Return when buyer admits she modified the item

[mynewfindstore]

So this buyer bought a formal dress from us that comes with a home security tag attached....the manufacturer puts these on the dresses.  It's nice because, if it's removed, we know that the buyer could have worn the dress.  This buyer messaged me and told me she removed the security tag but still wants to return the dress since it is too small.  I have free returns on my items.  In this case, when the item comes back, I intend to give her a partial refund since the item's condition has been modified.  She swears she did not wear the dress but I have had this situation before.  My question is, if I refund say 20 percent off, will I receive ALL my fees back from the original transaction?  I tried this recently before and it looked like I wasn't going to get ANY of my fees back....anyone know?  Thanks!

[fashunu4eeuh]

@mynewfindstore I am very sorry you received an unkind word here. In a public forum like this, you may experience a wide variation of responses. Please don’t let one unhelpful soul run you off. There are many solid concerned posters here, ready to help.

As for your buyer, this situation isn’t as much about wearing the dress as it is about altering its salability. She removed the tag, perhaps lowering the dress’s value.

By any chance, does it state in the listing that the tag must remain in place for a return? It would not hurt to state this. (Actually, in eBay Land that is not really enforceable since buyers have the Money Back Guarantee to fall back on.)

As long as the buyer does not file a Not As Described claim, you can deduct up to half the value of the dress when refunding. Below is a link to the policy governing this rule.

Good luck and hope this gets resolved to your benefit. And do please come back anytime you need help.

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

[gurlcat]

---

@fashunu4eeuh wrote:

@mynewfindstore I am very sorry you received an unkind word here. In a public forum like this, you may experience a wide variation of responses. Please don’t let one unhelpful soul run you off. There are many solid concerned posters here, ready to help.

As for your buyer, this situation isn’t as much about wearing the dress as it is about altering its salability. She removed the tag, perhaps lowering the dress’s value.

By any chance, does it state in the listing that the tag must remain in place for a return? It would not hurt to state this. (Actually, in eBay Land that is not really enforceable since buyers have the Money Back Guarantee to fall back on.)

As long as the buyer does not file a Not As Described claim, you can deduct up to half the value of the dress when refunding. Below is a link to the policy governing this rule.

Good luck and hope this gets resolved to your benefit. And do please come back anytime you need help.

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

---

The 'up to 50%' deduction can be utilized even if it was an INAD return.  -I just did it recently.  

[mynewfindstore]

She removed a "home" security tag, not the retail tags (at least I don't think she removed those) but if those tags were sitting on the inside of the dress, it could have been worn.  The security tag is meant to be removed by the customer before wearing.  It sits on the outside of the dress.  If that is removed, we would have no way of knowing if the dress was worn unless of course we see deodorant stains or smell something nasty!  Years ago, we had this happen and back then the return process was different.  I don't think we had any recourse then.   

[reallynicestamps]

@mynewfindstore 

That's awful then....not much use for free returns then!  ugh!

The amount of the refund is what you set it at.

eg

$100 dress, $12.35 fees. Refund of 50% -$12.35 = $37.65

or

$12.35 fees + $1.23 fees on $10 shipping+ 62c fees on $5.00 sales tax= $35.80 refund.

Higher if your refund is on $75 or $90 obviously.

Massage is not just for a sore back.

I've been dealing with a lot of pain the past 4 years since my latest knee replacement.

Vitamin E oil is great for surgical scarring.

And for the replacement DO THE PHYSIO! It really really helps with healing.

[chapeau-noir]

---

@mynewfindstore wrote:

Yeah I am just having a bad day.  I've been dealing with a lot of pain the past 4 years since my latest knee replacement.  Doc says there's nothing wrong with it but it bothers me most of the time, from stiffness to really bad aching.  I don't have a lot of tolerance for negativity lately!  At least I am getting an answer here that I can believe rather than try to call eBay customer service and deal with a heavily accented representative that probably doesn't know the answer!

---

Doctors are famously ignorant when it comes to this kind of thing - if you haven't, seek out a good sports physical therapist to outline a program to deal with this issue. I sympathize - I'm a distance runner and cyclist who has bursitis in both hips from an accident years ago. It can be a real trial and puts an edge on my temper, too.

[gurlcat]

---

@mynewfindstore wrote:

She removed a "home" security tag, not the retail tags (at least I don't think she removed those) but if those tags were sitting on the inside of the dress, it could have been worn.  The security tag is meant to be removed by the customer before wearing.  It sits on the outside of the dress.  If that is removed, we would have no way of knowing if the dress was worn unless of course we see deodorant stains or smell something nasty!  Years ago, we had this happen and back then the return process was different.  I don't think we had any recourse then.   

---

But the point fashun was making was that the removal of the security feature not only means they might have worn the garment, but also that it is now worth less because that security tag was your proof that the dress wasn't worn.  I mean I'm assuming there is no way to put it back on, right?  So now when you go to resell it, you'll have that much less of a perk in the listing.  

[mynewfindstore]

I had PT on and off for a year.  The knee took forever to bend and still doesn't bend as well as my other one.  After the first round of PT, I started ramping up my activities then I got tendonitis and had to start all over with the bending and PT.  It got better but I tried going back to walking again and the pain always came back.  With my other knee I had done in 2010, I had little pain and was able to walk fast for an hour, bike and do anything else I wanted except for running....running is a no-no for knee replacements!  I was a runner before my knees went bad, did aerobics, step classes....all kinds of things.  So this is very difficult for me now.  I feel crippled.  

[chapeau-noir]

@mynewfindstore  Ugh - I'm sorry. ☹️

[mynewfindstore]

Thanks....I am going for a follow up again soon but I know what he will say.  The only thing to do is go in again and remove scar tissue/bend the knee while I am under.  There's no guarantee that this will help the pain though so this is why I haven't said yes! 

[albertabrightalberta]

---

@lakefor94 wrote:

If you provide anything less than a full refund, the eBay fees are not returned.

---

That's not correct. 

I have a 30-day, buyer pays return shipping and when I deduct the original shipping from the refund (which I can do since buyer paid separately), my FVF credit is prorated.

[evelyb30]

---

@mynewfindstore wrote:

Yeah I am just having a bad day.  I've been dealing with a lot of pain the past 4 years since my latest knee replacement.  Doc says there's nothing wrong with it but it bothers me most of the time, from stiffness to really bad aching.  I don't have a lot of tolerance for negativity lately!  At least I am getting an answer here that I can believe rather than try to call eBay customer service and deal with a heavily accented representative that probably doesn't know the answer!

---

???probably???  On the boards, it's a truism that phone customer (dis)service tells you whatever they have to say to make you hang up the phone.   Useful information is a pipe dream.

As for the knee, let's just say doctors call it 'practice" for a reason.  Speaking as someone with four auto-immune diseases and fallout from same. 

[toomuchstuffagain35]

---

@mynewfindstore wrote:

Yeah I am just having a bad day.  I've been dealing with a lot of pain the past 4 years since my latest knee replacement.  Doc says there's nothing wrong with it but it bothers me most of the time, from stiffness to really bad aching.  I don't have a lot of tolerance for negativity lately!  At least I am getting an answer here that I can believe rather than try to call eBay customer service and deal with a heavily accented representative that probably doesn't know the answer!

---

I feel you on that.

I have retinal bleeding that I get injections in my left eye for every 4-5 weeks and since the last one my vision has been blurry and even though not painful it sure does make you irritable and less able to cope with stuff.

[vintage-camerastuff]

My knees hurt also but I would never have a knee replacement operation.   I know several people who had knee replacement  and everyone of them regrets it.    They all ended up worse with more pain.

[mynewfindstore]

Oh well it's the opposite for me.  Everyone I know who has had knee replacements does well.  My first one I got in 2010 is great.  It feels like my knee and I can do just about anything I want with it.  I guess 2020 was a bad year all around, including for me with the second knee!!

[chapeau-noir]

---

@mynewfindstore wrote:

Oh well it's the opposite for me.  Everyone I know who has had knee replacements does well.  My first one I got in 2010 is great.  It feels like my knee and I can do just about anything I want with it.  I guess 2020 was a bad year all around, including for me with the second knee!!

---

Same here - my oldest friend had both of his knees replaced (one years ago and then one more recently) - he used to be an off-road motorcycle racer - and it was like a new lease on life. He rides his bike for miles and goes for long walks.

The complication with your knee is a tough thing for certain.