Sellers Beware!

[vols096]

I  know this issue has been addressed many times before I had to chime in this time because I firmly believe my back is not being "watched over" by Ebay, what so ever!  I put an Ipad out on Ebay and listed it as a used item, in Excellent condition and it started up and shut down fine when I put it up for auction.  I put plenty of pictures in the listing and included an Otterbox, charging block and lightning cable.  I stated that it was non returnable because I needed the funds for something else and no one asked questions regarding the item.  Instead, someone bid on the item, won it and it was packaged up and sent to them with 2 days.  A few days later, the buyer received it only to claim it couldn't keep a charge and the battery died on it.  I never had a problem with it and I was the only owner!  I wiped it clean but verified it started and shut down with no problems and now I'm being told he's filed a claim and I owe him his money back.  I'm so upset with Ebay now I don't think I ever want to sell anything on the site ever again!!!   He'll send it back, I won't be able to sell it, the buyer will get his money and Ebay its sellers fees!!  Thanks for nothing Ebay!!!! 

[bonjourami]

Unfortunately, when a buyer claims not as described, and files a case, the only solution for you is send a return label,and refund after return.

[gwzcomps]

This is nothing new. If they lied about the reason for their return be sure to block them and report them to eBay. In theory that does something?

[reallynicestamps]

I stated that it was non returnable because

No Returns does not mean No Refunds.

It can mean that the seller never wants to see it again and will refund the unhappy buyer without asking for the hunkajunk back.

If you take Paypal or sell on eBay you make refunds.

Pay for the return shipping label. Refund on return.

and it started up and shut down fine when I put it up for auction.... only to claim it couldn't keep a charge and the battery died on it.

Your experiece in the first part of your post  does not negate the biuyer's experience in the second part of your post.

Apple is notorious for short lived batteries.

Pay for the return shipping label. Refund on return.

He'll send it back, I won't be able to sell it,

Probably not for the same money**, since you now know that it may fire up, but it doesn't hold a charge.

There is a Condition called Used /For Parts.

It means that the seller does not guarantee that the item will work --but quite often it will and the seller is just being cautious.

Don't auction this sort of thing.

It's mass produced. There are thousands of them for sale.

Set your price. Include shipping in your price* because buyers love that. Sell as Immediate Payment Required. 

Basically like KJJ or AZ or CL. 

*Which is cheaper: a $100 item with $10 shipping or a $110 item with Free Shipping?

** If you do decide for Auction, you might even get more. It depends on the phase of the moons of Saturn and how you hold your tongue while posting.

[pink.fish.rule]

That's provided they actually get back what they sent out.

[flipper2flipper]

Consider yourself EXTREMELY lucky if the buyer returns your actual original item instead of returning half a dozen old magazines !

[fashunu4eeuh]

Hi, i see you have sold a few items over a long period of time, but primarily are a buyer for most of your eBay history.  You may need to brush up on the current rules and policies for sellers if you decide to continue selling here.

Ebay watches out for the buyer’s interests first and foremost. Sellers for the most part have to look after their own. While eBay does provide a few seller protections, there are none that apply in your case as you have explained it. 

Online selling has a good deal of risk for sellers, especially new or infrequent ones. Add an expensive used electronic into the mix, and the risk increases once again. It is a high fraud category. Scammers sometimes target inexperienced sellers with high dollar items, hoping to prey upon their lack of knowledge.

That said, i don’t see the usual red flags with your transaction. It could be your buyer is being truthful. You won’t know for sure until you receive your item back and test the battery.

I see no reason why you cannot relist your iPad once returned, and sell it again, if you find it undamaged.

As for your seller fees, if you accepted the return, they would have been credited back to you. By not cooperating within the Money Back Guarantee procedures, your fees are forfeit and you’ve been further penalized by a defect levelled on your account by eBay for case closed without seller resolution. Defects can downgrade a seller’s standing, too many defects and final value fees are increased or worse, the seller gets suspended.

To help get you started, here are some links below with pertinent info to bring you up to speed on some of the ins and outs of selling. Sorry you had this bad experience, and wish you much smoother sailing in the future. Good luck.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/fees-credits-invoices/fee-credits?id=4128

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy...

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/selling-policies?id=4214

[mam98031]

While I feel your pain and completely understand and respect your frustration, Ebay doesn't make any secret out of how they handle the return process.

I posted this on another thread this evening, but it may be useful to you as well.

As for return policies, they are as follows.

1. No Returns
2. 30 day returns w/ buyer pays shipping
3. 60 day returns w/ buyer pays shipping
4. 30 day returns w/ seller pays shipping, AKA Free Returns
5. 60 day returns w/ seller pays shipping. ALA Free Returns

With option number 1, No Returns the seller can completely deny taking a return for a Buyer's Remorse Return Request.  Or if they want to they can accept the return and have the buyer pay the return shipping.  If the seller so chooses they can withhold the original shipping if it was separately stated on the listing [not free shipping] when it is time to refund the buyer.

On options 2 & 3 the buyer is responsible for the return shipping on a Buyer's Remorse Return.  Plus if the seller so chooses they can withhold the original shipping if it was separately stated on the listing [not free shipping] when it is time to refund the buyer.

On options 4 & 5 above, they are also known as Free Returns.  If a seller that has either of those policies they will pay the return shipping even on a buyer's remorse return.  A seller can withhold the original shipping value from the refund if the shipping was separately stated in the listing [not free shipping].  Also Seller’s offering options 4 or 5 have the ability to do partial refunds in certain cases if the item arrives back damaged, missing something or in a condition less than what it was sent to the buyer in, see the policy for more details, the link is below.  In the cases where a deduction in the refund is taken due to damage or other authorized reasons for a partial refund, Ebay will protect the seller from negative or neutral feedback.

ALL OPTIONS [1, 2, 3, 4 and 5] are required to process SNAD claims without exception.  Even if they are improperly filed and should have been a Buyer’s Remorse claim.

All return policies by sellers must meet or exceed what is stated in the Money Back Guarantee Policy!

For those with Free Return and/or TRS members, there are some added benefits, one of which is the ability to do a discounted refund under certain conditions.

[mam98031]

Also there are a couple things you said that could use a little more explanation.

"He'll send it back, I won't be able to sell it, "  You sold it once, it is highly likely you can sell it again.  Just test it an make sure you state any flaws on your listing.

"the buyer will get his money and Ebay its sellers fees!!"  Once you refund the buyer, Ebay will refund you the FVFs you paid to Ebay.  It will appear on your invoice.

[magicjohnsonsvariety]

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@flipper2flipper wrote:

Consider yourself EXTREMELY lucky if the buyer returns your actual original item instead of returning half a dozen old magazines !

---

That depends on what old magazines we're talking about.....

[reallynicestamps]

@mam98031 

the buyer is responsible for the return shipping on a Buyer's Remorse Return.

The problem is that most buyers would not consider this a Buyer Remorse return.

Even in more obvious cases (This red sweater is cherry and I wanted scarlet!) the buyer, being  used to returning goods with no penalty*, will choose Not As Described/ wrong colour, rather than pay for return shipping. 

But with that as a given, I regard the 'brick' story to be something of an urban legend.

Even the number of returns by unhappy customers is exaggerated in these Boards, because happy customers and sellers with smooth transactions -- or even smooth returns for refund-- are not going to be on the Boards about how well they were treated and how everything worked out well.
Maybe one percent scams on one percent returns. What's that .001% of sales involving fraud? 

Maybe I'm an optimist. Certainly I don't sell in high fraud categories. YMMV. Maybe there is  ten times the amount of fraud I imagine. 

*Because it costs nothing to drive half an hour to return a sweater to KMart, right? 

[mam98031]

---

@reallynicestamps wrote:

@mam98031 

the buyer is responsible for the return shipping on a Buyer's Remorse Return.

The problem is that most buyers would not consider this a Buyer Remorse return.

Even in more obvious cases (This red sweater is cherry and I wanted scarlet!) the buyer, being  used to returning goods with no penalty*, will choose Not As Described/ wrong colour, rather than pay for return shipping. 

But with that as a given, I regard the 'brick' story to be something of an urban legend.

Even the number of returns by unhappy customers is exaggerated in these Boards, because happy customers and sellers with smooth transactions -- or even smooth returns for refund-- are not going to be on the Boards about how well they were treated and how everything worked out well.
Maybe one percent scams on one percent returns. What's that .001% of sales involving fraud? 

Maybe I'm an optimist. Certainly I don't sell in high fraud categories. YMMV. Maybe there is  ten times the amount of fraud I imagine. 

*Because it costs nothing to drive half an hour to return a sweater to KMart, right? 

---

I didn't mean to suggest they would.  I just gave an outline of the different return policies available.  Sorry if I confused things.

[florida_parts]

LOL. I sell used auto parts and every month, every single month, I get at least 1 buyer that returns their old part in place of mine. I report them to Trust and Safety and let Karma take care of everything else.

These returns cost me shipping, the part, the return shipping, boxes, tape, bubble wrap, time, and most of all,  the hits to my service metrics.

Back in the day, eBay would cover a few here and there but nowadays, they say to chalk it up as business losses. Its a sad world we live in. I just keep grinding.

Joe

[xfurbish]

They never, a guy bought 3000$ cisco module and returned me a dell battery, he messaged me the item is still with him, customer support also read his messages and refunded the buyer, and asked me to approach Police and report fraud.

[the.curious.fat.cat]

Maybe you can ask the buyer if he would like to keep it (and buy a battery for himself) and you only refund the partial cost of the battery?

That way if he's telling the truth it would be less of hassle for you both.