Leaving bad feedback for buyer

[matthewsutton]

Recently sold an item that was sealed new in the box. Shipped out the weight was 40lbs. It only takes 2 days to arrive and buyer messages me right away saying it is missing one of the main parts so i approve a return. Item is sent back but sits at a post office for several days and takes 6 days to make it back to me. In that time "tony" from New Jersey is fussing about his money being tied up so i go ahead and issue his payment back. Package finally gets back to me but picking it up I can tell it weighs alot less than the 40lbs, box is in perfect condition. Weigh the box and it now weighs almost 16lbs less, open it up and sure enough the part he described is gone. Ebay is no help since i issued the refund before it came back but what about leaving bad feedback for this POS now? I showed ebay the shipping weight difference but if I leave him bad feedback can he do the same for me? 

[kensgiftshop]

Sorry, buyers can only receive positive or no feedback.

[12345jamesstamps]

Best not to leave any feedback. Just let it go. Block the buyer and move on. Buyers can read what you post on feedback as well as a seller.

I am sure every seller here has a few stories to tell about what they got returned. I have a few.

I got a slimy dark bag with something in it returned. I sell stamps.

I refused it at the post office and lost my claim.

[caldreamer]

Sorry that happened to you.   Yes, customer can leave negative feedback even after you gave refund.  Unfortunately, there are many scammers on EBAY and zero Seller protection.   Even if customer returned a "box of rocks" EBAY would force you to give them a full refund.

[soh.maryl]

You have been an eBay member for over 23 years.  eBay stopped allowing sellers to leave negative FB for buyers at least 12, and possibly more, years ago.  

[buyselljack2016]

as posted.........  only positive feedback can be left for buyers. can not even leave pos with negative comments. Well, you can, but it is an eBay policy violation, and should not be done.

eBay would still have been of no help had the item arrived back in a timely manner. You would still have had to refund the buyer. If you did not, eBay would do it with your funds, withhold the FVF, and give you a serious account "defect" for not resolving.

Buyer said/seller said situations like this are 99.99999% found in favor of the buyer. It is a rarity for a seller to prevail in such a situation 

[doc-holmes]

I'm confused. I'm not saying you didn't get ripped off, but the buyer said a part was missing, and when that very part was missing it surprised you? 

[sextons-sweet-deals]

Too much going on!

Why would you even do this? Refund before receiving package back just because they b***h about their funds. Simple response is 'I will refund you after I receive package and inspect it'. 

Tony from New Jersey sounds like a scammer. Did you issue a return label or did the buyer claim they sent back and not sharing the tracking number to you?

This is a common scam in so many categories on eBay. Scammer looking for certain parts and then filing a claim. 

Did you ever entertain looking at buyer's profile and all complete feedback history? Google Map their address? Shipped with signature required?

Every honest seller needs to stand their ground! It's just going to get works in the next 30 days. 

You need to report them and provide the all the details you have like the weight difference.

[az93]

The lesson here is to not refund must because buyer has a tantrum. I don't understand why the po failed to deliver the return and held onto it for a week. Doesn't matter now. On certain things I do a accept returns so that the buyer is required to pay the return shipping. Unless they lie and say not as described or broken. Sadly there is no seller protection on ebay. Best to put money aside for these unforseen events because ebay leaves the sellers out to dry.