@mokie11559wrote:
Return request opened on the 12th for "defective/not working". Buyer states fragrance smells great, however they had a rash & "think" they "may" be allergic. No return policy. Called ebay the 12th & usa rep agrees its buyer remorse & to respond with something. I offer to take a return with buyer paying return shipping.
Their response: am a terrible merchant, shame on me expecting them to pay return shipping. they will involve ebay & guarantee they will get a refund.
Call today since says respond by the 15th. US rep says have to call the 16th to escalate & would not say one way or the other how this will play out................
@mokie11559
Your situation is similar, but different from mine.
Similar:
-- You have a No Returns Policy
-- Buyer filed a Return Request claiming SNAD, but reason given clearly is remorse
-- You responded to the Return Request within the timeline specified by eBay as required
Different:
-- My buyer did not approach or respond to me in an aggressive or angry manner nor did I.
-- Your response to the buyer included an offer to accept a return. I did not offer to accept a return in response to my buyer's request.
Here's an excerpt from post #53 by Trinton from the recent thread about my problem that may help. (Thread https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Buyer-Requests-Return-Did-Not-Read-Description-eBay-Agrees-But... The first paragraph below relates to my return request; the second paragraph to your situation, I believe.
"As long as the seller has responded to their buyer in some way within the return, we will review and take appropriate steps to resolve the dispute. If the buyer's request is for a reason we consider remorse, the seller has not invited the return and there is no return policy then we will close the case in the seller's favor. This would not record a case closed without seller resolution strike, as the seller has won the case.
"If there is not a return policy, but the seller is willing to take the return at the buyer's expense, then they would also be expected to make this clear and we would authorize the return at the buyer's expense once we are asked to step in. There would not be any case closed without seller resolution strike recorded under these circumstances. There would not be any case closed without seller resolution strike recorded under this scenario."
So, despite the fact you have a No Returns policy, you responded to your buyer and offered to take a return at the buyer's expense. That's fine. Your buyer responded back nastily. Don't respond and be nasty back. Resist the temptation and say nothing more.
It will also do you no good to call eBay NOW and try to get a CSR rep to close the case in your favor even if it looks like a remorse return parading as a SNAD. You have to let the clock run on the initial Return Request. (This apparently is a recent change in eBay policy.)
Three full business days have to elapse from the time your buyer filed the Return Request before eBay will do anything for either party. To have any chance of fighting this remorse return, you MUST respond to the buyer within those three days by clicking on one of the choices you're given when you go into the Return Request form which range from full/partial refund/etc to just messaging your buyer. If you don't respond via this form in some way, you definitely will lose as eBay will say there was "No Seller Resolution" but it sounds as if you have. Good.
Once the three days are up, you can ask eBay to step in (aka escalate the issue by creating a case). You can do this online by clicking on the link in the email from eBay you'll get saying the Return Request has not been resolved. If you don't get such an email, then definitely call.
eBay says they need up to 48 hours to review, make a decision, and close a case. However, you can call eBay once you have asked them to step in, and see if they will close the case in your favor while you're on the phone. I didn't. I just waited to be notified via eBay Messaging which came through in less than 24 hours.
How will this all work out for you?
Based on Trinton's comments above, I would expect eBay will side with you and authorize a return at te buyer's expense. Whether the buyer chooses to return the item (or what they return to you - an empty box?) of course, is up to them. If they paid by credit card, they always can file with PayPal and get reimbursed that way which makes makes "winning" on eBay a bit of a shallow victory. From what I was told, the buyer can also leave feedback. If it's negative, you can call eBay and ask them to have it removed.
So far, my buyer has done neither (filed with PayPal or left feedback). Wishful thinking, but I think it will stay that way as my initial response to them was very polite which apparently they accepted as they have said/done since.
Not saying it was your fault, but for future reference, you might want to review the wording of your initial reponse to see if there are any ways to improve it so it would have been less likely to elicit such a nasty response from your buyer. But maybe not, as some people are just "some people" and will be nasty and have an attitude of entitlement no matter how nice you are to them.
Regardless, I hope the above info will be helpful. Keep us posted as sharing info here one te best ways for others to learn how to handle similar situations .
Good luck!
