Successfully challenge return on "no return" item and protect my eBay and Paypal accounts?

[lauralemur]

Need advice as this is my first experience with this issue:

I sold a football collectible for several hundred dollars recently - the listing clearly stated "no returns", "as-is", "ask questions", described the only flaw, and I provided multiple detailed photos.  It was sold as "ungraded" (not professionally assessed for condition).  The item was paid for, and mailed (received 28 days ago).  I got a message today from the buyer who claims (without proof) he took it to get graded and the company told him the item was altered (to enhance condition).  This is absolutely not true.  He is asking for a full or parital refund.  I believe the buyer just has remorse - the item is from the losing team in the superbowl, and the going prices on similar items dropped significantly afterwards.   I have just read up on the misleading "no return" and MBG issues for sellers, and I'm dismayed.  I am pretty sure he'll file a claim, just within the 30 days.  If so, how and what can I do to successfully challenge this?  Can he claim the item is "not as described", when it was clearly sold as ungraded and I included clear photos and descriptions?  How can I protect my ebay and paypal accounts?  Should I disconnect my credit card from my paypal account so my personal finances are not messed with if ebay decides in his favor?  I have been on ebay for 19 years and have 100% feedback with over 2,000 transactions.  A return of this amount would be a huge hit to my finances.  Thanks for any advice!

[chinohighcowboys1963]

No such thing as, "as is" on eBay.

If buyer opens a not as described case, you must accept it, and provide a pre-paid return label, and refund him in full once you get the item back.

If you don't resolve this yourself, and buyer escalates the case, eBay will force a refund from you, and might even allow the buyer to keep the item.

[myboardid]

If he opens a Not As Described case against you, you will have to accept a return for refund, there will be no way to fight it and win.  Just because you said it was ungraded won't matter, he can make up a lie about the condition and eBay would still take his side, as they always take the buyer's side when they make a claim such as that.   If you fight it and lose, which you will, ebay will force you to refund and he will get to keep the item. 

However, I think he is bluffing to get a partial refund.  Your response should be for him to return it for a full refund.  These words - "I'm sorry you are unhappy with the widget, please return for a full refund." should be the ONLY thing you say to him, repeated word for word again and again as many times as he contacts you.  Do NOT even discuss or respond to whatever claims he makes about the item, about the grading, about the condition, just repeat those words, exactly as written over and over.     I'd bet he will never send it back.  If he does, you will have it to sell again next year when the Pats win again! 

Do NOT take your financial information off your payment info.  You will be forced into collections and will have your credit rating destroyed.  You will not be allowed to list anything for sale without it in place.  You need to find a way to handle the refund if it comes down to that, but I'd still bet it won't. 

BTW, if he tries to open a case in eBay more than 30 days after he has received the item, he won't be able to, and you are close to that date.  He could open one in Paypal, but he would have to pay the return shipping. 

[flieslow]

This is a buyer scam. I just got hit for $600 item plus the total sale $712. for a total of $1300.  you will get an enpty box (or a rock) and ebay will take the money for the origanal sale from your account and you loose it all. Click on the buyers name and contact all sellers that left feedback and find out if they got scammed and tell all to contact ebay to open a case against the buyer. 

[flieslow]

I did that and the buyer claimed I wasn't responding and ebay is going to force the retun even though I proved to them this was a scam buyer.

[tunicaslot]

flie - you can not name a buyer's ID here - it's against policy! 

[lauralemur]

Thank you very much for taking the time to help me! Do you happen to know if the Paypal process is different from ebay, or if they are more fair towards sellers? If I lose with Paypal (or ebay for that matter) can I fight this with my credit card company as a fraudulent/unauthorized charge?

[dylamontoy2]

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@lauralemurwrote:
Thank you very much for taking the time to help me! Do you happen to know if the Paypal process is different from ebay, or if they are more fair towards sellers? If I lose with Paypal (or ebay for that matter) can I fight this with my credit card company as a fraudulent/unauthorized charge?

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How would your CC company be involved? 

[luckythewinner]

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@lauralemurwrote:

Should I disconnect my credit card from my paypal account so my personal finances are not messed with if ebay decides in his favor? 

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If that happens, eBay will send you to a collection agency and it will affect your credit score. 

That would probably "mess with" your personal finances a lot more that a refund. 

How much money are we talking about?

[myboardid]

Paypal is less helpful than eBay, but you can still insist on a return for refund.  And no, you cannot fight  it with your credit card company, it is not an unauthorized charge.  When you listed your card as your funding source with eBay, you agreed to allow it to be debited. 

[lauralemur]

Also - I received the guy's message yesterday and didn't write back yet - is there a timeframe for responding before ebay considers me "nonresponsive"? Since I am close to the 30 days, should I try to delay the process past that point by sending a message saying "I am looking into ebay's process/policy" or "please send me more information"? Maybe if he thinks he might get a partial refund he'll wait and the time limit will expire - or am I being naive?

[lauralemur]

The final bid was just over $600.  I ask about the credit card because my paypal account does not have a balance to cover the amount - so I am thinking my credit card would be charged to cover it.

[emerald40]

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@lauralemurwrote:
Also - I received the guy's message yesterday and didn't write back yet - is there a timeframe for responding before ebay considers me "nonresponsive"? Since I am close to the 30 days, should I try to delay the process past that point by sending a message saying "I am looking into ebay's process/policy" or "please send me more information"? Maybe if he thinks he might get a partial refund he'll wait and the time limit will expire - or am I being naive?

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If he opens a case with paypal or his credit company, he has up to 6 months to request a return. 

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[dylamontoy2]

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@lauralemur Since I am close to the 30 days, should I try to delay the process past that point....

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Seems shady to me

[dylamontoy2]

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@lauralemurwrote:

The final bid was just over $600.  I ask about the credit card because my paypal account does not have a balance to cover the amount - so I am thinking my credit card would be charged to cover it.

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It is NOT an unauthorized charge. You gave permission to both eBay and PayPal to use that card to cover you when you added the card...

If you file a u/a with the card, you can kiss your ability to sell here goodbye.