eBay

quanguy.1ojj6t · ‎09-13-2018

I'm a certain this has been discussed many times here but I'd be interested to hear what other sellers would recommend in my particular circumstance.

I sold BRAND NEW Imac 5k 2015 2tb fusion with Apple warranty with "NO RETURN". And this is my first time selling on Ebay.

In my case: I described the item correctly, provided photos. A buyer bought it. Before I ship it, I take all pictures include serial number, record the video as the item is brand new in the box. I shipped it via USPS priority mail with insurance cover for the item. I ended up pay $82 for shipping. It arrived to the buyer in two days, and 12 hours after the package was delivered the buyer opened a “doesn’t work or defective” return request.

From buyer:

After powring computer on a boot screen appears showing a progress bar. The progress bar gets to about half way and then the screen goes black and displays a white circle with a line through it (the international prohibited symbol). I called Apple customer service and the issue was escalated to the Apple customer service head (Nadeen). She walked me through several steps where it was discovered that either there is no hard drive or the hard drive cannot be recognized. The case number at Apple customer service is #100640587884. I unpacked the item very carefully and saved all packing material. I have repacked the item but if need be I can unpack it and take photos of whatever you like (the prohibited symbol on the screen or any other screen you need) or the item itself to show no tampering. This computer was factory sealed upon arrival. Both the eBay ad and the package and docs all indicate a 2 TB fusion hard drive which, as previously stated, doesn t appear to be in the computer at all. If it is in there, it s no able to be recognized by the software and Nadeen went through everything to try to get it to recognize the hard drive but at some point she had me go to a screen that shows the hardware and no hard drive is there.

How can brand new item is missing the hard drive? It doesn’t make sense to me. I haven’t accept the return yet. What should i do in this case?

My listing indicated "no returns accepted" but I called eBay for advice on how to deal with the return request. They said that if the seller returns it as he said he's going to that they will end up forcing a refund. Based on my discussion with eBay I feel like they are basically saying that the buyer has the right to return the unit and I'll be forced to refund the money. What worries me more is that the unit will be returned damaged or return different item. I just hope I don't end up having to refund the buyer and getting back my Imac 5k damaged in some way. That would be a disaster. I'm really not sure what to do at this point. I just don't know what to do and eBay really wasn't very helpful. If anyone could share some advice I'd be grateful.

emerald40 · ‎09-13-2018

Brand new items can be defective.

I once bought a brand new monopoly game from a B&M store and the money was missing.

This could be a lemon computer.

Your only choice is when he opens snad claim to send postage label, check return for refund and upon receipt of your item refund his money.

If you don't ebay will and you will earn the dreaded defect.

No returns are for remorse only. Not for items where buyer claims not as described.

getitright1234 · ‎09-13-2018

Your buyer very likely stole the hard drive. All that you can do is accept the return and send a return shipping label to get your item back.

1. While the item is on its way back check this buyer out with other sellers, Facebook, etc.

2. Call Apple with the case # provide to confirm the information the buyer reported.

3. When you get the item back, look for signs the hard drive has been removed. Check for tool marks, and as you know it is very likely the buyer left fingerprints on the inside of the computer and depending how far you wish to take this: you could file a police/consumer fraud/postal fraud report in both you and the buyer's city and state.

4. The more evidence you can gather to support the buyer removed the hard drive, the more successful you will be in a police/consumer fraud investigation.

Good luck

dola-7960 · ‎09-13-2018

Okay first of all everybody needs to get over the idea that every buyer is a scammer.

second of all depending upon how it was packed the hard drive could have been damaged in shipping.

getitright1234 · ‎09-13-2018

PS: Stop offering Free Shipping on anything where the shipping is greater than the price of First Class shipping otherwise, it can financially sting really bad even on remorse returns.

dola-7960 · ‎09-13-2018

@getitright1234 wrote:

Your buyer very likely stole the hard drive. All that you can do is accept the return and send a return shipping label to get your item back.

1. While the item is on its way back check this buyer out with other sellers, Facebook, etc.
2. Call Apple with the case # provide to confirm the information the buyer reported.
3. When you get the item back, look for signs the hard drive has been removed. Check for tool marks, and as you know it is very likely the buyer left fingerprints on the inside of the computer and depending how far you wish to take this: you could file a police/consumer fraud/postal fraud report in both you and the buyer's city and state.
4. The more evidence you can gather to support the buyer removed the hard drive, the more successful you will be in a police/consumer fraud investigation.

Good luck

not a single bit of that is going to do any good. The police will claim as a civil matter and to sue the buyer you would have to file in their home jurisdiction...

abfabvintage · ‎09-13-2018

@getitright1234

My thoughts exactly. Will get a unit back with no hard drive. Since today is 9/13, don't sellers have like 3 days (I don't keep track very well) to reply to the case before ebay just goes in and refunds without return of the unit? Shouldn't he contact Apple first and if that work order number is bogus then he has some evidence this is a possible scam. Just my thoughts since time is of the essence. And, I know, it probably won't matter anyway. JMO.

I ain't got the brains to make this up (Fantastic Beasts)

tiramisu41 · ‎09-13-2018

@quanguy.1ojj6t wrote:

My listing indicated "no returns accepted" but I called eBay for advice on how to deal with the return request. They said that if the seller returns it as he said he's going to that they will end up forcing a refund. Based on my discussion with eBay I feel like they are basically saying that the buyer has the right to return the unit and I'll be forced to refund the money. What worries me more is that the unit will be returned damaged or return different item. I just hope I don't end up having to refund the buyer and getting back my Imac 5k damaged in some way. That would be a disaster. I'm really not sure what to do at this point. I just don't know what to do and eBay really wasn't very helpful. If anyone could share some advice I'd be grateful.

Basically @quanguy.1ojj6t, you can refuse returns, but eBay will not allow you to refuse to refund. Your best bet is to accept the return which means you will need to send the buyer a return label (at your expense), and hope that you receive the same item you sent out back to you. Once you get the item back, you will have to issue your buyer a full refund. If you don't, eBay will just refund the buyer (again, at your expense) for you.

getitright1234 · ‎09-13-2018

This seller has every right to file a police report and/or a consumer fraud report. For all you and I know this buyer might have a pattern of this behavior; just how would the police and/or consumer fraud division ever know, if sellers never filed these reports.

OP, most likely a pattern needs to be shown before the police or consumer fraud division will actually do anything; however who knows if a pattern isn't already developed.

dola-7960 · ‎09-13-2018

I'm telling you it's not going to do any good I've been through this before with a $5,000 necklace...

hioctane62 · ‎09-13-2018

@dola-7960 wrote:
Okay first of all everybody needs to get over the idea that every buyer is a scammer.

second of all depending upon how it was packed the hard drive could have been damaged in shipping.

It's unfortunate that this is most sellers' first thought, but that is the environment that EBAY created here, not sellers.

getitright1234 · ‎09-13-2018

OP when you get the computer back, should you discover the hard drive is missing. Based on the serial numbers and other identification numbers you have, please call Apple and report the hard drive as stolen as to void an warranty on the hard drive. When you get the police report number, you could ask Apple to contact that police office and you asap should anyone down road attempt to register the hard drive's warranty.

Additional food for thought:

OP, just in case you bought a computer with a missing hard drive, you could go back to the store with whom you made your purchase and ask the store for any return history on the computer. Is it possible you purchased a Returned computer that someone earlier stole the hard drive, it might be worth checking out.

getitright1234 · ‎09-13-2018

Your opinion has been noted. Lets, let the OP decide what is in his/her best interest. As a consumer it is in all of our best interest to put these types of buyers on law enforcement's radar.

doubledz-a2z · ‎09-13-2018

OP listing provides two photos. Looks like front and back of the box. And an Open Box at that. OP may have not realized that there was no hard drive in the unit. Sounds like the seller went to alot of trouble to work out the issue themselves. Personally I think I agree with the buyer on this one. Sorry OP.

softersilk · ‎09-13-2018

Nobody is saying that every buyer is a scammer.

That said, we are talking about a high-fraud electronics item, and the type of scam that has happened time and time and time again. This is a very old scam.

Buyer is going to get back the item with missing parts, or a different one altogether. And eBay is going to side with the buyer.