Payment Dispute on a Return With Deduction

[happybidder201]

I have a buyer who we had shipped a fully working and tested item but buyer opened a return and sent back a non-working, defective item so we did a 50% deduction but has now opened a payment dispute instead of responding directly in Ebay.  How do we respond to this payment dispute, shouldn't this be covered under eBay's seller protection for free returns?

We only have two options:

1. Challenge and provide supporting documentation and

2. Accept and agree to have the dispute amount deducted form my funds.

Also, in the dispute case there is a message from eBay saying "If you respond by DATE, you may improve your chances of qualifying for seller protections."  What does this mean exactly?

Thank you

[farmalljr]

Not laughing at you, but this situation is comical. How it should be handled, is eBay should cover it. You did what you were allowed to under the rules.

How I suspect this will work out - you will have to fight the dispute, end up losing the case, and having to refund the other half plus the $20 fee for disputing. 

The buyer MAY have done this because eBay shut them off from requesting the other half from them, if they have done this too much and eBay shut off their ability to open cases. Who knows.

But my bet is, you will be left holding the bag. 

[lakefor94]

Normally the buyer files an appeal with eBay for the other 50% and eBay foots the bill. Usually a slam dunk for the buyer, IF the buyer qualifies.

If the buyer has abused returns, they might not qualify for the courtesy eBay refund thus creating the need for a chargeback procedure.  OR, the buyer just flat out missed the opportunity to submit for the other 50% which eBay would have covered.

My ~guess~  with the information you provided is that eBay has this chargeback covered. 

Just my opinion........  

[robbie31415]

I honestly don't know this situation.

I am in agreement with @farmalljr with how it is suspected to play out.

Because of that I probably wouldn't contest and just take the L.

I'm curious to know your results if you do decide to challenge it.

[inhawaii]

Buyer bought a working item.

Returned it because it was not working.

You held 50% because it was returned not working.

That's why they sent it back, because it was NOT WORKING!!!!

[broto_64]

I have not ran into this, specifically... I've withheld half refund before, occasionally buyers challenge this but it's all through ebay and I never hear much until I am told that everything is ok for me but the buyer was refunded the other half (but ebay foots it).

Personally, I would challenge it but that's me.

Not sure what they mean by supporting documentation, that is worth researching...
Otherwise I would simply provide them with the facts, as in "item returned in non-working condition" and then a blurb of the ebay policy that states this as one of the reasons for withholding refund (plus maybe a link to the page).

A visit to ebay for business on Facebook might be worth a chat...

[farmalljr]

---

@inhawaii wrote:

Buyer bought a working item.

Returned it because it was not working.

You held 50% because it was returned not working.

That's why they sent it back, because it was NOT WORKING!!!!

---

My bet is, that if someone bought a Shindiawa carburetor from you and either switched it out, or dropped it on the floor (breaking it) and returned it as "not working", you PROBABLY are going to deduct 50% when the buyer does a return, right?

Not every return is an honest return. Sellers here know sometimes buyers lie. We all know the old switch-eroo NEVER happens here, now does it?