eBay

rosevelyn · ‎08-24-2019

I sell one-of-a-kind items and an item I had sold many months ago unbeknownst to me was listed in my store and purchased yesterday. Naturally, I did not have the item, so I called into ebay to discuss with a specialist the best way of going about avoiding a transaction defect on my account upon refunding the payment for being out of stock.

The ebay specialist Grace -- who over the years I have spoken with on other issues -- told me that I will not be stuck with a transaction defect or negative feedback as long as I send a message in advance to the buyer before refunding the item with the out-of-stock reason. In the message, I had to let the buyer know that I need to refund her and why and ask her to respond acknowledging that she received my message, essentially treating the situation as a request. Grace told me that her response would constitute an agreement with me that she accepts the refund, and that "agreement" would ensure that ebay would not hit me with a defect and could also remove any negative feedback that may follow.

I sent the message yesterday and have not received a response, and would think that it would have serviced the buyer better to have simply refunded the item without delay rather than what is turning out to be a grace period.

buyselljack2016 · ‎08-24-2019

@rosevelyn

I think "Grace" gave you some bad advice. I think "Grace" needs some coaching.

I do not think that the process offered would avoid a defect, or feedback being left. What Grace was trying to do was provide you a way to weasel out of the situation, but the procedure to accomplish a weasel out was not properly conveyed.

Not trying to be snarky, but in this case the OOS seems to be a seller error, and as such should count as a seller defect.

rosevelyn · ‎08-24-2019

It's ain't over till it's over. Will report back.

kataggr-44 · ‎08-24-2019

Try appealing to your buyer. Tell him it was an honest mistake. Ask if he would be willing to cancel as buyer changed his mind. Maybe offer him an incentive on his next order.

pburn · ‎08-24-2019

The OP already cancelled for OOS. Can the same transaction be cancelled twice? Or can the reason for the cancellation be changed from one reason to another?

kataggr-44 · ‎08-24-2019

He had talked with cs and sent a message to the buyer explaining things but not that he actually opened a OOS case - or at least that is how I read it.

myangelandmyprincess · ‎08-24-2019

Grace period punny.

Anyhow grace gave you bad advice. If you're out of stock you need to just cancel for out of stock and take the consequences.

“Birth certificates show that you were born. Death certificates show that you died. Photographs show that you have lived.” -Unknown

pburn · ‎08-24-2019

Yes, I think your interpretation may be correct!

kensgiftshop · ‎08-24-2019

@kataggr-44 wrote:
Try appealing to your buyer. Tell him it was an honest mistake. Ask if he would be willing to cancel as buyer changed his mind. Maybe offer him an incentive on his next order.

I see this all the time in one of the Facebook groups I'm in.

Seller will be out of stock and then try to get the buyer to say they want a refund.

What is a buyer supposed to say, no just keep my money, of course they are going to say cancel and refund.

It's the sellers mistake and shouldn't get away with claiming buyer requested.

Have a great day.

myangelandmyprincess · ‎08-24-2019

@kensgiftshop wrote:
@kataggr-44 wrote:
Try appealing to your buyer. Tell him it was an honest mistake. Ask if he would be willing to cancel as buyer changed his mind. Maybe offer him an incentive on his next order.
I see this all the time in one of the Facebook groups I'm in.
Seller will be out of stock and then try to get the buyer to say they want a refund.
What is a buyer supposed to say, no just keep my money, of course they are going to say cancel and refund.
It's the sellers mistake and shouldn't get away with claiming buyer requested.

Exactly. The buyer wouldn't be making such request if the item was still available the buyer didn't request to cancel. They just want their money back when a. Seller admits they can't follow through

“Birth certificates show that you were born. Death certificates show that you died. Photographs show that you have lived.” -Unknown

nc-daydreamer · ‎08-24-2019

Do you have your OOS option turned on? have you checked this listing, and ALL OOS listings to be sure the quantity available is 0 ?

If this is set to 0, then the item is supposed to be hidden from buyers as far as I know - and I have seen where the buy it button was removed from an OOS listing so it could not be purchased.

There have been threads from buyers asking why there was no buy button in a listing they were considering to buy. So that confirms the button has been removed from those listings. So if you were at 0 on a hidden listing, it should not have been able to be purchased. I know eBay will figure out a way to give you a defect on something that is clearly their fault. Way to go eBay - I am sorry this is happening to you.

Perhaps you can back up these OOS item listings or just print your whole listing pages from the hub with the quantity displayed to prove the item is supposed to be hidden from viewers? Or screenshot and save to WORD.There has to be some way... try calling CS again to get another rep and double check on these things...

I wish you well.

I am a founding member of the eBay Community Expert Group: a USA volunteer mentor with over a decade of experience. I am not an eBay employee.

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papermoneyforme · ‎08-24-2019

It could also be a Zombie listing that was relisted with no ones knowledge that Ebay will never admit to.

They have been happening for years off and on and there does not seem to be any solution.

Ebay says it is your responsibility to check your listings for stock no matter who created the problem.

They will not remove the defects for OOS because they don't believe it was not your fault.

The only way to get out of that situation contrary to what Grace told you is to mark it shipped then when an INR is opened refund.

kataggr-44 · ‎08-24-2019

I feel you have to look at each case individually and in this one it was a genuine OOPS mistake for which in ebay's punitive world I would hate the seller to be penalized over it.

luckythewinner · ‎08-24-2019

@rosevelyn wrote:
I did not have the item, so I called into ebay to discuss with a specialist the best way of going about avoiding a transaction defect on my account upon refunding the payment for being out of stock.

You were out of stock.

You shouldn't be able to avoid an out of stock defect when you cannot fulfill a transaction because you are out of stock.

buyselljack2016 · ‎08-24-2019

@kataggr-44 wrote:
I feel you have to look at each case individually and in this one it was a genuine OOPS mistake for which in ebay's punitive world I would hate the seller to be penalized over it.

eBay does not like these "mistakes". Buyers do not like these mistakes. That is why defects are assessed for them.

eBay zombie relists have been known to happen (reportedly), but we do not know whose mistake it was.

Sellers should monitor their listings.