is a message through eBay's messaging then your buyer is right that you have nothing to worry about.

[1971camaroguy]

Yeah I confused on the difference, but I did in fact get a "return requested" email from the buyer...citing the item is "not as described" because of two warped cases out of the total shipped.

I offered a partial refund to cover the two warped cases, to which the buyer declined. Not sure why if I offered to help fix his issue??

I also asked for pictures of the damage to the box (if any) and asked did he break the shrink wrap on the other games....never got a response about that.

At this point if a resolution isn't figured out by the 18th, I guess eBay is supposed to step in? I already reported the buyer, so hopefully since he has a track record of sketchy dealings as a buyer and the fact I at least offered to help make him right it would give me some leverage in my favor.

I totally get asking the buyer for a total and asking them to send me a total for postage...but what will me sending them more money through paypal resolve anything other that giving the guy more money?

I don't see how this is going to make the situation any better for me? It's obvious he's trying to play the system and get something for free...his feedback and how he is handling this shows it. What if I paypal him $50 to cover shipping, and then I am out whatever shipping he originally paid, plus hope he actually ships it?

"If you do not want to loose 100% of the amount that your buyer paid and your Xbox games that you sold then without delay please consider accepting  the return case and through the case itself message the buyer to find out return postage cost and to for him/ her to advise this amount to you and that you will send them the amount through PayPal."

I guess I will place my faith in eBay that when they review the case on the 18th and see my comments and messages they do the right thing on my part and close the case and he keeps the items and I keep my money.  Although I don't want it to happen, I am prepared to lose my money, and will try and file an appeal...but eBay will lose me as a longtime seller and a customer and they can let these folks keep scamming people. At this point it might be for the best anyways.

[48hrs-clothing]

Re: What if I paypal him $50 to cover shipping, and then I am out whatever shipping he originally paid, plus hope he actually ships it?

You asking him to advise you the return cost cost shows eBay's escalation/ resolution team that you tried your best to resolve the issue. This enhances your credibility with eBay's resolution team.

You having offred the buyer partial refund and him declining shows eBay's escalation/ resolution team that you tried your best to resolve the issue. This has enhanced your credibility with eBay's resolution team.

You asking buyer to advise return shipment cost and offering to pay this cost shows eBay's escalation/ resolution team that you tried your best to resolve the issue. This enhances your credibility with eBay's resolution team.

If your buyer advises the amount and you pay this through Paypal and send buyer a message through eBay with a screen shot of Paypal's payment then your buyer either has to send the items back to you and should he fail to do this and escalate the case/ ask eBay to step in then I would expect eBay to close the case without a refund to buyer and if their system makes a mistake and closes the case in favour of buyer then you contacting eBay's customer services/ lodging an appeal with all information and asking them to read the messages and I fully expect eBay to reverse the decision on case and you get your money which will be total that buyer paid.

At this stage you are building evidence for eBay's resolution team to show that you have accepted the return and have offered to pay for return postage therefore inorder for buyer to get his money he MUST return the goods he purchased.

Selling online is a challenge at best of time as rules for distance selling have some differences from buying and selling from shops/ stores.

No doubt that it is easier to scam online sellers.

[d-k_treasures]

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@1971camaroguy wrote:

He refused the partial refund, I message him back asking what was the problem with that? That this would have bought him new cases and fixed the issue. I asked him if the box was damaged and could he send me pictures of that so I can contact eBay and file a damage claim, and asked if he opened all of the games already?

I undertand there is going to be a language barrier with translation...but I get this reply:

"Dont worry so much friend have a good day"

That's it, nothing else.  According to eBay if he doesn't end the claim on his own by the 17th, he's going to get a refund either way correct? Or will eBay review the claim first?

BTW...buyer has been a member since March 2021 with 64 feedback, and one negative left calling somone a scammer.

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He doesn't appear to want a refund or to return. He simply wanted to tell you about it. Problem is, he picked the wrong way.

Ask him to close the case if it doesn't want to return the games.  Remind  him to please  NOT ask  ebay to  step in.

[1971camaroguy]

I asked him to close the case yesterday and he hasn't done it yet, if he was just letting me know I wished he wouldn't have did a not as described claim...it freezes my available funds and stuff.

He also denied the partial refund for the replacement cases...which made me think he's riding this out to get a complete refund. Especially looking at his feedback.

I am trying to find a number to call ebay and talk to a rep, but they are making it hard to find a good number...and all of the seller help links, loops me right back to the page to give him a full refund...they don't make it easy for the seller by any means. I can't even find a way to get human help.

[48hrs-clothing]

On Top or Bottom of your eBay's page you will find Help& Contact,

Click on this and on next page at the bottom click on " Contact us".

Next page click on " Returns& refunds"

Next page click on " How to handel a return request as a seller".

Under contact us click on " Chat with our automated assistant".

On same page a window will appear and towards the bottom of thisd window click on " Don't see item".

On this same window a fiels will open and you type in " Call back" and then click on send.

On this same window you will see " Have us call you and estimated wait time" click on this and page will move to show your telephone number associated with your eBay account and if this number is not correct then you can put in a telephone number and click on "continue".

Page will move and you will be advised that you will receive a call back in so many minutes.

Unfortunately eBay no longer show a telephone number that allows sellers to call and this appears to be a long winded thing but once you get used to it it takes no more than a minutes or two to complete and saves sellers having to wait in a long line waiting to speak to some one.

Hope this helps.

[kensgiftshop]

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@1971camaroguy wrote:

I asked him to close the case yesterday and he hasn't done it yet, if he was just letting me know I wished he wouldn't have did a not as described claim...it freezes my available funds and stuff.

He also denied the partial refund for the replacement cases...which made me think he's riding this out to get a complete refund. Especially looking at his feedback.

I am trying to find a number to call ebay and talk to a rep, but they are making it hard to find a good number...and all of the seller help links, loops me right back to the page to give him a full refund...they don't make it easy for the seller by any means. I can't even find a way to get human help.

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Unless you want Ebay to just refund the buyer from your account, I wouldn't contact them.

You get them involved, they'll refund the buyer, let them keep the items and give you a defect for not handling the return.

[d-k_treasures]

Looking at the feedback, it's the buyer not paying for some listings, possibly due to high international shipping or the seller never sent an invoice for the total or even that they found out it's counterfeit after buying/winning.

I don't see anything in there about claims or refunds.

But you have a language barrier, so like I said, I read it as he just wanted to let you know about it, but didn't go about it right. Even if he accepted the partial refund, he could still go and get the balance from a CC chargeback.

[1971camaroguy]

ugh, I think he's screwing with me, I had sent another request asking if he can send me additional pics and damage and I get this:

No te preocupes querido amigo sabes has escrito mucho

I google translated to: Don't worry dear friend you know you have written a lot

I'm just going to call the number, and wait for a callback like suggested earlier and wait for a callback.

[donsdetour]

You need to contact global on this matter due to the item is usually repacked by them..

Hmm who is the international shipping eBay rep these days?? Any one???

[1971camaroguy]

Got ahold of the rep, they told me I still had to wait out the three days for the investigation but they told me with GSP it will be covered under GSP protection.

Said GSP should be reaching out within 24 hours

[48hrs-clothing]

Thank you for the update.

Hope all works out to your satisfaction.