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Sold a 1 oz gold token and am now being hassled

Hello there, been a seller for at least 26 years and I have 100% positive feedback. I recently sold a gold 1 oz token to someone. They paid less than the cost of gold for it. Suddenly now they say they took it to be assayed and they're telling me that it's like 26% silver not 100% gold. Well the token or coin or whatever you want to call it says that it is 1 oz gold give or take. I know it's not a fake because I was there when it was purchased like 35 years ago. I have it set up as no returns... It cost like $75 to ship it with insurance so I definitely do not want to take it any returns. This person is non-stop messaging me saying my choice is either give them a refund of $475 or I have to accept the return. I'm not accepting the return The money is already spent dude. It isn't a fake and I don't even know where he had it assayed. apparently I'm just supposed to trust that the buyer had it checked out somewhere and it wasn't fully gold. I guess my question is this... If the buyer tries to return it anyway will eBay just side with them and then automatically take this money from me? I mean it was like $2,400 so I am just kind of devastated and I don't understand why this person is bugging the hell out of me. Like if they didn't want it why buy it? They spent days going back and forth with me and finally I gave him a great deal and they still aren't happy and they're bothering me and stressing me out and making me think that they might go ahead and just return it and get all their money back from eBay and then in turn eBay will take the money out of my checking account. I tried to remove my checking account and eBay won't even let me remove my checking account. I can't have any surprises like that in my checking account. Will that happen? Does anyone know? Has anyone dealt with anything like this before? In the past I've had people return things a few times and they weren't the original item so it was like a scam. I mean I don't know if people can just fake tokens randomly but I don't want to take this back. Thank you If you've made it this far I appreciate it.

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Message 1 of 20
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Re: Sold a 1 oz gold token and am now being hassled

Yes, if they file an Item Not Received case, you need to accept it and send a return label (do not refund until you have it back).  eBay will not side with you on this, they will always side with the buyer in cases where there is no way to definitively prove anything.

Message 2 of 20
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Re: Sold a 1 oz gold token and am now being hassled

Tis the season ...

Message 3 of 20
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Re: Sold a 1 oz gold token and am now being hassled

@ismileatdogs 

What was the exact delivery date? The buyer has 30 days from the delivery date to file a return case. 

After that the buyer can do a chargeback thru their Credit Card issuer for perhaps up to 6 months. Varies by the issuer.

 

This is how a typical Item Not As Described return case plays out. (Throw your emotions out the window)


If the buyer opens a Item Is Not As Described type return case, you have choices.


1. You can refund the buyer now and let the buyer keep the item. eBay refunds the final value fees on the sale to you, the seller.


2. If you want the item back before refunding, accept the return and make sure a prepaid return label is available in the return case. The buyer returns the item and then you refund in full. eBay refunds the final value fees on the sale to you, the seller.


Seller protection:
Top Rated Sellers who accept 30 day returns and sellers who offer free 30 day returns can do partial refunds, up to 50%, if the item is returned in a condition different than when you shipped it.


3. Do nothing, contest the case or allow eBay to handle the case, eBay will close the return, refund the buyer and allow the buyer to keep the item. You also receive a serious defect on your seller account for having eBay step in and refund, thus doing your job as a seller. And, eBay keeps the final value fees for the transaction.


Here is an eBay link with just about all you need to know.
https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/handle-return-request-seller?id=4115

 

 

 

 

 

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Message 4 of 20
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Re: Sold a 1 oz gold token and am now being hassled

to add to what @brightlightbookseller told you; you CANNOT and will NOT be able to 'change your checking account information on ebay' as they hold that information for about 3 months AFTER you close your account, which you cannot do until 3 months AFTER your last sale. This is designed to keep people from doing what you are talking about (although doesn't sound like you- there are thieves out there that would sell people junk and then 'run' with the money)

Message 5 of 20
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Re: Sold a 1 oz gold token and am now being hassled

Wow thank you all for this amazing response and information. Yeah I guess it wouldn't be a good idea to remove my checking account anyway. I hardly ever have had any problems so I'm always kind of surprised when I do have one. So if they file a not as described claim I can give them a partial refund, and if I understand this correctly eBay will refund the final value fees? They were like $350 so if I was going to get the final value fee back back I wouldn't be so upset I guess. I hope I have this right. I can't believe all the response. I tried to get help through eBay and spent like an hour with the chat bot not letting me talk to anyone and then I called them and they wouldn't let me talk to anyone and the phone bought hung up on me. So I really do appreciate being heard here. Thank you

Message 6 of 20
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Re: Sold a 1 oz gold token and am now being hassled

You can offer a partial refund through a Item Not As Described claim, but the buyer has to accept it.  If they don't, you lose out on other options sometimes.  So make sure that the buyer will accept the offer you're giving (you also only get one chance, you can't negotiate once you send a partial refund offer), before you send it.  And I'm not sure if you get your FVF back on that portion.  I know you do with a standard refund, and you would with a return and full refund, but not sure in the case of offering a partial refund through a case.  Someone else can probably confirm that.

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Re: Sold a 1 oz gold token and am now being hassled


@ismileatdogs wrote:

Wow thank you all for this amazing response and information. Yeah I guess it wouldn't be a good idea to remove my checking account anyway. I hardly ever have had any problems so I'm always kind of surprised when I do have one. So if they file a not as described claim I can give them a partial refund, and if I understand this correctly eBay will refund the final value fees? They were like $350 so if I was going to get the final value fee back back I wouldn't be so upset I guess. I hope I have this right. I can't believe all the response. I tried to get help through eBay and spent like an hour with the chat bot not letting me talk to anyone and then I called them and they wouldn't let me talk to anyone and the phone bought hung up on me. So I really do appreciate being heard here. Thank you


@ismileatdogs the 'up to 50%' thing is ONLY if you receive something 'less than' what you sold/shipped and not just allow you to 'deduct up to 50%'.

 

2nd- that 'deduct up to 50% thing' is only for Top Rated Sellers which I don't believe you are as doesn't look like you've had enough 'sales'.

 

If the buyer sends you the 'same thing you sent' back, that would be good in of itself (but I wonder why ANYONE would pay $2400 for Gold and Settle on $1900 as they asked for a bit less than a $500 for something worth $20)? 

Message 8 of 20
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Re: Sold a 1 oz gold token and am now being hassled

There is NOT an eBay phone number you can call.

 

If you start toying around with the partial refund idea, you can get taken for a ride while going that route, jfyi.

 

Where are you in this process? Has the buyer opened a return case?

 

If the buyer is just messaging,  my usual response is, "Sorry to hear you are not pleased with your purchase.  Please return for refund". Puts the ball in their court, see what they do.

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Message 9 of 20
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Re: Sold a 1 oz gold token and am now being hassled

     As others have mentioned if the buyer has opened a return request you must  respond in 4 days as to how you want to handle the return, given the value I would accept the return, provide a return shipping label and offer a full refund upon return of the item. Do NOT refund before you have the item back. If you do not respond to the return request then the buyer can ask eBay to step in. EBay will side with the buyer, provide them with a full refund, ding your account and allow the buyer to keep the item. 

     This is a tough call if you didn't have the token checked for metal content before you sold it. You could take the coin to about any gold exchange place to have it checked for gold purity which they can easily do with a metal spectrometer. Personally I would accept the return, hope you get back the coin you sent and do some analysis on the item before reposting it. Actual weight would also be important given the price of gold. A simple digital scale would give you the actual weight. 

     Others have already provided information regarding your checking account and yes that is where eBay will go to get the $ to refund the buyer. I have always had a separate checking account for eBay so it doesn't get mixed in with my personal checking account information. 

     

Message 10 of 20
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Re: Sold a 1 oz gold token and am now being hassled

I would be very careful with this, if you sold it as being 100 percent gold and it is not, regardless of whether it is one ounce more or less, then it could rise to the level of fraud and get the authorities involved.  Personally I would have them return it for refund.  Then get it assayed yourself and sell it on that basis.  Just my opinion.

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Re: Sold a 1 oz gold token and am now being hassled

@ismileatdogs the 'up to 50%' thing is ONLY if you receive something 'less than' what you sold/shipped and not just allow you to 'deduct up to 50%'.

 

2nd- that 'deduct up to 50% thing' is only for Top Rated Sellers which I don't believe you are as doesn't look like you've had enough 'sales'.

 

If the buyer sends you the 'same thing you sent' back, that would be good in of itself (but I wonder why ANYONE would pay $2400 for Gold and Settle on $1900 as they asked for a bit less than a $500 for something worth $20)? 

 

     Really difficult to say what this is worth if it is actually 74% gold and 26% silver that would make it about 18K gold which is around $1,900/troy ounce if the token does in fact weigh 1 troy ounce. However, the token is likely worth more as a collectable than it is for the gold and silver content. 

Message 12 of 20
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Re: Sold a 1 oz gold token and am now being hassled

If customer opens "not as described" claim you will forced to give them a full refund (purchase + shipping BOTH ways).   You cannot do a "partial refund".

 

Customer also has option of contacting their credit card company to give a refund (keep item and your money).

 

Really no such thing as "no returns" on EBAY (customer will always find a way to get their money back).   EBAY always rules in favor of the customer (even if the return a pair of dirty socks).

Message 13 of 20
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Re: Sold a 1 oz gold token and am now being hassled

They spent days going back and forth with you?   
You're not gonna make that person happy no matter what you do. 
You've got 1400 feedback. You're not new. You KNOW this! 
If I get three questions from someone, I'll answer the last one to where they won't buy from me.

 

Just go to the listing details and send refund of $475
Or.
Tell them to go their purchases, find this item, and use the "return this item" link. 
Then refund entirely when you get it back.  Of course, you'll have to refund entirely if they ship you anything.

Message 14 of 20
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Re: Sold a 1 oz gold token and am now being hassled

"I regret  you are unhappy with your purchase. Please return it for a refund."

Rinse repeat.

"I regret  you are unhappy with your purchase. Please return it for a refund."

You can have a No Returns policy but you cannot have a No Refunds policy.

"I regret  you are unhappy with your purchase. Please return it for a refund."

Get it back and relist it (at market value if there is no collector market).

"I regret  you are unhappy with your purchase. Please return it for a refund."

 

Not every transaction goes perfectly.

Get it back and resell it.

"I regret  you are unhappy with your purchase. Please return it for a refund."

 

If they open an eBay Claim, and you do not send a return shipping label, you will be out the money and the token.

"I regret  you are unhappy with your purchase. Please return it for a refund."

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