Refund request for item 5 months ago?

[vikingsandpintos]

I sold a taillight May 17th, shipped it and was delivered May 20th. No feedback received, I did leave for buyer.

Today, Oct 28th, I got a "Refund request" for item not as described. Not return, just refund, says from a source outside of Ebay. Not sure if CC or Paypal, or what was used.

I see the options are refund, or challenge with proof that it was as described.  I don't know what kind of "Proof" there would be, the only thing would possibly be the pics from the listing itself, which are long gone.  

Not sure my best next step? It was a taillight I had on sale half price for $7.50, plus actual shipping of about $35, so I didn't make diddly on it anyway. If it was recent, I would prob just eat it all, since shipping is so much more than the item, but 5 months after getting it deciding it is wrong? 

Thoughts/suggestions before I respond? Thanks!

[vikingsandpintos]

Forgot to add, I did send the buyer a messege, asking if he filed on the wrong item since this one was so old. I looked at his feedback, he hasn't had anything given or left, other than me for him, in over a year, and only has 10 positives total. So not sure if just a newbie that doesn't use Ebay much, or scammer, or what. Seems like a scammer would be looking for more than a $43 item, lol, but who knows here anymore.... Frustrating, either way!

[katzrul15]

Are you dealing with a chargeback?  Return window would be long closed.

Are you wanting the product back?  Was this perhaps installed and 5 months later quit working?

If yes, refund and move on.  If this is a chargeback, the ability to prevail will be very small.

[Anonymous]

It had to have been from PayPal. No other source allows that long a time for a refund. Even chargebacks are limited to 120 days, a limit placed by VISA and MC.

[vikingsandpintos]

I don't care about getting the light back, shipping is way more than value, especially paying both ways! Buyer isn't asking to return, just a refund. If I challenge it, I really have no "proof" i sent the an item as described.  Do I have anything to lose be saying "No, I don't want to refund, it WAS as described", other than them force the payment?

Or is my only real choice to refund, so he gets it free,  after 5 months? Is that our life here now as sellers?? 

[ainpie-10]

I personally wouldn’t even respond 

[luxgoods]

Don't waste your time on this guy. Absolutely ridiculous !!!!

[itscalledapostingid]

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@ainpie-10 wrote:

I personally wouldn’t even respond 

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Not respond to a charge-back? How do you think that will work out?

[1tuna]

whats the point in responding to a chargeback for a $7 item

I guess he lost the shipping money already

seems like a lot of work to save the $20 chargeback fee

I would ignore it like ebay ignores sellers in chargebacks

[vikingsandpintos]

The chargeback would be for the item AND the shipping, $43 total. If I challenge it and lose, will they take another $20 on top of the $43?  Is it worth challenging it, with no way of "Proving" my side is the question. If I have no way to win a challenge, and it will cost even more if I try, I might as well give the buyer all his payment back now... And mail him a Christmas card to go with his 5 month old gift......

[postingid7659]

I guess I would start by determining if it's a chargeback or a PayPal claim.  If I'm not at risk for the $20 fee then I'd challenge it.  

[itscalledapostingid]

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@1tuna wrote:

whats the point in responding to a chargeback for a $7 item

I guess he lost the shipping money already

seems like a lot of work to save the $20 chargeback fee

I would ignore it like ebay ignores sellers in chargebacks

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My points was based on this information from ebay regarding payments disputes. Ignoring will most likely get you hit with the fee. I would respond one way or the other:

If you don’t respond, or the dispute results in refunding the buyer, and you’re not eligible for seller protections, the amount will be deducted from the total of your Available, Processing, and On hold funds, and we’ll charge a dispute fee.

[katzrul15]

If the Seller does not respond, isn't that also a metric ding for unresolved claim/chargeback?

Is this a return claim or a chargeback via Paypal?

[vikingsandpintos]

UPDATE>>>>>

I decided to challenge it. I clicked on "Challenge and add proof".  i looked for the original pics, but long gone. I tried bringing up the listing, long gone from Ebay.  I took a pic of the screen showing the item, and it wouldn't take the pic, saying "File too big". I typed out a reply stating how it had been over 5 months, ect, and took a pic of that, same thing file too big. 

There was no place in my response to type anything, the only option was to add a JPEG, but wouldn't because file too big (For a SINGLE pic!). 

At that point, my only choices were to let the request time out, and (I assume) take a defect of some sort and prob another $20 fee, or to just accept it. I clicked "Accept", and got a screen saying sometimes the buyer may be able to return the item. Nothing said about me being charged for shipping, so I did that. 

Today I got a message that the refund request is complete, Ebay will take the money from me. No mention of requiring the "Buyer" to return the part. 

BTW, the buyer never responded to my question about what the issue was in the first place. So, he got the part for free, 5 months later, because I couldn't really do anything about it. I strongly feel that even if I had challenged it, there is no way to "Proof" that it was as described when sent. 

I understand that there is going to be some transactions online that go like this, and others have lost much more. It will not stop me from selling, but it is very frustrating to see this. If enough people figure out they can get free items doing this, the whole thing will collapse. 

So, time to put this behind me, and move on to other, better sales (I hope!) But between sales overall being down, and shipping costs going sky high, the future is looking bleaker all the time.

Sigh...

[cellguy215]

It is far too late for feedback or returns. But they are still your customer. Be friendly and try to help them in any way you can. But too late for a return.