Return item not in same condition as sent to buyer

[mill_creek_traders]

Recently sold a Ralph Lauren sport jacket with attached tags to a buyer.  In feedback, buyer indicated it was a great fit.  Several days later, he requested a return, saying the jacket was too small and was probably an irregular.  Upon receiving the jacket, I found that the nylon attachment had been cut and the tag was safety pinned to the jacket.  I cannot resell this item as new in this condition.  Advice on how to handle this?  

[fashunu4eeuh]

It is frustrating when the tags have been removed. What condition is the jacket in? If it is unchanged, i would reattach the tags. Tag guns are available online. If the price of the tagless jacket is significantly lower, the cost to procure a tag gun can be justified.

As for the return, if you offer Free Returns, you have the option to give a partial refund to the buyer for removing the tags. Other sellers without Free Returns in your category do not have the option to give partial refunds. See the link below for eBay’s return policy for sellers. (In some categories the seller can assess a 10 or 20% deduction for altering the item.)

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/handle-return-request-seller?id=4115

[goodluckselling]

If you have free returns eBay does allow some kind of partial refund.  If not you probably do not have any other recourse?  The tag did get returned and it appears the item was not damaged.

I would refund in full and figure out how to resell it again.

Good Luck Selling!

[doubledz-a2z]

If you sold this garment as New With Tag and it was returned with the tags removed you DO NOT have to honor the refund.  The item was Altered and no longer in the same condition as sold.  It is worth a call to Ebay and your case is winnable.  I get so tired of reading folks here simply say Return For Refund.   The Buyer needs to assume some responsibility for their actions.  Often they have money at the time of purchase then days or weeks later need money and start asking online sellers to take back their stuff.  Help nip it in the bud.

[mam98031]

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@doubledz-a2z wrote:

If you sold this garment as New With Tag and it was returned with the tags removed you DO NOT have to honor the refund.  The item was Altered and no longer in the same condition as sold.  It is worth a call to Ebay and your case is winnable.  I get so tired of reading folks here simply say Return For Refund.   The Buyer needs to assume some responsibility for their actions.  Often they have money at the time of purchase then days or weeks later need money and start asking online sellers to take back their stuff.  Help nip it in the bud.

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CAREFUL.  While technically you are correct, in practice, that is NOT at all easy in the current return system.  In the fall of 2018 Ebay pretty much went to a No Fault return system.  A buyer can return something for just about any reason they can dream up.  Facts and truth does not have to play any part in what the buyers says or does.

For a seller to try and dispute a request for return for any reason, puts that seller at huge risk for the Request to get escalated.  And no matter what the seller says, 99.9999% of the time Ebay is going to rule in favor of the buyer.  The buyer will then get their refund and the seller will get a defect on their account.

After the refund happens, the seller can then report the buyer, give Ebay the evidence they have and then Ebay may decide the seller should have won the claim.  At that point, Ebay will refund the seller and remove the defect.  But the seller will still be out the return shipping and Ebay will NOT pull the money back from the buyer.

[domin-tomas]

Agree, once altered they own it.

[mam98031]

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@domin-tomas wrote:

Agree, once altered they own it.

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I understand the feeling and I AGREE.  But it just isn't how the current return system works.

[m60driver]

For well under $10 you can buy a tagging gun and associated supplies on Ebay.  As a clothing seller this should just be seen as a necessary tool of the trade.  If you sell womens clothing then make sure to get the "fine" barbs and needles as the standard size used on heavier fabrics like denim can leave a hole in finer fabrics.

[doubledz-a2z]

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@mam98031 wrote:

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@domin-tomas wrote:

Agree, once altered they own it.

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I understand the feeling and I AGREE.  But it just isn't how the current return system works.

With one phone call to Ebay it will work.   That thinking is part of the problem.

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[mam98031]

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@doubledz-a2z wrote:

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@mam98031 wrote:

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@domin-tomas wrote:

Agree, once altered they own it.

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I understand the feeling and I AGREE.  But it just isn't how the current return system works.

With one phone call to Ebay it will work.   That thinking is part of the problem.

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I am very please to hear that this has worked for you.  Others have not had the same experience since the fall of last year.  But I think it is fantastic that your experience was different.

[fashunu4eeuh]

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@doubledz-a2z wrote:

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@mam98031 wrote:

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@domin-tomas wrote:

Agree, once altered they own it.

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I understand the feeling and I AGREE.  But it just isn't how the current return system works.

With one phone call to Ebay it will work.   That thinking is part of the problem.

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That thinking is not part of the problem. There is a significant risk factor to fighting the return that rarely ends in the seller's favor. Sellers need to know that beforehand to weigh the risk against the benefit.

[annadryl]

Yup. I've been selling long enough to know that I don't want to be tagged as a "fighter". There is risk in all sales and sometimes you take a loss. It's usually best to gracefully accept the return and try to remedy it by reselling somehow.

Sometimes you can put your foot down and dig in and fight, but ebay has made it clear that's probably a bad idea... Sorry this happened, but Good Luck~