Support Agents

[discount.electronics.for.sale]

I recently experienced a challenging situation with a buyer who initially attempted to cancel an order during shipping, claiming they felt they had overpaid. Following the item's delivery, the buyer filed a ticket alleging the product was defective, despite both of us knowing this wasn't the case; they simply wanted a refund.

Navigating this unfamiliar scenario, I reached out to customer support for guidance. The agent advised me to refrain from taking any action or responding to the customer's claim, which struck me as peculiar. Nevertheless, I followed their instructions.

As the deadline for resolving the case approached, I contacted support again, receiving the same instruction to maintain inaction and await their intervention the following day. Both the agent and I recognized the buyer's fraudulent intent in fabricating the claim to secure a refund.

To my dismay, the next day brought an email from eBay stating the customer was returning the item. Upon contacting eBay, I was informed that because I hadn't initiated any action, they had proceeded to accept the return request.

This experience left me feeling deceived by the agents who had misled me. I'm seeking guidance on how to file a complaint against these individuals. Moreover, I'm troubled by eBay's apparent bias towards protecting buyers at the expense of sellers, and I'm eager to understand why such practices persist within the platform.

[discount.electronics.for.sale]

It would be nice if eBay would refund, but I doubt they would ever do this. All I wish is that I had been given the real opportunity to resolve this on my own instead of listening to their advice to do nothing.
However, I've learned from this experience, and I'll be better prepared in the future.

[stainlessenginecovers]

See post #15 on first page (not sure how I commented after you but this reply by you got in after)

[discount.electronics.for.sale]

Thank you all for your valuable input and guidance throughout this discussion.
I greatly appreciate the time you've taken to teach me these new insights and information.
Your support has been invaluable, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to learn from your experiences.

[discount.electronics.for.sale]

Thank you for sharing your message. I've noted your suggestions and will definitely keep them in mind for future reference. Your insights are much appreciated!

[kensgiftshop]

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@discount.electronics.for.sale wrote:

Thank you for sharing your experience.
It's concerning to hear that eBay sometimes issues refunds directly from the seller's account without requiring the return of the item.

Has this happened to you before?
If so, I'm curious to know how you went about getting either the money or the item back.

It does indeed seem unreasonable for eBay to implement such a policy.

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No, it's never happened to me, I never contact CS, I just accept the return and provide a shipping label.

When it does happen, Ebay tells the buyer they don't have to return the item and the only way you'll get the item back is if you can talk them into returning it, if you pay the return shipping.

It might seem unreasonable, but we see post almost everyday where a seller didn't think they should have to accept the return when they have a no return policy.

[discount.electronics.for.sale]

The customer's true intention was to secure a $70 discount on the item.
While this request seemed steep given the $290 order total, I would have considered it since it wouldn't have significantly impacted my profit margin. In fact, I've previously accommodated similar requests to avoid negative feedback.

My primary aim has always been to maintain a flawless eBay reputation and feedback score. Thus, I'm more disheartened by the prospect of losing that status than by the return itself, to be frank.
Reflecting on the situation, I now realize that I should have immediately processed the partial refund to avoid the predicament I am in now.

[robbie31415]

So you overcharged your customer $70 on shipping.

Yikes.

[discount.electronics.for.sale]

I don't use fixed prices, eBay estimated the cost of shipping based on item weight and package size, but the calculation for a multi order is usually off.
The shipping was from Virginia to California, with a package weighing 20 lbs and sized 14x12x6. I always try to optimize packaging, so I managed to fit it into a flat rate, reducing the cost. I was going to refund the $68 difference, but he wanted $72.
I would have still accommodated it, but he never got back to me after the last reply. Just a heads up, he bought all 20 lots of 10, so eBay calculates each lot separately, and I have no control over this.

[robbie31415]

I think your settings are wrong for an overage like that.

Still I wouldn't have waited for them to message about it. During shipping when I found out total cost, I'd have issued the 70 bucks.

You are going to run into quite a lot of problems and have upset customers if you don't handle these situations better.

And honestly, I wouldn't have argued over $4.

[discount.electronics.for.sale]

As I'm still relatively new to this, I'm continuously learning. I've provided partial refunds before in similar situations, as mentioned earlier. However, I always ensure that the customer is satisfied with it before processing the refund. My intention is never to cover up any flaws in their order. As mentioned earlier, I was fully prepared to meet his $72 request, but eBay agents advised me to take no action.

[robbie31415]

I know you are new, and I don't fault, just trying to give you a heads up.

Because a lot of repeat buyers on here know exactly what things should cost especially when they are buying something they probably already purchased multiple times before.

I'm just trying to make your life easier in the future.

Personally I've made everything free shipping so I never have to actually deal with those issues.

[discount.electronics.for.sale]

Attached below is my shipping policy for this item, which covers 1 lot of 10 weighing 1lb with dimensions 6x6x6. However, the buyer ordered 20 of these lots, so I'm unsure how eBay arrived at the $90 shipping cost. As mentioned in my message to him, this is beyond my control, but I can certainly refund him the difference. Additionally, he claimed to have requested $20 in shipping, which wasn't the case. The offer he sent only covers the value of the item and doesn't affect shipping costs.

[discount.electronics.for.sale]

I've contemplated offering free shipping, but I prioritize providing good value. I consistently refund the difference after the order is processed, but I ensure to confirm with the customer and obtain their approval beforehand. Here's a recent example of two separate orders placed by a customer.

[discount.electronics.for.sale]

Thank you once again for bringing this to my attention. I've created a new post to address this issue and seek input from the community on potential solutions.

[albertabrightalberta]

@discount.electronics.for.sale 

You are very lucky to be getting your item back! 

Usually when a seller ignores a claim, ebay closes the claim in the buyer's favor, gives them a refund AND lets them keep the item free of charge. PLUS, you get a huge ding on your account because you didn't handle the return yourself.