Unprotected Seller

[jenn-dude]

Hello out there. First post, seller for 2 years, And super upset. 
I sold a beautiful, BRAND NEW (in original packaging, from store, and still factory folded) velvet quilt valued at $299 retail, for $240. Now this quilt was perfect, gorgeous, and is currently being sold $400-$500+ since it was a retired color from Pottery Barn 2010 Rustic Lux collection. 
The buyer used the didn’t look like pictures option wanting a refund. 
I asked for pictures. She sent pictures- and they looked exactly as the pictures in the listing. Absolutely. Also- all tags attached etc. 

I asked ebay to step in. 
Well the decided NOT only to give a full refund but let her keep my quilt. 
I am now out $600 total. $300 they took from my PayPal account, the $27 I paid in shipping to California, the $150 I paid for the quilt. And now I can’t resell or even keep it. 
It will take about 20 + sales to make that up. 
I have been reading all sorts of articles and comments online about how this always happens.
I only sell on the side. I started selling for fun. But as a small seller, I can’t afford this. 

Anyone experience this? 
I think it’s time for this to change. Anyone behind me? 

[this*old*attic]

How is the buyer “shady?” Doesn’t look like the pictures is perfectly possible. You don’t know their OR the seller’s  monitor settings.

I’m sorry, but the Wild West EBay of 20 years ago, “tough cookies you bought it - it’s yours“ is long gone.

And doesn’t mesh with modern internet practices or buyer expectations, anyway.

That doesn’t mean EBay’s MBG isn’t annoying, but the info and consequences of refusing returns is readily available.

[this*old*attic]

True.

I wish Ebay didn’t hide the discussion boards. So many new seller (and even experienced but cruising along) problems could be avoided if the discussion boards were displayed prominently.

[droneboost]

Same here. I was robbed by ebay for a goods cost USD$245 + postage $40 to Brazil. Just late delivery. And ebay always buyer favour and refunded to the scammer in Brazil. Same as your case. Do not ship anything to Brazil. They are all thiefs. And ebay will not help you under any situation.

[chapeau-noir]

I wouldn't ship to Brazil only because of the trouble they're having not because they're terrible people.  Part of my family is in Argentina and I don't even ship there right now!  In fact, I've had to stop international shipping because of the difficulty of getting goods to my buyers (and they have been very patient) - I haven't had to do that in all the years I've been selling since 1999. 

[skullandcircle]

-It's even worse when a Seller buys from a Seller and does this.

-I sold a NIB puzzle to a Buyer that also happens to be a Seller.

-She not only opened the puzzle box, but tore open the CLEAR manufacturer's sealed plastic bag for the puzzle pieces.

-She opened a return stating that she didn't realize that the puzzle was so small.

-She did state in the return that it was in no way my fault because I had the dimension of the puzzle and the size of each piece in the listing and in the pictures.

-I had no idea that the box and sealed bag were opened.

-Of course, eBay automatically accepted the return on my behalf.

-When the puzzle arrived, the puzzle pieces were all thrown in a bigger shipping box that wasn't taped completely. I have no idea if all of the pieces are there OR if all of the pieces she returned actually went to the puzzle I shipped. Pieces and the puzzle box were damaged from being tossed around in the big box during shipping.

-Because of eBay's return policies, I could only deduct 50% of the item price from the amount I returned to her for a puzzle she opened and is no longer of any value to me and can't be resold.

-THEN AFTER MY PARTIAL REFUND TO HER, SHE OPENS A REFUND CASE AGAINST ME.

-eBay of course, refunds her the rest of the money and shipping.

-When I asked her why she thought I and eBay should pay for a puzzle that she bought in error and then opened, SHE STATED - BECAUSE I THINK EBAY'S RETURN POLICIES AGAINST SELLERS STINKS AND I WANTED TO 'STICK IT' TO EBAY. I KNEW I WOULD GET A COMPLETE REFUND FROM EBAY. AS A SELLER, YOU NEED TO TAKE ONE FOR ALL OF US SELLERS.

-Thanks so much for being a pathetic seller and person for sticking it to another seller.

[civicwagonparts]

eBay has two rules for dealing with buyer and sellers.

#1: The buyer is always right.

#2: If the buyer is ever wrong, refer to rule #1.

[fashunu4eeuh]

It is critically important for sellers to know the eBay rules, policies, and practices in order to mitigate the risk of selling online. You may have been able to avoid this outcome if you were armed with that knowledge. It is well known: Ebay looks out for the buyer. It is up to the seller to protect their own interests.

The buyer does not have to provide pictures or any other evidence to support their claim. The entire process is flawed and sometimes unfair, and just about the only way to salvage such a situation is for the seller to know more than the opportunist. 

You have 30 days to appeal the decision. Below is a link to the info on how to appeal and what eBay expects. In addition, I would register a complaint with them emphasizing the item was not returned to you. Then petition them to grant a “courtesy” refund for it. It may come to nothing, but there is nothing left to lose, and I know of one case where the seller was able to get that one-time courtesy refund. 

Good luck In your efforts, and sincerely hope you prevail if you appeal.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/appeal-ebays-decision-return-missing-item...

[yuzuha]

---

@chapeau-noir wrote:

I wouldn't ship to Brazil only because of the trouble they're having not because they're terrible people.  Part of my family is in Argentina and I don't even ship there right now!  In fact, I've had to stop international shipping because of the difficulty of getting goods to my buyers (and they have been very patient) - I haven't had to do that in all the years I've been selling since 1999. 

---

International shipping is all sorts of *bleep*ed up in general right now. I had to wait over a month for a package from Japan that would normally have arrived in 3-4 days.

[firalasa-0]

---

@jenn-dude wrote:

Hello out there. First post, seller for 2 years, And super upset. 
I sold a beautiful, BRAND NEW (in original packaging, from store, and still factory folded) velvet quilt valued at $299 retail, for $240. Now this quilt was perfect, gorgeous, and is currently being sold $400-$500+ since it was a retired color from Pottery Barn 2010 Rustic Lux collection. 
The buyer used the didn’t look like pictures option wanting a refund. 
I asked for pictures. She sent pictures- and they looked exactly as the pictures in the listing. Absolutely. Also- all tags attached etc. 

I asked ebay to step in. 
Well the decided NOT only to give a full refund but let her keep my quilt. 
I am now out $600 total. $300 they took from my PayPal account, the $27 I paid in shipping to California, the $150 I paid for the quilt. And now I can’t resell or even keep it. 
It will take about 20 + sales to make that up. 
I have been reading all sorts of articles and comments online about how this always happens.
I only sell on the side. I started selling for fun. But as a small seller, I can’t afford this. 

Anyone experience this? 
I think it’s time for this to change. Anyone behind me? 

---

Yes, I have experienced this, first things first the $300 belonged to the buyer so you're out almost $300...
The $150 you paid for the quilt, the cost of shipping, and final value fees which I suspect will be around $50.

So you're out maybe $250?

Again the buyer simply got to keep their $300...

It was theirs to begin with, certainly they took $300 out of your Paypal but that $300 was not there before the sale... The $300 was in the buyer's possession before the sale and is now theirs again, it was in that sense only yours to hold but you did not "lose" that $300, you lost the cost of the quilt plus shipping and FVF's.

In the future change your returns policy to 30 days free and ALWAYS reply to ANY AND ALL complaints with:

Dearest of Buyer,

Please if you are regretfully unhappy with your purchase, return all of the item(s) in the exact condition so I can then issue a full refund.

Thank you,

Seller

[chapeau-noir]

"Free" returns are not even necessary.  Just a simple 30-day return policy will do.