buyer filed a "item not working" claim

[lygerr]

I have a customer who has filed a broken item claim against me, the person is having an issue with transferring ownership of a subscription item but in doing so has filed the claim against me to file a return. The issue is they never did the transfer of ownership with the actual company that makes this item, you know, the only company that can actually register and re-register the item to a new owner. i figured it would have been common sense but after a month I get hit with an over $1.2k funds hold on my account. I've been having to pay out of pocket to ship items in the meantime for a week now, with no income(this is my only income by the way).

I tested the item before shipping it, i spent twice as much as the buyer paid to insure it for the sale amount to cover my own rear if it got lost or damaged. I also placed a "no return" policy on the item because it is software driven and can easily become corrupted in the wrong hands(the situation they're putting me in here because they've already tinkered with the software loaded in it) If the owner was able to convince ebay that the item is somehow not working, even though i can't personally be there to hold their hand to make sure they transfer ownership and get a working account for it, I would be out nearly $100 as well as have to recoup my fees lost to ebay from the sale(not immediately refunded). As well i may in fact now have a broken item, when it was actually working fine when sent, i verbally wrote the warning in the sale about this fact and as to why there are no returns on it.

The buyer never reached out to me prior to making the false "non working item" claim either, so i'm stuck in limbo until they either release the claim or ebay steps in and makes a ruling for one of us.

I'm playing tech support with the buyer while they try and resolve the issue, i explained that filing a non working item report on an item places a hold on my account for the amount of the item, the buyer so far has been unremoseful. Should i report them once this issue is resolved? I know customer service is something we should put on the front burner but these days society is filled with people who can't work to resolve issues, instead they cry foul first and begin demanding things and play victim. At what point are you, the seller, actually the victim?

[estate_echoes]

Not accepting the return is a likely a 100% chance that you will be out your money and the item. And there is a high probability that you will get neg feedback. 

Getting a rock is likely way less than one percent chance. You have a greater chance of the buyer not even sending the item after you accept the return, in which case you don't have to refund. 

Like I said, I have been in your shoes. I have tried fighting, and believing I was going to get my way. I have come to these boards for help and thought everyone was an a hole because I didn't hear what I wanted to hear and I didn't listen. Everyone is giving you good advice and is trying to keep you from experiencing the worst outcome. 

[lygerr]

Is there a time period i don't see that i have to accept the return by or is it the 5 day grace period ebay gives you to respond to the seller? so if i don't accept the return within that 5 days it will go to mediation and basically be defaulted to the buyer? i just want clarification that that's basically how it goes. i still have 2 days left on the "respond to customers return request" window.

i'm still trying to walk the buyer through the registration process, whether they are actually doing it or not i don't know. i just would like to know how much time i have left for the customer to release this stupid dispute. or can they not even reverse the dispute once it's made?

if i accept the return and the customer resolves the issue, how long will i have to wait if they don't return it to get the hold taken off the funds? i'm not sure how long i can afford to keep paying to ship stuff without getting paid.

[albertabrightalberta]

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@lygerr wrote:

Is there a time period i don't see that i have to accept the return by or is it the 5 day grace period ebay gives you to respond to the seller? so if i don't accept the return within that 5 days it will go to mediation and basically be defaulted to the buyer? i just want clarification that that's basically how it goes. i still have 2 days left on the "respond to customers return request" window.

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The more quickly you respond, the faster you're apt to get the item back to relist. 

What are you waiting for. If the buyer escalates and ebay steps in, you'll be SOL. 

[lygerr]

oh i definitely appreciate the advice everyone has given me, even if it all does sound like bad news. 

[kensgiftshop]

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@lygerr wrote:

none of reading that makes me feel like this could have a potential positive outcome. even if i accept the return, what's preventing someone from shipping a rock in a box back to me the same weight as the item? none of these answers are making me feel like either direction is the right one.

i do however have documentation in the return case that the buyer wasn't trying to register the item properly and admitted to that by using a 3rd party company that couldn't even perform the service needed.

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The buyer could ship back an empty box and you'd still have to refund.

[kensgiftshop]

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@lygerr wrote:

The return request was filed on day 31 though, i double checked with the calendar. Unless it starts on the day it was received. 

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It's 30 days from the time they received the item.

[lygerr]

i was holding off in the off chance the buyer could figure out the issue and cancel the "item not working claim", or can a person not even do that once the claim is filed?

[albertabrightalberta]

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@lygerr wrote:

i was holding off in the off chance the buyer could figure out the issue and cancel the "item not working claim", or can a person not even do that once the claim is filed?

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They don't have to do anything. 

The buyer is in the driver's seat. They get a refund whether you do it voluntarily by accepting the return or by ebay granting it to them if you deny it or if you don't respond.

[estate_echoes]

"i was holding off in the off chance the buyer could figure out the issue and cancel the "item not working claim", or can a person not even do that once the claim is filed?"

If the buyer figures it out and is happy you pretty much have nothing to worry about. I believe you mark in the case that the issue has been resolved. 

[lygerr]

i legtimately think the buyer is trying to figure it out though, in their original response they showed an email of the third party vendor trying to register my item. i still haven't gotten word that a claim can be cancelled once filed though, that is why i have held off on the return, if the buyer can voluntarily cancel the return. but i still haven't been told if that's not possible. if the buyer can't even retract the return then of course i will have no choice and just accept the return. 

also still would like verification of how long a the hold is placed if the customer decides to keep the item and no use the shipping to return it.

will the shipping cost be refunded if the label is never used also? 

[dhbookds]

might help to start reading help pages about returns.........

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/handle-return-request-seller?id=4115&st=3...

I'll quote this section

If you're unable to resolve the issue within this time, the buyer may ask us to step in and help. In some cases, if you haven't responded to the return request, we may issue a refund to the buyer and seek reimbursement from you without requiring the buyer to return the item.

[lygerr]

I accepted the refund, since it was never answered the buyer has 20 days to ship the item back, then i assume the shipping label is cancelled and the return is null and void with no recourse to the buyer at that point. Now i just get to wait and see if i get a box of rocks in the mail. All the while paying to ship out items with no income for weeks to come. Top ramen it is this month.

Thank you all for your guidance, ebay sure has clamped down on protecting buyers over sellers, to the point of creating buyers scamming sellers. it wasn't near this bad 10 years ago when i sold items then, it always was an issue but ebay at least reviewed evidence back then and may not have sided with a buyer automatically.

The REALLY frustrating part of it all is ebay is holding funds of current sales after delivery even longer after this case, so my negative balance is staying stronger, longer. it's no wonder why there is less sellers now than there was then. High dollar items are just really risky when you're dealing with no one watching your back and everyone taking the buyers side. Seems you could have irrefutable proof of being scammed by a buyer but no one there to protect you, quite the opposite.

[estate_echoes]

The buyer can close the case. 

If the shipping label isn't used you arent charged for it. 

When case is resolved, funds are received at the next scheduled payout

[meme6253]

Sounds like your between a rock & a hard place, Just take the return & end the issue, Lesson learned.

[lygerr]

For reference the buyer did eventually get the item working (with my help pointing them in the right directions) and cancelled the claim, the shipping label was never used or charged against my account. So these events can have positive outcomes. I also even did a background check on the buyer before shipping the item so I knew where they lived was a legitimate address, their son even lives next door to them(public property records search), even checked their online sales history of what they had sold in the past(the buyer apparently is into boats and has a few of them), read their sons linkedin profile and checked their business profile. if something had seemed fishy I likely would have asked questions but everything seemed legitimate.

I did of course review the ebay process of the return and made notes, unlikely to be heard unless others do the same. buyers shouldn't be allowed to abuse return policies just because they can't ask for help or figure out an item.

If this was a sub $100 item i likely wouldn't have cared so much, but it being a $1200 item I tend to do my homework. Just because i'm new here again doesn't mean I'm new to selling, I have plenty of experience in that. Do what you can to protect yourself by asking questions, helping when it is needed and if something seems off request a cancellation of a sale.